Back in Eastern Europe

My infatuation with Eastern Europe is odd and inexplicable, yet perpetual. Here I am once again. I flew out to Bulgaria's capital Sofia this morning, and I'm heading to Macedonia tomorrow, where I will spend the bulk of my trip before returning next Wednesday. (At some point I also plan to spend a day in Kosovo, if things go well.) It's also my first lone travel experience. I'm not at all disappointed about that -- the main downside is just that eating alone in restaurants is a pretty lonely experience.

Sofia is nicer than I expected -- I've heard average reviews from Bulgarians and non-Bulgarians alike, but I think it's a pretty place with a nice atmosphere. The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is simply stunning, and is accompanied by plenty of other impressive architecture with many different western and eastern influences -- and yet it's also impossible to ignore the evidence which shows that Bulgaria is the EU's poorest state. (Of course, Macedonia and Kosovo are poorer still.) On a lighter note, there seem to be uncountably many sex shops in Sofia...

Macedonia promises Orthodox monasteries, lakes, mountains, and the attraction of being completely off the beaten path. I doubt I'll get on the internet much during the next week, but I'll give you the lowdown when I return, if not before. I'll be twittering via text -- the updates appear on the left of this page or as my facebook status if you're friends with me on there.