BULGARIA TO REBRAND ITS TOURISTIC IMAGE
The Bulgarian tourism's rose logo will be probably substituted soon, as a project for the establishment of the country's touristic brand has been launched by the Ministry of Tourism.
The project, which is estimated to cost some BGN 2.9 M, will focus on analyzing Bulgaria's tourism market, as well as the neighboring rival markets. A research will be carried out on whether the current vision of Bulgaria's touristic logo the is recognizable enough and whether it should be changed.
"It is crucial for us to understand how our customers react to the brand's image, which is what they see – the logo, the slogan and the overall vision of the product. There is most probably going to be a new slogan. Bulgaria must be identified with something unique, which is completely different from all other destinations," Nikolay Yotovski, a representative of the Ministry of Tourism explained before the media.
"Bulgaria must be very careful in its choice of a new touristic vision, or it may end up like Spain, which promoted Ibiza as an alcohol tourism destination, creating a very bad image for itself," Yotovski commented.
Bulgaria's main rivals in the touristic market are Romania (cultural tourism), Austria and Italy (sri resorts) and Cyprus (sea resorts), according to the representative of the Ministry of Tourism.
Tuesday, 21 December 2010
Sunday, 19 December 2010
www.expatfocus.com
Many thanks to Uncles chums at expatfocus for awarding this blog 'Recommended Website' status, it's a major feather in our cap and a major compliment... Uncle is blushing !!
Thursday, 16 December 2010
Put some property in your christmas stocking !
Over this festive period after wrapping the presents and stuffing the Turkey (or vice versa if you've got too drunk) you may well start thinking about the new year and it's possibilities.One possibility is treating yourself to an overseas property investment.Bulgarian property is now at its lowest since 2007, and has nowhere to go but up.You can buy habitable properties near the coast for 35000 Euros, apartments on the coast for not much more brand new !.Land on the coast can be purchased, zoned for building, from 15 Euros per square metre.
Just click on the topic title to view my website to see offers, or e mail me direct from the website for information.
BG Weather update
Well readers, we are now experiencing UK style weather, it started snowing about 11am and has not stopped since.The forecast predicts much the same tomorrow but the daytime temperatures are set to get above freezing so it may not settle.This would have to happen when I am expecting visitors this weekend.Typical my luck !.
The snow has come a week early this year, which does not bode well for the full winter.I have stocked up well with the Christmas food supplies so at least I am feeling seasonal.My mate just phoned and he is leaving Dobrich now, should be an interesting journey back for him.
The snow has come a week early this year, which does not bode well for the full winter.I have stocked up well with the Christmas food supplies so at least I am feeling seasonal.My mate just phoned and he is leaving Dobrich now, should be an interesting journey back for him.
Sunday, 12 December 2010
Paradise
A couple and five staff were trapped inside one of Britain's highest pubs for eight days because of the snow, a chef there has said.
The Lion Inn at Blakey Ridge, near Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire, was cut off since Friday of last week, as 20ft of snow drifted against the 16th Century pub and bed and breakfast.
The couple, from Darlington, were trapped along with five members of staff until a plough made its way over the North York Moors and the man and woman managed to follow it back to the next town of Castleton.However, the five employees have remained on site and will wait for the road to officially reopen, possibly on Sunday lunchtime.
Chef Daniel Butterworth, from Kirkbymoorside, admitted he had been talking to himself during the enforced lock-in.
At first the staff, all aged under 25, got stuck in to the drinks, he said, but on the third day they eased off.
"We haven't been getting ratty," he said. "It's been fun and we have had a laugh. We have been getting on with little jobs, having our tea, a drink, playing games and then going to bed. The bosses aren't here, they are snowed out. We have wireless internet here and the television works so we have been fine."
During the day, the Lion Inn seven have managed to get out onto the snow on improvised sledges made from beer trays. There remained plenty of food and the beer has not run out at the well-stocked inn, some 1,325ft above sea level.
But he admitted the icy internment had not been all fun.
"I have been going a bit crazy, doing weird things like talking to myself," he said. "Hopefully, we will get some more customers in when the road opens again. I could do with some more company. We have had people phoning up asking to get trapped in, but it's kind of boring now and I would like to go home."
Chilly !!
