Questions about prices in Bulgaria
Questions about money, salaries and prices of goods in BulgariaBulgarian currency. Banks and financial institutions. Cost of living, eating, sleeping in Bulgaria. How much is food and drink in Bulgaria. Cost of living and communal expenses in Bulgaria. Examples of average prices for goods and products in Bulgaria. Prices at markets in Bulgarian towns, villages and resorts
# 20. How much cost house insurance in Bulgaria?
# 21. How much is pizza in Bulgaria.
# 22. What is the price of the Coca Cola in Bulgaria?
# 23. What is the price of movie tickets in Bulgaria?
# 24. How much cost SAT Digital TV for my home in Bulgaria?
# 25. How much cost a package of Bulgarian cigarettes?
# 26. What are the prices for sex and/or escort in Bulgaria?
# 27. Are cash machines widely used?
# 28. What about tips when I pay the bill in Bulgarian bar/restaurant or for taxi services?
# 29. Are there ATM machines in Albena resort, and what cards they accept?
Q20: How much cost house insurance in Bulgaria?
A20: It depends of region, company, type of property, type of furniture but is around 150 - 250 EUR per year
Q21: How much is pizza in Bulgaria.
A21: Usually there are different sizes - small, medium and big (and very big - 12 pieces - for family or friends) . The price start from 1 BGN (0.50 EUR) for 1 piece on street to 10 - 15 BGN (about 5-8 EUR) for some special pizzas in restaurants (for example with sea foods)
Last updated: Apr 2006
Q22: What is the price of the Coca Cola in Bulgaria?
A22: Current prices (16-04-2006) are:
Shop and supermarket prices:
Coca Cola can 0.330 - 0.75 BGN (0.40 EUR)
Coca Cola bottle 0.500l - 0.90 BGN (0.45 EUR)
Coca Cola bottle 1 litre - 1.20 BGN (0.60 EUR)
Coca Cola bottle 1.500 - 1.60 BGN (0.80 EUR)
Coca Cola bottle 2 litre - 1.90 BGN (1 EUR)
Price in bars and restaurant
Glass / bottle 0.250 - 1.00 BGN to 1.60 BGN (0.50 - 0.80 EUR)
Last updated: Apr 2006
Q23: What is the price of movie tickets in Bulgaria?
A23: The price of tickets for movie in Bulgaria is between 5.00 BGN and 10.00 BGN (2.50 EUR to 5.00 EUR) and depends of this how new is the movie and the quality of the cinema.
Last updated: Aug 2007
Q24: How much cost SAT Digital TV for my home in Bulgaria?
A24: There are different packages starting from 10.00 BGN (5.00 EUR). In sofia 15-20 BGN depends on package of the programs.
Last updated: Aug 2007
Q25: How much cost a package of Bulgarian cigarettes?
A25: Dec 2005 The Government of Bulgaria set new prices of cigarettes from January 1, 2006. The mass used Bulgarian brand of cigarettes is Victory. The price of 1 box (80mm / 20 cigarettes) is 2.60 BGN (1.3 EUR) per box. Victory 84 mm soft pack cost BGN 2.30. Victory Slims cost BGN 2.70. There are different brands in range 1.60 BGN to 4.00 BGN:
The MM 100 mm cigarettes cost BGN 2.50. Melnik cost BGN 2.30 per box and BGN 1.95 per soft pack.
GD 94 mm cost BGN 2.60 per box. GD 84 mm cost BGN 2.30.
Also there are imported (from Romania) Marlboro and Kent for 3.20 BGN,
Last updated: Dec 2007
Q26: What are the prices for sex and/or escort in Bulgaria?
A26: The prices for women escorts depend of type of service and club (or freelancer) you use. The prices start from 25-30BGL (about 13-15 euros) for cheapest street freelancers (usually Gypsies woman) per act or per hour and can reach to 1500 EUR per night for elite escort or sex service. The prices of some agencies can be higher and depend from the period, the girl, the service, etc.
The standard average prices of Sex clubs in Sofia are:
- 20 - 50 BGL - full-body massage or/and oral sex
- 50 - 100 BGL per hour for standard sex
- 150 - 200 BGL per hour for not standard sex - anal, group, BDSM, etc.
Last updated: Aug 2006
Q27: Are cash machines widely used?
A27: Yes. Cash machines are widely available in cities, larger towns and resorts and provide a convenient access to local currency (BGL - lev). All major European and North American credit and debit cards are accepted - VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club, etc. Usually cash machines are situated close to entrance of banks, supermarkets, hotels, large office buildings, etc.
Last updated: Aug 2007
Q28: What about tips when I pay the bill in Bulgarian bar/restaurant or for taxi services?
A28: The tip (in Bulgarian "bakshish") is usual in bars and restaurants. Waiters wait for tip between 5-10% or sum to be rounded up (check the bill because in some cases the service fee is included in the bill and there is no need of additional tip). Taxi-drivers expect the bill to be rounded up to the nearest convenient figure too.
Last updated: Aug 2007
Q29: Are there ATM machines in Albena resort, and what cards they accept?
A29: There are a lot of bank offices in Albena. Approximately all of them have ATM and cash machine (in front) that accept Bulgarian debit cards (logo of Borika) and majority of International credit cards as Visa, Maestro, Master Cards, Diners Club, etc.
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General Questions about Bulgaria
Questions, tips and tricks, advices and facts about Bulgaria.
