Poland, Greece, Bulgaria etc
#16
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Re: Poland, Greece, Bulgaria etc
Never understood the attraction of FB over discussion forums such as this, but there we go, courses for horses!
#19
Re: Poland, Greece, Bulgaria etc
I'm curious about the Balkans. From what I've seen its the most unspoilt beautiful part of europe. I have spent some time time in eastern europe living and working so I understand there are challenges. I even speak a little Russian. I plan to holiday there in a year or two. Romanua, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, never seen such rustic beauty elsewhere.
However, I cant say same for Balkan people, very backwards, racist & nationalistic (hate everyone but their nation), except in capital cities.
#20
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 297
Re: Poland, Greece, Bulgaria etc
(bar three?) I have visited as an Englishman I have experienced what some consider "racism", including Vietnam, Thailand, Ireland, America, Canada, Italy, etc etc etc. I really don't care! Its my responsibility as the foreign devil to prove myself to them, not the other way around. I just try to experience their country, and most people are pretty civil if you show them you are a respectable person. If you want to travel, then grow up a bit and don't smack racism labels on everything!
#21
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Re: Poland, Greece, Bulgaria etc
Reading about the History of the Balkans I am amazed at those idealists who thought a "Balkan Federation" could be created as a working political entity.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balkan_Federation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balkan_Federation
#22
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Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 252
Re: Poland, Greece, Bulgaria etc
I'm curious about the Balkans. From what I've seen its the most unspoilt beautiful part of europe. I have spent some time time in eastern europe living and working so I understand there are challenges. I even speak a little Russian. I plan to holiday there in a year or two. Romanua, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, never seen such rustic beauty elsewhere.
https://balkaninsight.com/2019/09/02...ves-in-bosnia/
There are, as to be expected, throwbacks to the communist era in the towns and cities in the form of squat and ugly factory buildings with chimneys which regularly belch black smoke, and ugly blocks of flats which might make you think you are still in Leeds or Sunderland, but you can look past all that and see the unspoiled beauty of the mountains and the rivers (for the most part at least)
As with every other country I've ever been to there is a problem with litter and a prevailing kind of third worldy attitude towards the care of their own country from the locals. I was parked one day up on a high hill looking down at the river Vrbas on the road from Banja Luka to Gornji Vakuf and said to my colleague that it looked like there was a nice little beach way down below : he responded by saying 'it's not sand, it's plastic bottles' and it was, all trapped at a bend in the river and looking just like a pretty sandy beach from a distance.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vrbas_(river)
I found the locals to be pleasant and welcoming in both Republica Srpska and in the Federation and never had a problem there. I used to go off on my bicycle for long cycles on my days off and never felt threatened in any way. Very beautiful country indeed and with very fine and hospitable people in my opinion.
Last edited by Jake.White; Jan 3rd 2020 at 8:28 am.
#23
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Re: Poland, Greece, Bulgaria etc
Most of the British couples that live in Bulgaria are retired and they choose to buy and live in the countryside.
#24
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Re: Poland, Greece, Bulgaria etc
As a Bulgarophile I would not even consider visiting Bosnia ! As for Brits moving to Bulgaria, many have moved to villages, but there are also a fair number in those ghastly "holiday complexes" on The Black Sea or in the mountains. Not for me
I lived and worked in Bulgaria 1991-2008. Most of that was a village outside the town of Shumen.
I lived and worked in Bulgaria 1991-2008. Most of that was a village outside the town of Shumen.
#25
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Joined: May 2012
Location: Cayman Islands
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Re: Poland, Greece, Bulgaria etc
As a Bulgarophile I would not even consider visiting Bosnia ! As for Brits moving to Bulgaria, many have moved to villages, but there are also a fair number in those ghastly "holiday complexes" on The Black Sea or in the mountains. Not for me
I lived and worked in Bulgaria 1991-2008. Most of that was a village outside the town of Shumen.
I lived and worked in Bulgaria 1991-2008. Most of that was a village outside the town of Shumen.
