My dAd and sister came to visit me after final exams. I was busy finishing things up--grades, packing up my classroom and saying goodbye to colleagues. They were busy being jet-lagged. It was perfect. I went to work; they slept.
<a title="My dad and sister in front of TZUM by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968236316/"><img alt="My dad and sister in front of TZUM" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7416/9968236316_9a0a0b7703_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>
We spent their first weekend in Bulgaria close to home.
<a title="Banitsa by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968248366/"><img alt="Banitsa" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7306/9968248366_1ca5e6c20e_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>
Saturday morning we ate banitsa, drank coffee and went on a <a href="http://www.freesofiatour.com/" target="_blank">Free Sofia Tour</a> because <a href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/04/23/sofia-and-easter-weekend/" target="_blank">I LOVE the free walking tour</a>.

It's amazing seeing a city that you know through someone else's eyes.
<a title="Couch on the street with flowers by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968220384/"><img alt="Couch on the street with flowers" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7334/9968220384_bce34f885a_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="Window flowers on Strumitsa by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968218394/"><img alt="Window flowers on Strumitsa" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3808/9968218394_cce7c349fb_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="Fence on Strumitsa by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968185385/"><img alt="Fence on Strumitsa" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5516/9968185385_6602828d97_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>

At first I was surprised. I'd think to myself: it will take 20 minutes to walk to X-spot in the city but with my dAd and sister it would take 30. At first I was annoyed. Then I realized it was because my dAd and sister were <em>actually</em> looking at everything. Oh and my dAd was taking hundreds of photos.
<a title="No. 3 Strumitsa by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968184205/"><img alt="No. 3 Strumitsa" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3789/9968184205_4c65dccbc1_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="Graffiti downtown Sofia by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968249896/"><img alt="Graffiti downtown Sofia" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3830/9968249896_8431e5468e_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>

But that's the thing, when you slow down and actually look at things you get to see the world in a new way. I realized that in many ways Sofia had become average, everyday, to me. Sure I noticed the big changes but I'd stopped seeing the little things and my dAd and sister couldn't stop seeing everything.
<a title="Lion in front of the National Courts in Sofia by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968179985/"><img alt="Lion in front of the National Courts in Sofia" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5343/9968179985_f50fcb0c31_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="Zona by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968245776/"><img alt="Zona" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3721/9968245776_7c2a78893e_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="St. Nedelya by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968207904/"><img alt="St. Nedelya" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5350/9968207904_046de40a0b_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>
On the Free Sofia Tour, we were always at the back. I am afraid that the tour guide was annoyed with us  but I told her not to worry that we'd catch up and that I knew the basic route. I am not sure that this really helped the situation but it made me feel better.
<a title="Central Department Store (TZUM) and St Petka Church by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968241916/"><img alt="Central Department Store (TZUM) and St Petka Church" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5545/9968241916_87b68f940f_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="TZUM Central Department Store in Sofia by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968312803/"><img alt="TZUM Central Department Store in Sofia" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5485/9968312803_73a65888e4_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="Sofia Baths by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968239466/"><img alt="Sofia Baths" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7355/9968239466_f511b321aa_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="Close up of the Sofia Baths by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968170665/"><img alt="Close up of the Sofia Baths" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5527/9968170665_1043999175_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>
I like the Free Sofia Tour so I always recommend that people go on it. There is a really good mix of history, culture and personal stories about life in Bulgaria. I've been on the tour a few times but the thing that stood out to me this time was how people were on the tour. When we showed up it was the last weekend in June/first weekend in July and I think that there were nearly 100 people at the tour. Wow!
<a title="Lions on the doors by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968198944/"><img alt="Lions on the doors" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5471/9968198944_20770c854f_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="St George's Church Sofia by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968165675/"><img alt="St George's Church Sofia" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2832/9968165675_debded53c5_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="My sister in the Park in front of Ivan Vazov Theater by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968231466/"><img alt="My sister in the Park in front of Ivan Vazov Theater" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3792/9968231466_6e367ce9cb_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="in the Park in front of Ivan Vazov Theater by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968193444/"><img alt="in the Park in front of Ivan Vazov Theater" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2892/9968193444_6319395293_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="Ivan Vazov Theater by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968159895/"><img alt="Ivan Vazov Theater" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7359/9968159895_a0dbed7513_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>
It's super exciting to think that so many people are visiting Sofia.  What's best? There was such an interesting mix of tourists both young and old.
<a title="National Bank by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968191174/"><img alt="National Bank" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7426/9968191174_72883d8005_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="Sofia Architecture by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968223886/"><img alt="Sofia Architecture" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2817/9968223886_efc84b7800_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>

I won't pretend to know exactly what my dAd or sister were thinking about the city nor will I put words in their mouths but I had a great time. Sofia was looking great on this bright sunny day.
<a title="Dad, Char and Me in front of Nevski by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968294133/"><img alt="Dad, Char and Me in front of Nevski" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2851/9968294133_b67f24141f_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="Alexander Nevski by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968153165/"><img alt="Alexander Nevski" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3818/9968153165_277c95a70f_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="Alexander Nevsky in Sofia, Bulgaria by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968190285/"><img alt="Alexander Nevsky in Sofia, Bulgaria" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5483/9968190285_b19d40fc7f_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="In front of the National Parliament by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/9968191434/"><img alt="In front of the National Parliament" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3680/9968191434_59d8d5ddb1_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>