Pamporovo, Bulgaria

Samadamadingdong from UNITED KINGDOM writes:

They really like their bells............. great country. Everyone and everything has a price. I honestly wouldn't go back. The snow was unseasonaly poor (I know every other resort suffered this year in Jan). The main reason I wouldn't go back is because I spent 1472 LEV on booze, having one of the best weeks ever. I've done 3 ski seasons and never have I had lower internal back pains like I did there. They just don't stop partying!! The hotel bar stays open for 24 hours. The drinks were free after 4 am because the bar man couldn't be bothered to leave his drink and use the till. Had red wine for breakfast 2/3 times (completely free) . I think you have to remember when visiting countries like Bulgaria, that they are a little behind others in some respects e.g. food, mountain safety, ski lifts, easy drinking larger and many more, but in my very small and very unimportant opinion this is what makes a holiday a REAL holiday. Whats the worst that could happen??? You could break your spine or crash and cause yourself massive internal bleeding and, because there's no air ambulance, die from said injuries. But on the other hand you could have a truly mind blowing holiday. Like any skiing holiday, if the snow is good, everyone's happy, but if it's poor, then people can get grumpy. I hope that Bulgaria scrubs up well, and maybe in a few years it'll be able to attract more people and more money. Regarding the bells...... my advice is; buy one, or two. Whatever you do, buy one. Talk to the people selling them and have a laugh. I would say that, really, the best tip would be carry a pocket full of change. If you are like me, using the toilet is a common thing, then a pocket full of stickys can come in useful. This country scores a 7/10 for craziness, 7/10 for cost, and 10/10 for the people. Just stay away from the police.

2007-03-07