Asking the Sofija taxi office stand as I had been advised to do, and not take the taxis in front of the station. I knew the fare was around 5-6 levas, sure enough the driver said seven! I think even the office girl was aware of the price and knew it was higher than it should have been. That’s part of the price you pay for being a tourist in all countries. The taxi rip off is standard fare all over the world. I think I have struck two drivers that have actually been honest. A sad reflection on the mentality of most people in developing countries who think tourists are rich. I don’t doubt that to them we probably are but if they were in the same situation, it would be reversed. Some will be, but the majority are just ordinary people who have saved or even borrowed to travel.
Making it to the hotel/hostel safely, I settled in to a fairly plain room with no pictures apart from the rules! Not even a mirror. Still it was a spacious room and there was room for the suitcase. I even scored a jug from the most helpful chap at reception. Off out to familiarise myself with a new city and get a few groceries. The food is still very cheap as has been the norm for all these countries. A bit of sightseeing along the way. At 6pm I waited to take part in a free walking tour in Sofija, but come 6.15 and no sign of any one I carried on walking to see the  Banya Bashi Mosque .  Coming across the central market hall and the huge Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. The building that delighted me most was a small church that had been built in the 14-15 century. It was so cute, sitting below the road level in an area that was being dug out , called the Church of St Petka of the Saddlers.

After a meal at Maccas it was time to head back to the hotel after a long day.

The next day after breakfast, I thought to try the walking tour again. Calling into the office to leave the ipad in safe hands , I mentioned to the ever friendly chap where I was going. He says you have already missed 3/4 of an hour of it. There is an hours time difference in bulgaria to that of Serbia!! Hence the reason for missing the tour last night. That really stuffed up my day, so hanging onto the ipad I decided to go and see the Boyana Church. Catching a 5 tram and after consultation with a lady who spoke some english, I knew where to get off the tram and I was to catch a 64 bus to the church. Getting off the tram at the suggested stop proved to be the wrong one, so walking in a direction that had a mountain at the back I started out to see if there was a 64 bus.

I was lucky enough to meet a young mother pushing her 18 month old child , who spoke enough english for us to be able converse. She was brilliant, and escorted me to the bus stop that would take me to the church. Where to buy the tickets, where the woman behind the small window, gave me the wrong change, I suspect the tourist rip off again. I don’t argue with them it is not my problem ,it is them that has a problem.
The mother waited until the bus came,and told the driver where to drop me off and carried on her way! Some people are so lovely, I will never forget her kindness
The bus duly dropped me off just below the Boyana Church. I wandered up the quiet street in the heat, but a lot of trees and shrubs gave welcome shade.

A tour bus parked outside indicated I had got the right place. Going in the gates and down the cobbled path towards the church, hidden from sight by the wonderful trees and bushes that are such a delight in these countries. Stopping at the ticket office , I was advised of the nearly an hour wait. People in groups of eight or ten are only permitted at a time in the church. I bought the 10 leva ticket and waited , along with many others.
Just on an hour later I was granted entry to the little church, a wait well justified. I was greeted by the strangest elderly man I have ever met, very theatrical and could not keep his hands to himself! Argh, it was definitely discomforting, but he kept pointing out all the intricacies of the wonderful church. The entire wall surfaces were covered in exquisite paintings dating back to the 12 century.

Some of the paintings had lost some of the plaster ? that they were painted on but beneath there was even more paintings from an even earlier era. As there was essentially only ten minutes allowed in the church, he actually allowed me twenty, so it was worth the trauma his presence created.

Leaving the little church, and the peacefulness of its surroundings  was a shame. There was certainly an ambience within the church and its surrounds. It was nice to know that the green spaces surrounding the little church were there to protect it from the modern world. It was made a UNESCO world heritage site in 1979.
Walking back down to the bus stop I was able to get one that returned me part way to the city, aided by a pleasant young man I was able to change buses to one that would drop me closer to the central city. A group of teenage girls said they would tell me when to get off the bus, pronounced buus, which they did. So the collective effort worked quite well.
Close to the bustop was a Starbucks, I was hanging out for a coffee and a wifi fix so what other option did I have!!
More sightseeing on the way back to the hotel left me entirely knackered , and I couldn’t face spending two hours on the walking tour at six. so it was dinner then home to the hostel