Bush's Europe tour diary: Day Seven

US President George W Bush arrives for the final leg of his tour of Europe - holding talks in Bulgaria on US plans to build a missile defence shield.

BBC state department correspondent Jonathan Beale is travelling with the president and recording his experiences in a daily diary.

DAY SEVEN: MONDAY 11 JUNE, 1415

Mrs Bush has had a busy schedule in Bulgaria

As the president prepares to wrap up his visit, spare a thought for FLOTUS.

First Lady of the United States Laura Bush has been traipsing around Europe for the past eight days in the wake of her husband.

As he discusses the weighty matters of global politics with world leaders, she takes on the onerous duties of touring a church or a museum or talking to children.

Here in Sofia she started the day opening the "American children's corner" at the City Library (I doubt if there'd even be one if she'd have stayed at home).

Then she's had to listen to a briefing on micro-financing. Then a "roundtable discussion" on HIV/Aids... followed by a tour of yet another church.

Apparently no time to go shopping or even to sip a white wine and watch the world go by.

I'd imagine that she's as relieved as the rest of us that the president is now stepping back on the plane.

Overall it's been a successful tour for the president. But he's now about to re-enter the cauldron of Washington politics.

Never mind - he can at least take comfort from the fact that he's "big in Albania".

MONDAY 11 JUNE, 1230

The final day and there are signs of fatigue.

Not just from yours truly, but also from President Bush.

Mr Bush was given an honour guard welcome in Bulgaria

He is once again experiencing difficulties in pronouncing the name of his host - Bulgaria's president, Georgi Parvanov.

When Mr Bush had a go, it sounded more like a dessert - Pavlova.

After a few attempts, he switched to his first name. "I like to call him George," he said.

Actually, it's "Georgi".

Never mind, I seem to have caught the disease - how do you pronounce the capital Sofia?

Altogether, this will go down as one of the president's more successful forays abroad.

I've noticed he seems to go down particularly well in those countries whose armies still do the goose-step.

Day One: Bush in Prague

Day Two: Arriving in Germany

Day Three: A swagger and a beer

Day Four: To Hel and back

Day Five: An audience with the Pope

Day Six: A hero's welcome in Albania