On January 1, 2007 Bulgaria joined the European Union. As luck would have it, 4 years, 8 months and 20-something days later, we will finally be full members of EU. This is the date when Sofia will fling open the doors to our first IKEA.

Yes, in just a few weeks we will all be admiring the floor displays and steering our over-sized shopping carts through the self contained maze of furniture, lighting and home goods in the resplendent blue and yellow block building on the outskirts of town.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="The Ring Road IKEA in Sofia"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="Ring Road Ikea" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6135769116/"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6159/6135769116_da4b519930_b.jpg" alt="Ring Road Ikea" width="614" height="461" /></a>[/caption]

Billboards around the city announced that September 20th is the big day as does a <a href="http://www.sofiaecho.com/2011/09/09/1152504_ikea-is-here" target="_blank">Sofia Echo article</a> and I've already seen people lovingly flipping through IKEA catalogs in outdoor cafes.

All of this has gotten me thinking about this new addition to our fine city and frankly, I am of two minds. Here's why, generally speaking, I love lingonberry juice but I hate crowds. The fact that I loath crowds (and crazy people wielding shopping carts) but adore lingonberry juice makes it hard for me to jump on the IKEA bandwagon.<!--more-->

Aside from crowds, there are three problems in my mind with the new IKEA.

First of all, the building is ugly as sin. Secondly, nobody is actually good at putting furniture together based on pictures.  And finally now that I've lived for so long in Sofia how will I be able to eat my Swedish meatballs without a shopksa salad?!

Please note that I am not evening complaining about the fact they hung the entrance sign up sideways.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Entrance of the new IKEA Sofia"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="Entrance of the new IKEA Sofia" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6135222261/"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6163/6135222261_11254bb099_b.jpg" alt="Entrance of the new IKEA Sofia" width="614" height="461" /></a>[/caption]

The good news?

Well with advent of IKEA, it seems to me that we must also be getting Craig's List in Sofia. I mean how will twenty-somethings sell their cheaply made, poorly assembled, cookie-cutter furniture when they finally decide that it's finally time to move up to say a real dresser or a well built table?

Secondly, It will be <em>a lot</em> easier for me to spot Mladost from Mt Vitosha given the size and shape of IKEA. <a href="http://nervousshark.wordpress.com/2011/08/30/ikea-otgore/" target="_blank">This excellent post and picture</a> proves as much! (Um really, if you thought you could skip over that link, you're nuts. Check it out. Now.)

Finally, fingers crossed, I can buy a <a href="http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/10018194" target="_blank">two tiered drying rack</a> for my dishes.