Pages with Questions - GENERAL QUESTIONS: [1][2][3][4][5][6]
# 0. What is the full name of the country
# 1. What is the total area?
# 2. Where is located Bulgaria?
# 3. What languages are spoken in Bulgaria?
# 4. What is the population and Population growth rate of Bulgaria?
# 5. What is the national currency in Bulgaria
# 6. What are the bigest religions in Bulgaria?
# 7. What are the public holidays in Bulgaria
# 8. Is Bulgaria economically and politically stable country?
# 9. What is the Electricity in Bulgaria?
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Q0: What is the full name of the country
A0: Republic of Bulgaria
Last updated: Jan 2004
Q1: What is the total area?
A1: Bulgaria occupies an area of 110,993 sq.km water: 360 sq km land: 110,550 sq km
Last updated: Jan 2004
Q2: Where is located Bulgaria?
A2: Bulgaria is situated in Southeast Europe in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. The country borders Romania to the North, the Black Sea to the East, Turkey and Greece to the South, Serbia and Macedonia to the West. The river Danube forms the country's northern frontier and provides quick access to Central Europe. The average altitude is 470 m.
Geographic coordinates: 43 00 N, 25 00 E
Last updated: Jan 2004
Q3: What languages are spoken in Bulgaria?
A3: The official language is Bulgarian and uses only the Cirillic alphabet. Bulgarian, secondary languages closely correspond to ethnic breakdown. The distribution of native spoken languages is: Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census). To facilitate tourists, road and direction signs in populated areas, resorts, railway stations, airports and along the main motorways are also spelled in Roman letters. English, German, French, Russian and other languages are spoken in the country.
Last updated: Jan 2004
Q4: What is the population and Population growth rate of Bulgaria?
A4: The population is about 7,450,400 (July 2005 est.) and growth rate is 0.89% (2005 est.)
Last updated: Jan 2004
Q5: What is the national currency in Bulgaria
A5: The unit of currency in Bulgaria is the lev, divided into 100 stotinki. The nominals are: Coins: 5, 10, 20, 50 stotinki & 1 Lev; Banknotes: 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 BGN
Last updated: Jan 2004
Q6: What are the bigest religions in Bulgaria?
A6: Predominantly religion is Eastern Orthodox. The Bulgarian Church is autonomous and headed by a Patriarch allocation of relligions: Bulgarian Orthodox 83.8%, Muslim 12.1%, Roman Catholic 1.7%, Jewish 0.8%, Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other 1.6% (1998)
Last updated: Jan 2004
Q7: What are the public holidays in Bulgaria
A7: The offical holidays are: January 1 - New Year March 3 - National day of the Liberation from Ottoman Domination Easter - Two days (Sunday and Monday) according to the Orthodox calendar May 6 - St. George's Day May 24 - the Day of Bulgarian Enlightenment and Culture and Slav Script September 6 - National Day of Bulgaria's Reunion in the year of 1885 September 22 - Independence Day November 1 - Day of the Bulgarian Revival Leaders December 24-26 - Christmas Eve and Christmas December 31 - New Year's Eve
Last updated: Jan 2004
Q8: Is Bulgaria economically and politically stable country?
A8: Bulgaria is an economically stable democratic country. The rate of inflation is low. Local currency is the Lev - 0.50 Euro and is pegged to Euro. A very low crime rate makes it safe for holiday makers, especially families.
Last updated: Mar 2006
Q9: What is the Electricity in Bulgaria?
A9: Electricity is 220 Volts. An adapter or a transformer may be required.
Last updated: Jan 2004
Bulgarian culture, traditions, habits, music and folklore.
The Bulgarian lands have been inhabited by various tribes that have developed a rich and varied culture. Learn more about bulgarian traditions, folklore and festivals. Ask your question about Bulgarian habits and culture.
Pages with Questions - CULTURE AND TRADITIONS: [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]
# 0. What is Lazaruvane?
# 1. What is The festival of roses
# 2. What is Gergyovden (St. George`s Day)
# 3. How bulgarians celabrate Easter?
# 4. What is Baba Marta?
# 5. What is Trifon Zarezan?
# 6. Whats are the public holidays in Bulgaria
# 7. What is tradition for Nikulden?
# 8. What is Kukeri?
# 9. What is Eniovden?
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Q0: What is Lazaruvane?
A0: It is ancient festival of youth and spring. Young women and girls dressed in national costumes with garlands of flowers on their heads visit all the houses in the village, chanting traditional songs, dancing and wishing health, happiness and fertility. Lazarouvane is at 1 April.
Q1: What is The festival of roses
A1: The Festival of Roses is celebrated during the first half of June in the Valley of Roses. Rose picking starts early, before dawn, while the roses are still glistening with dew. The rose petals are picked before sunrise, otherwise the precious fragrance will be lost. Two thousand petals are needed for a single gram of attar of roses. On the international market seventy per cent of rose attar comes from Bulgaria. It is bought by all the famous perfumeries and is an essential component of the best and most expensive perfumes.
Q2: What is Gergyovden (St. George`s Day)
A2: There are a lot of rituals and celebrations, concerning St. George's day (Gergiovden). It is celebrated on the 6th of May, although some calendar changes brought by the Orthodox Church (all dates for celebration of the saints have been changed some time ago).
Saint George the Victorious ("Pobedonosez") was cannonized by the Church because of what he has done. He is usually painted on an icon as riding a white horse, holding a lance in his hand, stabbed in the throat of a beast - the dragon ("lamia"). According to the legend, a dragon used to attack the shepherds and their sheep and each time the dragon used to steal a sheep or a lamb. The shepherds were desperate. Then St. George appeared and killed the dragon. Since that day, the shepherds celebrate St. George everyyear and make a "kurban" - slaughter of a lamb (sacrifice for St. George). In every house of a village, a lamb is slaughtered. Before that some flowers are put on the lamb's horns and even a prayer is read. All village gates (doors) are covered with flowers. Early in the morning, people go to the river to wash themselves. On this days, people has to check their weight ("pretegliam se") - it has been the "only" day of the year when people checked their weight. There has also been a tradition that people goto a swing ("lyulka") on that day.
