Going to Bulgaria this summer, brush up on some basic phrases using BBC Languages Tools

85% of the approximate 8.7m population of Bulgaria speak the official language, Bulgarian. 2.5% speak Macedonian, considered in Bulgaria as a dialect of Bulgarian and not as a separate language.

Other minority languages include Romani, Turkish, spoken by 9% of the population, and the related languages of Gagauz, Tatar, and Albanian.

Bulgaria could earn round 100 million USD yearly from congress tourism, the Bulgarian MEP Biliana Raeva considers.

According to Raeva words the congress tourism is one of the most successful tourist branches and our country should stake more on this sphere.

A business tourist leaves few times more money than the ordinary one by his visit to a concrete country.

Round 400, 000 people have visited Bulgaria for business in 2006.

Minimal drop in the amount of this kind of tourists is marked in 2007, but for the first 5 months of the present year, the branch marks raise of 16,6%.

MEP Biliana Raeva pointed out, the development of business tourism in our country is important, but is connected with serious planning and preparing.

That was declared on a seminar in Varna city on the theme ‘Congress Tourism’, attended also by the chairman of State Agency of tourism Anelia Krushkova , representatives of the local authorities and experts over the operative programs of EU.

There will be discussed the concrete opportunities for development of business tourism in Bulgaria, methods of attracting investments in the branch and ways of using the EU structure funds resources.

Source: BG News

The Chair of Bulgaria’s State Agency for Tourism Aneliya Krushkova announced Friday that the number of foreign tourists visiting the country in the first five months of 2008 has grown 16.6% compared to the same period of 2007.

The greatest percentage increases are recorded in the number of Romanians visiting Bulgaria. They are followed by Serbs, Macedonians, and Russians.

Krushkova also announced that the World Tourist Organization ranked Bulgaria 39th in the world by the number of foreign tourists it attracted in 2007.

She said, however, that the country was not included in the ranking by revenue from foreign tourists.

At the same time 29% more Bulgarians have traveled abroad as tourists in January-May 2008 compared to the same period of 2007, with Greece, Egypt, and Turkey being the most popular foreign tourist destinations for them.

Source: Novinite

Holidaymakers face a steep rise in the cost of trips to countries in the eurozone this summer, as they suffer the consequences of the plummeting pound. However, holidays elsewhere in Europe and in the US should offer better value for money, according to a study by the Post Office.

The destinations that worked out cheapest overall were Thailand, South Africa and Egypt. The cost of 10 holiday commodities compared by researchers, which included drinks and meals out, added up to £28.58 in Thailand, a little under a third of the cost of the same items in Australia and well under half the average price for the same goods in the eurozone. Bulgaria emerged as the cheapest European destination in the study.

America was rated most expensive when the same research was carried out last year, but it is now the seventh cheapest of the 16 destinations surveyed. A bottle of Coca-Cola bought in a bar costs just £1.60 in Florida, compared with £2.94 in France.

Helen Warburton, head of travel at the Post Office, said people planning long-haul trips would get better value for money. “The pound is still strong against the US dollar and the new Open Skies agreement introduced by the airlines this month should mean cheaper flights in the future.”

Source: Independent

Bulgaria – Land Of Legends

Found on the Black Sea coast just 1km south of the ancient town of Nesebar, Ravda is the perfect location for your dream holiday or holiday home. Set in an idealic backdrop of virgin forest, lush green meadows and fields of sunflowers, Ravda’s wide flat sandy beach is considered to be among the finest along the Black Sea coast.

Ravda Beach holiday complex offers luxury accommodation, 100 metres from Ravda Beach. This closed complex comprises of 67 stylish turn-key apartments from 52 to 145 sqm, with private swimming pool, green areas, a children’s playground, parking and shopping facilities.

Just 20 minutes from the airport and commercial port at Bourgas, 3km from Sunny Beach and next to Nesebar, this property’s location has many strategic advantages.

1 bed, 2 bed and penthouse apartments still available.

Prices start at Euro 60,000/ £39,000 (includes VAT)

This complex is completed and ready to rent or occupy.

Contact us for more information.

The Location

The ancient town of Nesebar, set on a small rocky peninsula on the north of Bourgas Bay, is one of 9 UNESCO heritage sites in Bulgaria and is the jewel of the Black Sea. With narrow authentic medieval, Roman and Greek cobblestone streets and ancient remains, Nesebar is a place of intrigue which exudes a romantic and timeless atmosphere.