#26
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Re: Poland, Greece, Bulgaria etc
My working life was spent learning and teaching Language and languages. I have had some aptitude in learning languages. The French, Latin and German I got at school were just for starters ! I cannot conceive of living life with only one language !
There is a whole industry devoted to Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). Many people make a living doing that. Not all "expats" are into Management, Accountancy or Civil Engineering.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teachi...reign_language
There is a whole industry devoted to Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). Many people make a living doing that. Not all "expats" are into Management, Accountancy or Civil Engineering.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teachi...reign_language
Last edited by scot47; May 25th 2020 at 6:12 pm.
#27
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Re: Poland, Greece, Bulgaria etc
I only ever went to Bulgaria once in my life - driving my VW Beetle in 1965, on our way north behind The Iron Curtain. 47 years later, I wrote up the experience of getting out of the country, in my personal journal/blog. BE rules don't allow me to give the link, so I'll just copy and paste the relevant part of the entry.
Entering Bulgaria with Linda four months later was simplicity itself, with a visa from Istanbul. Leaving the country was rather more memorable, occurring on yet another back road. Yet again, my car was the only traffic for miles around – the only vehicle wanting to cross into Romania at this godforsaken spot, at least.
My side of the conversation went something like this, in pidgin German interspersed with occasional words from my Bulgarian-English dictionary. “It has been a pleasant stay in your beautiful country. Now please change our unspent local currency into Romanian currency. Oh, well, any currency will do. Well, if you don’t have any foreign currency, never mind; we will exchange it at the Romanian post just over there (a hundred yards across a bridge). What?! It’s illegal to take Bulgarian currency out of the country? Never mind, we’ll go back to the petrol pump a few miles back and spend it there. What do you mean you’ve already stamped us out of Bulgaria? Well, stamp us back in again, please. We would need another visa for that? And you aren’t authorised to issue visas? Sheesh. Tell you what, you keep our passports and we will drive back and get the petrol. Oh dear. We can’t travel in Bulgaria without a passport. So we must just give you the money, and you will give us a receipt? Hmm. I don’t think so.”
I demanded to speak with the Ministry of Tourism, then Foreign Affairs, then Internal Affairs, then the Prime Minister’s Office; oh, and the British Embassy. Please. Pronto. The phone rang hot for the next three hours, while we sulked in the car and wondered if we might have to stay in it all night.
In the end the Romanians changed the money for us without a fuss. It wasn’t illegal for them, which was just as well, I guess.
Entering Bulgaria with Linda four months later was simplicity itself, with a visa from Istanbul. Leaving the country was rather more memorable, occurring on yet another back road. Yet again, my car was the only traffic for miles around – the only vehicle wanting to cross into Romania at this godforsaken spot, at least.
My side of the conversation went something like this, in pidgin German interspersed with occasional words from my Bulgarian-English dictionary. “It has been a pleasant stay in your beautiful country. Now please change our unspent local currency into Romanian currency. Oh, well, any currency will do. Well, if you don’t have any foreign currency, never mind; we will exchange it at the Romanian post just over there (a hundred yards across a bridge). What?! It’s illegal to take Bulgarian currency out of the country? Never mind, we’ll go back to the petrol pump a few miles back and spend it there. What do you mean you’ve already stamped us out of Bulgaria? Well, stamp us back in again, please. We would need another visa for that? And you aren’t authorised to issue visas? Sheesh. Tell you what, you keep our passports and we will drive back and get the petrol. Oh dear. We can’t travel in Bulgaria without a passport. So we must just give you the money, and you will give us a receipt? Hmm. I don’t think so.”
I demanded to speak with the Ministry of Tourism, then Foreign Affairs, then Internal Affairs, then the Prime Minister’s Office; oh, and the British Embassy. Please. Pronto. The phone rang hot for the next three hours, while we sulked in the car and wondered if we might have to stay in it all night.
In the end the Romanians changed the money for us without a fuss. It wasn’t illegal for them, which was just as well, I guess.