Bulgaria Ski discussion board

I think the naivety is all yours BigBulgar. If, as you say (and personally I don't agree with your thoughts) that Bulgaria is a country to be robbed blind in, why have I never experienced this in over 25 visits to the country?

Why, when I have no financial interest or property in the country, would I return there for 15 years summer and winter without a gap if it did not offer me happiness, enjoyment, value for money and complete satisfaction.

I am well aware of new influences in the country, changes of lifestyle and massive culture changes - but this is happeninmg worldwide, not just in Bulgaria.

I feel you do the country a great dis-service by casting despertions on their entire nature because a few people have monopolised the potential of the resorts.

15 years ago Sunny Beach was a very much unheard of resort in the back of beyond. Whilst I am not total in agreement on how it has since exploded, it is now a vibrant, bustling resort with the cleanest beach I have ever seen in Europe, immaculately clean centre with a friendly atmosphere.

The winter resorts are in need of a major spruce up and we can only wait and see if the promised improvements happen.

But to use such words as....... Nature is there to be destroyed........Loot While You Can........Tourist Are There To Be Robbed Blind, seem to be the words of someone very bitter and certainly not anyone who has any love of the country whatsoever.


Pete

Interesting points.

Firstly as for pricing Yobs out of the area...well that would be fine if this were a resort which only was open for x months of the year and they had dual prices running one for the locals and one for the tourists.

The other thing is clearly noone here knows what the ratio of Brits is to others who vacate there - I know during the summer months we only met two other couples in the whole resort who were English & it was pretty busy. Sure some were locals but there was Greeks/Germans/Russian & I think I heard some flemish and thats at a minium.

As for drinking to excess - well Im sure most people do have more than usual while on holidayI know I do and I know when I was younger I used to get smashed while on holiday, I still do get very merry but nothing like what I used to thats for sure.

Clearly if people are skiing when drunk its a BIG problem, however the Bro of the Mrs told me the other night in the Dolomites this year the first day of the ski tuition for lunch up the mountain the Ski tutor would take you to have a LOT of drinks & he recalls seeing a couple so P&ssed they couldnt stand... how on earth could they get down the mountain? Also he saw total novices being left at the top of the mountain needing to get down on their own - again P&ssed. I didnt ask nationality.

As for over development - well with regard to Sunny Beach the beach really is stunning & clean there are many resteraunts with live bands/local music and also there are a couple of all night long Night clubs - Not been to the clubs however most nights we didnt get in to our hotel until at least 3am maybe later and thats just having a nice time in beach bars etc. The over development Id say isnt an issue in that resort as the beach can accomodate everyone - the airport though is a bit of a shambles.

Would I buy in Sunny Beach? Not sure to be frank as some of the late package deals mean that they work out cheaper than buying flights and using your owned pad there.

I guess thats why I bought in Bansko - Ive spent time there in the summer and enjoyed it, yes its not as hot as on the coast but there are huge outdoor pools which are really nice new etc. There is also the benefit of not being over crowded in the summer its a really nice relaxing holiday.

If you dislike a resort fine if you have had a bad experiance fine. Ive had a few bad experiances in Spain & Cyprus would that experiance stop me going again? Maybe maybe not.

The thing is here even if prices have risen (although forign exchange rate has increased costs by 18% since Aug07) all other resorts have increased accordingly.

Pete,

Thank you for your reply. I appreciate you taking the time to read my post and respond.

"...why have I never experienced this in over 25 visits to the country?

Why, when I have no financial interest or property in the country, would I return there for 15 years summer and winter without a gap if it did not offer me happiness, enjoyment, value for money and complete satisfaction."

You are asking questions and you want me to answer ON YOUR BEHALF?? How could I know why you feel this way?? If you want me to speculate ... Well, it could be that you are easily pleased. It could be that your definition of 'robbed blind' and 'satisfaction' differs from mine. It could be that you get happiness and satisfaction from things that other people might find not so pleasing, like service with a FAKE smile, etc. (A bit like "Tell me you love me, whether you mean it or not" ) I'm not saying that's the case, I'm just giving you possible reasons, you see.

[BTW, for your eyes only, so feel free to edit this part of my post. I have had the ... pleasure (the reason I'm hesitating to use this word is only because of your smoking...) of meeting you in person, in White Hart I think it was, last season. You might remember me, I'm actually female, Bulgarian and not that big I was with my British o/h, you spoke to him. I spoke to some of the Bulgarians that were at your table. I am not going to name names but I don't think you should be that flattered by the things they said. So if I were you I'd be a bit weary of what is behind the smile and friendly attitude ]

"15 years ago Sunny Beach was a very much unheard of resort in the back of beyond. Whilst I am not total in agreement on how it has since exploded, it is now a vibrant, bustling resort with the cleanest beach I have ever seen in Europe, immaculately clean centre with a friendly atmosphere."

I'm afraid I disagree with you. 15 or even 20 years ago Sunny Beach was not unheard of. My first time staying there was in 1985 so I should know! It was very popular with Germans, Scandinavians and all former Eastern Bloc countries. There were a small number of Brits as well, with some of them I became friends and met with them in Sunny Beach a few years in a row in the late 80's. I was studying English then and they were bringing me books and newspapers from England - that was the only way to get them back then.

15 years ago is actually when the decline of Sunny Beach started. I think it has still not reached it's nadir

"The winter resorts are in need of a major spruce up and we can only wait and see if the promised improvements happen. "

'Promised' is the key word here, and ties in nicely with my previous post.

Pete, I too have friends in Pamporovo, we have some common friends actually. I have spoken to them and I'm afraid I cannot share your enthusiasm for many reasons.

"But to use such words as....... Nature is there to be destroyed........Loot While You Can........Tourist Are There To Be Robbed Blind, seem to be the words of someone very bitter and certainly not anyone who has any love of the country whatsoever."

Pete, OK. That was my attempt at sarcasm, the lowest form of wit I know! Sorry it didn't come out right and you didn't get it. To spell it out - I don't agree with this kind of thinking. I don't condone it. It was just sarcasm, bitter sarcasm. You are right about the 'bitter' part, but very very wrong about the no 'love of the country whatsoever' part