http://www.expatinbulgaria.com Articles of The portal for expats and foreigners in Bulgaria http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Agriculture/67/47 General Information Agriculture was Bulgaria’s leading economic sector during the communist era. The restitution of property, however, led to the fragmentation of the land and a consequent crisis in the sector. Now, with the help of SAPARD funds and the active government policy, agriculture is gradually being revived, but it still has to execute a number of reforms in order to meet European Union criteria. The European Commission lists Bulgarian agriculture among the areas needing further reform. Main cause for concern was the evidence of misuse of SAPARD programme funds allocated to Bulgarian companies. The country has to take active anti-corruption measures in view of the increased amount of SAPARD funds it will receive in 2007. According to the signed agreements, Bulgaria will receive more than 1.5 billion leva in 2007. Apart from tightened control over SAPARD funds management, the agricultural sector also needs additional modernisation to comply with EU standards. The government is working on stricter veterinary control. To meet EU criteria, the sector should continue working on food safety, quality standards and humane treatment of farm animals. Bulgaria is a leading international producer of wine, tobacco, wheat, rose oil, vegetables and fruit. Just like any other agriculture sector, the country's wine industry faced many problems due to land privatisation after the fall of the communist regime. The industry is gradually reviving and again gaining world recognition. This country offers a large choice of varietals from five different wine regions, its most popular ones being cabernet sauvignon, merlot, sauvignon blanc and chardonnay. Bulgaria has some noteworthy indigenous varieties like mavroud, melnik, gamza and roubin. One of the industry’s main aims is to popularise these unique varieties and make a breakthrough on the European market by offering quality rather than quantity.The 80 large Bulgarian wineries sell their quality products to the UK, Ireland, Germany, Poland, Russia and even Japan. One of the reasons for the popularity of Bulgarian wine is not only its high quality, but also the Vinaria wine fair, which occurs annually in Plovdiv and is used for worldwide advertising of new products and technologies. The tobacco industry has developed mainly in the south-eastern regions of Bulgaria, where it still provides occupation for the larger part of the citizens, most of whom are of Turkish origin. Tobacco production in Bulgaria is artificially low because demand fell after Bulgaria lost its guaranteed markets with the end of the Soviet Union. Now, the industry is awaiting the conclusion of the privatisation of Bulgartabac. This company is the largest tobacco producer in the country with several cigarette factories, a filter and printing materials production facility, several joint ventures abroad and 12 leaf-processing plants. It is hoped that the privatisation will revive Bulgaria's tobacco industry, which is still not at a competitive level with its neighbours Turkey and Greece.Bulgaria closed Chapter Agriculture of its EU accession treaty on June 4 2007. European Commission (EC) suggested Bulgaria’s quota for tobacco production to exceed 45 000 tons of tobacco. To define the quota the EC took into consideration the figures for the amount of tobacco purchased over the past several years. http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Changes-to-residence-requirements-for-members-of-EU-citizens'-families-(in-case-the-family-members-are-not-EU-citizens)/20/1082 Visas and Relocation Bulgaria imposes some restrictions on the members of an EU citizen's family who are not EU citizens. Such family members enter and leave Bulgaria with their passports and visa, when visa is required. The Council of Ministers determines the conditions and procedures for visa issuing. No taxes for paper processing and visa issuing are required. No visa is required if the member of the family has a stay permit issued from an EU member state.Such people can stay in Bulgaria with their passports for up to three months.Members of an EU citizen's family who are not EU citizens can stay longer or permanently in Bulgaria, but they need a stay permit. The period for which such people are allowed to stay in Bulgaria depends on the period of stay of their relative who is an EU citizen. Temporary absence for up to six months each year, longer absence to serve military service, leave for up to 12 consecutive months resulting from cogent reasons and business trips are considered stay in Bulgaria.Long-term stay conditions Members of an EU citizen's family who are not EU citizens have to apply for stay permit in Directorate Migration of Interior Ministry in the first three months after entering Bulgaria. The applier will receive a temporary license. The applier has to attach to the long-terms stay application:- passport and copy of it- a document proving relation to the EU citizen- a bill for paid state tax*- stay permit of the relative EU citizen may also be requiredLong-term stay permit will be issued in a three-month period. If the application documents are not in order, the applier will have 14 days to present accurate documents. In case of death of the EU citizen, family members who are not EU citizens are allowed to stay in Bulgaria if they have lived in the country for one year before the death of their relative. People married or living together with an EU citizen can stay in Bulgaria after a divorce or separation with the EU citizen if they: - work or are self-employed in Bulgaria. - have health insurance and sufficient financial means to make a living without relying on Bulgaria's social aid system.and in case of any of the below mentioned reasons:- marriage or co-habitation lasted at least three years, one of which they lived in Bulgaria- are victims of violence at home before divorcing or separating with the EU citizen- have custody over children- have the right to visit their underage child.Permanent stay conditionsFamily members of a worker or self-employed person who has permanent stay permit, if they all live in Bulgaria, also have the right of permanent stay permit, no matter their citizenship. Members of an EU citizen's family who are not EU citizens receive a permanent stay permit if they have lived in Bulgaria continuously for five years with the EU citizen.Permanent stay permit application has to be presented to Directorate Migration of Interior Ministry two months before the long-term stay permit's expiry date. Permanent stay permit is re-issued every 10 years.EU citizens and they families have to carry their ID or passports and stay permit or card always.*The state tax amount has not been determined yet! http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Driving-regulations/25/41 Driving Regulations Regulations Road signs and driving regulations in Bulgaria follow international standards, though some signs might be missing in villages and on rural roadsForeign citizens may drive in Bulgaria using foreign driving licenses for up to one year after entering Bulgaria. After the end of that period, the driving license has to be replaced with Bulgarian one.If your home country has not ratified the 1968 Vienna convention on road traffic, you will have to get your driving license translated into Bulgarian to use it in the country. After a year, you will have to take a driving exam.According to the US embassy in Bulgaria, the US driver's licence in Bulgaria is accepted only if accompanied by an International Driving Permit.International Driving Permits (IDP) are recognised in nearly 150 countries and serve as an official translation of the US driver's licence. For more information, please click here.Currently driving test is conducted only in Bulgarian. Foreigners are not allowed to use an interpreter during the test. The situation, however, will change very soon, as Transport Ministry had already translated the tests in English and the tests are being printed.Transport Ministry plans to translate the driving license tests in German, French, Spanish and Italian, as well.Drivers should have in mind that any vehicle entering the country needs to have insurance. Drivers entering the country also need to pay an entrance fee, calculated in accordance to the type of vehicle. Driving tipsThe road system in the country is still underdeveloped when it comes to smaller roads. Better driving conditions are found on major roads and highways. In order to use the highways in the country, you need to purchase a vignette (see the table for vignette prices). Vignette prices for vehicles with foreign registration CATEGORY/DURATION C1* C2* C3* Daily 10 10   Weekly 56 33 5 Monthly 153 87 13 Annual 485 256 34 *Fines are in euro Vignette prices for vehicles with Bulgarian registration CATEGORY/DURATION  C1* C2* C3* Daily 10 10   Weekly 56.4 33.3 5 Monthly 153.8 87 12.8 Annual 487 256.4 34.4  *Fines are in euro C1: Construction machines and tractorsC2: Smaller construction machines, vehicles with more than 8+1 seats designed for passenger transportC3: Vehicles with up to 8+1 seats designed for passenger transport Vignette fees and road taxes could be paid at the border checkpoints in leva, euro or US dollars. Vignette stickers are available at some petrol stations, the offices of Executive Agency Automobile Administration and the regional road administration offices in the country. Using a vehicle with international licence plates could subject you to unexpected police inspections. Be aware of some common violations and the fines for these: Violation fines VIOLATION FINE Speed limit violations Up to 35 euro Driving without a seat belt 20 euro Driving intoxicated* From 50 to 150 euro and suspension of licence Mobile phone usage without hands free 20 euro * The permissible amount of alcohol level in the blood is 0.5/1000. Sanctions depend on the percentage exceeding the permitted level. One of the most common violations is exceeding the speed limit. Speed limits in Bulgaria vary as follows: Speed limits SPEED LIMIT APPLIES TO 50 km/h Populated areas 90 km/h Outside populated areas 130 km/h Highways According to the US embassy in Bulgaria, driving conditions are as follows: Safety of Public Transportation Fair Urban road conditions Fair Rural road conditions Poor to fair Availability of roadside assistance Poor http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Healthcare/23/42 Healthcare Depending on their countries of origin, foreigners in Bulgaria should be prepared to, on request, show evidence of medical insurance valid in Bulgaria. Travel/medical insurance should be for at least $5000 and should cover emergency medical expenses, repatriation, transport of mortal remains, funeral and hospitalisation. If the visitor has insurance of this type, a copy of the policy, with the legible policy number, company name, duration of validity and sum of coverage, or a letter from the insurance company including this data, should be submitted with the visa application. If the traveller does not have such insurance, a visa application can be made without it, but insurance must be obtained after the consulate has informed the applicant that the visa has been approved. The visa will be issued only after proof of insurance is submitted. Legal regulations may block the introduction of new rules on health insurance for foreigners on short-term stays in Bulgaria, a check by The Sofia Echo discovered in summer 2005.In terms of an ordinance approved by the Cabinet on April 28 2005 (Ordinance on the General Conditions, the Minimum Insurance Coverage, Minimum Insurance Premium and the Rules for Mandatory Medical Insurance for Foreigners on Short-term Stay or Transiting through Bulgaria), foreigners that have no medical insurance when seeking to enter Bulgaria will be obliged to sign at the border for insurance covering their stay in the country. If this mandatory medical insurance expires during the stay, a new policy will have to be taken out for the rest of the period remaining before the foreigner is due to leave the country. Foreigners transiting through the country or spending up to two weeks here and who have insurance would be eligible for compensation by a Bulgarian insurer for any expenditure they may have made on medical treatment, after a money transfer is made abroad (presumably in their country of origin or where the insurance has been bought). Legislation on health insurance for foreigners, however, has not settled the way such transfers should be made. The Union of Insured in Bulgaria (UIB), a non-governmental organisation headquartered in the Black Sea city of Bourgas, has advised foreigners to, before leaving their country for Bulgaria, acquaint themselves with alternatives to this form of mandatory insurance. Foreigners in transit have little to no chance of being able to provide a treatment centre and an insurer with all the documents required for claiming compensation. This is a limitation or even a denial of the right to be compensated, the UIB says.Its specialists believe that if a hospital refuses to issue, or just delays the issuing of, the necessary documents, the insurer could also halt or delay payment of compensation. In such a case, the compensation depends solely on the goodwill or the financial capability of the hospital, which is not a party to the health insurance contract.In the event that an insurer does not fulfil its obligations, the only way for foreigners to assert their rights would be to go to court. However, the method for seeking compensation in court is not regulated by the ordinance or any other legislation.The minimum coverage requirement – including primary, hospital and emergency medical services – for foreigners on a short-term stay, or those travelling through Bulgaria, is 12 000 leva as of January 1 2006. They are also required to have dental insurance that will cover services worth 500 leva. The ordinance also regulates the subject of insurance, the scope of the insured liability and circumstances in which the insurer would not owe compensation. Minimum insurance coverage and the premium are also envisaged in the document, as well as rules for paying compensation in the event of an accident or if treatment is needed. The minimum coverage does not include expenses for treatment of chronic diseases, haemodialysis and blood transfusions, planned neurological, cardiological and eye surgery, in-vitro treatment, hospital treatment of cancer patients and people with mental disorders, among others. The insurance premium payable under the minimum coverage policy depends on the duration of stay in Bulgaria. The insurance policy issued under this regulation may not be longer than 90 days. The insured can freely choose the practitioner and hospital on the territory of Bulgaria where they want to get treatment. They have only to inform the insurer within 24 hours of an accident or illness.The 2005 winter season showed that foreigners coming to Bulgaria’s mountain resorts had already