Winter has well and truly arrived.It is currently -7C, even colder with the wind chill. I think we are on target for snow on Christmas Day, probably a little as early as this week.I dont mind the cold, just don't go out unless necessary, and keep the fire well stocked with wood.The only thing is that everday one has to go through the rigmorole of cleaning the fire and re-lighting it.If it gets really cold I often get up in the middle of the night to make sure it doesnt go out.On the other hand a log fire really does look lovely.
Monday, 6 December 2010
Awful story
4 Bulgarian Doctors Face Murder Charges over Baby Death
Crime
The municipal council in Bulgaria's central town of Gorna Oryahovitsa is meeting Monday with one single item on the agenda – to decide on the dismissal of the director of the local hospital – Mirolyub Kozhuharov.
Also on Monday, the Prosecutor's Office is expected to press charges against four of the same hospital's doctors. They were arrested on November 30, 2010, after a 17-year-old girl gave premature birth to a baby that died the next day. The doctors are accused of premeditated murder of the newborn.
Meanwhile, the Bulgarian daily "Trud" (Labor) reports an ultrasound picture taken right before the premature birth shows the baby did not have a heartbeat. The information has been confirmed by two different sources – from the hospital and the police.
The picture has been given to the prosecutor along with a report where one of the doctors has written – "the baby is dead inside the uterus and must be removed in order to save the mother's live."
The investigation, however, believes the picture has been manipulated.
Meanwhile, Kozhuharov is cited by the daily "24 Chassa" insisting the baby died inside the girl's womb and the probe will confirm it. He stated that the baby was not the real problem and the hospital staff was haunted over plans to destroy the facility and take over its property in a prime location of the town.
The Bulgarian Doctor's Union announced they will conduct their own investigation of the case and appealed to the media to not make rushed conclusion before the probe is over.
Crime
The municipal council in Bulgaria's central town of Gorna Oryahovitsa is meeting Monday with one single item on the agenda – to decide on the dismissal of the director of the local hospital – Mirolyub Kozhuharov.
Also on Monday, the Prosecutor's Office is expected to press charges against four of the same hospital's doctors. They were arrested on November 30, 2010, after a 17-year-old girl gave premature birth to a baby that died the next day. The doctors are accused of premeditated murder of the newborn.
Meanwhile, the Bulgarian daily "Trud" (Labor) reports an ultrasound picture taken right before the premature birth shows the baby did not have a heartbeat. The information has been confirmed by two different sources – from the hospital and the police.
The picture has been given to the prosecutor along with a report where one of the doctors has written – "the baby is dead inside the uterus and must be removed in order to save the mother's live."
The investigation, however, believes the picture has been manipulated.
Meanwhile, Kozhuharov is cited by the daily "24 Chassa" insisting the baby died inside the girl's womb and the probe will confirm it. He stated that the baby was not the real problem and the hospital staff was haunted over plans to destroy the facility and take over its property in a prime location of the town.
The Bulgarian Doctor's Union announced they will conduct their own investigation of the case and appealed to the media to not make rushed conclusion before the probe is over.
Sunday, 5 December 2010
First snow arrives !
Friday, 3 December 2010
Stray dogs cause more carnage
Yet again another person has become victim to Bulgaria's stray dog problem.This time a six year old girl was attacked and killed in a village near Razgrad in Northern Bulgaria.Last year a 60 year old British woman was killed in a similar way, and an elderly Bulgarian woman was rescued in the nick of time in Sofia last week.Even people simply strolling in a public park have been set upon.The fact is that the stray problem is out of control and there needs to be a cull if more lives are not to be put in danger.A domestic dog can be mans best friend but a pack of them can be deadly.
Wednesday, 1 December 2010
Getting about in Bulgaria
As promised in an earlier post here are a couple of useful websites:
The first http://www.autogaravn.com/index.php?id=28&doc=bus-shedule is a link to the Varna bus station website.Here you will find a comprehensive bus schedule for most major routes.The buses are regular and clean the long distance buses are air conditioned but the toilets are always locked. Buses to Sofia are operated by several companies I prefer Union Buses as they are probably the cheapest.
Buses to Burgas and some minibus services are operated from the smaller Mladost bus station, just across the road from the central bus station, just use the underpass and you will see a side road go down that for 50 metres and its there.For long distance buses the tickets can be bought from one of the many bus offices in the Central station, at the other station tickets are bought from the driver.
The second link is http://www.bdz.bg this is for state railways, please use the google chrome search engine to translate the site.Trains are slower than the buses but have toilets and buffet facilities.Trains from Varna to Sofia tend to be morning ones or later afternoon.The trains on this line are a bit antiquated, on the Burgas-Sofia line they are modern.
