Eastern Europe

Bulgaria is certainly an undiscovered gem in Europe. The landscape is breathtakingly beautiful. We have passed rolling hills that easily stand equal to Tuscany, snow capped mountains, little villages so quaint you want to pinch its cheeks, Roman ruins, Thracian tombs and swoonworthy art. Best of all, it is still untouched, and unspoilt.

We were told by various walking tour guides and people we met that Bulgarian people can be suspicious and unfriendly, usual for a population who have experienced communist or socialist dictatorship. However, they are generally warm, generous and hospitable. We have met those Bulgarians, but we have also met those who are warm, lovely and happy to help from the start, without any initial suspicion or caution. They are very patriotic and love the idea that we have come all the way from Australia to visit them for 3 and a half weeks. Many of them speak English. In most schools, a few subjects in high school are taught in English so English is not learnt just as a second language.

Bulgarians smoke like chimneys in the industrial revolution. They get best seats in the restaurant and the best standing places of malls and street. They gather in groups to puff away right outside their shops door. They even smoke among children and babies.

Bulgarian food will not take over the world, yet we have enjoyed every meal we've eaten here. It is wholesome, home based, no frills cuisine. It features pork, and every part of the pig. They have grilled dishes, where the meat is only very lightly seasoned and eaten just like that without much or any sauces or garnishing, and it does not need it. They also have a lot of stews, like kavarma which is usually pork or chicken cooked with onions, peppers, mushrooms, and spices, often in an earthenware pot. It is slightly spicy and full of flavours. Chomlek stew does not have peppers or tomatoes, and contains lots of garlic, mushroom, potatoes and spices. Salads also feature on their menu although not many menus, have salads with greens like lettuce or spinach or rocket.

Bulgarian yoghurt is every bit as delicious as it's claimed. It is so special it contains its own strain of bacteria, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, and can be made with cow, buffalo, sheep or goat milk. The sheep and goat yoghurt does not have any strong taste of the animal. Unlike Greek yoghurt, it is not strained, preserving all whey, nutrients, and minerals. The locals link it to health and longevity, and centuries-old history.
There is a yogurt drink called Ayran (or ayryan), a refreshing, savory beverage made by blending tangy Bulgarian yogurt, cold water, and salt. When we could not find Ayran one day, the deliman told us to just make our own by adding water and some salt to the yoghurt we bought from him. We have now discovered that it is better with sparkling water.

There are a lot of the dilapidated, crumbling old abandoned buildings and houses. The property tax in Bulgaria is so low that it does not cost much to hang onto a property and just let it crumble. Given the economic disaster and hyper inflation of 1989, most people would rather keep their money in a crumbling property than sell it and put it in the bank. Also, some of these larger properties have now been inherited by the family, which could be up to twenty or more beneficiaries. Bulgarian law requires all beneficiaries to be present at point of sale, which would be virtually impossible given that a lot of Bulgarians have migrated to other parts of the world. That's not considering family disagreements and disputes. Factories all around the country have been abandoned after the fall of communism and its failed industrialisation.

We have experienced all weather in these three and a half weeks in Bulgaria. We have seen icy-snow and soft fresh fallen snow, bone chilling winds, and beautiful blue skies with the warm sunshine of spring. It was lovely to see spring bloom slowly, and its still happening after our 23 days.

Yesterday we sat at the bank of the Danube watching the sunset on our last day at Bulgaria. Today we drove over the Danube River leaving Bulgaria on one bank towards Romania on the other. Bye bye beautiful Bulgaria. We had such a lovely time with you.Lue lisää