St. George's day (Gergiovden) has been pronounced (some years after the liberation of Bulgaria) as the day of the Army - the Bravery day. The main Army parade used to take place on this day. Recently, this festivity has been restored.
Q3: How bulgarians celabrate Easter?
A3: The bright red colored egg is the symbol of Easter (or Pascha) for the Orthodox Christians all over the world. The eggs are colored on Holy Thursday after the Divine Liturgy. They are big and small and decorated. The bread is called "kolache" or "kozunak". There is no exact English translation, although the Italian "Panettone" (sold under that name in the USA, for example) tastes somewhat similarly. One of these Easter breads is specially decorated with one or more (but an odd number) of red eggs are incrustate into it. This bread is taken to church on Saturday evening when a special sequence of services takes place: Midnight Office, Rush Procession, Matins & Divine Liturgy. These are actually the services of Great and Holy Pascha (Velikden). After the service the clergy blesses the breads and eggs brought by the people and they take them home. Such breads and eggs are presented not only to the Turkish friends (as mentioned in the old-time description below), but especially to the Spiritual parents (God parents, krustnitcite), to the biological parents, and also to other relatives, friends, etc.
The eggs are cracked after the midnight service and during the next days. One egg is cracked on the wall of the church (and this is the first egg eaten after the long Great Fast). The ritual of cracking the eggs takes place before the Easter lunch. Each person selects his/her egg. Then people take turns tapping their egg against the eggs of others, and the person who ends up with the last unbroken egg is believed to have a year of good luck.
The traditional Orthodox Paschal greeting is: "Christ is Risen!" The answer is: "Indeed He is Risen". This is the greeting during 40 days after Pascha. Also, These greetings are exchanged during the tapping of the eggs, mentioned above: They are repeated 3 times and the actual tapping is after that.
As you can see the Bulgarian Easter traditions are a variant of Orthodox Easter traditions. There could be some unique Bulgarian touches, but a more serious study is needed to identify them.
Q4: What is Baba Marta?
A4: Before the beginning of March each year Bulgarians present to relatives and friends martenitsa (also known in some Bulgarian regions as martenka) - a double red and white tassel - to bring health and happiness. On the first day of March, people in Bulgaria put the martenitsa-s on their clothes or wrists and wish each other health and happiness with "Chestita baba Marta" - (in English, "Happy Grandma Marta"). "Marta" comes from the word for March (Mart) in Bulgarian. This is an ancient Bulgarian (pagan) tradition (well - nobody knows how old but most probably it's more than one thousand years old) and symbolizes the end of the cold winter and the coming of the spring.
Q5: What is Trifon Zarezan?
A5: On February 14 Bulgarians celebrate Trifon Zarezan (Vinegrower's Day), an ancient holiday rite inherited from the Thracians. Dressed in their Sunday-best, vinegrowers prune the vines and sprinkle them with wine for a good harvest. Everyone then gathers for a delicious meal. The day is name day of persons with names Trifon.
Q6: Whats are the public holidays in Bulgaria
A6: The offical holidays are:
January 1 - New Year March 3 - National day of the Liberation from Ottoman Domination
Easter - Two days (Sunday and Monday) according to the Orthodox calendar
May 6 - St. George's Day
May 24 - the Day of Bulgarian Enlightenment and Culture and Slav Script
September 6 - National Day of Bulgaria's Reunion in the year of 1885
September 22 - Independence Day
November 1 - Day of the Bulgarian Revival Leaders
December 24-26 - Christmas Eve and Christmas
December 31 - New Year's Eve
Q7: What is tradition for Nikulden?
A7: Nikulden is "The Day of Saint Nikolas" - a great winter festival celebrated by all Bulgarians on December Sixth. It is the name day for everyone named Nikola, Nikolay, Kolyo, Nikolina, Neno, Nenka, Nikolina or Nina. The traditional Nikulden meal in each household is based upon a fish dish - "ribnik" - a carp in dough - is traditional for the holiday. Carp is regarded as Nikolas' servant. There are also two special loaves of bread. The food is blessed at church or at home before being served. After wafting incense over the food, the host raises the bread high, and breaks it in half. One half he keeps, the other is left on the table. It is on Saint Nikolas' Day that the table is open to all guests and is not cleared before the day is over. On this holiday - relatives, sponsors and neighbours are invited and a big table is sanctified; the feast day ending up in songs and fun.
Q8: What is Kukeri?
A8: In the rural (farming) villages of Bulgaria, the "Kukeri" is a important masked ritual, carried forward from the Thracians. They dance in the last days of the winter, just before nature comes back to life. The esoteric meaning in Kukeri is that through a prayer to the god of vegetation together with magical operations there may be obtained a sympathetic influence over nature using the energy of phallic dances performed within orgiastic rites as well as in the final act of plowing and sowing (which is the same through the direct magical connection phallus-plow / vagina-earth / semen-grain) in order to increase fertility. See more about Kukeri!
Q9: What is Eniovden?
