Travelogue 10-17 October 2015, Written and illustrated by Bjørg Jacobsen

Saturday 10.10.15: The plane landed in Burgas at 20.45. Was met by Alexi Alexiev, got a rental car and was escorted to Obzor, Hotel Dukov, approx. 1 hour from the airport. Ate dinner at the hotel and went to rest after a long journey.

Sunday 11.10.15: After breakfast we met Alexiev on the road a short distance from the hotel and drove approx. 2 hours to a property ”Asen Glatarov? In the “Bulair” area. Got a tour of the property. Great place with airy and open views, despite the rain and gray weather.

After the tour, the trip went to Taverna Termeto. Lunch was served there with a group of workers working for Alexiev. The lunch consisted of shopska salad, goat meat with rice, rakia, beer and mineral water.

We got to greet several types of natives:

Before we left, we had a little concert with a bagpipe. On the way home we stopped by a ‘winery’ and tasted wine from the Byala region. Had dinner at the hotel in Obzor and had a gathering in one of the rooms to sum up the day’s events.

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Monday 12.10.15: Rainy and gray today too. Packed and left Obzor after breakfast. Met Alexiev and drove to Gospodinovo Villages. There we were given a tour of a property with 5 half-finished houses. It was a nice place, but the price was very high.

Drove on to Varna and checked into Hotel Aqua. Nice hotel located by the harbor and the entrance road to Varna. Found a restaurant, Ctaija Tsinar, where we were served lovely food for lunch. This restaurant immediately became our home base. We ate dinner at the hotel. Afterwards, there was a gathering in one of the rooms, where stories and attempts at solving world problems were exchanged.

Tuesday 13.10.15: The first item on the program was that Einar was going to the dentist. The rest of us followed and had a trip to a department store while we waited. Then we drove to a property in Isgrev, far inland. It was real rain and nasty weather. The property to be seen was remote with no road, so we had to drive with a Jeep the last bit. It was a nice place with arable landscape sloping down towards a lake. We went back to the hotel and rested for a while before we went to ‘our regular place’ and had dinner. On the way home we stopped by a cafe in a hotel, ‘Tree Dolphins’. There we drank coffee, wine, beer and whatever. Cozy little place.

Wednesday 14.10.15: We stays at the hotel and relaxed in the morning. Went to a beach bar on the beach in Varna and met Roger Solbakke, a man with whom Jorunn and Roar have made contact on the previous trip.  He is a real estate agent and has lived in Bulgaria for many years.  He is married to a Bulgarian lawyer. Roar and Jorunn can benefit from his experiences. After a refreshment at the beach bar, we had lunch at “Happy”.  Dinner at the hotel and early evening.

Thursday 15.10.15: The day started with breakfast at the hotel. Then Jorunn and Roar, Bjørg and Roald went to Asen Glatarov to see the place again. This day was sunny and good weather. Started from the hotel at 10.10 and arrived at 11.30, so it was a car ride of 1 hour and 20 minutes. Roar and Jorunn got to see the property quite thoroughly this time. We were kindly received by the man who lives and looks after the property, and was served home-made wine.

On the way home we drove another road and stopped by Gospodinovo again. Roar took a look at possible additional land that could be purchased. It was planted with old grape plants. Well back to the hotel we parked the car and went to the ‘regular restaurant’ to get some food. Einar and Ellinor sat there waiting for us. After the meal, Einar and Ellinor went to the dentist. On the way home we bought wine to taste for the evening.

Friday 16.10.15: After breakfast we checked out of the hotel in Varna and took the road towards Burgas. We took off from the highway and drove a road a little inland, through large forests and villages. Arrived in Burgas at 13.30 and checked into Hotel Milano.

 After lunch at the hotel, the trip went south out of Burgas. Turned off the main road towards Marinka and was given a tour of 3 houses for sale.

Then it was time to see a house in Dimenchevo. It was a luxury villa of over 500 sqm. With swimming pool, and gazebo, beautiful garden with flowers and well-trimmed hedges. Beautiful space for – – – -3 million. We had dinner at the hotel and it was a relatively early evening.

Saturday 17.10.15:
Ate breakfast and had a quiet morning before we checked out. The trip then went to Chateau Medovo in the village of Rossenovo. Beautiful place with i.a. Silversmith and wine tasting / wine sale, accommodation and restaurant.

Had lunch with Alexiev and wife, son and daughter.

Before we left the place, many festively dressed people came and we got to take a picture of two ladies in national costumes.

After lunch we went to the airport. There we delivered the rental car and were ready for the journey home, which went exactly according to plan. Arriving at Gardermoen at midnight, a pre-booked Taxi was waiting, and the road went to the last stop on the trip, ‘Villa Holmengrenda’. Finally, I would like to thank Jorunn and Roar for allowing us to join the trip and for experiencing all this.