We woke reasonably late following the feast and free flowing wine the night before. After gathering ourselves and our packs, we headed down to our homestay familyтАЩs small dining room for breakfast.
Refreshingly, what was expected of her was the same thing that was expected of Lara Stone: to take a beautiful picture.
We were making our way to the Rila Mountains, where we were visiting the Rila Monastery where we enjoyed scrambled eggs, toast, mekitsi, local jam and peppermint tea.
We wandered the site with other tourists
Yet strangely the place did not seem crowded. IтАЩm not sure if it was the sheer size of the place, or whether the masses congregated in one area and didnтАЩt venture far from the main church, but I didnтАЩt feel overwhelmed by tourists in the monastery.
Headed over Lions Bridge and made our way to the Sofia Synagogue, then sheltered in the Central Market Hall until the recurrent (but short-lived) mid-afternoon rain passed.
Feeling refreshed after an espresso, we walked a short distance to the small but welcoming Banya Bashi Mosque, then descended into the ancient Serdica complex.
We were exhausted after a long day of travel, so we headed back to the hotel and crashed.
I had low expectations about Sofia as a city, but after the walking tour I absolutely loved the place. This was an easy city to navigate, and it was a beautiful city тАУ despite its ugly, staunch and stolid communist-built surrounds. Sofia has a very average facade as you enter the city, but once you lose yourself in the old town area, everything changes.
Clothes can transform your mood and confidence. Fashion moves so quickly that, unless you have a strong point of view, you can lose integrity. I like to be real. I donтАЩt like things to be staged or fussy. I think IтАЩd go mad if I didnтАЩt have a place to escape to. You have to stay true to your heritage, thatтАЩs what your brand is about.