The first http://www.autogaravn.com/index.php?id=28&doc=bus-shedule is a link to the Varna bus station website.Here you will find a comprehensive bus schedule for most major routes.The buses are regular and clean the long distance buses are air conditioned but the toilets are always locked. Buses to Sofia are operated by several companies I prefer Union Buses as they are probably the cheapest.
Buses to Burgas and some minibus services are operated from the smaller Mladost bus station, just across the road from the central bus station, just use the underpass and you will see a side road go down that for 50 metres and its there.For long distance buses the tickets can be bought from one of the many bus offices in the Central station, at the other station tickets are bought from the driver.
The second link is http://www.bdz.bg this is for state railways, please use the google chrome search engine to translate the site.Trains are slower than the buses but have toilets and buffet facilities.Trains from Varna to Sofia tend to be morning ones or later afternoon.The trains on this line are a bit antiquated, on the Burgas-Sofia line they are modern.
Friday, 26 November 2010
Taxi Wars
Taxi companies waging war in the Bulgarian port city of Varna have caused a dramatic collapse of prices locally, the private television channel bTV reported on November 25 2010.
Protests have been ongoing for several weeks, and prices slashed by 50 per cent. Taxi drivers in Varna protested last week because one particular firm had reduced its prices by 20 per cent and was "stealing" their customers. So in response to this strategy, another firm has offered a 50 per cent discount.
Until recently, Varna had one of the highest tariffs in Bulgaria – at 0.89 leva day fare and 0.99 leva night fare, but prices now have been halved to 0.55 leva, the report said. But when individual firms in Varna were contacted and asked why the prices are dropping, they replied that this was in response to the "economic crisis" and had "nothing to do with the protests"
Meanwhile, the situation in Sofia appears to be quite the opposite.
As many as six out of seven taxis in Sofia cheat their customers by inflating fares, Automobile Administration deputy chief Atanas Todorov said, cited by mass circulation daily 24 Chassa on November 24 2010.
Far too many Bulgarian or foreign tourists still board a taxi at Sofia airport to a destination in Sofia city centre only to find themselves having to pay a bill approaching 100 leva.
Taxi drivers are able to get away with flagrant over-charging because of loopholes in legislation, as some companies charge seven leva/km. For the moment, however, the legislation is such that they are able to get away with it.
Whereas a typical fare from the Sofia Airport to Sofia city centre should cost about 15 leva, some tourists might be charged as much as 140 leva, depending on the company they chose.
Uncles Comment: My experience of taxi drivers along the Black Sea coast is that they are the worst in Bulgaria.Taxis around Varna are ludicrously expensive and they will cheat foreigners any which way they can.My experiences in Veliko Turnovo and Sofia have been much better, in Sofia in particular I always use OKsupertrans, they have offices at the airport and the bus station and you can even phone up and order a cab in english.However always check the tariff in the windscreen and check that the cab is really an OKsupertrans as many have the livery but are not actually so.OKsupertrans number is 02 9732121
Protests have been ongoing for several weeks, and prices slashed by 50 per cent. Taxi drivers in Varna protested last week because one particular firm had reduced its prices by 20 per cent and was "stealing" their customers. So in response to this strategy, another firm has offered a 50 per cent discount.
Until recently, Varna had one of the highest tariffs in Bulgaria – at 0.89 leva day fare and 0.99 leva night fare, but prices now have been halved to 0.55 leva, the report said. But when individual firms in Varna were contacted and asked why the prices are dropping, they replied that this was in response to the "economic crisis" and had "nothing to do with the protests"
Meanwhile, the situation in Sofia appears to be quite the opposite.
As many as six out of seven taxis in Sofia cheat their customers by inflating fares, Automobile Administration deputy chief Atanas Todorov said, cited by mass circulation daily 24 Chassa on November 24 2010.
Far too many Bulgarian or foreign tourists still board a taxi at Sofia airport to a destination in Sofia city centre only to find themselves having to pay a bill approaching 100 leva.
Taxi drivers are able to get away with flagrant over-charging because of loopholes in legislation, as some companies charge seven leva/km. For the moment, however, the legislation is such that they are able to get away with it.
Whereas a typical fare from the Sofia Airport to Sofia city centre should cost about 15 leva, some tourists might be charged as much as 140 leva, depending on the company they chose.
