Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Hi Borogirl, Never got to Malyovitsa. Would have gone but daughter was quite ill for most of the holiday (from before we went) so we just stayed in Boro. She never even got to ski down the Musala Pathway. We did it once in perfect snow conditions and were going to do it again but surprise surprise, the gondola shut.
The Buzz Bar is the pits of the earth. I wouldn't waste my time even walking through the door.
Still very disinclined to return at all. I genuinely feel sorry for the honest Bulgarian people as they are in a crap situation. A resort run by a greedy, shadowy organization with criminal links and a twitchy influx of western tourists expecting more than they end up getting. I can't ever see the situation getting any better now no matter how many apartments they build or lifts they put in. At one time I would imagine Boro was a special place for skiing as it was so different from European resorts but what is it becoming?????. I truly think Boro has had it's day.

Hi TT - sounds an awful time.

Organised crime was the norm in BG, especially after the fall of communism, they were the only ones with money. Things are gradually improving and the EU are monitoring the situation closely and forcing the government to deal effectively with it under membership stipulations. Friends out there trade freely and independently now, no longer having to pay 'protection' rent, things are changing. I expect it will become more overt, as in the UK.

The present gondola situation will always be a problem as it is situated on an exposed run and this is recognised. The new gondola from Samokov, which they started 3 weeks ago, is being given priority and will follow a more sheltered route. How long it will take is anyone's guess!

If you return in December, you should see a new 4 man chair on the top as it is being delivered this summer. The electrics etc have been installed ready. The pipes for snow cannons to help keep runs down from the top have been laid and should be functioning next season. So things are moving, slowly, in the right direction.

I personally now prefer to get away from Boro in the evenings and take advantage of the prices and atmosphere in restaurants/bars in Samokov and local villages but enjoy watching MOST of the changes, mainly for the hard working, honest BG people.

I agree with you that Boro has had it's day as things used to be but will change and attract different people to those of the last 5 years. Malyovitsa reminds me of Boro 20 years ago on a smaller scale, which is why I thought you would enjoy it for the day.

If you agree to accompany the school party, I'd insist on agreed time off, for your own sanity

Hi Karen, just to let you know we have been going to Bulgaria for a number of years now. However over the past three years the snow has become so unreliable that qwe have now switched. Another common problem is the increased costs. I could understand this is there was an improved service or infrastructure but unfortunately there is neither. We trid the CZK republic this year, and found it fantastic, in fact all the things that made Bulgaria so appealing 10 years ago. This is fairly undicovered by the English but it's only a matter of time. The snow was fantastic and costs very competitive.

Why not have ago...

Hi to you all again,

We are thinking about italy or even canada next year - i was so disappointed with the snow in borovets that i would spend my money wisely next year - especially when Borovets was working out more expensive that our friends who went to italy at the same time and had fantastic conditions for less money!

As for conditions being better - our taxi driver who took us around said the communists were ripping everything fromt he ehart of the country - taking downt he trees promising good and never delivering. He said that they all laughed about the gondola and thought it was only for show and laughed when he took us past where they were digging out the ground - seemingly locals feel that it woun't be working in the next few years.

I did feel uneasy around Borovets with the armed police etc - we did ask if there was loads of crime and the answer we were given was no that was to just protect us - but from whom if there is no crime. Some local houses have no electricity and I was really upset about some of the conditions there. Ski instructors were getting 100 levs a week and we were being charged this ont he mountain for 4 burgers and coke!!!

i wouldn't let the kids out and we did find the tourist places a complete dive - looking for the local restaurants and where the reps hung out was always the best bet - I would keep the kids with you teetotal man - i feel really sorry for you as what can you do with a bunch of kids when the gondola is shut we only had 2 and that was bad enough!!

As for the chair lifts we just had to look at them and the drag lifts were too long and slow ont he top green route. The more I thinka bout the holiday on the whole now the more disappointed I am - but i loved the good days skiing - i just wish there had been more of them!

We have all the brochures and I will give the czeck republic a look

Karen

It was actually Borogirl who mentioned the 4 man chair and the new Gondola. She was being positive about the new development in the resort and indeed, I saw that building has started on the new Gondola base station from Samakov only 3 weeks ago. This fact is true. It is happening.
You say " Some of the posters on here have always somewhat restrained desire in their negativity about the facts shall we say."
Some have and some are also very blunt about what they say.
Any negitivity I have demonstrated is not aimed at the Bulgarian people. Far from it. Many of them are extremely hard working and looking to make a better life for themselves in difficult circumstances.
I can only 'say it as I see it' from a wider perspective.
At the end of the day nothing said on this forum is going to change the wider problems experienced in Bulgaria but it does give other people the opportunity to make their own judgements.

some weeks are good some bad, january this year in Boro was some of the best snow ive ever seen, then the hot weather affected most of europe, it wasnt only Bulgaria that had poor snow over that time. Hopefully the new gondola will be a lot less depedant on the wind conditions as its going up the valley, and it actually started 6th october not three weeks ago.
Whether there are new lifts ready next year or not the amount of new developments are not a patch on Bansko.
On a positive side, the signage is getting better, so is the piste preperation as theyve bought more Piste Bashers, and the new snow cannon system at the top hasnt even had to be used this year due to the great snow

Fraser - depends on what you call started. They are digging and laying drainage at the Samokov base now, with men and diggers every day. October may have been the sod turning date but it went too quiet for me to consider that a real step forward. I like to see action

Snow conditions vary as you say. Boro and Bansko fared better than some other places in Europe in the 2006/2007 season and started this season well. I skied in Boro in January this year and it was perfect. I just wish it had lasted for those who went in March.

The 4 man chairs on order are to replace the first drag lift on the top, which is a bummer, especially if you come off I thought preparation had improved but not enough to please some. I don't think they are complaisant and do listen to 'tourists', Boro wants to regain it's popularity and reputation but they are not jumping in the deep end, which maybe a good thing - but also frustrating.

Maybe the Boro consortium need a woman or two to nag them into action, instead of so much talk

i was there first week of march+yeah i didnt get the conditons u got in jan.but at the same time i was there my sis was in france+she said there were awesome condtions so i dont really think everywhere in europe had a bad march, yeah bit warmer than usual but look at alps now and look at bulagria, nearly 20ft of snow in some places and up to 60cm forecasted for this weekend in the Alps.
The upper slopes when i was there were real nice with loads of snow but they're just so underdeveloped+ the runs take a min to get down. Its kinda strange because if you look at a map the resort itself is on the edge of the rila mountains, not in them.You look over the mountain range with loads of snow and wonder why cant i ski there, why am i restricted to this small bowl with drag lifts. Maybe in a few years it'll be better but for me, and i do apologise, i felt quite dissapointed