begun seeking alternatives to the mandatory health insurance, preferring to buy “mountain health insurance”. http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Real-Estate-Overview/47/43 Overview EnvironmentEveryone is into Bulgarian real estate these days. The market reached incredible heights in 2005 and 2006, boosted by foreign interest and by the increased purchasing power of Bulgarians due to the increased availability of mortgage loans. Hundreds of agencies have sprung up, not just in the big cities, but in the resorts as well. Others just have a website and appeal directly to foreigners, mostly British and Irish, who are keen to invest in inexpensive Bulgarian property, frequently with the aim of using it themselves as a holiday home, but also fairly secure in the knowledge that the money invested will appreciate faster than if it were sitting in a bank at home. Despite the huge increase over the past couple of years, prices are still relatively low by EU standards. It is not just foreign interest that has bumped up real estate prices. As the Bulgarian economy becomes stronger, people have disposable income to buy property, and the mortgage boom over last couple of years has meant that even those without savings can buy a first or second home. Main boom areas are the Black Sea regions, especially the southern stretch, which has begun to resemble the Costa del Sol with its concrete developments, and the ski town of Bansko. Over-construction is said to become the biggest problem of these areas, making them less pleasant for tourists.Many other opportunities are available, there are other large ski resorts for instance, and quite a potential for the development of new ski resorts in those places where there are currently only one or two ski tracks. Bulgaria is lucky in that almost everywhere in the country is beautiful. It is difficult to say that one mountain area is better than another, though, of course, location and proximity to cities, airports, etc., is of importance if you are looking to rent the property out.AgenciesThe market is thus far not regulated. Buyers do not need a licence to operate as a real estate agency, so the ground is ripe for various rip-off merchants to practice their trade. Various foreign investors have shared their stories, including one Brit who was alerted by a conscientious notary to the fact that he was about to pay a ridiculously high price for some property and ended up fleeing his agent in fear. Though he lost his deposit, he felt his physical safety was more important. Complaints about poor service, even from some of the expat-owned agencies, which are perhaps unable to cope with the demand and just leave their clients hanging are also abundant.If you are buying from abroad, do some thorough research on the many sites available, take a look at the photos of houses, get a good idea of price ranges and check out where is a good place to buy. You can also chat with the many foreigners who have already been through this experience both on The Sofia Echo’s forum and on others.PeculiaritiesUntil recently foreign individuals could not own land in Bulgaria. In the beginning of March 2007 Bulgaria’s Parliament approved amendments to the land ownership legislation, which changed the ban for a restrictive regime of land ownership acquirement.Currently foreigners and foreign legal persons are allowed to acquire land in the country, but only under a international contract. Foreigners also have the right to acquire land ownership by inheritance.EU citizens who are not permanently resident in Bulgaria cannot acquire land in the country.A legal loophole currently allows foreigners to set up a Bulgarian company (see Doing Business in Bulgaria), which can then buy the land. This little bit of bureaucracy means that you need to use a local lawyer to set up the company, do the deal for you and you will have to retain his or her services on a permanent basis to maintain the company for you. You will also need to use an accountancy company to submit annual tax returns, since the land is considered an investment. The good news is that although you have to pay the initial capital (5000 leva or 75 per cent thereof) into a bank account, you can subsequently withdraw it once the registration process is over. If you are buying an apartment and there is no land included in the deal, then you can buy it outright as an individual.The legal fees are usually quoted as a total of the court fees and the lawyer’s handling fees. They can range from 400–1000 euro. ResidencyAnother thing that may be an issue is getting permission to stay in Bulgaria. Cases are decided individually at present. Citizens of the EU member states, the European Economic Community (EEC) countries, Switzerland, Canada, the US or Israel may stay in the country for up to 90 days. Afterwards those have to apply for long-term or permanent stay permit.Foreigners, who are not citizens of the countries listed, have to obtain visa permits to enter the country.In the meantime, here is some advice: if you are retiring to your property in Bulgaria, you will probably get residency as long as you can provide the documents to prove you are retired, that you receive an income from outside the country, etc; if you are a freelancer of any kind you will probably not get residence because, although the law allows for it, in practice permits are not issued to freelancers. In many cases, however, depending on the value of your investment (in property) you may be granted residency, so you should choose a lawyer with a proven track record.MortgagesInterest rates are still high here. If you are eligible for a mortgage in your own country then you would be advised to do it there. Rates here will eventually drop, and the IMF has been pressuring the Bulgarian National Bank to put the brakes on lending in Bulgaria, causing banks to be cautious about lowering rates. http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Buy-and-Rent/57/44 Buy, Sell and Rent Sofia The country’s capital, Sofia has around 1.2 million inhabitants but that number is constantly growing as the unemployed from the countryside move here looking for work.Most of that population lives in the ugly concrete tower blocks that make up Sofia’s outlying districts. New construction is mostly taking place to the south of the city centre, in the direction of Vitosha Mountain. Whole new housing districts have sprung up here but, though they may only be 5 or 6 storey, they still have their problems: control over building quality has been and continues to be patchy and as for architectural standards you can see anything and everything here.There are a lot of properties currently on the market as construction work is going on at a great pace. There are a lot of new houses in the suburbs as well as brand new apartment buildings. Even so, there are areas that hide more potential than others and areas where demand is fairly stable.It's a general rule of thumb foreigners prefer the following areas, from the centre to the South and East of the city: APARTMENTS High class: centre; Doctor's Garden, Lozenets; Iztok; Izgrev; Ivan Vazov; Hladilnika, Borovo; Buxton.Middle-class: Vitosha area, Krustova Vada, Studentski Grad, HOUSES in the villages on the outskirts of the city (beyond the ring road) which have developed immensely in the past ten years and now: Simeonovo (15km); Dragalevtsi (15km); Boyana (12km); Bistritsa (20km); Gorna Banya; Knyazhevo; Bankya (20km); Pancherevo (20km). There is a belt of NEW CONSTRCTION of houses and small apartment buildings inside the ring road which used to be just waste land but which has recently been turned into housing estates: Pavlovo; Manastirksi Livadi; Krustova Vada; American College/Malinova DolinaAreas to the industrialised North and North-East are mostly large housing complexes but beyond the ring road to the West and North prices are gradually rising in the small villages. Other Big Cities Property prices increase the most in the coastal cities and resorts, as well as in mountain resorts. Bulgaria’s EU accession is said to be among the reasons for price hike in 2006.Seaside345km of coastline, mostly sandy beaches. All regions located south of Bourgas have undergone major development over the past several years and now enjoy wide offering of apartment complexes on the sea shore. Developments vary from apartment blocks and hotels to modern luxury complexes with swimming pools, solariums, restaurants and a host of other facilities. Other developments include several golf courses to the north of Varna (Kavarna and Balchik), but there is still little construction going on north of Kavarna where the coast is mostly rocky, the landscape totally flat and the season several weeks shorter.MountainsBulgaria’s territory is strewn with mountains, so there’s a lot to choose from! Most Europeans already knew the resort of Bansko and Borovets, and are now becoming more acquainted with Pamporovo and the near by Chepelare, where large-scale construction has been launched in the past year. The obvious hit has been Bansko, an existing town which has recently expanded its ski facilities to the size of a European resort and is now fervently building to provide beds for the needed number of visitors. Prices here for apartments range from 500-1200 euro per sq m. Other resorts with development potential are Panichishte, Ribaritsa, Kom Peak in the North West of the country. It is particularly wise to invest around the ski resorts, as cheap Bulgarian ski destinations are in as much demand as quality resorts in French Alps.Rural AreasExpats seem to be particularly fond of the area around medieval capital Veliko Turnovo and the Stara Planina Mountains located two and a half hours way to Sofia or to the Black Sea and the lovely old village houses, which can be renovated. Properties along the Danube River and around the major town of Rousse are also becoming popular. Prices there still remain relatively low.Agricultural LandIt appears that Bulgaria's accession to the European Union triggered unusual interest both in and out of the country in buying such land here.Property agents say that the dynamism of farmland sales and leases in Bulgaria will continue growing. Demand was highest in the north-eastern region around Dobrich, which is in the heart of Bulgaria’s wheat-producing area. Unlike in other parts of the country, around Dobrich, demand exceeded supply.Purchase of land by foreigners has no material effect on the price of land, as a legal opportunity exists for joint ventures with foreign partners to buy land.Land plots in Bulgaria are becoming one of the most attractive investment goals for foreigners despite complaints that the small sizes of most properties are an obstacle to their successful sale. http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Step-by-step-guide/66/45 Step by Step Guide Buying an apartment for an office and/or dwelling purposes in Bulgaria should NOT be different than buying of an apartment elsewhere in Europe. However, things are not as easy and as straightforward as one might think. In practical terms, the deal should take place within the following parameters: 1. First of all, the buyer should sign a preliminary contract for the purchase of the estate and pay the owner a sum of 10 per cent of the total purchase price as a down payment. Usually such contracts are signed in order for the owners to outfit themselves with the documents necessary for the signing of the title deed before a notary public (a “notarioos”, in Bulgarian). (One should think that if a person wishes to sell, he would have to be ready with all papers. Well, not if you are buying in Bulgaria.) 2. After certain period of time (usually one month) the buyer pays the remaining 90 per cent of the purchase price and obtains a title deed for ownership over the estate. All potential buyers should be aware that all dealings with real estate in Bulgaria MUST be done before a NOTARY PUBLIC. In many cases, apartments also come with some proportional ownership (co-ownership) over the land on which the building is erected, which has its own complications. The expenses on the deal are: two per cent state tax (something similar to a stamp duty, to be calculated on the purchase price), notary fee (which is calculated in accordance with the price stated in the title deed, but usually for a one two-bedroom apartment it would be approximately 650 leva or 325 euro), fee for inscription in the land registry (0.1 per cent of the value), and legal fees. Example: if the property costs 50 000 euro, all these fees (except legal fees) would total nearly 1300 euro; for a deal where the property costs 100 000 euro, they are about 2400 euro; and for a deal where the property costs 200 000 euro they would be about 4500 euro. The usual practice used to be (when the deal was between two Bulgarians, at least) that these expenses would be covered 50/50 by the parties. Nowadays, it is a subject of an agreement between the vendor and the buyer. Things of which to be aware: It is QUITE LIKELY that the owner will NOT want to declare the real price of the property on the deed of transfer. This is done for the owner to AVOID paying CAPITAL GAINS TAX (which would be approximately 30 per cent of the real purchase price). You might end up in a situation where the owner proposes that either you pay the market value BUT get an official document (title deed) stating far lower price, or you do not have a deal. Usually, we recommend that this be EXPLICITLY agreed in writing before the signing of any document, but if your situation comes to such a dead-end, you should know that having a title deed with a lower price does not invalidate your deal. However, such a situation has its financial consequences, such as not having official documents for the money spent and higher taxes if you decide to sell the property afterwards at its real value. Please, consult with your broker/lawyer about every aspect of the deal to avoid any misrepresentation and misunderstanding at a later stage. General warning: When the search for good root to title is carried out in the land register (especially applicable for SOFIA’s Land Register), there are three to five BLANK DAYS, immediately BEFORE the search, for which your attorney would not be able to give you any data – i.e., there is a possibility that the owner of the estate might have put a lien on it, etc. This does not happen on an everyday basis, BUT buyers should be aware of it, as there may be unscrupulous owners who take advantage of this opportunity. Therefore, we recommend that the deal be guaranteed by an escrow account set up either by the notary or by a bank. http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Tourism/37/52 Doing Business Tourism is one of the most thriving and, yet most problematic, business sectors in Bulgaria. The greatest challenge the country faces is finding ways to make the utmost use of its unique tourism resources. Bulgaria provides first-class mountain and sea resorts, but because of poor marketing the country attracts fewer tourists than what might be expected. Bulgaria is putting forth