Take a Walk, Part 2

It is Irena’s birthday today. As the birthday girl, she got decide what we were going to do today. She wanted to go to the Farmers’ Market at Poduyane, to look at some puppies, so we took the bus from near the Paradise Centre. We were meant to get off eight stops later, but it turned out to be nine because we got it wrong! We walked back to Bulevard Madrid and found some nice people who took us to the Farmers’ Market.

Well, there were a few puppies in the market, but no Jack Russells. There were some interesting-looking dark-coloured sausages. Were they black puddings? I thought that the market was fun and more relaxed that the Ladies' Market in the centre of Sofia, as the stallholders there usually cheat you and the whole place is full of shifty-looking gypsies.

We walked back into town and ambled through a rather nice park on the way to the Levski monument, where we usually turn off to go to Veliko Tarnovo. In the sun, it was wonderfully warm and lots of people were happily strolling in the park. We came past the Russian cathedral and then went through a park or two and came onto the Yellow Brick Road next to the little Russian church. The golden domes were sparkling in the spring sunshine.

After walking past the Bulgarian National Assembly, we crossed over Maria Louisa and went to our old haunt, The Happy Grill. "How very unoriginal!" I hear you say. Well, the food is not bad and it is right in the centre of town. First we shared a salad Niciose and then Irena had fish, while i had a yummy chicken thing with a mushroom sauce.

Of course, our dear Chinese friends will want to know all about the FOOD and they will insist on seeing photos as well. Oh dear! The things I do to keep my readers happy...

The Nicoise salad was very good, with sliced olives, cherry tomatoes, croutons, lettuce and one or two other things.

 

This was my chicken thing, with a good mushroom sauce.

Creme Brulee for dessert.