Random photo from long ago and far away...

Somewhere in Sofia, Bulgaria

It Is Nice To Feel Loved...

I thought of these after the S&P downgrade of U.S.A.'s credit rating.
Seen along my travels...

Someone Doesn't Like NATO - Split, Croatia



Someone Didn't Like Bush II - Sofia, Bulgaria

Patterns and Abstract

I like patterns and photos of the details of stuff such that you really can't tell much about the subject...like a blind man touching an elephant's tusk.

National Palace of Culture (NDK)Национален дворец на културата - Sofia, Bulgaria

Where I Was....

August 2007....

Beehives Near Lukomir, Bosnia



August 2008....

Water Frozen in Time - Sofia, Bulgaria

Sofia, Bulgaria (София, Sofiya)

A few years ago I spent some time in Sofia, Bulgaria. I took a lot of photos while I was there and even put some on the blog. Below are some of the photos that I don't think I ever got around to before.

St. Sofia - Sofia, BulgariaSveta Sofia



Church of St Nicholas the Miracle-Maker - Sofia, Bulgariaцърква "Св. Николай Чудотворец", tsarkva "Sv. Nikolay Chudotvorets"



St. Nedelya Church - Sofia, Bulgariaцърква „Света Неделя“ Sveta Nedelya



Inside St. Nedelya Church - Sofia, Bulgariaцърква „Света Неделя“ Sveta Nedelya



St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral - Sofia, BulgariaХрам-паметник „Свети Александър Невски“, Hram-pametnik „Sveti Aleksandar Nevski“



St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral - Sofia, BulgariaХрам-паметник „Свети Александър Невски“, Hram-pametnik „Sveti Aleksandar Nevski“



Monument to the Unknown Soldier - Sofia, BulgariaПаметник на Незнайния воин, Pametnik na Neznayniya voin



Soviet Era Sculpture - Sofia, Bulgaria

Boulevard of Broken Things

Along Evlogi Georgiev (Евлоги Георгиев) Boulevard is a collection of what I can only describe as "deconstruction art". Sculptures constructed of what appear to me to be pieces of old buildings, walls, staircases etc. Most of it seemed pretty bland, but the idea struck me as interesting. I wasn't very creative with my photography of if either though...in retrospect, my photos are also a little bland.

"Deconstruction" Art - Sofia, Bulgaria




Shells - Sofia





Stairway to Nowhere - Sofia





Man in the Room - Sofia




More "Deconstruction Art" - Sofia

Samokov Monastery

Metoh - Maiden's Monastery or Convent...shroud or veil, it gets pretty confusing and what it is called will depend on the translation. The Bulgarian Monastery web site's page for Samokov is HERE. where they call it “The Shroud of God’s Mother” but it you search on Samokov, you will find other names. Whatever it is called, there was this cute little old orthodox nun that just talked up a storm with some of the people I was with.

This first photo was taken through a sheer curtain, the little room and her little garden were too small to hold us all.

Orthodox Nun - Samokov Monastery, Bulgaria



She was very proud of her garden (and rightfully so)

Orthodox Nun - Samokov Monastery



Their grounds were beautiful, flowers, vegetable gardens, grapes, benches, just a peaceful place. The church was pretty neat too.


Flowers - Samokov Monastery




Flowers - Samokov Monastery

Sofia Texture

The first couple are obvious....bark has texture..

Bark - Vitosha, Bulgaria



Birch - Samokov (Самоков), Bulgaria



But the lady in the breakfast room at the hotel thought I was a little strange when shortly after finishing my coffee and breakfast, I came hustling back. I was lugging my big white 70-200 2.8L lens to take this photo before the sun moved.

Back Lit Curtain




Supposedly the oldest building in Sofia, St George Rotunda hides in what is primarily a service courtyard at the Sheraton hotel.

St George Rotunda (Ротонда Свети Георги / Rotonda Sveti Georgi) - Sofia



Not far away from the St George Rotunda is the Church of St Petka of the Saddlemakers (Tsurkva Sveta Petka Samardjiiska). It hides in the below grade median of the multi-lane highway the runs past the side of the Sheraton.

St Petka of the Saddlemakers - Sofia




Also not far from the Sheraton, but right out in front of everything...the road has to curve around it, is the Holy Sunday Church. The stones look like petrified sponge or something.

Holy Sunday Church (Tsurkva Sveta Nedelya)

Vitosha (Витоша)

Sofia has heaps of parks and open space. Vitosha mountain and national park to the south, South Park that runs from the south all the way to the heart of the city, and the mall-like Bulgaria Square in front of the National Palace of Culture (NDK)

Lone Flute PlayerNDK with Vitosha Looming in the Distance - Sofia. Bulgaria



Mountain Stream - Vitosha, Bulgaria

Fountain - Bulgaria Square, Sofia

The fountain in Bulgaria Square in front of the NDK (National Palace of Culture/Национален дворец на културата/Natsionalen dvorets na kulturata)...in the time I was there, it didn't always have water...

The Fountain in Bulgaria Square




Sparkling Fountain

Postcards From Summer Travels

Still recovering from a long summer (that isn't quite over yet).
Here are a couple of "post card shots" from some of my travels this summer.


What is Art? Graffiti vs. CommunismMonument to the Bulgarian State - Sofia, BulgariaPametnik na Balgarskata Darzhava




Church of the Holy Seven - Sofia, BulgariaTsurkva Sveti Sedmochislentsi