WE FOUND SNOW IN BULGARIA.

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BOROVETS

After the diappointment of Christmas Day, due to the lack of snow on Mount Vitosha, we were determined to find some nearby mountains to carve up.

So with the help of the hotel staff, a lot of phone calls and a good K1W1 organising committee, we were able to charter a bus, a driver and a local travel guide/ hotel receptionist/ expert snowboarder (thrown in for free) for the 17 of us.

We managed to organise a total of 4 days on the slopes - all at Borovets. Borovets is the oldest mountain resort in Bulgaria, dating back to 1896, with the highest pistes at 2600m. It would have been a disappointing trip if we hadn't found any snow, as about 80%!o(MISSING)f Bulgaria is made up of mountains.

Although due to the bad snow season throughout Europe, Borovets only had about 30cm of snow, just enough to open a few runs to play on and make a few snowmen!! So with only a few runs open it was a choice between the extreme beginners slopes and the "you better learn quickly or die" slopes. Choosing the later it was a steep learning curve to match the steep slope, so as they say you learn from your mistakes and by the end I had learnt a lot!!!!! The great thing about being at Borovets was, not only did we get to enjoy the snowboarding and skiing we were also treated to some of the most spectacular views that Bulgaria has to offer.

As well as tackling the slopes we also got to wander around the alpine village and take in the local culture. So much so that, one of the K1W1 girls had even found a future husband!!! After a few trips to a particular restaurant for lunch etc, the owner of the restaurant who was there working every day (a middle aged, very large, round, extremely happy man), took a liking to Selena and kept giving her free meals, drinks etc. Every time we would walk past, he would run out of his restaurant and want to give her a hug and take her into his restaurant and feed her. He would always tell her how beautiful she was and that she would make him a very happy man if she could be his wife!!! Poor Selena, she would get very embarassed, but of course the group would go along with it and speak on her behalf, telling him that she also liked him very much. He he - it was very amusing.

Somehow after the 4th day of skiiing and snowboarding 17 aussies and kiwis had returned to our hotel with all our limbs attached and working as they should be. How we managed to have a 100% success rate, I still do not know, but we did.

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Photos

Local Restaurant.
Where Selena was wooed by Danny the owner.

Snowboarding
Checking out the beginners slopes at the top.

Parko on his way down
Dean heads down the mountain infront of an awsome view.

Rosen and the Boys
Rosen (hotel reception desk assistant) in the grey Burton gear came free with the Bus. He ended up being our guide, interpretor and Snowboard instructor.
He was great to have around.

Comments

[Mum]

Christmas was white after all.
Good to hear you all had a great time in Bulgaria, without any mishaps. Scenery must have been fantastic. Lots of love, Mum. XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

[Lee Kennedy]

Wow!
Looks good. Looks cold. But looks good. Lee.

[Kerin & Jenny]

Pictures were great, looks like you had a ball..