Dear Nevyana

We had a wonderful holiday in Bulgaria. It is a beautiful country.  The car was very good – especially with all the pot holes!! And very convenient. We find the driving skills of Bulgarians somewhat frightening – overtaking on a solid white line or round a corner but fortunately they did not hit us!!

The wine was wonderful and for us quite cheap. The food also good – we missed lamb and beef and also found that there is not a big variety in vegetables. However, the food was very good value for money.

The hotels were fine. The location of hotel Niki in Sofia very good and a wonderful little garden in the back en we also enjoyed a nice evening meal there.  Breakfast big variety.  The rooms very clean.  IN Plovdiv in hotel "Dafi" the staff was especially friendly. Also nice clean room and location very good. They are building next door – so maybe noisy for others, did not worry us. Then in Sozopol the List hotel – fantastic with balcony and sea views, big variety of food for breakfast, wonderful location and a real holiday atmosphere. We loved the place. Then at Varna the villa was very interesting with small balcony (to share with other room). However, not near to beach – cannot walk because it is high up in the park. But we are glad that we were not in Duchesse – the location is almost adjacent with the main road and it may be very noisy – also far from sea.  The atmosphere at the villa was wonderful – with cherry trees, plum trees, friendly staff- however they do not understand English – and cats – and a very large room.  Breakfast was only coffee and jam and bread – quite different from the other hotels! Lovely swimming pool in back garden. Then we went to Balchik in Holiday Beach hotel – also nice and clean, but as you know with no balcony and no view what so ever at the back.  We met a nice gentleman who works there – his name is Nicky. The breakfast was wonderful and again it is very good value for money.  It rained quite a lot during the second week of our holiday which was a pity. We drove around a lot – went to Dobrich , Sveti Konstantin, Albena.  The Rila monastery was fantastic. The highlight for us was an opera in the amfi theatre in Plovdiv. Our last stop at Velinko Tarnovo was probably not the best. But it was very hot there and after the relaxing atmosphere at the sea resorts, it was different to be in a busy city.  The room of this guest house is very big, and the location good but very noisy. One night there would have been enough. We have beautiful photo’s to show our friends and they are all very exited about your country.  It was sometimes difficult to find our way the language, but it was part of the fun to explore and then afterwards reward ourselves with your wonderful local beer!