A9: Enyovden (June 24) is a festival connected with the summer solstice. On Midsummer Day the sun was believed to end its journey towards summer and, after giving three jumps, to turn towards winter. There was a popular belief that the herbs gathered on the eve of Enyovden have stronger healing powers than those gathered on any other day of the year, so female herbalists and sorcerers roamed the woods and meadows that night to collect herbs. According to tradition, on Enjovden children and adults roll in dewy fields and have a bath in rivers and brooks in the woods. The women twine flowers and herbs into a wreath and everybody passes through it three times as a ritual for health and fertility.
Q0: Do I need a Visa for visit Bulgaria?
A0: A visa is not required for USA and EU member states citizens for stay up to 30 days. Travelers who intend to stay more than 30 days must secure a Bulgarian visa. Bulgarian visas are issued at the Bulgarian embassies around the world (view addresses of Bulgarian embassies abroad). Travelers of most other nationalities are issued visas. The fees depend on the type of visa - transit, tourist or business.
Q1: Why should I choose Bulgaria?
A1: Bulgaria offers an astonishing array of landscapes, flora and fauna, recreational activities and wildlife. You will discover the magnificent beaches - the numerous ski resorts - the characteristic villages and fascinating architecture - the natural spas and treatment centres - and not to forget: the delicious food!
Q2: How long are the flights from UK to Bulgaria?
A2: Regular direct flights (approximately 3 hours) from UK major airports (London, Birmingham, Manchester and East Midlands) are available. The costs of flights are going down all the time due to the increased demand in the past 2 years. A good travel agent will help you to select the best available flight to suit your time schedule.
Q3: Are credit and debit cards widely used?
A3: No, in big shops and hotels, you would not have a problem paying by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club, Access and Airplus), however in small restaurants and shops it is advisable to have cash in hand.
Q4: What is the distance from London to Sofia?
A4: Distance from London to Sofia is about 2160 km.
Q5: How do I fly to Bulgaria?
A5: Traveling to Bulgaria is easy! International airports are located in Sofia, Varna, Plovdiv and Burgas and connect Bulgaria to the rest of the world. Direct international flights to the capital Sofia are available all year round. Direct charter flights to the Black Sea (Varna/Burgas) are available during the spring/summer months and can be booked through local travel agents. Travelling time from London to Sofia is 2 hours 30 minutes.
Q6: How is the climate in Bulgaria?
A6: The country benefits from a temperate continental climate with clearly marked four seasons. A mild Mediterranean influence is felt in the more southerly regions and the Black Sea coast with average summer temperatures of 80+ degrees (fahrenheit) and an average of 1700 sunshine hours from May to October. Winters can be cold in other parts of the country, hence its popularity as a destination for skiers.
Q7: Is the address registraion necessary for the foreigners that visit Bulgaria?
A7: Foreigners visiting Bulgaria must register their address with local authorities within 24 hours of arrival, unless staying at a hotel where registration is done automatically. If you intend to remain in Bulgaria longer than three months, you must apply for a residence permit from the local police office.
Q8: Where it is possible to exchnage money in Bulgaria?
A8: Money can be exchanged safely at most banks and also at reputable exchange bureaus. Hotels and airports tend to give less favorable rates. Exchange bureaus are no longer allowed to charge a commission for money exchange, so check this first. Never change money with anyone who stops you on the street and offers you a better rate.
Q9: Can I use Traveller's cheques in Bulgaria?
A9: Yes. Traveller's cheques must be cashed at banks and most of them charge a commission
Q0: What is the bulgarian cuisine?
A0: Bulgarian food is close to traditional European cuisine. A traditional Bulgarian menu includes bread, yogurt and fresh milk, cheese, tomatoes, paprika, potatoes, onions, beans and fruits, grappa and red or white wine.
Q1: What is Kiselo mlyako (yogurt)?
A1: Kisselo mliako is known as yogurt. The yoghurt originally comes from Bulgaria? It is particular variety produced by the Lactobacterium Bulgaricum bacteria. It grows no place else in the world. Yoghurt ("kiselo mlyako" - literally meaning sour milk) has found an important part in many Bulgarian foods. Bulgarians are also fond of "Ajran" a beverage of water mixed with yoghurt. Yoghurt can be purchased in many different grades and qualities, each characteristic of the quality of the milk to which the bacteria culture has been added. Yogurt junkies, this is your promised land - the quality, taste and choices for yogurt you'll find in Bulgaria are unsurpassed!
Do not forget to try it when you visit the country. Ask for kiselo mliako.
Q2: What is White cheese?
A2: Bulgarian White Cheese - a particular variety of the increasingly-popular Greek Feta cheese now popular in many places. It originated on the Balkan Peninsula in a region called Trakia, which is the current day Southern Bulgaria. This Bulgarian sirene has much the same texture as the Greek feta. It is a brined cheese, produced from sheep or cows milk, and is both used on the table and as an essential part of other foods from Shopska Salad to Banitza. Feta Cheese is produced in many different countries, but it is widely known that Bulgarian-made Feta is the best!
Q3: What is Kashkaval?
A3: Another common Bulgarian cheese is Yellow Cheese or "Kashkaval". This hard yellow table cheese, made of sheep's milk, may otherwise be called "The Cheddar Cheese of the Balkans". It is frequently served as "fried cheese" .The Kashkaval (Kashkaval Pane) is especially good when freshly breaded (dipped in egg then rolled in bread crumbs) and deep-fried. You'll find it's not gooey and much more flavorful than mozzarella.
Q4: What are most popular bulgarian spices?
A4: Chubritsa - this plant, which botanists claim to be a species of the herb Satureia hortensis appears to grow particularly well upon Bulgarian soil. It also shares certain characteristics with Oregano (Origanum vulgare). The dried leaves are crushed and sprinked on top of soups in the last few minutes of cooking or ground into a fine powder and used on bread like butter.