many efforts in developing its tourism infrastructure. However, the budget of the State Agency for Tourism (SAT) is insufficient, and Bulgaria is seeking the co-operation of home and foreign investors. SAT, which is in charge of the tourism sector, and the newly-created tourism board, comprised of the leading private tourism organisations in the country, have already made the first steps toward co-operation. Plans exist for new agencies to be opened abroad in countries already interested in Bulgaria. Improved advertising is expected to increase revenue and to create a better image of the country abroad. Real estate market tendencies show that more and more foreigners are interested in purchasing construction areas on the Bulgarian seaside and in building new luxury hotels, leading to a record price hike. Although the demand is high, the Bulgarian seaside is already over-populated during the summer season and supply of plots suitable for constructing new hotels is low. Many tourists complain of the crowded shores and investors have transferred their interest from the popular resorts like Slunchev Bryag (Sunny Beach) and Zlatni Pyasutsi (Golden Sands) to the smaller and little-explored regions away from the large cities. The country has still unexplored and unexploited resources for cultural and historic tourism, religious, eco, spa and adventure tourism. Bulgaria is a land where traces of seven civilisations have been discovered. These include the first pre-historic civilisations in Europe, Thracian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Islam cultures. Poor management and marketing of these sites, however, has led to low, if any, interest abroad. Currently, cultural tourism provides only a few per cent of the total tourism revenue. One of the reasons for the low culture tourism revenue is poor accessibility to the locations. Undeveloped infrastructure is a problem the entire tourism industry faces. This is especially true as far as airports are concerned. Bulgaria attracts foreign tourists mainly with its sea and mountain resorts. Bansko and Borovets ski towns and the famous Slunchev Bryag and Zlatni Pyasutsi beach resorts are just a few of the names attracting large numbers of foreign tourists. A double pricing system, charging different prices for Bulgarians and foreigners, existed in the country for some time, but it was abolished in 2005. Another change the tourism sector saw over the past couple of years was the ban on construction work during the holiday season. Trends show that the number of tourists visiting Bulgaria increases four to 10 per cent annually. The majority of tourists come from Greece and Germany, exceeding half a million. Other nations interested in Bulgaria include Macedonia, Serbia, the UK and Russia. In 2006, tourism revenue reached 2.06 billion euro, registering a 5.45 per cent growth. The number of foreign tourists also increased by 6.64 per cent, exceeding 5.158 million people. http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Accounting/40/46 Accounting In 2003 Bulgaria introduced the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and all companies registered in the country are required to use them for their consolidated financial statements.Investors in Bulgaria should have in mind that since 2005, International Accounting Standards (IASs) are obligatory for all consolidated and individual company financial statements of listed companies, financial institutions and all large limited liability entities. In comparison, in the EU, only public companies use IAS. Though doubts exist about Bulgarian SMEs having the capacity to introduce IFRS, the country plans making IAS requirements obligatory for them. IAS introduction is regulated by the Accounting Act, which states that the reporting period is from January 1 to December 31. http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Banking/40/48 Accounting Credit expansion remains a serious problem of the Bulgarian banking sector. The loan increase has caused concerns to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. In 2006 the IMF has agreed only to partial removal of the imposed credit limitations. Loan restrictions were imposed because the credit expansion threatened the stability of Bulgarian banks. IMF restrictions included forcing banks exposed to credit risk to hold additional reserves for covering liquidity losses. Banks soon found a way of avoiding the limitations, transferring credit deals to leasing companies, which are subject of fewer regulations. According to Bulgarian National Bank's (BNB) annual report on the banking sector condition, loans have amounted up to 4.4 million leva.Most Bulgarian households have already borrowed loans. Nearly one third of the households choose consumer loans from banks and every fifth household borrows money from friends or relatives. The majority of consumers prefer drawing smaller loans up to 10 000 leva used for the purchase of white goods and household electronics. One of the reasons for the credit expansion is the low average wage in the country. Low incomes also account for the smaller deposits in Bulgaria. http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Privatisation/37/49 Doing Business One of the biggest and most problematic deals of 2006 was the privatisation of Boyana Film Studios. The company was bought by the American Nu Image for 12.224 million leva. The privatisation contract also included additional 30 million leva of investment. Boyana Film Studios appealed the deal and required a new and procedure for attracting investments.Another major investor is the Czech power company CEZ, which bought the Varna thermal power plant. The deal totalled 206 million euro. CEZ has committed itself to invest a further 40 million euro by 2010. The Russian RAO EES won the original tender. Its offer came to 192 million euro. After the Russian company decided to leave the deal, the Privatisation Agency continued negotiations with CEZ, the company ranking second after RAO EES. After the privatisation deal was concluded, CEZ requested a 6.9 per cent increase in electricity prices in Bulgaria. Since 2001, the state has made several unsuccessful attempts to sell Bulgartabac Holding, its largest cigarette producer. In 2006 the company registered a 37.46 million leva unconsolidated net profit. According to the adopted privatisation strategy, the holding retains its profitable cigarette-making factories and started selling only the tobacco processing plants. The privatisation fate of the holding, however, remains unclear. The country’s flag carrier Bulgaria Air was also privatised in 2006. The privatisation process was hindered by disagreements between the transport and economic policy parliamentary commissions on the privatisation strategy. Still, 99.9 per cent of the company were sold to Bulgaria-based Balkan Hemus Group. The company paid 13 million leva for the air carrier and promised to invest another 82.1 million euro over the first five years after the purchase. Bulgaria will continue participating in the air company’s management through a golden share. http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Setting-up-a-company/38/50 Setting Up a Company The two most preferred forms of carrying out business in Bulgaria are with a joint-stock company (AD) or a limited-liability company (OOD). Both types of companies develop their capital by individual shareholder contributions. Unlike the OOD shares, AD shares are not attributed to individuals and owners are free to trade them without court permission. An AD is managed by a board of directors on behalf of the shareholders, but occasionally a meeting of the board of shareholders might be required for making decisions vital for the company's future. OOD is a more flexible form of ownership and is generally considered more suitable for small companies with few owners. Shares can be transferred only through a court decision and by entering the procedure in the Commercial Register. An OOD’s annual financial statements need not be audited by a CPA unless the company happens to meet certain requirements under the Bulgarian Accountancy Act, whereas all ADs have to have their annual financial statements audited by a CPA. Both companies restrict the shareholder's liability for company debt to the amount of his or her share in the company's capital. The procedure for setting up a company in Bulgaria can be divided into five distinct stages. 1. Investors wishing to create a firm should register their company name. The procedure might take some time, as it includes reserving and registering the company name with the National Statistics Institute and the tax register. 2. All investors planning to build or restructure the company site should have their construction projects approved by the municipality. 3. Obtaination of permission to use the premises. 4. Registration of any stores, restaurants, hotels, stalls or similar premises used for commercial purposes. The list of facilities subject to registration varies depending on the municipality. 5. Obtaination of additional licences, if required. Licences are obligatory for people trading in tobacco, alcohol, medicines and drugs. Entertainment spots and hotels also require trade permits. As the procedures are complicated, regardless of the type of company establishment, one should use a reputable law firm to handle the whole process, from choosing the company name to registering the company with the court and all the subsequent compulsory registrations with tax authorities, the National Insurance Institute, etc., all of which has to be done within strict deadlines, ignorance of which carries hefty fines if time limits are not heeded! There are many legal firms with excellent reputations; most now have employees who speak the major European languages, so finding a decent one should not be a problem. As previously mentioned, registering the company name is a long and complicated procedure. In short, with his or her lawyer, one should: 1. Verify that the company name is available and reserve it with the National Statistics Institute. 2. Produce Articles of Association. 3. Pay in to the bank at least 70 per cent of the obligatory company capital for an OOD (the total capital being 5000 leva); or 25 per cent for an AD (the total capital being 50 000 leva). 4. Submit the application to form the company, together with proof of payment of the capital to the district court. 5. Await, once all the necessary documents are ready, court permission for registration with the tax register. 6. Make the company's seal. The company becomes active when it is published in the State Gazette (2 or 3 weeks later). 7. Register with the National Statistical Institute to receive a BULSTAT identification, which number must be done within 14 days; 8. Register with the National Insurance Institute (NOI) within 7 days; 10. Register with the local tax authority within 14 days; 11. Assure that any bank accounts opened in the company name are also registered with the tax authority within 14 days. Remember that the steps should be done in the order specified! To obtain permission to build or re-structure the company's facilities, one must: 1. Present documents verifying ownership of the plot or building. 2. Research and plan the project – a copy of the location in the town map describing the exact position and surroundings of the plot or building is needed. 3. Submit three copies of your construction plan, designed and approved by the architects and engineers you hired and municipal authorities. 4. Obtain approval of the authorities responsible for environmental protection and sanitary control, and undergo an assessment of the fire safety of the object. 5. Obtain permission to use water and electricity for production purposes (if required). When registering your patent, make sure to use a registered patent lawyer in dealings with the Patent Office. To be on the safe side, even if the company name is the same as that of its activity, register the name under the relevant sections anyway with the Patent Office to prevent anyone from stealing the name. The Patent Office works painfully slowly (a trademark usually takes 18 months to be registered, and a design six months), as do the regional courts that would be called upon to resolve any dispute, so make sure the case is watertight. To register a patent, one should: 1. Check the patent registers to see whether the same or a similar patent has been already been acquired by another company. 2. Fill out an application form for patent registration and send it to the Patent Office together with a document verifying payment of the registration tax. It is strongly advised to use a consultant. The registration is valid for one year only and then only on Bulgarian territory. To register a patent valid in other countries, one should also apply to the National Patent Office of the country where it is wished to register the patent. The European Patent Office is where one must register for a patent valid in the entire EU, or the World Intellectual Property Organisation for a patent valid worldwide. http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Taxation/39/51 Taxation Bulgaria has reformatted significantly its taxation system to harmonise it with EU legislation.The tax year begins on January 1 and ends on December 31.Corporate taxIn 2006 Bulgaria’s Cabinet decided to decrease the corporate tax rate for 2007 to 10 per cent. Local and foreign companies operating in Bulgaria are liable to corporate tax. Organisations engaged in gambling and trade shipping, as well as state-owned companies which pay alternative taxes instead of corporate tax are an exception.The tax amount is calculated based on the declared profit for the previous year. Tax is paid in advance in monthly installments. The deadline for submission of tax declarations is March 31.In April, companies pay the difference between the tax amount paid over the previous year and the actual amount of tax owed. VATAny “autonomous economic activity,” such as services, trade and production, which is performed regularly in Bulgaria is liable to Value-Added Tax (VAT) when the turnover reaches 50 000 leva for a year. VAT rate in the country is 20 per cent. A reduction of the tax amount has been considered for some time but no specific decisions have been taken yet. VAT is declared and paid on a monthly basis, the last deadline being the 14th of each month. Fines for late submission and payment are severe. Tourism companies currently pay only seven per cent VAT. Personal income taxAll permanent residents of Bulgaria, having income in the country are liable to personal income tax. A permanent resident is considered anyone living over 183 days a year in the country. Every year, employees are obliged to submit an annual assets declaration by April 15 and to pay the tax owed within 30 days from the submission. The wage one receives under a labour contract is taxed on a monthly basis under the following scheme:Monthly income TaxUp to 200 leva 0%200.01 to 250 leva 20% of the sum exceeding 200 leva250.01 to 600 leva 10 leva and 22% of the sum exceeding 250 