A holiday destination kept secret

Bulgaria may not spring to mind immediately when planning your annual holiday but after reading this blog, that may change. It’s a country which is not yet firmly on the ‘holiday map’ which is incredibly fortunate for the travellers in ‘the know’ who visit this largely unspoilt land on a regular basis.

What’s to like?

What’s not to like is a fairer question! Bulgaria seems to have it all.  Still managing to remain devoid of swarms of tourists, this beautiful country has so much to offer the discerning visitor.  Deep history, culture, stunning beaches, appetising food, hospitable locals, the list is endless and to top it all a holiday in this land tucked away in south-eastern Europe comes at an unbelievably low price. So now we know that it should definitely be on our list of places to visit, let’s explore a little further….

Language

Bulgarian is a Southern Slavic language and uses the Cyrillic alphabet. Bulgarian is mutually intelligible with Macedonian, and fairly closely related to Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian and Slovene. It is a good idea when visiting Bulgaria, to learn a few simple words and phrases as a sign of respect to the locals. Here are a few to start you off:

Hello (formal)            Zdraveyte!

Hello (informal)         Zdravey!

Goodbye             Dovizhdane

Bye! (informal)           Chao

Please         Molya

Thank you         Blagodary

How much..      Kolko..

Yes/No              Da/Ne

It’s also worth noting that particularly amongst older people in Bulgaria, a nod of the head means no and shaking the head means yes!

Religion

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church is an important part of Bulgarian culture and it therefore needs to be treated with respect. Make sure if visiting a church that photography is permitted should you wish to take photos and dress appropriately – no skimpy shorts or mini skirts!  Hats should always be removed as a sign of common courtesy and food and drink are not allowed. The church is the oldest Slavic Orthodox church and has approximately six million members in Bulgaria and two million members in the rest of the world. Around 80% of the population are Orthodox.

Dining Etiquette

If you are lucky enough to have the opportunity to eat with the locals, a few simple rules should be followed:

   Even if you are invited to start eating first by your host, it is polite to insist that the eldest person at the table does the honours

   Do not rest your elbows on the table but keep your hands visible at all times

    Eating a second helping is considered a compliment to the host so make sure your first one is small, unless you have a large appetite!

    Glasses are generally refilled if empty so leave a mouthful in your glass if you don’t want a top up!

If you are invited to eat at your host’s home, take a gift of flowers (although avoid chrysanthemums, lilies or gladiolas as they are used at funerals), and always make sure there are an odd number of stems – the Bulgarians are superstitious people.  A bottle of spirit in addition will also be appreciated.

Amazing Cuisine

Bulgaria has an abundance of scrumptious traditional dishes and it all starts in the morning at breakfast when banitsa is served  – a mixture of eggs and cheese layered between sheets of filo pastry.  This could all be washed down with a glass of ayran, a delicious yoghurt drink (Bulgarians claim their yoghurt is the best in the world).  Next up is lunch where you could indulge in a bowl of tarator, a cucumber, garlic and yoghurt soup followed by shopska which is a fresh salad made of cucumber, onion, tomato, cheese and parsley.  Move on to grilled chicken or tasty meatballs accompanied by fresh bread and Lutenica, a sauce made from tomatoes and peppers.  If you have any room at this stage you could squeeze in one of many baked desserts such as baklava, creme caramel or of course the famous yoghurt!  Don’t forget to try the national drink Rakia but beware it can be up to 80% alcohol if homemade!  Bulgaria also produces some fabulous wines, many of which are exported worldwide so be sure not to lose out on tasting some and enjoy!

Bulgarian Riviera

Bulgaria is home to a string of stunning beaches along the Black Sea coastline. It offers beaches which attract every type of holidaymaker, whether it be a family with small children, the more adventurous types or people who just want to get away from it all and chill out in peace and quiet.  Some of the beaches offer the more common facilities: parasols, sun-beds, barbeque restaurants, bungee jumping and trampolines, while others offer sports such as parachuting above the sea, surfing, diving or kiteboarding. For the visitor who just yearns for a little tranquility, heading out to one of the calm beaches with only the restful waves and glittering sand for company is the definite answer.

Whichever type of beach floats your boat, grab a glass of something chilled, don a pair of shades andplan your days! There is so much more to write on this little known country, it really does have so much to offer.  This blog is short and hasn’t even touched on areas such as traditional music and dancing, national celebration days, history and so on.

The answer is to go and explore Bulgaria in summer or even in winter where the ski season generally runs from December to May.  However, please keep it to yourselves – we don’t want everyone discovering this European treasure!

By Tina Kalantaridi, The LanguagePod

www.thelanguagepod.com