http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Bulgaria/East/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Europe , Bulgaria , East en-us Wed, 15 Oct 2008 22:16:00 BST Wed, 15 Oct 2008 22:16:00 BST Since my last blog I have had the pleasure of JJ staying over to try and buy a house in the countryside.I am pleased to report that this was accomplished along with another for Clinotherm.We also had time to visit Balchik and this time saw a snake in the walls and lizards and butterflies and frogs the next day at Yunets. So a great time was had by all. Subsequently the car threw another problem y http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Varna/blog-329988.html I wouldn't make a good hobo. I'm not addicted to crack I haven't got a beard and I have trouble enough sleeping in hostel beds especially if the pillows are too big. So managing to get an hour's shuteye on the floor of a Bulgarian railway station with prostitutes and other undesirable characters roaming around nearby surprised me.It had been none of our intentions to spend the night on the har http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Varna/blog-329424.html Well this is the first day I feel sane and in control of my destiny The weather has been superbif anything too hot so all visitors ' sunny holidays satisfied. Also Mata and georgie can not stop telling people about my delightful family.You all made a great hit in this camp However having done its duty the weather has now turned to sporadic rain and overcast but is still too hot to be genuinel http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Boyana/blog-323771.html Well we had 3 weeks in the resort of Sunny Beach staying in a gorgeous studio apartment which cost us less per night than camping in Bohinj about 15 mins drive from the mayhem of Sunny Beach resort. We had it all... glorious weather up to 37 degrees one day more swimming pools than we could ever hope to swim in including the wave pool that our studio overlooked a balcony with a fabulous http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Burgas/blog-321874.html Just re read last blog. Sorry that it has been so long since my last update but despite the fact that i'd a lovely visit in Plymouthenjoyable visit to Koln zoo and still arrived at Romanian border in two days yet again disaster struck in Romania.Originally my fault when after a tortous time in the dark negotiating road repairs to E70 and numerous traffic light controlled stops I guess I relaxe http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Boyana/blog-309682.html It's been three months since I've arrived in Bulgaria. Now in the comfort of my apartment overlooking the Black Sea and the ever so glorious Helios Bay I write about the journey I have traveled up until this point. I am coming to grips with the Cyrillic tongue faster than I ever imagined sometimes finding Bulgarian at the tip of my tongue before even breeding an English thought. Such is nove http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Nesebar/blog-298523.html The 28th of June 2008844 AMSomewhere over Bulgar305aIve g305t f305rty f305ve m305nutes t305ll the planes expected arr305val 305n Istanbul so Id thought Id copy out some Turk305sh words and phrases I'll be us305ng304yi gnler Good dayHelloAdimiz he Whats your nameBen305m Ad305m My nameMerhabahelloNas305l305sm305zHow are youTe351ekr e http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/blog-296666.html Once again sitting at the top of the village to get signal Leaving for england on Sat. Car went through yet another clutch repair although this time I got relayed to varna and hopefully I think I found the right garage at last.Not counting chickens again but if it survives to Eng then I might be able to relax.Put 4 new summer tyres on got brakes checked.All OK and handbrake tightened up.So shoul http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Boyana/blog-280820.html It wasn't until a friend contacted me to see if I was OK that i realised it had been 6 wks since last communication. Got 200Lv off car repair as they said that part looked reasonable first time so to save money700Lv for this part they sent me out without it. Total cost 500Lv incl service and German maanufactured part .Now going superbly and taking over as workhorse from caravanna with the excep http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Boyana/blog-268862.html Just as I thought things had settled well I found that my expensive clutch had started to slip already as a result i am having to loose the car for 2 days while it is sorted. Yesterday went to garage with meta and daughter for support re unacceptability and in 2 hours when I go back today to leave it I have the unenviable prospect of trying to get dogmatic re free repair.They have already start http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Boyana/blog-255681.html With the houses and myself on mend I belatedly turned my attention to Bottiemade especially important at the first hint of pungent smell from flowers on porch He has got himself linked with the other look alike female M's and I am just hoping that it's at the just good friends stage or it will be like locking the stable doorAnyway I have just come from the vet's in Dobrich and I will co http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Dobrich/blog-250218.html So to continue.As you know the winter weather had arrived in style on my return thus cramping my actions to a degree.However nowalthough some roads still have snow verges most of the land is clear.I just have 2 small pockets remaining at boyana both houses. There is a minor trickle emanating from groundfloor new shower tap installation that I intend to get fixed and No 24 had to have a new wat http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Boyana/blog-243412.html Can't believe how long since the last blog.1st thing is rest of journey with motor uneventful except for trying to get through Romania.heavy fog and poor roads conspired to make an o'nite necessary as I chose to follow main road rather than go to Vidin.Never again will I use Ruse crossing. Arriving back in Bulgaria I was immediately aware that fog was still persisting and that they had had heavy s http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Boyana/blog-236731.html On way home wind got up to storm force rocking van then joined by snowsleet.So much for getting home before the men left However on way to Krumevo after negotiating awful traffic jams I was being flagged down by van in front with hazards on.Katastroph was all he was saying and though he didn't recognise me I reckonised him as deputy foreman and realised that van was worker's on way to pick up a http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Boyana/blog-217151.html Well now guess have a new tutor and today was reasonably productive.Builders going on OK but am glad that I have till Fri to assimilate new vocab.More egs of akward way text is set out.About 4 classes ago learnt left was' lyavo'phonicsturn left otlyavo no today I found to goturn left is nalyavo Very confusing and unsettling.Really could do with a text written from an English speaking p