Uncles Comment: My experience of taxi drivers along the Black Sea coast is that they are the worst in Bulgaria.Taxis around Varna are ludicrously expensive and they will cheat foreigners any which way they can.My experiences in Veliko Turnovo and Sofia have been much better, in Sofia in particular I always use OKsupertrans, they have offices at the airport and the bus station and you can even phone up and order a cab in english.However always check the tariff in the windscreen and check that the cab is really an OKsupertrans as many have the livery but are not actually so.OKsupertrans number is 02 9732121
Wednesday, 24 November 2010
Good productive day
Thursday, 18 November 2010
Its a fair cop, cop.....!!!
Two police officers who had been bribing other officers were arrested in an overnight operation on November 17 2010, Bulgarian television station bTV said.
The operation was carried out by the Interior Ministry and the Chief Directorate for Combating Organised Crime (CDCOC), in co-operation with the State Agency for National Security, Internal Security Section and the Sofia City Prosecutors' Office.
The operation was carried out in the Sofia borough of Hadji Dimitar. The two arrested were described as "corrupt police officers" who bribed other police officers in order to obtain "sensitive information," the report said.
One of those taken into custody is a serving officer in the Migration Police, and previously was a CDCOC officer.
His alleged accomplice is a serving officer in Bulgaria's State Agency for National Security (SANS).
According to the report, the first officer paid $500 to a policeman in the Interior Ministry for classified information.
Allegedly, the two men would "purchase" sensitive operational data for active criminal groups dealing with counterfeit money and credit cards. During the search, the police found $4000 in cash and several memory sticks packed with "data".
The authorities were tipped off, and the two officers were placed under surveillance over the course of three months.
The operation was carried out by the Interior Ministry and the Chief Directorate for Combating Organised Crime (CDCOC), in co-operation with the State Agency for National Security, Internal Security Section and the Sofia City Prosecutors' Office.
The operation was carried out in the Sofia borough of Hadji Dimitar. The two arrested were described as "corrupt police officers" who bribed other police officers in order to obtain "sensitive information," the report said.
One of those taken into custody is a serving officer in the Migration Police, and previously was a CDCOC officer.
His alleged accomplice is a serving officer in Bulgaria's State Agency for National Security (SANS).
According to the report, the first officer paid $500 to a policeman in the Interior Ministry for classified information.
Allegedly, the two men would "purchase" sensitive operational data for active criminal groups dealing with counterfeit money and credit cards. During the search, the police found $4000 in cash and several memory sticks packed with "data".
The authorities were tipped off, and the two officers were placed under surveillance over the course of three months.
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
Property offers on this site
As readers may by now be aware, we do sell Bulgarian property on this website to earn our living, and we also build and renovate, so here is one of my periodic plugs for my website which can be accessed by clicking on the title.
Uncle Bulgaria
Uncle Bulgaria
Winter on this blog
Due to the weather conditions over the coming 3/4 months, I will have more time to devote to blogging.I will write some more about my own personal interests, but I also will give some hints about travelling around in Bulgaria such as public transport and places to go.
If anyone out there has any requests or ideas please let me know.
If anyone out there has any requests or ideas please let me know.
1000th reader
Many thanks to faithful readers as we pass the 1000 reader mark since the webcounter was installed, the real number is something like 2500.Correction it's 2688 readers and 127 this week alone !.
Wednesday, 10 November 2010
Windy !
Bulgaria has been plagued by strong winds with damaged to rooves, as well and billboards and forest fires fanned by the flames.The weather is really strange here at the moment, it was 25c here today which is pretty damn hot.Still I just sense that we are in for a very cold winter.
Wednesday, 3 November 2010
Appalling Tale
A ten year old, yes a ten year old, has just given birth in the city of Jerez in Spain.The fact that a child that young has had a baby is truly shocking, but the family it appears were completely unfazed by it all.
It was at this point that I guessed the origin of the family (the story gives the game away by saying the family were originally from Romania).So basically they are gypsies, and marrying and having children very young is normal.However even if it's 'normal' it is still not right, a 10 year old is nowhere near bodily mature and it can cause physical damage.
This kind of story really beggars belief.
It was at this point that I guessed the origin of the family (the story gives the game away by saying the family were originally from Romania).So basically they are gypsies, and marrying and having children very young is normal.However even if it's 'normal' it is still not right, a 10 year old is nowhere near bodily mature and it can cause physical damage.
This kind of story really beggars belief.
Monday, 1 November 2010
And it's November !
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