All Bulgaria Virtual Guide - The Source for Bulgaria tour information
The people of Bulgaria are friendly and very hospitable.
They always do their best to make their guests feel right at home.
The United Nations dealt Bulgaria a serious economic blow when it imposed economic sanctions during the 1990s on neighboring Yugoslavia. The impact upon Bulgaria was one of severe economic depression; and as NATO and the allies attacked Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and its 8-million citizens, still reeling from the collapse of its huge trading market with the Soviet Union, saw the devastation of one of its few remaining valuable trading partners. No serious effort was ever made in assisting Bulgaria to recover.
Today , things are moving quickly. Bulgaria, together with six other eastern European countries,
was welcomed into NATO on April 2, 2004. Bulgaria's national flag was hoisted for the first time at an official ceremony in front of Brussels headquarters. Acting on the proposition that "If you want to become a member of NATO, behave as if you are one," as Foreign Minister Solomon Passy put it, Bulgaria was quick to offer the United States help following the terrorist attacks. U.S. tanker planes refueling aircraft for the Afghanistan campaign used a Bulgarian air force base at Burgas on the Black Sea over a period of two months during the campaign, "a real contribution to the war effort", according to American officials. Now, NATO-member Bulgaria is seeking to buy western types of warplanes to boost its airforce . There is also a word of purchasing the world's top Eurofighters. US military personnel may begin their deployment to new bases in Bulgaria this year, according to General James Jones, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) and commander of American troops in Europe. The US is to choose from four of five locations for prospective military sites to be used by Army, Air Force, Navy or Marine units. "This is part and parcel of the transformation of our footprint in Europe, which has been in need of surgery for some time," he said at NATO military headquarters in Belgium after a trip to Bulgaria.
Americans have shown interest inr the grounds of Bezmer and Atia and also the firing ground at Novo Selo, near the town of Sliven, where special units can be trained. US plans envisage that Sliven's Novo Selo will train land troops, Yambol's Bezmer airport will serve as air base, and Burgas' Atia offers the Pentagon a marine base.
Bulgaria's membership in the European Union is on the horizon, with aspirations to join EU in 2007. So give them a chance to catch up with other European destinations and I predict that, within the next five years, Bulgaria will indeed again be a world-known and respected destination tourist paradise. Bulgaria is becoming an attractive option for informed people from the rest of the world.
Bulgaria's Economy Ministry reported that a total of 4,047,863 foreigners visited the country in 2003, marking a rise of 18% year on year. Bulgaria's fast developing speed puts it ahead of Italy, according to the data.
Already, Bulgaria today is much cleaner than a lot of vacation destinations: here, you can drink the water and the natives don't brandish weapons. The only draw-back for me is that today it is too far away - today I live in the US. I was in Bulgaria for 4 years, from December, 1999 to May, 2003 and will return again this year. The Caribbean Islands, Mexico or Florida are more affordable journeys from the central US, although the first two are dirty and you can't drink the water. And, unlike in Miami, Florida, anyone can safely walk alone on any street in Bulgaria, day or night. Bulgaria certainly has a lot to offer and remains unspoiled after thousands of years.
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Crime is fairly low in Bulgaria and violent crime quite scarce. Infrastructure is reasonable; in fact quite good in the tourist areas on the coast and around Sofia. Of course the locals will tell you a different story with regards to infrastructure in their own neighborhood and are quick to point out that the move towards capitalism has meant poor conditions for many of them. Full employment and job security are things of the past, and the new business culture is riddled with corruption and organized crime. While these problems shouldn't affect your enjoyment of an invigorating and little-experienced culture, it's a good idea to remain sensitive towards such issues.
Although the customs officials are the usual soulless and unfriendly bunch, they tend to let foreigners through without burdensome questions. They will give Bulgarians returning home more grief than a foreigner coming for their quiet holiday.
