(June 21st – June 24, 2026)
On cue, I roll off the bus from Niš, Serbia, to Sofia, Bulgaria, in the late evening of June 21st and in the midst of searching for the entrance into the Metro station underground I fell gravity towards Latin fusion rock rhythms emanating from an open courtyard adjacent to the complex.
Did I arrive to Sofia or Santiago de Chile?
I couldn’t help but throw my bag and guitar down, grab a beverage, and start a shakedown of my Latin soul. One couldn’t ask for a more auspicious omen. I think I might like this place.
Not on my original travel concept itinerary, I had little expectation of Sofia. What I found, though, was truly a gem of a destination. In the center of the city in the Serdika district, one can find ancient nearly 2,000 year old Roman ruins, 1,000 year old Byzantian Orthodox churches, a 500 year old Ottoman mosque, and impressive Soviet-era Classicism government buildings known as the Largo literally within several hundred meters of each other. In fact, the Serdika Roman ruins, were discovered as recently as 2010-2012 when work was begun to excavate ground for the Metro construction, and the resulting discovery was a nearly 2,000 year old complex that was laying directly underneath the heart of the city.
I rather quickly decided to extend my stay to three nights, especially after seeing how delightful the centrally located Hotel Rila was that cost me less than $50 a night. Vitosha boulevard was nearby and acts as the primary avenue for evening strolling with plentiful cafes, bars, and restaurants, accented by a dramatic view to the Vitosha mountain as you walk its northern trajectory. People watching was top notch, as well as late-night World Cup viewing.
I spent one day visiting all the top sights including the Serdika ruins, Alexander Nevsky cathedral, the Banya Bashi mosque, the Sofia History museum, Women’s market, and several wonderful parks. In one of them, a Soviet-era monument had been dethroned and boarded up, a common theme among many ex-Soviet bloc states, especially since the Ukraine war.
Among the Serdika ruins, I was most impressed by the still intact plumbing infrastructure made of ceramic clay piping. The use of lead piping was widespread throughout the empire yet in Serdika and where else possible, clay/ceramic came to replace it or feature more prominently. Somehow I had not pegged pipe production going that far back in time, but that is the beauty of in-person historical travel, a new found knowledge and appreciation of humanity’s capabilities. I also amused myself in several of the interpretative displays and backstories, including this one, for which I highly suggest reading further with the link below:
The following day, I took an organized tour to the UNESCO world heritage sites of the Boyana Church and the Rila Monastery in the mountains beyond Sofia. The Boyana Church dates back to late 10th century and did not allow for indoor photography, however the interior painted mosaics were in incredible condition and truly impressive. The Rila Monastery was about 1.5 hours away and the bus meandered through foothills until reaching the larger Rila mountains. Along the way, we passed some agrarian villages where every house was fully surrounded by meticulously landscaped canopies of grapevines on all sides, providing continuous shade throughout the property patios and from one property to the next. I wish I could have stopped and gotten some photos, but I found this simply marvelous and functional.
The Rila Monastery dated back to the 10th century but was built in inspiration and tribute to St. Ivan (John) of Rila, who as a priest in the 10th century spent many years as a hermit in a cave in the hills nearby. He eventually attracted a following of other monks who came to join him and they built a small chapel. Centuries later the monastery was constructed and has functioned ever since, subject however to various periods of destruction, reconstruction, and expansion. For centuries it has served as a spiritual and cultural bastion for the Bulgarian national identity. With more time, there is also spectacular hiking in the mountains surrounding it.
The monastery was breathtaking both in its surroundings but also in the detail of its interior mosaics, a common characteristic to Orthodox churches. While easy to glance over the overwhelming expanse of paintings, if one lends time to their detailed observation you can find very curious portrayals of biblical tales or lore. I found myself attempting to recall my knowledge of Bible stories from a kid as I tried to make sense of many of them, yet I found most bewildering the depiction of the decapitation of St. John the Baptist, in which he presents his severed head to God as an act of martyrdom and a testament of his faith. Outside, an expansive mosaic depicts the execution itself as well as others that warn visitors prior to entry inside to forego the temptations of sin and evil.
While the neighboring fortress tower of Hrelyo was also quite impressive, I did really enjoy the side trip to the hermit cave of St. John of Rila. Perhaps, because I tend myself to find peace, wisdom, and perspective through time alone in nature and the wilderness, I identify (in much lesser, modest terms) with the philosophical and methodological pursuits of these principled individuals. The cave was set in a beautiful forest on a cliff perch and had a small hole in the rock that served as chimney then, but has later gained the mythology that those who can pass through it upon climbing out of the cave are washed of sin and cleansed of evil from their soul. If so, I passed through, barely (!), and will have found the modest price of the day tour a very fair compensation for a renewed and blessed soul!
On the tour, I also met Jill.
Jill is in many ways a hero to me and a real life example of an alternate, and potentially still possible, altruistic and exciting career path to further meaningful impact in some of the most challenging places in the world through diplomatic or development organizations. She works for a Swiss development agency and is currently based in Kiev, Ukraine, working to provide technical assistance and relief efforts to repair damaged water infrastructure after bombings. She was in Bulgaria for a short vacation.
Previously, she also lived and worked in Pakistan and Afghanistan, as the Swiss were one of the first diplomatic missions to return to the country after the Taliban returned to power. Her stories and insights were fascinating and we discussed at length geography, history, development, and geopolitics over dinner and drinks on Vitosha boulevard back in Sofia. One of her most pointed observations of life back in Kiev was how few men are found on the streets there, and how noticeable it was to her to be elsewhere and see so many casually walking about.
I said “alternate” before, because just prior to initiating my career in the solar energy industry a decade ago, I had passed all three evaluation stages for admittance into the United States Foreign Service diplomatic corps on my first attempt (written exam, essays, and day-long in-person interviews and scenario planning in Washington DC), a feat I later read is only accomplished perhaps by 3-5% of applicants. While a slightly higher percentage do eventually get through qualification upon multiple efforts, approximately only 1% of applicants actually join the Foreign Service in the end.
I ultimately did not become a US Foreign Service officer, but continue to hold in great esteem the selfless and adroit individuals that commit themselves to civil service and constitute the State department and Foreign Service in diplomatic efforts globally. I lament to see its degradation and disregard by certain administrations of recent in the US, and for similar reason, I am thankful I found my way into another impactful field, renewable energy development, instead. Still, a mission of building cross-cultural connections and global collaboration for positive international development, even if for a national interest, is an effort I have always believed myself capable and well-suited for. However, it would require a tradeoff in work-life balance and personal philosophy that I have not been entirely comfortable with, in part because of its subjectiveness to political whims and abdication of free will to State servitude and representation.
My conversation and encounter with Jill was just another example of the joy of travel (rather than simply vacation) – meeting fascinating individuals that provide relatable or fascinating insights into a world you may have otherwise only read about from afar. A value beyond just the cities, monuments, and Instagramable locations people frequent on vacation.
The following evening I boarded the night train to Istanbul and was pleased to have a whole sleeper cabin to myself, though I did socialize a bit with a group of younger Dutch friends next door. The view of the sunset across the Bulgarian plain was gorgeous and contemplative as I ventured beyond European landmass towards the Asian continent. Despite waking up at midnight for exit customs in Bulgaria and 4am for entry customs with Türkiye, I slept great.
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