In contrast, one of the most popular and lively tourist destinations on the Black Sea coast, Sunny Beach, is just 3 km away. With miles of sandy flat beach, alongside which runs a long pedestrian promenade with shops, market stalls, bars, cafes and restaurants, Sunny Beach attracts the young and stylish European set.

About the Developer

BG Developments is Irish/Bulgarian collaboration. The Irish parties have successfully developed and dealt in residential and commercial property and land for over 35 years, and they have a long standing relationship with their Bulgarian partners spanning 25 years. All projects undertaken by BG Developments Ltd are carefully analysed and planned, ensuring a continuing legacy of value and return on investment.

TOKYO: Bulgarian Kotooshu made history in Japan’s ancient sport of sumo Saturday as he became the first European to win an Emperor’s Cup.

The 25-year-old Bulgarian star needed only one win from his weekend bouts to claim the title. He crashed into opponent Ama’s chest, getting both arms wrapped around the Mongolian sekiwake’s “mawashi” belt to bulldoze him to the edge of the straw ring.

Kotooshu then tackled him from behind, throwing himself on top of the opponent who went smashing down to the dirt surface at Tokyo’s Ryogoku Kokugikan arena.

The victory lifted Kotooshu, whose real name is Kaloyan Mahlyanov, to a 13-1 record, claiming the title with a bout to spare.

It was the first tournament win in a six-year-long sumo career for the 6-foot-7-inch (202-centimeter) Bulgarian, who switched to sumo having been an accomplished Greco-Roman wrestler in his homeland.

His father Stefanov stood with cheering crowd, waving a Bulgarian flag to celebrate his son’s victory, which took him 34 tournaments since his sumo debut in 2002.

“I’m too overwhelmed to say anything,” a beaming Kotooshu said in a televised interview. “I’m so happy. I finally did it.”

Kotooshu entered the tournament with the modest goal of getting more wins than losses to maintain his ozeki rank. But he conquered both grand champions Hakuho and Asashoryu and matched his previous best winning streak of 12 bouts.

“Today I was able to wrestle my sumo, and I was really moved,” said Kotooshu, after a firm handshake with his trainer Sadogatake.

Kotooshu was all smiles when he returned to his locker room, where he got his topknot fixed by a hair stylist.

“I still can’t believe it,” he said, then hugged his father.

Overall, Kotooshu is the seventh foreign wrestler to win a tournament title, after retired Hawaiian grand champions Akebono and Musashimaru, as well as Mongolian yokozuna Asashoryu and Hakuho.

Bulgarian Ambassador Blagovest Sendov hailed Kotooshu’s victory, calling him “a national pride.” Continued….

Source: The International Herald Tribune

Bulgaria celebrates the Day of Bulgarian Education and Culture and Slavic Literacy today. It is the day of Bulgarian holy brothers’ St. st. Kiril and Metodiy, creators of the first Slavic written script – the Glagolica.

The holiday was celebrated for the first time in 1851, and since 1857 this holiday is celebrated regularly as the day of Slavic Literacy and Bulgarian Culture.

The day of Slavic literacy is feted in the honour of holy brothers st. st. Kiril and Metodiy.

There is presently no country which uses the created by them Glagolic, but it was replaced by the created by their student Kliment Ohridski, who developed their Clagolics and created the Cyrillic alphabet.

It consists of 24 Greek letters and other 12, signing specific for the Old Bulgarian language sounds.

The Old – Bulgarian is one of the first writing languages in Europe and turns Bulgaria into cultural center for the Slavic world as its written language is accepted as state one in some neighbour countries.

The forming of the literal Russian and Serbian languages is strongly influenced and helped by the Old – Bulgarian.

Source: International BG

For our Canadians readers here’s a special event that may be of interest….

“If you love choirs — or any sort of music — I suggest driving up to Nanaimo’s Port Theatre Monday night. That’s where Le Mystére des Voix Bulgares will be performing.

Thursday night, this choir of 25 gave an absolutely mesmerizing concert at UVic Centre. The Grammy-winning choir specializes in both traditional and contemporary Bulgarian folk music. Performing a cappella, under the expert direction of conductor Dora Hristova, the ensemble has won kudos the world over — including raves from celebs such as Jerry Garcia and Pat Metheny.

Their reputation is well-deserved. Singing in their native tongue, Le Mystére des Voix Bulgares (The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices) gave a concert of unearthly beauty for an enthused, sometimes cheering audience. The choir’s secret weapon is its harmonies. To Western ears, the intervals — that is, the blended note choices — are unusual, even dissonant. In particular, their microtonal harmonies provide a distinctive drone almost ungodly in its beauty.