levaAbove 600.01 leva 87 leva and 24% of the sum exceeding 600 levaAt the end of the year the amount of the tax due is calculated under another scheme:Annual income Tax 0 to 2400 leva 0% 2401 – 3000 leva 20% of the sum exceeding 24003001 – 7200 leva 120 leva and 22% of the sum exceeding 30007201 and above 1044 and 24% of the sum exceeding 7200The difference between the tax already paid on monthly installments and the tax due is either paid in addition by the employee, or returned by the state.Income received by civil contractors and freelancers is taxed under the same schemes. The difference is that the tax amount to be paid in advance every month can be deducted with up to 70 per cent of the total income depending on the activity of the contractor.Double taxation Foreigners, not Bulgarian residents but receiving incomes from Bulgaria are also subject to taxation. If Bulgaria has agreed with the foreigner's home state to avoid double taxation, the foreigner may require refund of the difference between the tax paid and the one due under the relevant double taxation agreement. To do so, the foreigner has to prove residence in the country with which Bulgaria has signed double taxation avoidance agreement. The foreigner should not have establishment or fixed base within Bulgarian territory related to the respective income. Income which is not liable to taxation includes: 1. Income from the sale of certain types of residential apartments and cars 2. Money from the sale of securities 3. Deposit interests 4. State subsidies for children 5. Student grants 6. Lottery prizes Capital Gains The tax base in case of sale or exchange of immovable and some movable property is the difference between the selling price and the higher price between the factual and updated price paid for the acquisition of such property. The rule is applied to certain types of movable property such as aircraft, sea vessels and cars. For any other type of movable property the tax base is the difference between the selling price and the re-valued price for the acquisition of such property. Rental Income Received Twenty per cent of the income is tax deductible. If the rent is payable to a non-Bulgarian tax resident, a 15 per cent withholding tax is levied. Annual taxable baseThe annual taxable base is the sum of all taxable incomes received during the calendar year, deducted by incomes taxed with a final (patent) tax, pension and health insurance, unemployment fund contributions, premiums received under life insurance.Statutory deductions of 35 per cent of the gross income for services contracts and 10 per cent for management fees are applicable to non-employment contracts.Tax relief on donations is also possible if they do not exceed 10 per cent of the taxable income after other statutory deductions have been made. http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Designers-and-Bulgarian-fashion-brands/54/55 Fashion Agressia Fashion house Agressia was established in 1992. Its main line of business is manufacturing men's and women's pret-a-porter. In 2002, the company choose its strategic position in the sector of manufacturing of high-quality men's clothing. Men's suits bearing the Agressia trade mark are said to meet the European quality standards. Agressia Lux is a line of men's and women's business and special occasion suits and luxury women's wear. Over the past couple of years fashion house Agressia has been and continues to be the only one in Bulgaria using the textile of Dormioi, Cerutti and Mario Zegna. Boutiques: 60 Alabin Str, SofiaKempinski Hotel Zografski, SofiaInterhotel Bulgaria, Bourgas24-26 Georgi Benkovski Str, VarnaBabini Kouki (Granny's Knitting Needles) Babini Kouki is a unique line of handmade fashionable and stylish knit clothing. With its chief designer Galina Dacheva, Babini Kouki is one of the few fashion companies to successfully bridge the missing link between the age-old craft of hand knitting and high fashion. The knitters use only knitting needles and crochet hooks, and their most important tool is the traditional skill. For a single sweater to be made, over 50 000 stitches must be knitted. In the fall of 2005, Dacheva presented her Timeless Fashion collection at the New York Couture Fashion Week. Her designs are currently available at selected fine retailers in Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Sweden and Canada, as well as in Arizona, Indiana and New York in the United States. Address: 29 Marko Balabanov Str. 9000-Varna Online shopping: www.aristofashion.com/onlineshopping/onlineshopping.htm e-mail: info@aristofashion.com Tel: +359 8995/99592 Capasca Capasca was founded in the end of 2003 by a team of young professionals with an average age of 30. They gathered around the idea of creating a lifestyle trademark that will offer high-end creativity, quality and acceptable prices. Owners of Capasca are Martin Kozhouharov (former brand manager of BattiBaleno) and Magdalena Maleeva (former number four in the world tennis ranking list). The company has opened shops in Sofia, Varna, Veliko Turnovo, the Macedonian capital of Skopje and the Swedish capital of Stockholm.Boutiques: 60 Vitosha Blvd., SofiaMall of Sofia, fl.251, Knyaz Boris I, VarnaCentral Mall, Veliko TurnovoDenyl – provocation at all levels Denyl is a leading men's ready-to-wear clothes company in Bulgaria. It has some of the most original marketing campaigns for its new collections – it uses famous Bulgarian actors, singers, journalists and even referees for its advertisements. Enita – “To be always desired!” Enita creates all type of clothing for every season and every occasion, particularly suitable for the dynamic, independent young woman. The brand’s style is unique with its combinations of retro and modern trends, bold inter-twisting of lace and denim and unexpected variety of colours. Enita won the prestigious Bulgarian award Zlatna Igla (Golden Needle) for fashion design in 2001. Enita's clothes are available in Bulgaria Cyprus, Israel, Macedonia, Slovakia, Spain and Ukraine.Boutiques: 3, Kapitan Raicho Str, Plovdiv2, Hristo Tatarchev Str, Blagoevgrad117, Tsar Simeon Veliki Str, Stara Zagora30, Nezavisimost Str, Veliko TurnovoZhana Zhekova Bulgarian fashion designer Zhana Zhekova tries to achieve elegance and a perfect balance in clothing design. Zhekova’s models express a kind of nostalgia to the lost cult of womanhood, to a more romantic world that is not stressful and dynamic, but rather peaceful and beautiful. The designer is a double winner of the most prestigious Bulgarian Fashion Academy Award for fashion design – Zlatna Igla (Golden Needle). She was announced Couturier of the Year at the Haute Couture and Vanguard Fashion Festival in both 1990 and in 1995. Zhekova created the evening outfits for the Bulgarian participants in the Miss World contest for few years. In 2001 she was an official couturiere of the Miss Bulgaria contest. Boutiques: 18 Angel Kunchev Str, Sofia97 Knyaz Boris Str, Sofia Rila Style – Battibaleno by Rila Style Rila Style is a leading company in Bulgarian and European clothing industry. Established in 1970, Rila Style focuses on first-class, quality products.The clothing and accessories bearing the Battibaleno by Rila Style include bags, shoes, shawls, ponchos and gloves.Roshavata Garga Fashion house Roshavata Garga (Tousled Crow) was established in 1991 by Albena Aleksandrova, chief designer and owner. She designs women's clothing – haute couture, commissioned and pret-a-porter. Twice a year Roshavata Garga produces thematic collections. Aleksandrova said that her inspirations are both history and streets, different mosaic motives. She admires the work of the one of the most eccentric designers, John Galiano. Boutiques: 15 Aksakov Str, SofiaTotally Erected Totally Erected fashion studio is a place for everybody to enjoy good music, talk about fashion and style, and look up at the world's latest fashion magazines. The studio attracts artists and people who consider fashion a way of life. Totally Erected chief designer Veronika Vapirova is an image-maker of popular Bulgarian singers. The label lays accents on hand-made clothing and accessories, and vintage style. http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Golf-touring/60/56 Sports A game that has been existing for at least six centuries and has almost 100 million followers all over the world, still hasn't gained popularity in Bulgaria. There are three functioning golf courses – two in Ihtiman and Sliven – both of which are property of Air Sofia, and one course in the village of Ravno Pole near Sofia, owned by the Bulgarian Golf Association. Bulgaria is expected to get a number of new golf courses in the coming few years. The construction of the new Air Sofia course in Razgrad is almost finished. Additionally, the company plans to construct one more golf course near Sofia, allowing it to run a net of four playgrounds. Two golf courses near the coastal Kavarna, one in Primorsko and one in Kutina will be finalised in the near future. Bansko winter resort and Dolna Banya will have their own courses in 2008. http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Restaurant-touring/28/57 Restaurant Here are some interesting and unusual places you could visit during the holiday. In case you don't have the possibility for a real vacation and all you need is to escape from the city for a couple of hours, restaurant touring will do the trick. All you need is your car, a little gasoline and good company. Sofia "Chef's"(after the village of Pasarel – 0896 72 32 22) 17 kilometers away from Sofia, after the village of Pasarel, on the road to Samokov, there is a fine restaurant, which looks like it has been shifted there with a magic stick from Western Europe. In Chef's you could enjoy the food prepared by all gourmet standards and perfectly chosen wine selection. “Lyutite chushki” (“The chilly peppers”), Dragalevtzi district 26 “Krairechna” St., 02/967 22 20 The valley of Vitosha mountain has lots of restaurants and hotels, but most of them are at a medium level. Considering the smell of over-used oil and frozen chicken, “Lyutite chiushki” in Dragalevtzi is quite a descent restaurant. Not that there are no faults there, but the shkembe chorba and the BBQ in “Lyutite chushki” are one of the best you can taste in all of Sofia's surrounding. Plovdiv “Dzamurka” On the road to the Bachkovski Monastery, right before the entrance to the village of Bachkovo, on the right you'll see the turning to the restaurant “Dzamurka”. The strange name comes from a very old local specialty – dzamura, which is similar to a small sausage but is made of chopped meat and spices. The juicy dzamurkas accompanied with French fries are complemented by the beautiful river view. “Skadarlia” 29 “Dunav” Blvd. (032/ 95 50 93) The cute, casual bistro “Skadarlia” is one of the tastiest places for BBQ, if you are in Plovdiv. The tortillas are baked momentarily, while the personal has special attitude towards the food and drinks and will serve you with skill. “Hemingway” 10 “General Gurko” St. (032/ 26 73 50) “Hemingway” is the more wanted version of “Skadarlia”, and is found in the centre of Plovdiv. In “Hemingway” you will also find a rich collection of wines, fish specialties and salads. “Fado” 12 “Kuklensko shoosse” Blvd. (032/ 60 65 93) “Fado” is exactly “a restaurant at the end of the city”, but it is still a discovery. With pleasant interior in pastel tones, good and soft seating boxes, in “Fado” there are hardly 40 seats (occupied during the whole day) and this completes the feeling of stopping by to see old friends. The secret is in the excellent provisions, cold-pressed olive oil, fine cheese selection and spices; in other words the Mediterranean cuisine gives the final form of the menu. “Vesselo selo” (“The happy village”) 53 “Dunav” Blvd. (second circle of the Fair) 032/ 955 118 Not exactly a restaurant, not exactly a mehana and not exactly a fast-food spot – is probably the closest description of what the “Vesselo selo” is (or it is not). The large noisy premises with wooden tables accommodates the bar, show-cases with fruits and vegetables, ovens and grills, hot-plates with boiling kettles with the soups for the day. Obviously it's attractive and most of the times it is delicious. “Istanbul” “Trakia” highway The restaurant “Istanbul” is one of the tastiest places for a snack on the road. Don't allow the terracotta tiles and low-class tables chase you away from “Istanbul”, fore Turkish baklava, shish-kebap, and sesame bread baked on wood, are waiting for you. Bansko “Makedonia” (“Macedonia”) The beautiful house – mehana in Dobrinishte is away from the crowd which overtakes Bansko, and is like a dream-come-true for the tired skiers with fire-place, juicy BBQ and exquisite shekmbe chorba. And something else truly rare for the region – the music is not loud but rather serves as a background. “Molerite” (“The brick layers”) 41 “Glazne” St. (07443/84 94) Molerite appeared as a natural continuation of the most visited mehana in Bansko – the old “Molerova kushta”. The new mehana preserved its name with dignity. The new one is as successful as the old one; it also has from the famous small flat sesame loafs; they make their own pickles, they smoked their own meat as in Parma; they buy bull milk from local producers, as well as home-made rakia, but unfortunately the “Molerite” is just as crowded and noisy. In most of the cases that makes no influence on the service. “Tamplier” “Pirin” St. (07443/ 64 43) The restaurant “Tamplier” is more or less the only attempt for a place different from mehana which we would actually determine as a rustic style. There you can in fact order goose liver, pumpkin soup-”cappuccino”, beef steak and so on. “Glazne” 2, “Panayot Hitov” St., (07443/ 80 26) The restaurant of hotel “Glazne” also differs from the typical dimmed noisy mehanas in Bansko. Besides, there you will find good, fresh products, ideal service, very decent wine card. Stara Zagora Pizza “Venetzia” “Kolyo Ganchev” St. (opposite Bulbank) This is a classic pizza place, where typical thin Italian pizzas are baked on wood. There are also fresh salads, pasta and polenta, and besides the obligatory (for such places) beer on tap, you'll also find rich selection of Italian wines. Karlovo “Edno vreme” (“Once upon a time”) 9, “Rakovski” St. (0335/ 50 19) Whenever I pass by Karlovo, I stop by at “Edno vreme”. It is simply obligatory to enter, because the traditional Bulgarian house with a garden and excellent kitchen, with typical regional recipes is a true pleasure for every admirer of slow eating. Besides, they make their own rakia with Balkan herbs. Veliko Turnovo “Shtastlivetza” (“The lucky one”) 79 “Stefan Stambolov” St. Also classic (but very tasty) Bulgarian pizza place with a great number of salads and pizzas. The difference is that you can order a diet-flour pizza for example. Varna Bistro “Evropa” (“Europe”) 11 “Slivitza” Blvd. (052/ 60 39 50) At first sight bistro “Europa” doesn't differ much from most of the cafeterias and pastries situated along the main street of Varna. The similarities with a pastry shop are amplified with