Sat, Nov 21 2009
About 35 results were found.
In most European countries - particularly in the Balkans - it is not unusual to see stray dogs on the streets, especially in rural areas. Dogs and cats are part of the scenery. They generally spend their time roaming the area, looking for food or a place to curl up and shelter. However, these animals might indeed have a home to go to and an owner, except that owners may care little for their pet, and not want
Getting Bulgarian citizenship is no easy task, often involving a wait of years. Yet, for one foreigner unaware that he automatically and officially had citizenship by virtue of birth, it meant a bureaucratic obstacle to going ahead with his wedding day. The issue of The Sofia Echo published on August 29 2008 has full details of the strange story, as recounted by reporter Svetlana Guineva.
More and more Brits are choosing to make Bulgarian their permanent home, and the age profile of those settling here is slowly changing. Previously, Bulgaria attracted British pensioners in their droves with its mild climate and low cost of living. Yet, nowadays, more young families are moving here, lured by the safe, relaxed environment that the country provides.
While many dream of escaping to the sun after a stressful day at work, few get the opportunity. Despite the recent fall in UK house prices, the previously buoyant property market has enabled many Britons to cash in on the thriving market and purchase a second home abroad. Bulgaria's emergence as a property hotspot, together with its EU membership, has attracted many UK buyers looking for their own
Summer on the Black Sea coast is fun-packed and offers something for everyone, from sun worshippers to those who cannot sit still and crave excitement. Children and adults alike are spoilt for choice. However, when holidaymakers return home, one venue still maintains the momentum of all year round fun and relaxation. The Grand Hotel, Varna, in SS Constantin and Helena, is one of the resort's oldest hotels and has recently undergone a complete renovation. A firm favourite with locals and tourists, the modern-looking hotel building is something of a landmark in the area. Its 11 floors make this hotel stand tall, only 350m from the shimmering Black Sea. The recent makeover has also given this hotel some added attractions and unique selling points, ensuring that guests will keep on coming in and out of season.
My kids seem un-phased by their first year at school here, yet I feel like I have been plunged into the deep end of the pool without a pair of arm bands. For starters, school has introduced a whole new vocabulary to our Bulgarian language skills; I'm constantly asked "Where's my ranitsa (schoolbag)?" or being told "You'll never guess what happened in mezhdou chas (break) today". One son informed me that a dvoika (bad
Bulgaria's communist-era security service dossiers continue to surface in public debate, perhaps especially because of repeated allegations that illicit ties between some law enforcement and organised crime figures were spawned in the communist past. In its latest issue, published on Friday April 11, The Sofia Echo examines the latest developments around the Interior Ministry controversy, the communist-era dossiers and the newest official figures about how many citizens of the then East Germany died while trying to use Bulgaria as a transit point to the West.
Baba Marta is a pagan tradition borne out of the days when heathen peasants believed in higher forces at work affecting the weather, fertility and successful crop growth. Pagans worldwide celebrated the coming of the spring each year, thousands of years before Christ's birth. Spring was renowned as a time of renewal and fertility representing new life and a fresh start after the cold winter.
Staro Selo is one of my favourite restaurants in Varna for three reasons: I have never had a bad meal there, it's easy to find and I always get a parking space right outside. It may be easy to dismiss it as an over-priced eatery due to the efforts that have gone into the traditional decor, but you'd be missing out on a reasonably priced and fantastic dining experience if you passed it by.
I'm not one for English pubs in foreign settings, but Rogachevo's latest addition to the Brit bar roster is a delightful surprise. Rogachevo is a small hillside village eight km from Zlatni Plyasutsi (Golden Sands). Up until a year ago the only form of social entertainment was a beer outside the village shop, a self-made youth club in the bus shelter or a game of football in the square. A Bulgarian
I love the start of a new year, the anticipation of better things to come, the planning of new activities and the making of resolutions, which rarely last beyond the first two weeks. Our New Year, the first-ever celebrated in Bulgaria, started off extremely well and every year I secretly hope that this will set the tone for the months to come! My New Year's Eve was celebrated in the company of our Bulgarian
As the skies turn grey and winter continues along, we find ourselves looking for activities to entertain our kids. Ok, so that's the excuse; the kids don't seem to need entertainment. The real reason is my husband and I are in danger of going into hibernation if we don't get out of the house. This week we dragged the children off to the Dolphinarium (Делфинариум in Bulgarian), which lies at the edge of Varna's Sea
Boris Atanassov is a jolly, rotund 66-year-old charmer. He oozes charisma and it is easy to be drawn in by the twinkle in his eye and his broad beaming smile. Yet, there is much more to this man than rakiya and vegetable growing. He has lead a very colourful life and has seen and achieved far more than the average Bulgarian villager; up until now he kept his experiences to himself, knowing that in his tiny village they
I love Christmas shopping in Bulgaria: you never feel overwhelmed at the choice. This year with Varna's addition of two new shopping malls, it is possible to buy all of your gifts under one roof. The new malls, Central Plaza in Chaika and Pfohe Mall on the main route out towards the airport, have extended the range of goods available especially in terms of clothes and shoes. They also offer the weary shopper
Where did the summer go to? The skies are grey and dangerously reminiscent of England. Parties al fresco are a distant memory and even a healthy walk on the beach is blighted by chilling winds and freezing sea spray. The change in the weather, the dark nights and equally dark early mornings leave me contemplating some form of hibernation. I remembered that, as kids, we used to pack our pet tortoise into a
