Vicki from UNITED KINGDOM writes:
I am the English girl and I work outside the Lions Pub and in Diamonds Pub (08/09).
I would just like to say that the difference in attitude of the people who enjoyed their holiday at Bansko and those who hated it stands out. It's not France of Switzerland so don't expect it. It's also not the same price either. Choosing a holiday in Bulgaria needs to be understood before you book and I'm pretty sure the price difference is a factor here. Bansko is a very new resort still up and coming and yes, the country is not long out of some very poor times and may not have the same standards as Western Europe.
Prices: I know a lot of people mistakenly quote prices in Bulgaria lower than you find in Bansko. There are a few reasons for this. It is normally quoted in this way by the holiday companies that are trying to sell you the holiday. Also they are not exactly lying. They do quote normal Bulgarian prices. Bansko is not a local village it is a modern ski resort with high quality hotels, bars, restaurants etc (for Bulgaria). If you want to get those prices I will happily recommend places you can get them although I guarantee most of you would not want to eat or drink there. Unfortunatly, nice clean places with friendly English speaking helpful staff, football, English food, English beer etc that you want comes at a price. I hear a lot of people complain it's cheaper at home. Well, well. I'm sure you have seen the price of petrol nowadays. At home it comes from 20 miles down the road. If you want to get that all the way over here you can imagine the extra cost. You know how it works..when in Rome. Eat and drink local stuff; it's cheap but you probably won't like it. It's common sense.
Money: Bulgaria may be part of the EU but, like us in the UK, does not use Euros. It is wrong to expect them to accept them. If the staff are asked nicely most places will change them for you. We wouldn't. Credit cards are not widley accepted yet but that is changing. As explained, it is still catching up.
Attitude: most Bulgarians are pretty sound and you will get a good response from them if you treat them decently. The amount of times I have witnessed and cringed at the shocking way the Brits treat the local staff (talking to them like servants, being damn rude about them in front of them with their friends and assuming they don't understand). Actually, most do speak quite good English if you speak clearly. Especially the younger generation and resort staff. They have to speak English to get a job here and they learn it in school like we learn French or German so be careful what you say. They are also sick of this attitude of everyone complaining about the prices and being really tight and cheap and asking for discounts for absolutly no good reason at all, just assuming that we are so desperate for their lovely foreign money that we will just throw everything at them for free. You wouldn't do this at home. A pint of draught Guiness or Carling is not 30p a pint.
'Mafia' and 'Heavies': this one cracks me up every time. You lot think you know it all. Paying in cash has absolutly nothing to do with having to pay a protection racket. Frankly that is quite rediculous. You just want to believe it. They are winding you up. This does happen occasionally with some of the younger more fun loving staff. They know you would love to hear it and spin a few lines for a laugh. I have had many people tell me they were drinking with the Mafia. Trust me, they weren't. Sometimes it may look like it but actually nowadays it is not evident in the town and certainly not in the places were the tourists would be at all. You would not get in the door. Some guys will tease you just for fun or to scare you a bit because they know you will believe it. There are a lot of very nice cars around and gold. Since Bulgaria (particulaly Bansko) took off big time a few years back a few people who got in early made a lot of money. They are mostly just normal business men who got lucky. Bulgaians still have an old school attitude to being rich. i.e. if you've got it, flaunt it. They display it with gold and cars and expensive drinks and beautiful women.
General: ok, Bansko is a bit of a mess at the moment but it will get cleaned up. Sofia is also a bit of a shock on the way out of the airport but do give it a chance. A 3 hour transfer is not bad for a ski resort. The transfer for Tignes/Val is 5 hours plus with a change of bus and a stop to put snow chains on. Andorra is also about 4-5 hours. Ski resorts are in the mountains. It's not easy to build an airport very close to them. You could always opt for a parachute arrival instead.
To sum up: come with an open mind and a friendly attitude. Do not expect western ski resort standards for Bulgarian prices. It's never going to happen. Be realistic. If you don't want to lower your standards at all, don't come. Please don't come and then moan afterwards. All the information is provdided. If you ask people for advice on what, where, how, when you will normally get a genuine and helpful response. I always help anyone who asks and respond with no bias. We are not all out to get your money and rip you off. Trust people don't treat them like criminals who are going to steal from you and you will get a good reaction back. Bulgarians may speak a different language but they are normal humans beings like the rest of us. Same thoughts, feelings, hopes, dreams. Don't insult them by treating them like they are stupid and desperate for money.
Come, have fun, make friends and we hope you will come back to Bansko.
2009-03-20 |