the best croissants and cakes (their own production) in the whole region. But the main culinary accent falls on the clams, delivered from the clam farm in the “Dalboka” bay (The deep bay),which attract most of the guests. La famiglia 1 “Bregalnitza” St. (052/ 61 02 90) Any local person will tell you that this most certainly is the best Italian restaurant in the city. That's right. Salad “Caprese” is salad “Caprese”, the pasta is home-made, and the whole place smells exactly as in Italy. Georgian restaurant 5, “8th November” St., (052/ 63 26 22) Not only in Varna, but in the whole country, this certainly is the most delicious (if not the only) Georgian restaurant with Georgian meals and Georgian wines. It's really worth it, especially if you like cinnamon, lots of walnuts and pomegranates. “Sezoni” (“Seasons”) Seaside park, Area Saltanat, (052/33 59 18) opposite Flower centre “Mimoza” Simple, intriguing, stylish interior with a kitchen in the same spirit. Fusion suggestions with classical taste and exquisite selection of Bulgarian wines. Sozopol “Ksantana” 33 “Morski skali” St. (05514/34 54) After the tourists invasion, Sozopol is no longer the same. This mostly affected the legendary pubs in town, which are now replaced by pseudo-luxurious bars. I suppose everyone keeps in the heart a memory of at least one favorite place in Sozopol, and after a lot of mistakes, mine is still “Ksantana”, for both it's cuisine and the beautiful view. The village of Varvara “Pri Dimo” It's hard to find such a pub on the South seaside, where it is possible to meet all your friends during the whole year, where you can taste fresh cheese, granny's meals, fish and home made tarama caviare. I give it an A especially for the atmosphere. http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Karlovo:-In-the-heart-of-Bulgaria/62/59 Destinations Karlovo was the home of Levski. Need I say more to establish the town’s place in Bulgaria’s heartland? If you are interested in the real Bulgaria, you must journey to the homestead of the nation’s most beloved founding father. Because of his dauntless courage, Levski was called the lion, a figure that became the national symbol of Bulgaria and the name of its currency. A memorial in Karlovo depicts Levski wielding a pistol with an enormous lion behind him. The whole area around the statue is immaculate. It’s a 19th century monument that captures that era’s willingness to mix ambition, grandeur and violence. People were taking photos. Levski’s preserved house in the centre of town retains the dyeing workshop – an enormous tub for boiling and dyeing clothes – his widowed mother used to support them both. You can see where they squatted on tiny chairs and ate. A church around the back of the house contains a ringlet of Levski’s hair, which legend says he cut and gave to his mother as a memento when he left the priesthood to join the Bulgarian uprising. Levski’s capture, trial and execution are depicted in a series of paintings in the museum attached to the house. They depict Levski as a martyr whose trajectory followed that of Jesus. Of interest to me was the gallows scene in Sofia, where the Turks, wearing fezzes and sporting beards, stand around Levski’s limp body. In the background is Sveta Sofia, the ancient brick church next to Nevski Cathedral. There is no cathedral, however. There’s no Moscovska Street. There are no buildings around the church at all. It’s surrounded by fields. The painting depicts Sofia before it ballooned after Bulgarian independence. So even the location of Levski’s death was prophetic. We stayed that night at the Shterev Hotel near Karlovo City Hall on 20th July Square. It cost a total of 50 leva a night for two rooms. Beware, however. First, Mr. Shterev must be a wealthy man, because he owns a number of similarly named hotels in the area. So when you go there, you have to specify you’re going to the Shterev in Karlovo (0335 9 33 80). Second, the hotel was dirty. Cockroaches. In the morning, I went to bend to tie my shoe and realised there was a hole in the wall under the coat closet. I could see into the next room. We had to rent hotel rooms in Karlovo because it’s not easy to get there, and we had an appointment in a nearby village in the morning. We didn’t know that busses leave for Karlovo from the bus lot between the Sofia central bus station and the train station. The people at the Sofia central bus station told us no busses went there at all. We took a train that left Sofia at 22:10 and arrived into Karlovo at 00:30. It cost six leva. Earlier trains took four hours. On our way back, we caught a bus in Karlovo to Plovdiv. Tickets cost three leva apiece. When we reached Plovdiv, we had to nudge our way into the next bus to Sofia. Those tickets cost 10 leva apiece. We were home in three hours. http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Gabrovo-region/62/60 Destinations Bozhentsi The architectural reserve of Bozhentsi is located 16km to the north-east from Gabrovo, through the village of Kmetovtsi. The reserve consists of nearly 100 18th century Bulgarian Revival houses beyond which lies only forest. Beware that a couvert charge to enter the village may be required to enter the reserve. The settlement is said to date back more than 600 years, when a member of the nobility, Bozhana, brought her family here from a Veliko Turnovo being laid waste by the Ottomans. The village became prosperous, and is believed to have expanded to more than 1000 households, shrinking again when stability and liberation saw people returning to Veliko Turnovo and Gabrovo. In the interval, it became somewhat of an artists’ and writers’ colony. (Few of them seemed to have achieved very much; I suspect if I lived in a place that tranquil, indolence might too seduce my work ethic.) Bozhentsi charms with its cobbled streets, delicious home-made yoghurt, Turkish coffee and byalo sladko (a traditional sweet that may be dipped in the coffee). A high proportion of the houses offer rooms. Many of the houses appeared to be in private hands, and not only having been sold to foreigners. Within, or just outside, the solid stone walls that characterise the narrow lanes of the village were luxury cars with “C” (for Sofia) licence plates. Dryanovski monasteryDryanovo monastery is noted in Bulgarian history for the bravery of the detachment of rebels that held out within its walls during the 1876 April uprising, and whose surroundings of sheer stone cliffs mesmerise the gaze. The monastery was constructed and demolished two times since 12th century, until it was built up again in its current location in the 17th century.The monastery itself and a number of nearby hotels offer accommodation the tourists.An eco-track beyond the monastery leads to the Bacho Kiro cave. The cave, named for a hero of the uprising, is lit by electric light and stretches for about 1200m. Guides and brochures are available in a number of European languages. Sokolski monasteryBuilt in the 19th century high in the hills 12km from Gabrovo the Sokolski Monaster boasts a breathtaking panorama. The chapel is pained with enchanting iconography dating back to 1862. The fountain in the monastery yard is a monument of architecture.The monastery, as most monasteries in Bulgaria, played an important role in Bulgaria’s liberation movement, by hosting rebels.The monastery offers accommodation. http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Conservation-and-profitability-through-ecotourism/62/61 Destinations Tourism is big business in Bulgaria, and the Black Sea coast is booming. But as seaside villages disappear under a plethora of hotels and tourists complain about the ubiquitous construction works, the industry could be in danger of becoming a victim of its own success. Conservation and eco-tourism Many of the most significant trends in tourism worldwide point to the high potential of eco-tourism development. Tourists around the globe are becoming more and more interested in activity and experiential/learning holidays. Although many tourists will never want more than a sunny beach and a cold cocktail, more and more are looking to diversify their tourist experience and reap some kind of physical or intellectual gain from their holiday. In addition, tourists are becoming increasingly aware of global environmental conditions. The more they learn, the more interested they become in nature and the more concerned they become with conservation. Tomorrow’s tourists will not only want to travel to natural places, they will want to know that what they see is being taken care of. Eco-tourism attractions are appealing precisely because they have been well preserved. Bulgaria’s many natural and cultural attractions, most relatively untouched, have considerable potential as the foundation of a strong and profitable eco-tourism industry. Eco-tourism is one of the best ways for Bulgaria to diversify its tourism industry and become more competitive worldwide. In order to provide for long-term economic, social, and environmental sustainability, however, Bulgaria’s attractions must be well preserved and responsibly managed. Central Balkan National Park Central Balkan National Park is just one example of Bulgaria’s eco-tourism potential. It is an area of immense natural beauty and biodiversity, and considerable steps have been taken to ensure its long-term sustainability. The Central Balkan National Park was established in 1991 to conserve the unique natural scenery and heritage of the area and protect the customs and livelihood of the local population. The Park contains rare and endangered wildlife species and communities, self-regulating ecosystems of biological diversity, as well as historical sites of global cultural and scientific significance. Although it covers only six per cent of Bulgaria’s land area, over half of the flora and fauna of the country have been identified within the Park. Over 130 plants and animals found in the park are listed in the World Red Book of Endangered Species, and 12 species are found nowhere else in the world. As such, the park is one of the largest and most valuable protected areas in Europe. The Park and eight of its nature reserves are on the UN List of Representative Protected Areas, and four of its nature reserves are included in the World Biosphere Reserves Network under the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Program. The park has recently become a member of the PAN Parks European Network. Despite widespread international recognition of the park’s significance, however, domestic awareness is still developing. Just some years ago half of the people living around the park had never heard of it. Following steps to raise its profile with visitors and local residents, a recent study revealed that now 90 per cent of locals are aware of its existence and most know where its borders lie. The number of locals expressing an interest in developing eco-tourism has doubled over the past several years. Visitor numbers are also on the increase. During the study, half of the park’s visitors were there for the first time, powerfully illustrating the potential for growth. Nearly 90 per cent of people spending their holidays in its environs had either visited the park or intended to do so. This growth in local ecological literacy is vital for the development of effective and truly sustainable preservation, management, and habitat restoration programmes. Nature reserves: the bigger the better Larger parks such as Central Balkan National Park are home to much greater biodiversity than smaller natural reserves, which cannot support full ecosystems. In order to best preserve biodiversity, a park must be big enough to encompass all aspects of it. Thus, larger parks not only maximise conservation efforts, but also indirectly increase the potential for eco-tourism and economic development. Wildlife is often the most popular tourist attraction in natural areas. Reserve areas that are too small to support full ecosystems have much lower biodiversity than larger areas, and thus fewer attractions for tourists. Thus, large forest conservation sites, of the order of 100km sq or more, are best for both conservation of rare species and for local economies. Creating forest conservation areas is often believed to lose money because of the loss of timber revenue, but protected areas can also generate jobs and income. Numerous examples around Europe and elsewhere have demonstrated the popularity of large protected forest areas such as national parks. These sites generate far more income through their visitors than would the value of their timber. Large sites can tolerate more visitors while still maintaining the integrity of their natural values; at the same time, larger protected areas are usually more important for biodiversity protection than smaller ones, because they can support larger populations of rare species. By Sasha Galitzki. Sasha Galitzki studyed Bulgaria’s eco-tourism industry and its effects on the economic development of local communities, regions, and the nation as part of a Fulbright Fellowship. She can be contacted at sgalitzki05@mckenna.edu. For more information on the Central Balkan National Park visit: www.centralbalkannationalpark.org http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Kovachevitsa-on-the-move/62/62 Destinations Formerly renowned as a happy hunting ground for location scouts for the Bulgarian film industry, the village of Kovachevitsa is transforming itself for tourists thanks to an initiative launched in 2002. A non-profit organisation, the Historical and Architectural Reserve Village Kovachevitsa Society, was founded in November that year. Its main aims, apart from preserving the village’s cultural and historical heritage and developing infrastructure in its region, includes providing employment to residents by developing cultural tourism. Kovachevitsa is in the southern part of Bulgaria, 25km north-east of Gotse Delchev, in the Dubrash section of the Rhodope Mountains, high on the left bank of the Kanina (Blood) River. With support from the European Union’s PHARE programme, the project includes the restoration of the village’s old school and the implementation of new tourist products in an historical and architectural reserve. The school, named after Yordzhe Dimitrov, a villager who founded it in the 19th century in memory of his three children who were burnt to death during an Ottoman attack, is now home to a tourist information centre, historical museum, photo gallery, and accommodation for visitors. The project also includes training of local hoteliers and restaurant staff, guides, and the marking of tourist trails. The village offers four tourist trails, the St George chapel, the Blue Pool, the Kozi Kamuk (Goat’s Stone) and Beslet Peak. Within the village itself, there are other attractions for those keen on immersing themselves in local history. Notable among these is the 1847 church of St Nikola. Under Ottoman rules, Christian churches were not allowed, literally, to stand out, and so it was dug into the ground. In 1900, with the Ottoman empire crumbling, the villagers added a four-storey bell