Merry Christmas,everybody and I think Vince will know what I mean here,but we don’t how lucky we are until you come to a place such as Bulgaria.I have been laughing at the trucks and cars they are still driving around in.25 year old Lada’s and Cossacks!It has started snowing heavily(Xmas Eve)and the roads are treacherous.I saw a fair few Willi Betz on the road from Sofia to Plovdiv,and I have never seen so many poor people.There are tiny little kids by the side of the road with a cup.No parents in sight.They must be absolutely freezing! It is a real eye opener.
I for one am going to stop moaning about living in the rich Uk now! I fly back on the 28th and can’t wait to get home! I decided to spend Christmas out of the Uk with friends for a different experience.So,Happy Christmas,everybody and have a safe and Happy New year.
I have been to Bulgaria a couple of times. As you say, it`s very poor and there are also some considerable problems with organised crime.
However, in my experience, Bulgarians in general are friendly and helpful and take genuine interest in visitors.
I have had enough hospitality and help from Willi Betz drivers when I have needed it for me to take an extremely dim view of those who cannot use the word “Bulgarian” without prefixing it with the word “smelly”
Do you been see Willi Betz Depot ■■? What are there like in Bulgaria Motorway and MSA ■■?
I love to visits to Bulgaria and there will be interesting holiday!!!
Yeah,you’re not wrong there Vince,on organised crime.There are big mafia mobs here according to a couple i spoke to who have just opened their own restaurant.Ben,I didn’t manage to check out a Willi Betz depot but have seen several on the motorway into Plovdiv.I am staying in Plovdiv,which is nicer than Sofia I am told.
Glenn:
Yeah,you’re not wrong there Vince,on organised crime.There are big mafia mobs here according to a couple i spoke to who have just opened their own restaurant…
We have the same thing here. It`s called “insurance”.
Having not been in Bulgaria since 1996 I have no idea what changes have been made since then, but I can discribe what it was like during the Communist era, and after.
In the communist days, all foreign trucks transiting Bulgaria had to use designated routes known as T.I.R. routes, deviate from these routes and you would receive some very unwelcome attention from the local Police (KAT) this could cost you a lot of money.
Also in that era if you were in transit you were not allowed to park, you had to go Border to Border, if you parked any where other than designated TIR parks you would be fined and moved on. ( this applied if you were Loading/unloading in Bulgaria ).
MSA’s They really were the pits, lousy service cold food, favorite was greasy meat origin unknown, served with cold chips topped with cold cheese.
Crime in this area was not a major problem, Foreign money was of no use to them, but after the wall came down that all changed The locals were then allowed to travel and for that they needed hard currency, we became a soft target for every crook in the area, with some drivers being badly injured or even killed.
I was drugged and robbed in the TIR park in Russe on the Bulgarian/Romainan border, took all my money, but left no lasting damage.
Back then I was doing on average 18 trips to Turkey per year most of the backloads came from Bulgaria, in that time I got to know the country and people fairly well.
!!! You are in Bulgaria ? whereabout ?
