Bulgaria Ski discussion board

The first time i went to Bulgaria,was, i think, in 1993. Never heard of Borovets but we wanted a cheap first time skiing holiday. We went for two weeks on the reckoning that if we didnt enjoy the skiing then we would still have a bloody good holiday -- ( this was B.C. )--- ( before children ) !!!
We stayed at the Rila and it was bloody fantastic, friendly clean etc etc.
Back then the Lev was a closed currency --- meaning you could only change it in Bulgaria & you were not allowed to take any currency out of the country, so no one had any idea about exchange rates etc.
When we were on the transfer bus to Boro a guy was telling everybody how cheap it was in Bulgaria because he had been last year and they were getting 30 Lev to the £. Obviously we were all very excited about this --- until we got to the Hotel --- changed some sterling --------------- and found out we were getting 50 -- Yes, FIFTY Lev to £1 sterling !!!!!!!
We were H/B in the Rila but one night decided to be brave and find a nice restaurant in town for dinner.
We ended up in a pizza place ( so long ago i cant remember what pizza i had ) but i do remember that we had -----------------

2 Beers
2 Starters
2 Main Course of bloody nice Pizza
2 Desserts
2 coffees
1 Bottle of white wine


How did we feel when the guy brought us the bill ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 200 Lev. I know, i know -- work it out ----- Yep £4.



Well, i fell in love with Boro back then and in the 15 years following i have skied all across France, Lake Tahoe, Breckenridge, Sunshine, lake Louise and BOY !!! Was Canada AWESOME !!!!!!! But, i always end up sitting here looking on this forum and thinking of Boro. I am off to Pamps for the first time at the end of Jan with some of the reprobates off this forum and i really cannot wait to got back to Bulgaria and enjoy.


Thank You for letting me waffle on, I think what i am trying to say is for everyone to go to B.G. and enjoy themselves --- Look for the good things, look for the nice side of that person. Overall -- ENJOY your self because before you bloody know it you will be sitting here like me reminiscing about the OLD times !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


OLD GIT ----- Do it Man

I like this post - a nice reminiscing one. I first ever went skiing to Romania in 1990 just 6 months after Ceausecu was shot. I went on a sort of 'pilgrimage' to take aid to orphans coupled with making it a ski hol. We stayed in the Hotel Sport in the Carpathian mountains. Gee - was that an eye opener. On the transfer our coach stopped as a man was laid in the middle of the road - not re'ally sure his prob was (think he may have been run over previously) and the coach driver and his mate got out and pulled this man into the aisle of our coach. He was unconscious and covered in blood from head to foot. One memory of the time was that I had been told under no circumstances get injured in any way as AIDS was rife. Myself and a couple of others tended to the chap on in what way we could. We were then amazed (?) or horrified (?) when we pulled in at a local service station, the driver & pal dragged this bloke off by his feet and left him on the forecourt!! They said it was his best possible way to be found by someone and treated/taken to a hospital...!!! Always wondered what happened to him. We stayed in Romania and saw awful sights. Ceausecu had had gold taps in his palace whereas locals had nothing - we were driven down a road by horse and cart and shown where there were gas pipes/water pipes etc so locals COULD have had stuff but C led them to believe it could not be connected etc. I took a bus to Bucharest with locals - very fascinated by my then very 80s fluroucescent pink ski coat - oh god on reflection what a thoughtless thing to wear!! I saw many dismembered people begging and kids running riot. Quite heartbreaking. I went to a store a bit on a par with John Lewis I suppose - massive! All it had on its loads of empty shelves were fur (real) hats and a few oranges. The queues for the oranges was unreal.

At the hotel I stayed in they were so lovely. We were their first visitors since their 'iron curtain' dropped and to be honest they had no clue how to deal with us! Eggs were the main food available and served raw every time. Yuk. Crazily though they could offer us champagne at something which equated to about 10p a glass - mad!!

We did ski a little (Poiana Brasov) but conditions were awful - no snow and no health and safety in place - a guy was killed going down one icy slope - hit his head on a metal pilon (no jackets or padding on them in those days) and that was that. I tried a couple of days and gave it up.

Another eve I remember seeing 'dogs' howling outside in the forest part by the hotel and thought I would take a look only to be told they were mad wolves and best not to get too close!!!

I met lots of locals and they touched my heart.

Never returned to Romania as yet but want to one day. I always look at the website for their and they seem to have come on in leaps and bounds. The Sport Hotel is still there!

I then went to Boro a couple of years later. Again as said above, it was changing currency 'backhand' (as it was in Romania) and gee - the exchange rate...!!!! It was similar to Romania in terms of hotel etc but more 'advanced'.

As for now, I don't know. Maybe they are still a little in the past compared to what we from the UK wish for?

Personally I adore travelling, take all sorts in my stride travel and foodwise and just love the experience.

Sorry for boring for you all.

Have a good season wherever you go.

Kim x

Well, my early memories of Pamporovo ....

Getting pots of honey for change as the shops had no money.
No water or electricity for days on end.
Chala - the big dog at the Lodge.
Turning up for dinner at the Perelik 10 minutes after opening to find the food all gone.
The old White Hart.
Bringing back a wonderful stray dog to England.
Having to take a sack to carry the worthless money.
Buying a round of drinks for £1.
Watching all the suitcases fall out of the transfer bus as we rounded a corner.
BJ's packed to the rafters every night.


Ah them good old days - makes me wonder why I ever returned


Pete

Oh gosh - so much I am remembering now - could go on for ages!!! but must share this one and this is truth - when we landed at airport - which seemed like a donkey shed (and bear in mind I was doing my first wordly travels at the time) - could not believe the airport.... The luggage carousel - and I kid you not - was being hand turned by a man. He had a big handle and wound it a little - the carousel moved a bag an inch or so then he stopped for a puff on a fag - then carried on again. How long we waited for our bags!!! I kid you not. Those were the days!

Great stories....remember them well...first time my partner went to Bourovets 1982/83.....pity things have changed so much and those times will never return. Dont do the ski resorts any more, coastal resorts for last 10 years+.......even though we do venture out to the mountains in the summer months. We considered an investment many years ago but decided it was not a good idea. These days when I read about the problems people are getting...I thank god I had more sence.

Hwyl......Nadolig LLawen i chdi y Cymro ar fan hyn. Wyt ti yn gwybod mwy o Cymraeg na yr un gair yna 'Hwyl'