tower. The village itself is noted for its architecture, and in 1977 was declared an historical and architectural reserve. This was among the reasons that it was used as the location for many films. Some of the old houses have been turned into hotels, which offer the attractions of the cosiness of the traditional Bulgarian home and the specialities of original Rhodope cuisine. http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Sofia-is-my-kind-of-place/74/1390 Sofia Sofia is big, enough and not too. Depending on whom you ask, it’s either a charming, if somewhat decrepit, Southeast European former communist capital, or a somewhat large city that is trying to find its place, or, it's just perfect. Most foreigners like it here, otherwise they would not stay. Large and exciting if you come from suburbia or a small town somewhere, or even if you are accustomed to megalopolises like New York or Tokyo, Sofia has a surprising amount of accessible culture and entertainment, not to mention business potential and constant development. Unlike in smaller towns in the country, Sofia lacks united expatriate community, though once you start to meet people, you'll find that Sofia is a small world. Maybe other places are similar, but here, it seems that nationalities hang out with their own type. Depending on why and how you're here, it might or might not be the most comfortable of lives, but it's ever-rewarding for its slower pace, easy-going attitude and mixture of big-city Balkan quirkiness with village imports. In many ways, Sofia is very much just a large small town. It's not uncommon to see horses hitched to wagons, or pensioners trying to supplement their meagre pensions by digging through rubbish bins. On the other hand, top-model luxury SUVs and sport cars speed along the oft-cobbled streets, flaunting a belligerent new-money and who-cares attitude. Some cultural notes Family still plays a very important role in society, with grandma and/or grandpa acting as main caregivers to their child(ren)'s offspring. Holidays are spent with loved ones, family or friends, and it is not uncommon to see families strolling through the city's many parks and gardens. Be aware of some traditions: women should never set their handbags on the ground (bad luck); when saying cheers (наздраве!/nazdrave), you must look the person you're toasting in the eye (or you'll just be considered very rude). Note that toasts happen often throughout the time you're drinking together. Also, it's considered bad luck to toast someone who is drinking a non-alcoholic beverage. If you clink your glass with one person, you must clink your glass with everyone. Society tends to be not superstitious, but rather, well, yes, superstitious. Be prepared for regular questions about your star/astrological sign, and looks of understanding when you tell it. You might see people making a spitting noise down their shirt three times if frightened, and the knocking on wood tradition also exists here. Other things: women need not fear looking a man in the eye when walking down the street; eye contact will not be taken as an invitation for a sexual advance. There is no distinction to age or sex when it comes to shaking hands – meaning, it's ok to shake hands with a woman, or a child, or a man. At a meal, it's not uncommon for all to share dishes from the centre of the table, or to take a taste of another's meal. As orders tend to arrive when they're ready, and not all at once or necessarily in any particular “proper” order, if you're with friends, it's not required to wait till everyone has his/her food. People tend to work long hours, interspersed by numerous coffee and cigarette breaks… Or lunch or time at a café with colleagues, friends or work-related acquaintances. There is often an overlap between work and play, friends from the office are also friends for outside the office. That youthful silhouette A great thing about Sofia is that most places of interest are walkable from the centre. But, if you need more than your feet on the pavement to keep fit and trim, check out some of the numerous sport clubs scattered around the city. Maleevi Tennis Club, a product of the famed tennis family Maleevi, offers tennis, squash, a fitness centre, a solarium and spa, yoga, belly dancing, tae bo, aerobics and kickboxing lessons, a full-service salon and a children’s room (tel: 962 22 88, www.maleevaclub.com). Athletic Fitness, locations around Sofia, finds preference for the extended hours (6 Atanas Delchev Str, tel: 970 01 31 and 22 Oborishte Str, tel: 943 44 19, both open Mon-Fri 8am-10pm, Sat-Sun 10am-10pm; 78 Yanko Sakuzov Str, tel: 944 51 25, open Mon-Fri 7.30am-10pm, Sat-Sun 9am-10pm, www.athletic-bg.com). Then there is Sport Palace at 75 Vassil Levski Bul, which offers a range of fitness options and really long hours (tel: 930 05 02, open Mon-Sun 7.15am-11.45pm; it might help to take a Bulgarian-speaker the first time around). Finally, but not at all conclusive, there is Sport Depot Gym in Business Park Sofia (Mladost 4, tel: 976 45 92). For fun with the kids, there is a large play area that has recently opened in Borissova Gradina (entrance from Evlogi Georgiev Bul and Tsarigradsko Chausse Bul). Also in this park, though further in, is Kokolandia, a sort of supervised and harness-in ropes course, for both children and adults (Nezabravka Str, behind Park-Hotel Moskva, tel: 831 30 95, open 9am-9pm). The numerous other parks in the various boroughs of Sofia (Yuzhen Park, Oborishte Park, Zapaden Park, Severen Park, Doctor's Garden, etc) also have playgrounds and nice grassy areas. Guaranteed social interaction is found with the Hash House Harriers, who meet for a cat-and-mouse run every second and fourth Sunday at 3pm (winter) or 4pm (summer). Go to www.sofiahash.org for current information and contacts. And then there is Murphy’s Misfits, the expatriate rugby team with a Bulgarian contingent. Touch practice happens most every Thursday at the National Sports Academy in Studentski Grad, with games on Saturdays. You do not have to be experienced to play! [www.murphysmisfits.org] Play that funky music So where do people get their music fix in Sofia? The National Opera and Ballet is always an option, with reasonable prices and a range of productions (1 Vrabcha Str, on the corner of Rakovski Str and Dondoukov Bul; tel: 987 13 66). The National Palace of Culture, more commonly known by its Bulgarian acronym of НДК/NDK, hosts numerous shows, performances and trade fairs in its maze of halls (1 Bulgaria Sq, ticket centre tel: 916 63 69, or 916 68 96; 952 64 77 for English, www.ndk.bg). For classical music, both by domestic and visiting orchestras and choruses, Bulgaria Hall is the place to go (1 Aksakov Str, tel: 987 76 56). Most concerts, dance performances, singers and so on are advertised around the city with posters glued on any wall or space. If you can sound out the Cyrillic alphabet and understand the date, it’s pretty easy to inform yourself about upcoming events. Buying tickets ahead of time could be a good idea, but in Bulgaria, it’s not requisite; many people buy at the door – the culture only plans ahead when making dinner reservations (a must in most places on the weekend!). More popular music (think club, jazz) is another story. Discos abound, offering a range of music. Remixed retro (think 1970s to 1990s) is most common, though there are a few good house clubs (Yalta, Chervilo). Fans (114 Vassil Levski Bul, tel: 089/ 606 13 15) is where to go for underground metal, alternative, and randomness, including regular performances by Vasko “Кръпката/Krupkata” (“the Patch”), a folk-blues-rocker dude. Cielo (44 Alexander Stamboliiski Bul, open from 9pm), Black Box (5 Pirotska Str) and 4km Party Center (111 Tsarigradsko Chausse Bul, tel: 870 07 75) are also very happening. Unfortunately, good jazz clubs are lacking in Sofia. Swingin’ Hall (8 Dragan Tsankov Bul, open Sun-Mon 9pm-4am) might come close, with its variety of live bands, sometimes including Western folk, jazz, gypsy and more. Live Greek music can be heard at Morfes (70 Neofit Rilski Str, tel: 988 00 08, open from 10pm), while for Bulgarian pop-folk (aka, chalga), you have a choice of Най-Клуб/Nai-Klub (22 Narodno Subranie Sq, tel: 981 27 47, open from 8pm; also in Mladost 3, in the Nova Denitsa complex, tel: 975 33 63, open 10pm-4am) and others, including the over-the-top Sin City Folk Help Club, with its themed halls and luxurious décor (Vusrazhdane Sq, 61 Hristo Botev Bul, tel: 810 88 88, open 24 hours). Do you know any movie stars? (No) Besides the newer, large multiplex cinemas showing mass-production current releases (Arena Zapad, Arena, Multiplex in the underpass in front of NDK, City Center Sofia, Mall of Sofia), five more small-scale, independent theatres still exist: Дом на киното/Dom na Kinoto (37 Ekzarh Yosif Str, tel: 980 39 11), Кино Ларго/Kino Largo (108 Rakovska Str, tel: 980 70 77), Euro Cinema (17 Alexander Stamboliiski Bul, in the Euro-Bulgarian Cultural Centre, tel: 980 41 61), 087 Ялта/Yalta (20 Tsar Osvoboditel Bul, in the underpass at Sofia University, tel: 981 65 30) and Одеон/Odeon (1 Patriarh Evtemii Bul, tel: 989 24 69). These show foreign and more art-type films. Odeon, in particular, has regular screenings of film classics since the beginning of cinema. Note that most children's films (both animation and not) are dubbed, as are all the IMAX films (Mall of Sofia). Check out The Sofia Echo or www.sofiaecho.com for current listings of cinema, theatre and concerts in English. Listen, I'm hungry / Thirsty for surprises Restaurants, cafés, lunch counters and bars abound. If you're unsure if it's such a location, look for a sign announcing Zagorka/Kamenitza/Tuborg/some coffee brand on the side of a building – it usually is. These words might also help: бързо хране/burzo hrane (fast food), бистро/bistro, закуска/zakouska (snacks), снек бар/snek bar (snack bar). For traditional Bulgarian, apart from the ever-affordable and delicious neighbourhood joints, Манастирска магерница/Manastirska Magernitsa (Monastery Cookhouse, 67 Han Asparouh Str, tel: 980 38 83 ) and Под липите/Pod Lipite (Under the Lindens, 1 Elin Pelin Str, Lozenets borough, tel: 866 50 53) require a visit. Both are top quality, with gracious but not pretentious traditional atmospheres and cooking, and live folk music nightly. Manastirska Magernitsa stands out for its fairytale-like menu, each item explained with a humorous history and definition. At Pod Lipite, you can be sure of a dish's authenticity, as everything is made on the premises. (It is also the oldest restaurant in Sofia, existing as an artists’ hangout since the 1920s.) Pizza as a street food is more than present, and most of it is rather good. Don't be put off by the typical Bulgarian toppings (at your disposal) of ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise and/or sharena sol (a traditional mixed powder of salt, savoury, black and red peppers, cornmeal and ground pumpkin seeds). If you're looking to sit down with your pie, try Джепето/Geppetto (19 Gurko Str, tel: 981 27 07) for a relaxed atmosphere and inexpensive prices; Victoria (numerous locations across the city, www.pizza-victoria.com), where the pizzas are baked in maybe the only wood-fire pizza ovens in the capital and prices are a bit higher; or Червената къща/Chervenata Kushta (6 Boris Hristov Str, Geo Milev district) for all-around good food, beer and atmosphere. Sushi restaurants are starting to appear; The Sushi Bar is nice and safe (18 Denkoglu Str, tel: 981 84 42). Much more recently opened are Wasabi (35a Alexander von Humboldt Str, Geo Milev district, tel: 973 34 34) and Kabuki (Akademik Metodi Popov Str, block 71 /on the corner with Chekhov Street/, Iztok district, tel: 971 70 60), but we haven't tried either. Vegetarians and non will like Dream House (50a Alabin Str, upstairs, tel: 980 81 63, www.dreamhouse-bg.com), where vegetables abound in all forms. The chill/posh/player scene does exist as well. To see and be seen, try Motto (18 Aksakov Str, tel: 987 27 23, www.motto-bg.com), Brasserie (behind the little park at Solounska and Angel Kunchev streets, tel: 980 03 98), Olive's (12 Graf Ignatiev Str, tel: 986 09 02) or Before & After (12 Hristo Belchev Str, tel: 981 60 88). And just because it's fantastic, in both décor (like being in an old-fashioned train) and food (Russian), try Гара за двама/Gara za Dvama (Station for Two, 18 Benkovski Str, tel: 989 76 75). The traditional food called баница/banitsa (a filo-type dough layered with sirene, a brined white cheese, and baked) is best found at the banicharnitsa (banitsa and bread shop) at the corner of Rakovski and Pop Bogomil streets, near Slivnitsa Bul (open Mon-Fri 8am-7.30pm, Sat 8am-4pm). Trust me on this one. Now I lay me If you're visiting, or have visitors, I will recommend the Sheraton Sofia Hotel Balkan for top-of-top in everything, including prices (tel: 981 65 41). Otherwise, try some of the classy boutique hotels strewn around the city: Diter (65 Han Asparouh Str, tel: 989 89 98, www.diterhotel.com), Scotty's Boutique Hotel (11 Ekzarh Yosif Str, tel: 983 67 77), Vega (75 GM Dimitrov Str, tel: 806 60 00, www.hotelvegasofia.com); Lyulin (6 Serdika Str, tel: 980 01 20), Pop Bogomil (5 Pop Bogomil Str, tel: 983 70 65), or California (30 Bigla Str, tel: 962 93 00). Most of these, save Pop Bogomil, are more pricey. Good hostels include the artsy, small The Rooms Guesthouse (10 Pop Bogomil Str, tel: 983 35 08, theroomshostel@yahoo.com); Hostel Mostel (2a Ploshtad Makedonia, 088/ 922 32 96, www.hostelmostel.com); and Be My Guest Hostel (13 Ivan Vazov Str, tel: 989 50 92, www.bemyguest-hostel.com). No dull Jacks While Sofia has much to offer in its city limits, there is also a wealth of adventure directly outside. The natural wonder on Vitosha Mountain called Златните мостове/Zlatnite Mostove (The Golden Bridges) is easily accessible from Rousski Pametnik using marshroutka (a form of public transport in a minivan) number 10. It takes you directly up to the nature reserve, where you can hike around or just picnic. Treks to other areas of Vitosha are also pretty easy, using bus number 66 from Hladilnika (where tramline number 9 ends). The Red House Centre for Culture and Debate presents a range of cultural gatherings, meetings, film showings, concerts and debates, many of which are in English, French or German, as well as the obvious Bulgarian. The house, the former residence of artist Andrei Nikolov, also acts as a bed-and-breakfast (15 Lyuben Karavelov Str, tel: 988 81 88, www.redhouse-sofia.org). Non-native Bulgarians tend to hang out at JJ Murphy’s pub (6 Kurnigradska Str, tel: 980 28 70, www.jjmurphys-sofia.com), particularly those in love with football (both American and British), rugby and other such sports. In addition, Fridays are designated as Expats Night. Every Thursday from 8pm, the Sofia Hashers meet at The Irish Harp (7 Sveta Sofia Str, tel: 989 87 37, www.irish-harp.biz), and on Mondays, they show American football. Flannagans at the Radisson Hotel also tends to be a popular hangout, particularly for its weekday happy hour. Note: To call any of the phone numbers