The choir, mostly women, sang the first part of the program in traditional dress representing different regions of Bulgaria. Arms linked, they wore colourful headdresses, aprons, and artificial roses in their hair. For the second part of the evening, showcasing mostly contemporary fare, they changed into modern evening wear.

The lead singing — for example, a song called The Dark Cloud featuring soloist Dafinka Damyanova — is often based on Eastern scales. It has a melancholic and plaintive quality, bringing to mind a lone voice emanating from a mosque. Florid, Eastern-style ornamention is common.

The rhythms, sometimes asymetrical, can be extremely complex. There were skittering staccaco lines layered over top of one another. Songs punctuated with yips or yelps. Some ended with a descending yo-yo-like dip. The harmonies are so precise, it brings to mind a pipe organ.

The effect can be startling. For example, when two women harmonized for Songs from The Shope Area (the Shope is a region in Bulgaria), an eerie overtone suggesting a invisible third singer seemed to surface.

Although Le Mystére des Voix Bulgares makes it look easy, this singing requires phenomenal technique. I have never heard a choir as well-rehearsed and accomplished as this one. Despite the discipline required, the women are encouraged to bring out their unique timbres — a throaty, earthy sound here; a more nasal sound there.

This choir sings in a style said to reflect ancient singing traditions in Bulgaria, which was isolated from the rest of Europe for 500 years of Ottoman rule. Western listeners may not understand the words, but we can comprehend the timeless beauty of this unusual yet accessible music.

The evening was so entertaining, it seemed to fly by. Trust me. Make the trip Nanaimo on Monday (or Vancouver’s Chan Centre, where Le Mystére des Voix Bulgares performs Friday night). You won’t regret it.”

Source: Adrian Chamberlain, Times Colonist, Canada.com

Bulgaria was among the top 10 budget destinations for summer vacations in 2008, according to US travel writer Pauline Frommer.

Frommer’s recommendations range “from romantic getaway spots to family faves to exotic destinations for adventurous travelers”, she said in a media statement.

“The strength of the euro has made much of Europe a budget-buster for American travelers, but it’s also an opportunity to explore less heavily touristed areas of the continent – such as Bulgaria,” Frommer said. Bulgaria was the only European country in the list.

Despite lacking sufficient tourist infrastructure, it was “rather safe and had old monasteries, preserved medieval villages, together with affordable sea and spa resorts,” Frommer said.

Bed and breakfast in the less expensive hotels and guest houses usually cost between $50 and 100, while full Mediterranean meals could be had for just $6 or $7, according to the award-winning travel writer.

Bulgaria was “Europe’s budget champion, with its Black Sea beaches and well-preserved medieval villages,” Arthur Frommer, father of Pauline and author of the ground-breaking Europe on $5 a Day travel guide, said in his blog.

Frommer’s other picks included five destinations in the US, as well as the Dominican Republic, Newfoundland in Canada, the Mayan coast in Mexico and Peru.

Frommer’s publishes more than 300 guides and sells 2.5 million guides annually, covering more than 3500 world destinations on its website.

Source: PropertyWiseBulgaria

SofiaEcho reported that “Sofia sixth most attractive destination for retail chain expansion, In 2007, Sofia ranked sixth among the 20 most attractive expansion destinations for European retail chains in the next five years, consultancy company Cushman & Wakefield research showed.

Sofia had moved two places up since 2006, when it ranked eighth, investor.bg said.

Romania’s capital ranks right after Sofia on a seventh position. In 2006, Bucharest was ninth.

According to the research, the Central and Eastern European cities were the most preferred destinations for expansion of retail chains. Moscow ranked first, followed by St Petersburg, Prague, Bratislava and Ljubljana.

Budapest and Tallinn ranked eighth and ninth.

The only Western European city in the top 10 was Amsterdam, which shared the 10th position with Kiev, investor.bg said.

The United Arab Emirates and Russia were the most desired countries for expansion of the retail chains, according to the research. Nine per cent of the companies said that they planned expansion in the two countries in the next five years.

Slovakia followed in the ranking with six per cent of the companies planning expansion there. Five per cent of the companies said Bulgaria, Slovenia and Hungary were targets for their expansion.

The research was conducted among managers in the real estate sector, in charge of the expansion of 250 retail chains in 23 European countries. Most of the companies said that economic development in a certain country, renting prices, labour market and consumers’ attitude were among the key factors for expansion.”

Source: SofiaEcho