Parsley - This is probably the most widely used spice in Bulgaria since ancient times. Its leaves are applied fresh or dried to flavour and add vitamins to soups, broth and main courses, as an ingredient of vegetable preserves, or to decorate salads, roasted meat or fish in all seasons.
Thyme - It is also called "granny's soul" or "shepherd's basil". Fresh or dried, it is used for seasoning meat and vegetable dishes or soups, and bean, pea or bread-bean stews, and sauces; Thyme is also added to salads and pickles.
Onion - While some dieticians consider it to be a spice, others do not. In either case, it is worth mentioning that onions are grown everywhere in Bulgaria and are widely applied in Bulgarian cookery. The onion stimulates our appetite and secretion of gastric juices. The onion is used in the preparation of salads, sauces, stews, vegetable and meat dishes, preserves. Fresh onion is a basic ingredient of many salads.
Q5: Bulgarian bread
A5: Bread is the most important mainstay of the Bulgarian diet and is eaten with every meal. Bulgarians consume more bread than the people in the neighboring countries - more than 10 kg per person monthly. Most commonly seen is the shops is bread like the one pictured below. The crisp, thin outer crust is cracked in places on top and nearly glistens; inside is of a coarse yet soft, white texture. Of course many other styles and types of bread are to be found - including whole-wheat and pre-sliced.
Q6: What is Rakia?
A6: Rakia is bulgarian brandy, the national drink; often quite strong; grape is most common, there are fruit varieties.
Q7: Is the alcohol expensive?
A7: No. Typical prices:
1 bottle of table wine - 80 pence
1 bottle of quality wine - ?2.50
1 pint of beer - 40 pence
Q8: Bulgarian wine?
A8: Bulgaria is a renowned producer and exporter of wine to more than 70 countries in the world. On the territory of Bulgaria there are 12 wineries producing a variety of excellent wines.
Last updated: Aug 2007
Q9: Which are the wine regions in Bulgaria?
A9: Bulgaria can be geographically divided into five wine producing regions - Northern, Eastern, Sub Balkan, Southern and South Western. Each one of those has its own distinct features and peculiarities and is somewhat different from the rest.
Last updated: Aug 2007
Q0: What are the people like?
A0: Hot blooded and emotional. Normal and different. In big cities you will find many stressed and hard working people while outside the Matrix you can enjoy contacts with friendly and welcoming people.
After the post-socialism changes about 1 million (the population of Bulgaria is 8 million) mostly young and skillful people immigrated to western world and richer countries. Some remained but few returned bringing investments and ideas. Many of the people who remained (mostly middle age and older) were disappointed from the changes and big part of them still lives quite poor life. In order to survive many people returned back to nature and in countryside you can still see people using horses for pulling carts or digging the ground, picking up herbs and developing alternative and traditional medicine (because of the costly and not trusted medical treatment), destiling alcohol from the wine or fruits they produced... The wild spirit in mountain areas still resists the globalization.
Q1: What is the population and Population growth rate of Bulgaria?
A1: The population is about 7,450,400 (July 2005 est.) and growth rate is 0.89% (2005 est.)
Last updated: Oct 2005
Q2: What is the age structure of bulgarian population?
A2: 0-14 years: 14.1% (male 539,005/female 512,762)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 2,516,368/female 2,599,524)
65 years and over: 17.2% (male 531,008/female 751,682) (2005 est.)
Last updated: Oct 2005
Q3: What is the Bulgarian Median age?
A3: total: 40.66 years
male: 38.59 years
female: 42.66 years (2005 est.)
Last updated: Oct 2005
Q4: What is Bulgaria Sex ratio?
A4: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Last updated: Oct 2005
Q5: What are the bigest religions in Bulgaria?
A5: Predominantly religion is Eastern Orthodox. The Bulgarian Church is autonomous and headed by a Patriarch
allocation of relligions: Bulgarian Orthodox 83.8%, Muslim 12.1%, Roman Catholic 1.7%, Jewish 0.8%, Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other 1.6% (1998)
Last updated: Oct 2005
Q6: What is Bulgaria HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate?
A6: It is less than 0.1% - note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)
Last updated: Oct 2005
Q7: The number of people living with HIV/AIDS in Bulgaria?
A7: 346 (2001 est.)
Last updated: Dec 2004
Q8: Literacy of bulgarian people?
A8: Age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.6% male: 99.1% female: 98.2% (2003 est.)
Q9: What is Suffrage margin for Bulgaria?
A9: 18 years of age
Last updated: Oct 2005
Q0: What is the first official match of Bulgarian national football team?
A0: First official match of national football team is against Austria on May 21 1924 at the Olympic Games in Paris. Bulgaria lose 0-6.
Q1: What is the bigest win of Bulgarian national football team?
A1: Biggest wins:
7-0 against Norway in 1957 in Sofia
7-0 against Malta in 1982 in Sofia
Q2: What is the biggest loss of Bulgarian national football team?
A2: The biggest loss is with 0-13 against Spain on May 21 1933 in Madrid.
Q3: Who is the leader of Bulgarian national volleyball team now?
A3: Now (2005) the leader of the team is Plamen Konstantinov.
Q4: What are the Honours of the national football team?
A4: WC '94: fourth place
WC '86: quarter-finals
Euro '68: fifth place in the unofficial tables
age to 21 Euro '59, age to 21 Euro '69, age to 21 Euro '74: winners
age to 21 Euro '77, age to 21 Euro '79: second place
Olympic Games '68: second place
Olympic Games '56: third place
Balkan cup '32, '35, and '76: winners
Q5: What is the biggest Bulgarian football team derby?