from outside the Sofia area, dial 02 before the seven-digit number. Phone numbers starting in 08 are cell phones (called GSMs in Bulgaria); they do not require a city code. To call from outside Bulgaria, dial 00359 and drop the zero from the city code or GSM number, ie, 943 11 15 becomes 00359 2 943 11 15 when dialled from abroad. By Magdalena Rahn http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Rambling-through-random-villages/62/64 Destinations Sofia is not Bulgaria, it is often said, and there is little question that interest in spending some time in villages is growing both among foreign tourists, and people resident in the country, keen to sample something of the quiet, the atmosphere, and the cuisine that gives a pointer to Bulgarian village life of old.For those who like seaside there is Chiflika. About 22km from the Black Sea resort of Albena, on a hill above the picturesque valley of the Batova River, the place is centred on the ethnographic complex Chiflika Chukurovo.Savoured for its quiet, the village is also noted for its architectural style, and for its exhibition of everyday objects that reflect the everyday life of the villagers of the 19th century, while Chiflika also boasts mineral water swimming pools.Trigrad, a village in the western Rhodope Mountains, is reported to have experienced a boom in the recent number of visitors, with reports crediting this to the initiative of Kostadin Hadjiiski, a former guide in the region’s caves. Having started out by renting rooms in his own house, he went on to give over the whole house for rental, before expanding to a second one. Local residents are employed as guides for the caves. Horse riding is also available in the village. Trigrad is regarded as one of the star attractions in the south-western part of the Rhodopes, and the Trigrad Gorge is one of the most spectacular vistas in Bulgaria. Apart from the turbulent river in the gorge, which runs into the famous Devil’s Throat cave, other options in the area are to follow hiking trails to the village of Mugla and the Yagodinska cave, famous for its unique formations.Linked by road to Trigrad is the small town of Devin, perhaps most widely known for its mineral water, which has numerous fishing spots, and has a swimming complex with open-air mineral water swimming pool and volleyball playground.The village of Leshten is located northeast of Gotse Delchev, in the very western highlands of the Rhodope Mountains. The village is an architectural and ethnographic reserve with 30 traditional homes. All houses are built in old Bulgarian style, and a great number of them is available for rent. Most of the other houses are used as taverns by local residents. All houses are connected to the main street covered with oval stones, so called “kaldarum”. This charming village offers rich variety of choices for a memorable holiday and opportunities for hunting, fishing, riding and trekking.Manastir, which bills itself as the village at the highest altitude in the Balkan area, is at 1500m in the Rhodope Mountains.Nearby the village is the pilgrimage drawcard of Kratsova Gora, held in local belief as a place of great spiritual power and healing. A gravel road, along the course of which there are many fountains and springs, leads after a journey of about one and a half to two hours to Haydushki Polyani, noted for its dam, and in season, meadows of flowers. It is an excellent place for mountain biking and hiking. http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Best-foot-forward/62/65 Destinations Snowshoeing in the Rila Mountains sounded like just what the doctor ordered, after a bout of very nasty flu in January left me with the winter blues.The offer came from Odysseia In, the best known name in alternative tourism in Bulgaria, which was hosting one of its regular journalists’ trips, not only to acquaint them with what the Rila Mountains have to offer besides standard downhill skiing, but also to celebrate the company’s 15th anniversary.In those 15 years the company’s owner, Liubomir Popiordanov, has built up a large team of enthusiastic young people who are constantly on the move, taking groups of foreign tourists around pretty much the whole of Bulgaria with the exception of the Black Sea coast. These trips range from fairly leisurely tours of Bulgaria’s cultural heritage to the more extreme experiences of mountain biking through the Rhodopes for eight days, kayaking on the Danube or rock climbing in Rila.The company is the driving force behind the Bulgarian Association for Alternative Tourism, which has several strings to its bow, including training professional mountain guides, publishing the first annual guide to Bulgarian guest houses and establishing the “Bulgarian Home” charter, which guides individuals in their desire to set up their own traditional guest house. Of particular interest is Odysseia’s sister company Zig Zag Holidays, which offers similar products for the domestic market, including expats living in Bulgaria and individual tourists.We set off from Sofia after lunch on Friday and took the back route via Zheleznitsa to the town of Sapareva Banya, once known as “Germaneya” by the Romans, for whom this spa town was an important point on the main route connecting Rome, Greece and the Black Sea. That historical fact is difficult to believe now, given how run-down the town has become. Besides the Byzantine St. Nikola basilica, the only sight worth seeing is the geyser, which spews out the hottest water in continental Europe – an unbelievable 103C. At a meeting with the mayor, we were told that plans are afoot to revive Sapareva Banya, and by the end of this year the sanatorium should be up and running, offering spa treatments based around the amazing curative properties of the water. The town’s public baths already have had an overhaul, so if you fancy a communal wash, then check it out. Apparently there is a lot of investor interest, so the town appears poised to develop in the coming years. From the town you can walk up to the impressive Ovcharenski Vodopad (waterfall).It was a hair-raising ride up the icy road to Panichishte, a place of which I previously knew little. Our destination was the Gornata Zemya (“Upland”) hotel. Panichishte has no history of being a major resort, but had about 10 hotels or “rest homes” belonging to various branches of the socialist economy. Upland’s owners bought and renovated the hotel three years ago, as a refuge from a high-powered life in the capital city. The hotel is far from luxurious – small, comfortably furnished rooms with a small but new bathroom and one large common area downstairs, made cosy by the stone fireplace that radiates welcome heat. In fairness, of course, this is not a place to which one comes for the sake of luxurious decor. Opposite the hotel is the start of the path up to the Seven Rila Lakes, an astoundingly beautiful area of mountain-top shining expanses of water, about two and a half hours away. The large, modern Rila National Park Visitors Centre in Panichishte has a large variety of maps and leaflets depicting the different walks on offer in the mountains, including the “Friends of the Plants” trail, which shows you which rare plants you can see where and when. Strahil Gyuviiski, who runs the Centre, delights in telling guests about the fascinating legends about the dragons and fairies that live in the mountains.Close by is the Skakavitsa Reserve and the Skakavitsa Waterfall, which when frozen in the winter is used as an ascent by rock climbers! The hotel’s owner, Niki, is happy to accompany guests on bicycle rides and hiking trips, and by the summer expects to have his own horses for pony trekking in the mountain. Panichishte has a couple of small ski runs of its own, and by next winter there should be a new 2km chair lift all the way up to the Seven Lakes’ pistes, as well as a new piste running all the way back down to Panichishte.One of the hotel’s outstanding features is the cuisine – a lovely surprise for me, resigned as I am to putting up with that stodgy vegetarian staple Sirene po Shopski every time I leave Sofia. On the first evening while the rest of the group were served Katma (a savoury pancake) stuffed with pork and vegetables, our vegetarian option was the same Katma but with a tasty spinach stuffing. The meat eaters that tried it were green with envy. The following evening we got a veggie cutlet instead of the meat eaters’ roast pork. The salads were also more imaginative than the standard Shopska, though naturally that too is available on the menu. We were treated to an excellent young Merlot wine. The warm welcome of the owners and their sensitivity to what tourists are looking for is the hotel’s biggest selling point. At 15 leva a bed, it’s also good value.The next morning we awoke to overcast skies and a light snowfall, but I was too excited about the challenge of the day to be bothered by the weather, as we geared up with our ski suits, gaiters, rucksacks and the all important snowshoes. Setting out at 9.30, the walk up to the Seven Rila Lakes hut was, to say the least, challenging. I think it took us almost four hours to walk there, large parts of it steeply uphill through virgin snow, which we measured as two metres deep! The snowshoes keep you from sinking. The proper method is to dig the teeth in at the front to keep your grip. Unfortunately, the snow increased, and as we were at cloud level, we had no view at all. This didn’t matter that much in the forest, but when we came out into the clearing at the top where the ski pistes are, I couldn’t even see where the snow ended and the sky began.Once inside the hut, we could rest our feet, weary from the unusual sensation of walking around like a duck, and have a soup for lunch. I spent most of my break drying out my clothes. Once we were through, it was back to base via a shorter and more direct route, which was of course downhill. We had a lot of fun running through the untouched snow and sliding down some of the tracks on our bottoms. We got back to the hotel at about 5.30 pm, glad of the freely flowing hot shower. One of our group was so exhausted she went straight to bed and didn’t get up till the next day. The rest of us enjoyed a well-earned meal and some of that very mellow Merlot.I relished the experience of a refreshing weekend, including some fairly demanding physical exercise, getting to know a new part of Bulgaria and a new base where we can take friends for a weekend away in the mountains, safe in the knowledge we won’t be sat there twiddling our thumbs and wondering what to do with ourselves or our children. http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Some-autumn-alternatives--Part-1/62/69 Destinations A little late in the year for the seaside, somewhat too early for the ski resorts; if you are drinking white wine or mastika, it is because you do not want summer’s warming embrace to slip away; if you are drinking red wine or dark beer, you long to sense the icy overture to winter. I returned from a four-day weekend earlier this month with a missionary zeal about my discovery that there is an alternative to the oscillations of the year between sea and ski. I found it – shamefacedly I must admit after almost four years in the country – after we attended the wedding of friends who married at the Sokolski Monastery and held their reception in the hamlet of Kmetovtsi. Up in the mountains of central Bulgaria, where villages resound only with serenity, history is preserved in a tasteful way, and some innkeepers are trying for the competitive edge by offering satellite television and mini-bars. To get your bearings, the nearest large places in the region are Veliko Turnovo and Gabrovo. We used the weekend of the wedding to explore the region, and these are a few notes from the trip. Taking the road from Plovdiv towards Gabrovo, we drove amid a countryside unusually lush for the time of year, a by-product of the heavy rains this summer. I was determined to finally make the pilgrimage to the monument at Shipka Peak, and pay my respects to those who lost their lives in the fighting that opened the way for Bulgaria’s liberation from the Ottoman Empire. Before we reached the summit of Shipka, from far off glinted the golden onion domes of the Church of the Nativity. Consecrated on September 27 1902, in the style of 17th-century Russian churches, the church is in magnificent condition, thanks successively to help from the Russian Orthodox Church (under communism – an event commemorated with a marble plaque affixed to an outer wall, topped by the hammer-and-sickle and “CCCP”) and European funds. Memorably, among our fellow visitors at that hour was Zhan Videnov, whose socialist government presided over Bulgaria’s 1997 financial collapse. While I cannot guarantee that anyone who follows our route would experience a similar moment of political irony, I may recommend the area just below the church as a place to buy crafts and other memorabilia, including souvenir bottles of rose liqueur from Kazanluk. As we made our way up the road to Shipka Peak, I cast my appraising eye, that of a former soldier, at the dense forestation, and imagined the bloody and agonising exercise that it would be to lead a platoon in an infantry engagement on those unforgiving slopes. Later, from paintings and sketches in the museum, I saw that the slopes were portrayed as having been mostly bare at the time of the battles. A choice between terrain that offers an enemy plentiful cover or one that offers either side none is not a choice anyone would like to face. The day was unseasonably cold, and the memorial, reached by ascending a calf-crunchingly long flight of stone steps, was framed against a bleak and forbidding sky. There was an entrance fee to enter the museum within the monument, with different prices for Bulgarians and foreigners, and an additional charge for taking photographs inside – “foreigner prices” by the way, with an additional fee for photos and video, was standard practice at every place we visited in those four days. So much for the Cabinet directive of December 2004 outlawing the practice. Inside the Shipka monument, each floor within depicted scenes from the battle, and some of the figures who took part, with notes in a number of languages, including English. Among the battlefield memorabilia are rifles and bayonets used by the forces. Seeing the rifle number stamped on one – many veterans remember their rifle numbers for the rest of their lives – brought home that it was an individual who had grasped this weapon. I wondered what had become of him. Up a narrow staircase and through a narrow door, we reached the top deck, and stood briefly in the slicing wind, contemplating the countryside over which the battle was fought. Down the winding road of the pass, to Tryavna (about 22km east of Gabrovo), where at the lower altitude, the afternoon was warmer than on the peak. Wandering the architectural reserve, created by an initiative some decades back that thankfully preserved much of the Revival architecture, we came on the Museum of Woodcarving and Icon-Painting. As someone who was caned at