This is a rare pretty sight from the muddy winter Sofia. A boat in Lake Ariana.

The city planners of the past were fascinated by lakes and rivers, which are naturally missing here. So they built fountains and lakes, and even attempted to build a river, a story for another post.

The architects wanted the lake to function as an ice rink in the winter. However, this didn’t work well even in the late 19th century, when the weather was colder. After some injuries and a few lengthy renovations, the lake is now emptied for the winter months to prevent any ice from naturally occurring.