http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Boyana/blog-217102.html Well bath was delivered as planned and lesson went ok despite lack of managing to revise the verbs in the vocab.Then found that tutor would be away for 8 days but hopefully ring today and check if he was in. Went to office to let them know and he and staff agreed that rather than wait I should go on Weds and fri for tutor with standin.Reluctantly agreed having thought I would have all the time to http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Varna/blog-217047.html Whilst I took a break from revising I wanted to write this in Boyana .Wouldn't accept password so went into my supergran addres.Never read blogs once on the net but couldn't resist a look over them. Fascinating what you forgetNice to have permanent reminder but in reading them I discovered that i was talking about finishing outstanding building work in Aug.Now late oct and motivated by the nee http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Dobrich/blog-214662.html How to describe the feeling of being back in command I don't know better than the title.With more positive reinforcement from tutor and a lot of dedicated revision i managed to start Lesson Five on Fridaytime. Part of this was the seclusion I got from going to Yunets ThursFriam. Trial run for Bottie being fed by Meta also. Byala beach provided a superb start to my revision as the sun beat do http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Dobrich/blog-213061.html Well do you ever have one of those 'lurid' moments when you wonder what you've done I did yesterday when my 4th Bulgarian lesson came to a blank mind and even those words I had learnt I couldn't recall under questioning Should have one 2morowutre but have postponed till Fri to see if 2 extra days revision will get me back on track.Part of the problem is that as my UCHITEL put it we are ent http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Dobrich/blog-211730.html Okay so whilst leaving Romania I found myself in the same cabin as two American guys and one Romanian. One of the American guys was really nice and relaxed but the other one was quite irritating to be honest. Anyway it turned out that the annoying one was going to the same place as I was Veliko Tarnavo whilst everyone else was heading to Istanbul. Eventually the conductor moved the annoying http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Varna/blog-206112.html Well haven't cracked the photos situation yet but other things of significance have happened.Firstly I am enrolling for bulgarian tutoringone on one at the moment For 2 hours each time and 30 sessions overall.Am going to pay the 168Lv for the priviledge today and begin tomorrow. I will be glad of this new skill more especially in dealing with officials and red tape The latest being that my las http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Yunets/blog-206054.html 3rd time lucky as today immigration came good and I now have residency permit for 10 yrsOne major headache disposed of. My last weekend at the new Yunets property was so delightful I'm thinking of going again this weekend.Byala is a lovely town with a good range of shopsnice town square and a beach that has a backdrop of flowstones and stalactites just hanging off the rocks and only 8 miles fro http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Varna/blog-201791.html This phrase applies both physically and metaphorically As regards to the later Immigration I found out yesterdayBday Bulgarian registration day had forgotten to send the statement I made saying I'd found the passport and so application was refused because of 'Invalid passport'. Once she found the form in the office she said she would sort out with sofia but because of nat. hols ThurFri it http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Varna/blog-199472.html Well I have now purchased a master bed for top room and a suite for lounge upstairs.Fortunately there is a 15 day wait before delivery as the builders did not arrive today.I WAITED UNTIL 11 AM THEN LEFT TO GO PICK UP THE REMAINING TABLE AND BENCHES TO JOIN YESTERDAY'S CHAIRS .At least that was the idea. unfortunately altho the van is big enough the doorway is small so the only nonflatpack items I http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Varna/blog-198529.html Well I am typing this in the comfort of my dining room.Still not letting me have boyana in locations so greg it has to stay at moment.Finding the mouse equiv hard to handle otherwise very pleased with set up.Using wireless connection via MTel card.Works anywhere a mobile works. V. convenient partic given country nature of village.From the 59 I will have my residency permission confirmed and hav http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Varna/blog-197421.html Well now on the way to my 3rd property.Tho' not in Balchik area nevertheless it is S. of Varna and about 10 km from Byala resortbeach. 20 mins tops from Varna along main highway. This will become a family investment for the future. More later by way of description when final contract signedprob by start Sept. I have also purchased a 26 flat screen T.V. and satellite package main house a lap http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Varna/blog-195662.html Finally got to Varnathank god the sky cleared up today and its perfect for the beachThe night before was alright as well. Went to the hostel and great people thereA traveller works temp. there and he is cool He brings the guest to all these nice fun places in townFirst we went GoKarting haaa.. 8 of us had a 15min. competition I started in 4th place for test lap..and then when the rea http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Varna/blog-190489.html Not quite sure how things are in news dept as blog seems to have lost 5 entriesSuffice it to say I'll start on the weekend before Sam's arrival and hope that there is not too much repetitionMy warwound on the shinex. flatbacks was really aching so on the 20th I decided to stay at hope for RandR so locked the car Fri night and did not go back to it till Sun am when I decided to check on my em http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Varna/blog-188095.html This entry publicly recovered from database failure. Some content may be lost.Varna CathedralBefore we can begin to talk about Bulgaria and our initial forays into their crazy letters we have to finish off our last day in Turkey and go over the nightmare bus ride that took us to Varna... We had scoped out the area and how to get to the bus station the day before so all went well there. Got our t http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Varna/blog-175488.html Today I got up from the bunk and my leg went from under me in excruciating pain. Reminiscent of the start of original ankle problem.Have tried to work out why now and think it was probablyn as a result of shoeing builder round property walking through the stick soil after the most effective night rains on Weds. Unfortunstely all extra medicines and strappings were removed from the van on Weds so I http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/East/Varna/blog-175167.html