school for gross incompetence in woodwork, I could but stand in wonder at the two wood-carved ceilings on display, representing stylised interpretations of the sun. They were created in the early 1800s by rival master woodcarvers Dimitar Oshanina and Ivan Bochukovetsa. I declared it a draw. Elsewhere in the architectural reserve, there is a wealth of houses and churches, and I noted that Swiss and European Union money was helping to keep it going. An experience similar to the delight in discovering Tryavna was a visit to the ethnographic museum village at Etar, nine km from Gabrovo. Work on the open-air museum began in 1963, and by using several actual structures and modelling the rest of the complex on records, the designers produced a seven-hectare 19th-century Bulgarian mountain town. Happily avoiding the kitsch of a theme park, the Etar complex offers the chance to see craftspeople at work, and buy what they have produced. A sad exception was the magnificent work of the baker, who had not taken into account that it was a long weekend, thus not anticipating demand, and opted for supplying the on-site restaurant rather than his queuing customers. I write with the disappointment of one who was second from the head of the queue when he made his decision. Still, there were many consolations, including the gentle atmosphere of the place, the coffee at a tavern in the cobbled street, and the sight of two young German tourists happily enthusiastic at themselves being photographed in the costumes of Bulgarian peasants of the 1800s. More information: Etar: http://www.government.bg/English/338.html Shipka: http://www.abvg.net/Shipka/ Tryavna: www.tryavna.bg http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Escaping-winter's-shackles/62/70 Destinations “Spring had arrived, at last!” Or so I mistakenly thought a number of times when I caught glimpses of the early March sun, or leapt puddles formed by snowmelt through Sofia’s streets. But winter was not done yet, its talons firmly drawing back the cover of cloud and snow that had cloaked Bulgaria. Sunshine seemed a distant memory, and increasingly fearful that spring was bypassing Sofia, I headed into the countryside in search of those signs of spring that would enable me to remove my martenitsa.Increasingly frayed, faded, and beginning to smell, the martenitsi that I had innocently donned at the beginning of March had become like handcuffs. Little realising at the time that wearing martenitsi represented a long-term commitment, I was only later aware that I needed to eat, drink, sleep, and bathe with these things chained to all available limbs. Upon hearing that I must wait for sight of a stork before I could earn parole, I had eagerly scanned Sofia’s skies for birds, frustration turning to dismay when I became aware that the only winged creatures brave enough to fly through Sofia’s polluted air were malformed pigeons. There was a danger that I may have unwittingly accepted a life sentence at the martenitsa prison, for my Bulgarian visa was soon due to expire and my onward journeys took me far beyond the migration path of storks. It was time to take matters into my own hands – if the storks wouldn’t come to me, I must hunt (for) them.As soon as a favourable weather forecast appeared on the radar, I jumped on a bus to Vidin, in hope that perhaps some feathered friends would be flying up the Danube.On reaching Vidin, spring peeked its head over the horizon and but the occasional cloud decorated the sky.Vidin enjoys one natural advantage sorely lacking in Sofia: a river. The Danube looks as most large rivers do, but something about its scope lends it an air of added importance for, if the water’s colour is anything to judge by, it has travelled a long way through a lot of lands. There was something pleasing to the eye about the Danube, an uninterrupted vista to Romanian forest that perhaps foretells of wonderful summer evenings lazily spent in the riverside park. Vidin’s long history is narrated along the riverside – Roman remnants bearing evidence to its ancient importance, and signs that tell of its relevance through to the end of Ottoman occupation. Vidin may have had its charms and a few eye-catching buildings, though the skeleton of a synagogue attested to its dearth of winter atmosphere. Unimpressed by illegal double charging at the fort and both hotels of interest, and with no obvious sign of stork activity, I decided to abandon Vidin in favour of Belogradchik.There were a lot of people on the streets of Belogradchik the next morning. The blue sky and perfect weather had seemingly drawn people out of doors as they busily went about their morning shopping. The clothes market was drawing the attention of many, and numerous local Roma seemed to be enjoying the fine conditions while keeping the streets clean of rubbish and snow. The town seemed happily involved in its own affairs without outside pressure, with many people actively engaged in enjoying pension collection day, standing around yarning as if waiting for the tourist who would sensibly come through in later, warmer months. The early arrival of a tourist drew blank stares, as if such a thought at this time of year was beyond comprehension. Accordingly, I was surprised by the response to my question “when does the information centre open?” I merely had the intention to enquire which is the best walking route through Belogradchik’s scali, as the local mapping was somewhat confusing. It was as if the town snapped its heels together and suddenly, in the epitome of crazy Bulgarian logic, a manhunt through the town ensued. Mobile phones were produced, and after a quick succession of calls I was whisked away in a van to meet with someone who spoke reasonable English. He explained that we were searching for an American from the Peace Corps that manned the information centre, eventually to be found at her home, from which we were spirited to the top of the hill to tour the Skali.The Belogradchik Skali are one of Bulgaria’s natural wonders, a playground where mother nature has sculpted a myriad of jutting rocks that assume a variety of human and animalistic forms. Already a well-known destination, much has already been written about the rocks which I shall not repeat – suffice to say that wandering through the rocks, enjoying the crisp fresh air and soothing birdsong provides a blissful alternative to Sofia’s kill-or-be-killed atmosphere. The view from the township shows the impressive extent of the outcrops, but wandering along the “marked” yellow path beyond the fortress provides an up-close-and-personal interaction with the rocks’ individuality, my neck regularly craning in four directions at once in an attempt to take it all in. It is quite easy to believe that the Skali have a personality of their own, changing in appearance as the sun changes its angle and intensity; thus a visit in early spring illuminates forms that would appear quite different come summer – shelves of snow highlight horizontal ledges, vertical drops host frozen waterfalls, and the landscape assumes the appearance of a frosted wedding cake. While the rocks’ deep orange colour lacks the contrasting green that spring foliage provides, the winter absence of leaves in the trees allows for less-obstructed viewing.The Belogradchik fortress is visually impressive, the union of man-made defence about a natural stronghold perfectly positioned, with the highest defensive wall enabling spectacular views of the township and surrounding countryside. Winter makes the fortress even more impregnable – as I battled with snow and ice in my conquest of the summit, I was glad that the sunny day and favourable weather did not whip the life out of me as the previous night’s icy wind might have. From the town, an imposing wall of rock seems to prevent access to the summit, causing me to wonder how the Bulgarian flag stood hoisted on the peak. However, the fortress’ main entrance is easily accessible and the stairs up to the peak have a railing that should prevent most people from falling to their death. The view is worth swallowing anti-dual-pricing ideals for, though at three leva, you shouldn’t be too incensed. A major part of a visit to Belogradchik is the journey itself, which gives a wide-ranging overview of the Bulgarian landscape, taking in fields and villages, mountains and gorges, providing a glimpse into the life of regular folk, and clearly demonstrating human interaction with the environment. Roma collecting and splitting firewood before transporting it on horse-drawn carts vie for road space with lorries and occasional modern tractors. The overpowering force of nature is illustrated by the Iskar River’s carved passage through to Mezdra, the towering cliffs dwarfing man’s efforts in quarrying. The mini-bus from Belogradchik wound a beautiful path back down towards the plain and Oroshets train station. At one stage the road that appeared before us seemed like a strand of spaghetti snaking its way down the side of a pasta bowl, as though road engineers had accounted for Bulgarian drink-driving habits and compensated for likely drunk swerving and overcorrection in order to provide a safe passage down the mountain.Bulgaria’s beauty is unmistakable, and Belogradchik is one of its highlights. Its almost a pity that the hulky rusted-metal remnants of a building decorates one view of the Belogradchik skali, this could be seen as ruining the view if not for the fact that its ugliness is merely another reminder of Bulgaria’s distasteful charms. Similarly, there’s an unsightly beauty to the ghosted out shells of industry, the innumerable factories that line the train tracks attesting to communism’s former glory. It seems inescapable that in search of beauty in Bulgaria, you will be enclosed by its opposite. Consequently it may be better to enjoy it rather than ignore it, poetically illustrated by the stork I was fortunate enough to observe in the vicinity of a prison, thus ending my martenitsa incarceration. If there’s beauty to be found in a landfill site, one wonders speculatively that perhaps, in the same way warehouses have become inner-city chic, so too may factories attain some appeal or achieve some sort of heritage listing. However, if you’re more interested in appreciating natural beauty and have access to your own transport, an extensive cave system, including the famed Magura cave, lies nearby and may be more to your liking.How to get there:There is only one direct bus each day Sofia-Belogradchik. The alternative is to catch a bus to Vidin (numerable) and then another onwards (5 daily, last departure 5.30pm). Alternatively, the train ride through to Oroshets takes marginally longer; from there connect to a minibus bound for Belogradchik.Where to Stay:Hotel Ray is the cheapest option, with rooms from 20 leva. Hotel St Valentine may represent higher quality and better value, starting from 30 leva. Both are within 100m from the bus station. The Madona is a family run pension recommended by trusted guidebooks. http://www.expatinbulgaria.com/articles/Plovdiv's-Pleasures/62/71 Destinations Our car has broken down. I’d never thought I’d make a problem out it, but travelling to Plovdiv by Public Transport didn’t seem very appealing to me. Visions of smelly villagers, with bags and boxes containing food that would dominate any other kind of odour, were pestering me. But I decided not to be a baby and just get on the bus. In fact, I must say that it wasn’t bad at all. The bus was clean and air-conditioned and the people looked similar. Funnily enough, the only disturbance that I experienced was caused by two very loud Italians who obviously didn’t realise that they were the only ones, except for the bus’ engine, producing sound during the two-hour trip. We arrived. Friends greeted us at the station. They took us to our hotel (Hotel Bulgaria), which was situated in the heart of Plovdiv’s centre. I was impressed, it was only a three star hotel, but I can say in all honesty that it looked similar to, if not better than, many of the four and five star hotels that I have stayed in in Bulgaria. When we gave our names, the receptionist gave us our key without looking at any papers or checking any documents. She just asked for our ID and that was that. A helpful smiling bellboy brought our luggage up. The room was clean and tasteful. Emerald green curtains decorated the windows which looked out onto the main square. I inspected the bathroom and bed sheets and with contentment left the room to eat something, knowing that when we got back, we wouldn’t have any unpleasant surprises. Our friend and chef, who was with us, recommended eating in a restaurant called Hemmingway. Off we went. We had a nice late lunch; I had a green salad with bacon and cheese and some potatoes with cream. And here and there I stole some Serbian beans, meatballs filled with cheese and some Arabian bread. All was good. When we finished our lunch it was already dark. But that didn’t stop us, we decided to head for the old town. Walking along the main shopping street in Plovdiv, I thought it looked quite promising. We walked past the mosque, which has a coffee shop offering the best Turkish sweets in town, according to my friend. It became one of my priorities for the next day. Meanwhile our journey continued. We walked up the steps to the old town. It seemed deserted, but this made it look all the more mysterious. We peeped through the window of an old-fashioned apocathary. I love all the glass pots and porcelain heads of medicine’s great people. Then we stopped at the House of Argir Koyoumdjioglou, which was built in 1847. One of my friends being a lover of history and of Plovdiv’s old town told me the heartbreaking story of two young lovers that died under the tree in front of this house. This happened just before the young man in question was supposed to get his parents from France for their wedding. They were kissing their goodbyes when lightning struck the tree under which they were sitting. The young lovers died, and now the tree grows in two parts, sprouting from one trunk. And indeed the tree is still there. On we went through the night, all the way up to the ancient theatre of Trimontium, which was built in the beginning of the second century by Emperor Trajanus. Concerts and performances are still given in this theatre. One of the most amazing things is that when you are inside you don’t hear anything of Plovdiv’s busy traffic. After gazing at the amazing view that you have over the city from this point, we decided that it was time for dinner. Hungry and thirsty we arrived in Gusto. Apparently the basement was a better place for dining, but unfortunately it was full. So we made do with upstairs, which was a luxurious version of the Happy Bar & Grill. After some grilled pork chops and some cheese and tomatoes, I simply couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. It was good luck that this restaurant was so close to the hotel. The next day it was time for cake and coffee in the Viennese Salon, two steps outside our hotel. Everything was great! After a yoghurt cake, coffee and some club sandwiches, I was ready