Bulgaria March 25 to April 1, 2018

This time we had to go via Sofia to Sofia to get to Bulgaria. No direct flight from Oslo was possible.

We had agreed in advance with three brokers in the Varna region who would show us several properties that could be of interest to us.

We had been lucky to get in touch with these via Bulgarian acquaintances in Oslo.

We arrived late at about 02.00 and were so lucky to be allowed to spend the night in Sarko’s house in Ravna Pole, where his mother and brother Todor live. Ravno Pole is not too far from the airport and it was good because we were tired.

But finding a stranger’s house in a darkened street was not so easy.
Finally we got in touch with Todor who understands a lot of Norwegian, and it’s amazing what you understand and can do from communication when you use the little you can and body language.

Todor had put out a bottle of rakia, which of course he had made himself. ‘Thontchev Special’ must know.
We took a few drams before we fell asleep and it was good stuff. That man knew his trade. We had not tasted better rakia.

The following morning, Todor arrived with homemade traditional Bulgarian breakfast and coffee. For a service. After breakfast we sat and chatted as best we could. It was very nice to meet Sarko’s mother and brother.

But we had to move on, and the drive to Sunny Beach took about 5-6 hours, where we checked into Hotel Harmony.

But before we checked in we were so curious that we drove straight up to Kozichino to look at the restaurant that was for sale there.

A restaurant far from the highway in the mountains. How is it possible. Are people coming here?

But what we did not show then is that hordes of tourist buses come from Sunny Beach in the summer.

It rained and was muddy everywhere, not a human to see. A shabby donkey that had rolled in the mud was the only sign of life except smoke from some pipes. Skeptical was just the first name right then, but we decided to give the place another chance with Daniela the next day.

It turned out to be a wise choice, because then the weather was much better, people were to see and what a beautiful place. And for a view. Must only be experienced naturally.

On March 27, Daniela and her boss came and picked us up outside the hotel and it did not take many minutes before an SMS ticked in on Roars mobile that there were apartments for sale in Sunny Beach. We were obviously observed when the car of Solymar LTD Properties picked us up.

We had reacted to the fact that those in the hotel looked at us a lot when we ate breakfast. There was probably speculation about what in the world these two are doing here in Sunny Beach out of season.

We do not look like business people either, rather farmers in the city. But we responded nicely to the text message that it was not an apartment we were looking for, but ‘rural properties’

But enough about that. We were on our way to views in Alexandria, Orizare, Gyulyovtsa, Goritsa, Kosharitza and Kozichino.

March 28 we met Dobrinka from LDT properties. By the way, they met strong men, or rather strong women.
Three units. Ladies who were to show us around. Eve was the one who spoke very good English and drove with us.
We started with tours in the village of Yunets and Slaveykovo then on to Pertov Dol, Lyuben, Karavelovo and Botevo.

We had agreed with Venke Aure that we would visit her in Balchik. A new acquaintance via Roger Solbakke. She lives in Oslo and has restored several buildings in her place. We had met her once in Oslo where we found great inspiration in her fantastic project. Hospitable as she is, we stayed with her.
Roger and Luba also came and we ate a good dinner at Venke’s favorite restaurant. Very nice to meet Roger and Luba again.

March 29 we drive to the Burgas region and meet broker Mihael who shows us some places. We like nature and the surrounding landscape.
Green-sloping hills and moors, open grazing landscape, but the plots are too small.

The journey continued to Primorsko, where we met our friend Slavi the next day. He was to show us a great place in Veselie via a local broker, as well as several places that could have been relevant. But all were too small properties for our plans.
We spent the night in Sarko’s apartment and went back to Veselie the next day and took drone photos. Slavi then showed us a place where there is an underwater chapel. St. Nicholas Underwater Chapel.
Bulgaria has lots of exciting places and many good restaurants.
They have a lot of seafood and we ate a delicious lunch in Tsarevo. A risotto similar dish with lots of mussels. Yum Yum.

We take an overnight stay in Sofia near the airport on the way home. We have had a wonderful trip with many impressions.

There are a couple of places we have weeded out and that we want to take a closer look at, but the dream place, ‘spot on’ that hit our hearts, we have not seen.
While we drive to Sofia, we receive an email from Dobrinka about a new property that has appeared for sale in Solnik. Stupid we do not make it now but then we have to return as soon as possible, and we are already starting to plan the next trip.