It was a national holiday in Bulgaria from Thursday 6th - Sunday 9th September, a four day weekend what could we do?
My car had been smashed up therefore we had no transport and with the repair bills due, no money to spare either. We deserved a holiday the last one we had we were ill for three of the days and rushed around for guests the rest of the week. No real rest-bite for us at all. We needed a break! What are the options with 100 leva we had put aside for this occasion?
The Black Sea Coast was a option and we found that getting to Bourgas only cost 4.20 leva each by train - a return journey of over 200 km for less than 4 pounds! That was the first stage as the tickets were bought.
After looking at the weather forecast we were well naffed off, it said that the three days we had booked were cold and forecast rain! All year we had sizzling temperatures and only the odd day of rain. Now the only three days in the year we could call a holiday it changes! However we were still very excited about sleeping for three days if the forecast came true! Quality time together ALONE also was a major factor.
Having scanned the internet for cheap apartments in the coastal village and found quite a few that were only charging 8 leva a night each. We could spend three nights for 24 leva each all with en suite bathrooms, TV and sea view balcony! This particular village was some 25 km from Bourgas and we guessed the fare would be around 3 leva each for a bus to the apartment location. The total sum for travel and board was 62.40 leva.
All went according to plan apart from sharing a taxi with another couple from Bourgas train station to the village location and still on budget having only paid 6 leva for the both of us to travel the 25 km - Don't try this at home folks!
Arriving at the apartment that we booked on the internet only to find that we were shown two other apartments in other houses in the street, we declined and was shown the actual apartment booked but it was only 100 metres from the main coastal road. A lovely laid out modern apartment with air conditioning but the noise from the road even with close double glazed units was too much.
We left and went back to the bus stopping point to seek further accommodation from owners looking for client getting off buses there. A couple of inquiries and we found an owner who had what we wanted and still on budget for only 8 leva per person per night.
The owner led us there talking all the way along about how expensive it was to holiday for Bulgarian nowadays and how the foreign tourist have pushed up the prices of property and rent in this village over the last few years. The room when seen was on the third floor of a converted house and had an en suite bathroom, TV but no air conditioning but this wasn't important to us. The room was immaculate with snow white sheets for the comfortable beds and balcony with a sea view and table for evening meals and drinks - the en suite bathroom had a powerful shower and a great view of the sea from the side window but only sighted by a male toilet goer though - think about it!
What more could we ask for at 16 leva a night for the both of us. There was also a fridge in the corridor we had access to the quaint village centre and through to the lovely sandy beach was only a five minute walk. This location had everything you could ask for in a resort including some lovely restaurants and evening entertainment.
The weather was indeed cold and the rains came no time on the beach or in the sea due to this. Apart from a little walk around and the second evening a restaurant getting lost and soaked in the pouring rain tying to find our apartment, the rest of the time was spent in bed sleeping or dozing. Then a phone call from a friend changed the last 24 hours spent there and we were certainly glad of the sleep we had up to this point! Another story though!
To finish off the next day, we got a lift back to Yambol from our friend and donated 10 leva towards petrol, saving even more on the fare back. The whole four days and three nights including travel, food, drink, entertainment and even a little souvenir to take back, we still had change from the 100 leva for the both of us from start to finish! Even on a Bulgarian wage a good price to pay for a long weekend on the coast!
Without Bulgarian knowledge foreigners here would find it quite difficult to copy the cheap system we used, the Bulgarian language is the main obstacle and the fact that most people we had to deal with didn't know I was English - I have learned to keep my mouth shut at critical moments, usually when deals are done with apartment owners, shop owners and taxi drivers.
Bulgarian weekend holiday at Bulgarian prices? Yes but we are lucky to have disposable income for this, many other Bulgarians don't! We are indeed fortunate people here in Bulgaria.
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