В завершение череды из англоязычных текстов, вторая зарисовка на софийские темы. Рассказы о болгарской столице и Болгарии в целом помещены сюда не только (не только!) во славу понтовых тэгов #traveler #lifestile #wanderlust, но и ради эффекта остранения, пожалуй самого важного продукта путешествий. Кроме того ради завязок на "магистральные темы" блога, пускай даже они не сразу бросятся в глаза.
Sofia for the sixth time already this August, no way as a result of a conscious plan, just for a number of coincidences and circumstances. Still, leaving the city made me almost homesick. A charming, shabby look of the majority of the city buildings, most of them having no idea of what a renovation is. An architectural mixture of the rather classical forms from the late 19th century, the modernist and constructivist creativity of the early 20th century and the post-socialist heritage. Half ruined deserted city villas. Wires hanging outside the houses of the "old town" (strictly there is none in Sofia) like some kind of an urbanistic jungle. Unusually bright (although often faded) colours of the buildings, especially for my St. Petersburg-raised eye. Obvious poverty, still side to side with a typically southern attitude to life - philosophical, relaxed, positive. Hipster coffeeshops, alternative restaurants, fancy bars, organic food stores, designer fashion shops - almost on every corner in the city centre a fancy location conquering my vain German-socialized and German-financed Russian heart. Bulgarians do have some special taste for things, being among others really sophisticated in reworking their Western experience into imaginative projects of their own. Just walk into the ZONA URBANA recycled accessoires shop, into the Punto Art Bazaar or the Made in Home restaurant - just listen to the music they are playing there, just look at the walls, the way they design the interior. I never get tired of taking pictures of the Sofia street art and admiring the looks of the young people strolling along the Vitosha boulevard in the evening, chatting in one of its numerous fashionable cafés, ordering their "фрапе бяло" (white frappé, Balkan ice coffee specialty) or discussing some art house film as riding on the city metro. The Bulgarian capital definitely has its style, each time making me remember the good old Berlin formula "arm aber sexy" (poor but sexy). Yes, in my self-satisfied urbanistic snobbery I consider Sofia as a village with 1.5 million inhabitants, I do. I cannot deny its vibe though, having fallen in love immediately and being ever more thankful to all the coincidences and circumstances which led me there. See you in November.
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