A5: The eternal Bulgarian team derby is FC Levski against FC CSKA.
Q6: Who is the last Football player of the year in Bulgaria?
A6: Football player of the year 2004 is Dimitar Berbatov
Q7: What world records have Bulgaria in athletics?
A7: Bulgaria held two world records in women athletics (20/08/2005):
- high jump women - Stefka Kostadinova, 209cm, Rome, 30.08.1987
- 100m hurdles - Yordanka Donkova, 12.21 sec, 21.08.1988
Q8: Chess terms in Bulgarian?
A8: pawn - PESHKA (the word is derived from "PESHAK" = "infantry soldier")
bishop - OFITSER ("officer")
knight - KON ("horse")
queen - DAMA ("lady") or TSARITSA ("queen")
king - TSAR ("tsar/king")
rook - TOP ("cannon")
mate - MAT
stalemate - PAT
draw - REMI
(by Dragomir R. Radev)
Q9: Are there any golf courses?
A9: Yes. There are some golf clubs (and some in process of building)
- Ihtiman Golf Club
- Silven Silven Golf Club
- Razgrad Golf Club
- St. Sofia Golf Club
June 30, 2006
Bulgarian Impressions
I'm actually not sure what the date is. It could be June 29. Anyway, I'm in Sofia, Bulgaria, about to make my second Sci Fi Network movie. My first, Alien Apocalypse, was the highest-rated original movie ever for Sci Fi. Given this, I'm now working for 25% less money than the last time. Why? Because I need the job, that's why. I haven't made any films in the two years since the last film. I'm not just broke; I'm so far in the hole that my fee on this film won't even come close to bailing me out. So, I absolutely need the money. And since I do, I'm sort of willing to put up with more shit than I usually would. Or I think I would.
So, here I am in an apartment in the heart of downtown Sofia, slightly cooking in the heat-it's pretty darn hot and humid here in the summer and this apartment has no AC, as most places here don't. I'm only slightly cooking because the sun is finally starting to go down at 7:30, although it won't be all the way down until nearly 10:00. Anyway, this apartment is located right across the street from a small park, or "garden," as they say, and it's so different than America that I feel I need to write about it.
Every sort of Bulgarian is represented there: old folks, young people, couples with little kids, loners, film directors from Detroit (although I'll bet money I was the only one of those). Many people were sitting at the center of the garden drinking beer, sold from a small stand that also sold French fries and plates piled with some sort of stinky little gray fried fish, sort of like herring or smelts, I suppose, although I haven't yet tried them. Many people were drinking beer: either Kaminitza, Zagorska, or Apuaha. I personally prefer the Kaminitza, which I'm drinking right now. Next I'd take the Apuaha. The Zagorska has a metallic aftertaste, sort of like St. Pauli Girl.
It seems to me that most Bulgarians over a certain age, say 35 or 40, frown all the time. Life just seems like a bitch to them, or at least that's how I read their expressions. It's like they've seen communism, and now they've seen capitalism, and they're not impressed with either one. Both systems have failed them, left them impoverished and unfulfilled, and are worthy of nothing but bitter disdain and disappointment. But I could be wrong. Maybe they're all constipated.
The younger folks laugh and scream and party, and are probably no different than young Americans, or most young Europeans, anyway. The young folks seem to pay absolutely no attention the grimacing older folks, and why should they? The old people don't understand the modern world and have nothing to say that's worth listening to anyway.
I went out last night with two of the make-up gals who worked on Alien Apocalypse, Janna and Petya. I met them at J.J. Murphy's Irish Pub, my old hangout located directly across the street from the apartment where I previously stayed. Anyway, this was my first time venturing out of the neighborhood where I'm staying now, and not only did I have no idea where I was going, I had even
Not Klingon.
less idea how to get back. So I took a small pad and a pen and copied down the name on the street sign on the corner, as well as the street sign on the main street nearby. Writing these street names out in Cyrillic was like trying to write in Chinese or Klingon.
J.J. Murphy's turned out to be exactly the wrong place to go at this moment because it's soccer headquarters in Sofia (or "football," as they say), and the World Cup matches were on-Germany versus Argentina-and the folks in the pub were hollering at the very top of their lungs at everything, goals, blocks, cool moves, commercials, you name it.
Getting there wasn't easy, either. No Bulgarian cab drivers speak any English at all. The name "J.J. Murphy's" probably sounds like "Goo-goo-gajoob" to their ears, and the second they realize they're dealing with someone who is too stupid to speak Bulgarian they just drive off. After this occurred three times, and it also happened to be about 90 degrees and 90% humidity out, I was starting to panic and was schvitzing like I was in a sauna. I finally remembered the name of the main street near Murphy's, and also that there was one of Sofia's few Dunkin Donuts on that corner. I said to the next cab driver, "Dunkin' Donuts on Vitoshka." He thought about that for a long moment, put it slowly through his translation program, repeated back, "Dunkin' Donuts Vitoshka," I nodded and said, "Yes," he nodded and off we went. And indeed that's where he took me, then it was easy finding Murphy's.
Even though I didn't stop sweating like a pig for the next hour, Janna and Petya thought I was an absolute scream, laughing until their faces hurt. We couldn't see the big-screen TV from where we were sitting, but every time the crowd cheered for anything, so did I, yelling shit like, "Yay, we're winning!"
Janna and I took the same cab back. With her onboard it seemed like a ten times shorter cab ride, as though the driver on the way there had taken me on the scenic route. I must admit that back when I was a cab driver I did the same thing to foreigners a few times.