It is curious to read that so many visitors are coming to Bulgaria for medical tourism. The thought of recovering on Zlatni Pyasutsi (Golden Sands) from a round of plastic surgery is amusing to say the least. The healthcare situation for Bulgarians and long-term residents is a reality far removed from the dazzle of the plastic surgeon's knife. Indeed, what I have experienced of the Bulgarian health system was
Our village is abuzz with election fever. This election is a major event in Rogachevo; it will be the first time that the residents here have been able to elect their own mayor - up until now, the mayor has been appointed by the municipal council in Balchik. We first knew of an election when the incumbent mayor called round urging us to fill in forms for the electoral register. She kept on stressing our right to vote, that
I approached the start of the school year with a mixture of dread and relief. Dread at having to get up at 6am every morning to get my kids to the school bus-stop for seven o' clock and relief that the three-month summer break was finally over, that maybe, some sense of order, and calm, would return to our chaotic household. This was to be my sons' first term at Bulgarian school. Until now, they had been at
The Bulgarian road system is grossly underdeveloped. There are few motorways or dual carriageways. Many roads are in a poor state of repair. On mountain roads there are rock slides and landslides. Livestock and horse-drawn carts present road hazards throughout the country, especially during the agricultural season. Travel conditions deteriorate during the winter as roads become icy and potholes increase. Night
Winemaking has a long history in Bulgaria, having survived both the Middle Ages and the Ottoman rule. According to archaeologists, it may well be the first geographical region where vines were planted and wine produced. I visited Byala, a small town on the Black Sea coast famous for its viniculture and as a place where the renowned dimyat wine is produced. On a bend in the road on the city limits of Byala, there is a
The town of Kranevo is the poor relation to Bulgaria's Zlatni Pyasutsi (Golden Sands). It lies on the Black Sea, four km from the metropolis and attracts predominantly Bulgarian holidaymakers rather than the wealthy Westerners who flock to the Sands. Yet there is one gem in Kranevo, which is too good to miss. Mehana Kranevo is adjacent to the main square. It was built in 2005 in traditional Bulgarian style, coloured
Summertime is my favourite season of the year in Bulgaria. It conjures up pictures of hot sunny days, blue skies, gentle sea breezes and plenty of evenings al fresco spent eating fresh home-grown salad and drinking rakiya. Yet every year brings the inconvenience of water shortages to hoards of villagers all over the country. Bulgarian television reported that Obzor was now having their water supply
We feel we have integrated extremely well into Bulgarian life. We drink rakia, eat salad, and brew herbal teas from leaves we know nothing about. We entertain our Bulgarian circle of friends on a regular basis and we know the words to the national anthem. We have never regretted our move here and do not intend to return to that rainy little island, yet there are some things we miss ? PG tips, branston pickle, red
It is too hot for my white Dolce & Gabbana palazzo pants, so I choose a short black Roberto Cavalli skirt. The dilemma now is whether to team it with a loose-fitting, white Chanel T shirt with a hint of gold or opt for a fitted, black Gucci blouse. I choose the blouse and team it up with silver accessories including the classic silver Gucci bracelet watch. Now for shoes. Why is this always the hardest choice of all? Probably because I
The drive along the main road from Varna to Bourgas is beautiful. It winds its way past some beautiful scenery. Lush forests, golden fields of corn and occasional glimpses of the shimmering Black Sea abound. About 20km outside of Varna, close to the village of Avren, there is scenery of a different kind. Attractive young girls line the roadside touting for trade from passing drivers. The first time I saw a girl
The port of Balchik lies 40 km north of Varna, a pleasant 45 minute drive past crumbling chalk white cliffs with plunging drops into the clear ocean waters below. Many villas line the hillside of the town and all have excellent views of the sea and coastline as far down as Cape Kaliakra. The other week we had good reason to visit the harbour town of Balchik. Close to the sea front, builders had stumbled upon a Roman
Eighty km from the city of Varna and surrounded by magnificent yellow sandstone cliffs lies the Horseman of Madara. It is an ancient bas-relief, so famous in Bulgaria, that it is on the back of all stotinki coins. Yet not all Bulgarians know this; on our visit, we met a Bulgarian couple, who asked why we had come to look at the Horseman. When we explained about the stotinki, they were amazed, so much so that they proceeded
When we were living in the Rhodope Mountains, a favourite day trip for us was to Bulgaria's second largest city, Plovdiv. The isolation of the mountains can only be explained by a crazy yearning for Big Macs and Happy Meals. I am sure those burgers are implanted with some sort of homing device. The slow drive down the mountain and the green faces in the back always meant that we needed to stop for fresh air and
Felice is the upmarket arm of the Varna based Happy Bar & Grill chain. It works on similar principles to the semi fast food chains Happy Bar by occupying the niche between luxurious restaurants and fast food outlets. The restaurant is not in the most attractive quarter of Varna. It lies on a small shopping complex, surrounded by drab, decaying concrete tower blocks (a legacy of the communist era) and overgrown
This restaurant has to rank in my top three Varna restaurants. It may be easy to dismiss it as a fast food chain restaurant (it is not) simply because of its location within the Piccadilly Park shopping mall, yet this would mean missing a great dining experience. The restaurant provides a rustic-type atmosphere with its dark wood interior and red and white checked tablecloths. Alcove shelving displays colourful and shapely
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