A warm greeting from Bulgaria, which I am first to admit is a bit of a surprise package. Upon crossing the noob [Danube] river again and once past the standard "shock and awe" tactics of the border crossing guards you are welcomed to a land of greener fields, a somehow border observant instant reduction of smog and the happy hearted people of Bulgaria. There was even a chance meeting with a local on the train who was most excited at teaching some Bulgarski, I taught him "Gday mate" in return. I can't wait to see the face of the next Aussie he meets on his train ride.
Overall Bulgarians are very helpful to travelers to the point where you feel terribly guilty for the effort they are investing into you, which is very refreshing! Although I couldn't seem to find out any info about Krum or the Bulgarian Quidditch team. I suspect Harry Potter may be fictional. By the way, for those of you that haven't read the last book - VOLDEMORT IS HARRY'S FATHER!!
The first stop was Veliko Tarnovo, which roughly reads as "Bonk a Hobo" in Cyrillic through Latin eyes. The hostel here is the best one yet - a free hot dog and beer for dinner is crazy cool! They also have in their possession computers, something often find hard to locate! Unfortunately in what is becoming a common problem, the bed's are designed for oompa loompas and have bed heads at each end. Which means the normal folk around me sleep in peace while I must continue my personal battle with the foetal position.
The town has an extremely awesome castle called Tsaravet's fortress that you can wander around for hours, right on top of the ruins - which somehow seems a little short sighted, admittedly they are rebuilt but hey. Additionally, just when I thought it couldn't get any better they unveil LASERS! The fortress has an awesome light show at night that blew us away. PEW PEW LASERS!
Unfortunately the stay here is a short one, but here's some quick facts on Bulgaria:
1. As you travel further east in Europe the green WALK sign/light at pedestrian crossings becomes more and more hilariously animated. It also confers virtually no safety anymore, it now simply means that if you really want to cross this stretch of insane drivers NOW is technically the time you will suffer less horrendous injuries should you get hit.
2. If you order a whole rabbit here in a small town, you are expecting to lovingly scoop out the little critters brain and eyes out with a spoon and chow on down under the caring gaze of a slightly crazed chef.
3. Bulgaria offers some truly unique tourist experiences, such as the option to "hire" your own cow which you can then kill. The standard package only includes a pistol, but you can spend a bit extra and use an AK-47 or even a rocket launcher. This one is not plugged on most of the brochures funnily enough, but it does exist.
4. Little towns don't have play grounds for kids, instead they have decommissioned army trucks, tanks or MIG fighter jets. Kids are so spoilt here, my youth was spend on a hot metal slide.
5. Nodding your head means no. This sucks. When the shopkeeper finally understands what you want, you can't help but get excited and nod, and then cry as they take the item and put it back on the shelf because you just said no with your head. Awesome.
That's all for now, next post will be from the land named after the term for getting 3 strikes in a row in 10 pin bowling. Go ahead and look it up you inquisitive little beavers.
Overall Bulgarians are very helpful to travelers to the point where you feel terribly guilty for the effort they are investing into you, which is very refreshing! Although I couldn't seem to find out any info about Krum or the Bulgarian Quidditch team. I suspect Harry Potter may be fictional. By the way, for those of you that haven't read the last book - VOLDEMORT IS HARRY'S FATHER!!
The first stop was Veliko Tarnovo, which roughly reads as "Bonk a Hobo" in Cyrillic through Latin eyes. The hostel here is the best one yet - a free hot dog and beer for dinner is crazy cool! They also have in their possession computers, something often find hard to locate! Unfortunately in what is becoming a common problem, the bed's are designed for oompa loompas and have bed heads at each end. Which means the normal folk around me sleep in peace while I must continue my personal battle with the foetal position.
The town has an extremely awesome castle called Tsaravet's fortress that you can wander around for hours, right on top of the ruins - which somehow seems a little short sighted, admittedly they are rebuilt but hey. Additionally, just when I thought it couldn't get any better they unveil LASERS! The fortress has an awesome light show at night that blew us away. PEW PEW LASERS!
Unfortunately the stay here is a short one, but here's some quick facts on Bulgaria:
1. As you travel further east in Europe the green WALK sign/light at pedestrian crossings becomes more and more hilariously animated. It also confers virtually no safety anymore, it now simply means that if you really want to cross this stretch of insane drivers NOW is technically the time you will suffer less horrendous injuries should you get hit.
2. If you order a whole rabbit here in a small town, you are expecting to lovingly scoop out the little critters brain and eyes out with a spoon and chow on down under the caring gaze of a slightly crazed chef.
3. Bulgaria offers some truly unique tourist experiences, such as the option to "hire" your own cow which you can then kill. The standard package only includes a pistol, but you can spend a bit extra and use an AK-47 or even a rocket launcher. This one is not plugged on most of the brochures funnily enough, but it does exist.
4. Little towns don't have play grounds for kids, instead they have decommissioned army trucks, tanks or MIG fighter jets. Kids are so spoilt here, my youth was spend on a hot metal slide.
5. Nodding your head means no. This sucks. When the shopkeeper finally understands what you want, you can't help but get excited and nod, and then cry as they take the item and put it back on the shelf because you just said no with your head. Awesome.
That's all for now, next post will be from the land named after the term for getting 3 strikes in a row in 10 pin bowling. Go ahead and look it up you inquisitive little beavers.
5 comments:
I want a MIG
(Well i commented faster than idiot wrangler.. how much do i get?) :P
I just couldn't help myself.........TURKEY!! hehehehe Now back to it you cow blasting fiends :D
You're a bastard!!!! Even if its not true, jokingly telling the ending of Harry is NOT funny. I'm gonna be scarred for a LOOOOOOONNNNNGGGGG time to come. I feel all deflated and care for nothing. Oh this feeling of hopelessness and that nothing is worth getting up in the mornings for...Bastard!
Hope you are eating all the chocolates as well and comparing between the countries just like beer. Coz choc is more imp than beer, anyday hands down!
Despite what you may claim, I still believe there is a Krum, and a Bulgarian Quidditch team. Don't you know that muggles like you can't SEE wizarding stuff, and if you did, they'd just make you forget.
What kind of wacky place are you in where nodding your head means no! That's as crazy as diving, where thumbs up means "Crap, I gotta get to the surface".
And as far "hiring" the cow to destroy... How does one return it?
I didn't even have to look it up! All those hours of playing bowling games instead of working are finally paying off.
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