Dispatch from the Road: Sofia, Bulgaria
When you think of Bulgaria, what first comes to mind?
No offense to Bulgarians, but most people end up saying “nothing.”
Nestled above Greece and next to Turkey, the little known ancient country remains a hidden gem of Europe. Surrounded by beautiful snow capped mountains, the largest and capital city of Sofia boasts friendly locals and many wonderful restaurants serving traditional Bulgarian food that seems like a combination of Central European and Mediterranean cuisines.
Bulgaria’s rich natural resources like iron, copper and coal contribute to a thriving oil refinement and manufacturing sector. Its history is long and evidenced by ancient ruins across the city that date back to the dawn of Greek civilization.
Last week I spent two days in Sofia, nearly five years to the date of my first trip there. The main purpose of my visit was to view first hand the airport operation. I was not disappointed.
Sofia is very strategically placed in between Europe and Asia as are the other cities of Burgas, Plovdiv, and Varna. These cities are frequently used by world militaries for their strategic location and their capability to run an efficient operation.
Sofia boasts not only the location, but a very well equipped airport, There is no shortage of equipment, including plenty of de-icing equipment, plenty of parking spots, and a well stocked VIP lounge (which to my satisfaction included coke light).
The airport does superb work and we hope that we can continue to encourage operators to utilize this hidden gem of an airport.
A special thank you to not only everyone at the airport in Sofia, but also to our “two Dimitry’s.” Dimitar Petkov and Dimitar Bachvarov. These are the Euro Jet managers based out of Sofia, who continue to impress with their flawless operation.
So next time you want to go somewhere to learn a thing or two about south central Europe (no, not that South Central…) think about going to Sofia, or at least stop by there on your way to Greece or Turkey. You will not be disappointed.
And who knows, you may leave an expert in everything Bulgaria.
Image source: www.wallpapersweb.com
Image source: www.wikimedia.org
Image source: tottusinpari.blog.tiscali.it
