by Dr. Yan | Nov 21, 2021 | Civilization, Culture, Food
I saw the news about the German Christmas Market in Sofia that would run from Nov 19 to Dec 21 from 11 am to 10 pm every day this year in the city garden, right behind the “One Man” LCD display art structure. Since I was in town, I went there to take a look. The...
by Dr. Yan | Oct 23, 2021 | Civilization, Culture, Food, History, Nature
Rila Monastery of Saint Ivan Rilski is perhaps the most notable symbol of Bulgaria, being a haven and flame of hope for Christianity since the 10th century, respected by the Ottoman Empire, Russia, and many other countries, as evidenced by the many gifts the monastery...
by Dr. Yan | Oct 16, 2021 | Food, History, Nature
Vitosha Mountain is so close to Sofia city and visible from almost everywhere in town. The affinity made me feel as if it was some kind of backyard hill for an easy hike. We didn’t do any research on how or where to hike, and headed out there on a weekend day, after a...
by Dr. Yan | Oct 8, 2021 | Civilization, Culture, Food, History, Nature
The Bulgarian Fulbright Commission has taken great care to involve scholars and students to experience Bulgaria, such as organizing a trip to Melnik and the nearby Rozhen Monastery. This town is quite close to the Greece border and to the south of the Rila and Pirin...
by Dr. Yan | Sep 24, 2021 | Culture, Food
Since I came to Sofia on Aug 1, the air gets cooler after each rain, some leaves have turned yellow, and some autumn flowers start to blossom. There can still be some hot days occasionally, and before the tail end of summer slips away, I want to mention a few...
by Dr. Yan | Sep 3, 2021 | Culture, Food, History
The Nestinari (fire dancing) ritual is a UNESCO World Heritage legacy of non-material culture in Bulgaria, and many people are wondering how it is done, including me. During the Fulbrighter orientation this week, we had a dinner in a restaurant outdoor and we were...
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