There's all this banging and smashing going on directly outside my door in the second floor landing. I stepped outside barefoot to see what's up and a guy is breaking a sheet of glass into small pieces. He must be a glazier fixing a window, but being barefoot seemed like exactly the wrong way to approach the situation, so I retreated.
Also last night, after I got home, first it started to rain, then it began to hail. Soon hail was coming down the size of acorns, battering the windows so hard I thought it would surely break them, but it didn't. It was actually sort of frightening for a minute. I found out later this was not a normal occurrence for Sofia.
Bulgarian for thank you is blogadoria (or something near to that), although when I say it Bulgarians have no idea what I'm saying. Last time I was here, Bruce and I turned it into "Glob-a-dog-poo," which amused us then, and still amuses me now.
I've also come up with my own Bulgarian song-"dah" is yes and "ney" is no, based on the Police song, "Doo Doo Doo, Dah, Dah, Dah, That's All I want to Say to You," that goes, "Dah, Dah, Dah, Ney, Ney, Ney, That's all I want to say, say, say." It's infantile, but still amuses me.
What I really need is a map of Sofia with my street corner circled, which I could then show to anyone, including knuckleheaded cab drivers. In lieu of that, though, I just used the Davy Crockett method of not getting lost in a big city-the method he used when he first went to Baltimore, having never been in any kind of city before-which is to only walk in a straight line, then follow that same line home. I was looking for a change place to get some Bulgarian currency, the leva, for my dollars, but none of them were open, it being Sunday. So instead I bought another big plastic 2 liter bottle of Kaminitza beer, plus I still have half a big bottle of Apuaha ("Maha," "Ah-ha!"), so I can certainly get smashed. Not to mention that there's a beer garden located right across the street where they sell beer, French fries, and those stinky little fish in piles on styrofoam plates. The stray cats seem to love them. The fish are called "Za-za."
In the garden, or park, as we'd say, they rent little plastic electric cars for small kids to drive around the park. Each time I see a four or five-year-old kid go driving by with a serious expression on their face, I think, "They must warn them not to leave the park and go into the street when they set off," but I just bet they don't. Everywhere but America they simply trust that you probably have a minute amount of common sense.
They have stores here all over the place here in Sofia that are basement windows in buildings at ground level. To do business with them you must get down on your knees.
There are stray dogs and cats all over the city. They must not have any sort of animal control or humane society. I saw a little kitten in the garden with the same markings as my cat Anna-all black with a white spot on her neck. Today I saw the same kitten six blocks away on a main street. Animals can clearly learn to function in a big city and cross with the lights.
The serious expressions on most Bulgarian's faces I personally find somewhat disconcerting. I passed a middle-aged woman just now who seemed like she was right on the verge of tears. And nobody looks at anyone else. Since I always look at everybody, that makes me seem strange. I must seem strange anyway because I find people looking at me. In the past week I've checked my fly ten times to make sure it wasn't open, and thankfully it hasn't been, so far.
With almost no hope of striking up a conversation with anyone, since no one speaks any English at all, I'm highly unmotivated to hang out in the beer garden, which really seems like my kind of place. Everything new has its own brand new aspect of ironic torture.
I've called nearly everybody I know, and spoken to almost no one. The time difference is particularly difficult. Bulgaria is seven hours ahead of the Eastern Time Zone, where I live; and it's ten hours ahead of the Pacific Time Zone, where the people with whom I'm working live. And I can make as many international calls as I want just so long as I use this service called Digitel. Big deal. And there's the free international phone service, Skype, which I've used exactly once. It is cool, though.
Let's just shoot this goddamn movie already!
Kes, the production designer, has ridiculed my fantasy of moving to Amsterdam, like if I wasn't a pothead obviously Bulgaria would be a better place to live (although when I offered as a second choice Barcelona, she smiled and nodded in agreement). Anyway, she's wrong about Amsterdam. Yes, it's kinda sorta like Sofia in that it's an old European city with a café culture, but Amsterdam is way livelier; far more exciting; and 99% more upbeat. No, the Dutch aren't the funniest or the friendliest people in the world, but they're the fucking life of the party compared to the Bulgarians. And it's the only place I've ever been where I don't feel paranoid at all. But in a place like this beer garden across from me, were it in Amsterdam, there would definitely be street performers, buskers, and that's a huge difference right there; as opposed to a bunch of people drinking, smoking and frowning, and serious-looking toddlers driving around in circles in little plastic cars.
In an apartment across the street a bunch of guys are blasting Bulgarian music and are loudly and passionately singing along. Could it be because it's the Fourth of July? I doubt it.
I enjoy the fact that there is so little awareness of the USA here. They know what's going on, but it's nowhere near their top priority. Mention of America seemingly brings on a level of incredulousness to most Bulgarians. Americans have become inscrutable, the way the Japanese used to be viewed by Americans during World War II.
And so far I have not found one Bulgarian who believes that Ronald Reagan had the slightest little thing to do with the fall of communism, a belief my dear old dad holds firmly. I enjoy tormenting him with the ongoing results my poll.
I also like the fact that the image of Che Guevara is truly ubiquitous. My driver, Ivo, said that the most iconoclastic images he could think of were Che and James Dean: one a rebel with a cause, the other without.
So, today was the day when UFO, the film facility, became aware of the film Stan Lee's The Harpies, which begins shooting in just under two weeks (thirteen days, actually). And they're still shooting Lake Placid 2 until next Monday. But at least I had activity in and around my office today. And finally other people took up the inquiry into, "What do these harpies look like?" Excellent question. The really cool big museum, Boyana, won't let us shoot there. C'est la vie, although it was a terrific location. Yet I somehow knew as we looked at it that they wouldn't let us shoot there, it was just too nice. Actually, they would let us shoot there, but for a lot more money. [They finally did let us shoot there].
