A few weeks ago I commented on my blog about the fact that we don't really do lights or Christmas very well in Sofia. Then I went downtown on Monday to get my Bulgarian ID card and found myself wandering around at dusk.  Dusk is a pretty good time to view a city. They don't look as dirty as they do turning the day but you can still good a pretty good look at the different buildings.

[caption id="attachment_1596" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Lights on the National Bank "]<a href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/dsc01260.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1596" title="Lights in Center" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/dsc01260.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a>[/caption]

And while Sofia may not be the next Christmas hot spot, the city isn't doing too poorly at stringing up some lights on a few buildings.  A coordinated effort it is not.  <!--more-->The National Bank building says Merry Christmas and Happy New Year--that's a pretty nice touch if you ask me.

[caption id="attachment_1597" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Close up"]<a href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/dsc01261.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1597" title="Lights close up" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/dsc01261.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a>[/caption]

The parliament building however seems to be another story. They've hung blue lights in the windows and they've been hung so poorly that it makes you wonder if they were hung up in the dark.  I've never seen anything quite like this before.  There are no green or red light, not a single clear light to be seen just windows full of blue twinkling Christmas lights.  It more or less looks like the job I would if I were left to my own devices.

[caption id="attachment_1598" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Blue lights of Parliament "]<a href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/dsc01245.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1598" title="City lights" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/dsc01245.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a>[/caption]

So, that's that. Parliament in Blue. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year else where in the city. And I get a kick out of the whole thing--whether I am supposed to or not.