Summer in the City

It's Summer in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Once the trees regained their leaves and the temperatures began to soar, Sofia blossomed into summer.  Suddenly there was an ice cream stand on nearly every corner with frozen treats piled high, covered with candy and cookies of numerous kinds.   

 

The former small eating shops that lined the streets burst out of their doors forming sidewalk cafes a buzz with activity.  Beautiful cut flowers blossomed along the sidewalks in vender stalls to gladden the eye and brighten the spirits.  The city is a hive of activity as people walk the streets, enjoy the parks and mingle with friends.  The atmosphere is so unlike the solitude and seclusion of the colder seasons.  We love to people watch in the park as families play with their children and friends stroll the paths.  And, yes, we sometimes are drawn in by those sweet frozen treats in the ice cream stands!  Gotta love summer!

 

Also appearing in the fruit stands are pickling cucumbers.  Although the store shelves are lined with jars of delicious looking pickles of every size and shape, we have been unable to find any that taste familiar.  On Saturday we gathered the necessary paraphernalia and made an attempt at bread and butter pickles.  

  

  After four hours we had four ½ liter jars of marvelous looking pickles.  We sampled a few as we filled the jars, but warm pickles are just not the same.  Then came the test of patience as we placed one jar in the fridge to chill.  On Sunday we discovered that pickles taste better for lunch than before breakfast.  Our curiosity got the better of us when we woke up in the morning and we sampled a few.  They were good but not exactly what we had thought when we sampled the warm ones the day before.  However, when we returned from church and once again tested our green concoction we were thrilled with the fruits (or pickles) of our labors.  I doubt that we will make this an annual tradition once we return to the States and can purchase a jar whenever we want, but for now it is a delight.

Have a great Summer

Love Elder and Sister Segeberg