I went into a little store and asked for some Victory cigarettes, the most popular brand of Bulgarian cigarettes. The man behind the counter, who obviously didn't speak any English at all, immediately got angry and shooed me out of the store like I was a panhandling bum. Man oh man, not even Korean, Pakistani or Arab store owners in America would do that. There's a real pissed-off, angry streak in these Bulgarians.
I've been getting take-out Chinese food at a little place nearby, run by a middle-aged Bulgarian woman who speaks no English, but is actually sort of friendly. My purchase came to just over five leva and I gave her a ten, which completely freaked her out. She had to go next door to the flower shop to get change. This was at 8:30 PM. Was that her first sale of the day? I doubt it. These people would rather take less than the item costs than have to make change. And cab drivers simply won't make change at all. What a place!
But I just bet that all the Bulgarian kids will be able to speak English. The cartoon channel here, Jetix, is all in English, even though it's all Japanese anime´.
Every other TV channel has people dressed up in local native garb singing and dancing to Bulgarian folk songs. Then there's another channel that's entirely programmed with cheap documentaries about what a great place Bulgaria is. From it's mountains to it's seas . . .
So Pirates of the Caribbean 2 beat Spiderman's opening day record. Nothing lasts forever, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Sorry, Sam. Still, holding the record for five years is pretty fucking amazing.
Oh, yeah, and POC 2 also has almost the exact same poster as Thou Shalt Not Kill . . . Except, with a skull wearing a red bandana.
I went to J.J. Murphy's again last night and saw the same stray Doberman that was there two years ago. My driver, Ivo, who's also the location manager (by default), says that the same stray dog has been in front of his apartment for thirteen years, and it's mother was there for eight years before that.
It just occurred to me last night that Sam is making a film based on a Stan Lee character, Spiderman, and I'm making Stan Lee's The Harpies. The only difference is that Sam's film is 100 times more expensive than mine. Undoubtedly, though, both films will be equally as stupid.
After three weeks here in Bulgaria I'm growing very weary of the whole damn thing. It's a drag never understanding what anyone is saying, and I find it a bit disturbing that they are constantly lapsing in Bulgarian around me, which may very well be because they're more comfortable speaking their own language, but I can't help but suspect that they're at least occasionally talking derogatorily about me, or about Americans in general.
Meanwhile, I can't smoke anymore of these fucking horrible Bulgarian cigarettes. I might very well be having the same reaction to smoking American "tailor-mades" (as they call them in New Zealand) like Marlboros or Camels. I feel like I can smoke as many American Spirit cigarettes as I want since they have no chemicals in them, and not spend my first half hour every morning coughing like 90-year-old cancer patient.
I completed my first week of shooting. I just walked across "the garden" or park, as we'd call it, to go to the nearest big market. "Big" meaning it's not a corner cigarette and liquor store, many of which can't hold three people at the same time. But this store is about the size of an American liquor store, yet has a bit of everything, including vegetables and fruit and freshly baked bread (which gives it a delicious aroma), but is so small that they only have kiddy-sized shopping carts for everybody. Most things you can just tell what they are by looking at them-a loaf of bread, cheese, beer, bottled water-but some things like salt and sugar, unless there's a graphic illustration, like a spoonful of whatever it is over a steaming cup of coffee, I'm fucked. I finally found a Turkish brown sugar that had the aforementioned graphic and sighed in relief. I like brown sugar better anyway since it's not bleached.
The fact that I generally spend between 20-30 leva apparently makes me one of the very big shoppers they ever see. Most people seemed to be buying two things, like a tomato and a bar of soap, or a small container of yogurt and an apple. Undoubtedly this is because they're poor. As I walked back across the garden heading home, carrying four overstuffed plastic bags, containing, among other things: a half gallon of orange juice, three bottles of Kaminitza beer, as well as a two-gallon plastic bottle of water, and my shoulders and arms were straining with the somewhat heavy load, I could see people on the park benches eyeing me suspiciously, and it seemed to me they were thinking, "Why would he need so much stuff? What's wrong with him?" Also, you know you need to buy bottled water and not drink tap water when the poorest people you see are buying bottled water.
When I go to the grocery store back in the USA, I generally spend about $50 US dollars, which would be about 75 leva. If I spent that much here everybody in the store would have dropped dead from heart attacks.
But what's really cool here in Bulgaria is that, just like all the rest of the places I've been to in Europe, women walk arm in arm, young and old, and I just like seeing it. Also, here in Bulgaria you can still pet and mess up the hair of any cute little kid that passes by and not be thought of as a pervert, and people are constantly doing it. I haven't had the guts yet myself, but I kind of always want to when I see a particularly cute little kid. In America I'd never even consider it.
I completed the shoot and I'm back home, but I haven't yet cleared my head of Bulgaria. Here is the Bulgarian character in a nutshell: the first time you ask for anything their response is, "It's impossible." When you ask again, the response is an impatient, "Of course," which is then promptly ignored. The third time you must yell it at them and then they'll begrudgingly do it.
Oh, and the odor in the apartment building's lobby just smelled like eastern Europe to me. It was a combination of boiled cabbage, cooking pork, and garbage. To me it smelled like Communism.
The lock on the door of my apartment was a complicated system. It took three full turns of the key to send two bolts into the floor, two bolts into the ceiling, and two more into the lock itself. It seemed like the sort of lock Charlton Heston would have in The Omega Man to keep out the zombie vampires.
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