Hi Tony,

Thanks for taking the time from your holiday to post this 'breaking news' - have a great time!

Baldur

Hi Tony,

Thanks for the update, am very jealous. We popped into the Gergana at Easter, which was open and full of Romanians and Israelis, according to a friend Romania has become very expensive (she visited her mother 3 weeks ago) so they are all going to Bulgaria. They were digging up the road and the chemist had been knocked down at Easter, hope they have got further forward as it was a bit of mess. Have a great time.

Nels

Thanks Tony- really good of you to 'post' when you are on holiday. Brilliant to hear something of Albena Really can't wait to go- still 8 long weeks yet

Enjoy your holiday

Pam

Hi to everybody, just idling away an hour before Taxi picks us up for Airport. Thunderstorms yesterday in Albena, but touched 34 this morning.
Sun Beds and Parasols are 6 lev and 2 lev for the mattress. but buyuing an airbed works out a lot cheaper. Ladies of the night, only about 6 in Albena, reason being they have to be registered into a Hotel in resort, but no problems. Postage has risen to 1 lev per post card (they average .90 lev). ATM's I have used are at the Drobruja, Laguna Mare and the admin centre near to the post office. The one in the Plazza does not accept English Cards. The Plazza has emptied a lot, but Baldur your wastering hole is still there, also a Supermarket (TESKO) has opened there. There is a LIDI by Bus Station. Not spelling mistakes. Anybody using hotels where you have to put key tag in slot to obtain Electric, you can over come this buy using any type of credit card but trim about half an inch of lenghtwise, handy to charge phone or batteries when out at breakfast.
Restaurants, as the regular visitors have stated, what was good last year can change, it certainly has ijn Albena. Poco Loco empty most nights, La Bomba the same. The in place this year seems to be Hakuna Matata which was know as Mumbies last year. Caribi, hardly worth the visit. The old House is doing okay. as is Isvora. Peters House is good, although Manager told me everything was vastly down on this time last year. Kamelia Hotel has just opened, Drouzbha only opened 5th June instead of 5th May, No clients(Balkan Holiday's main Hotel) Somebody did ask about ASTIKA lager, yes it is available. 2.99 Lev per 2 Litre bottle in Lidi's. dearer in resort. Cigarettes, the place is flodded with English fakes at 50 lev per 200. the local in brands are m'm 100's Charcoal filters at 2.50 and Eva slims at 2.30 per 20. On line for next 30 mins so if any questions fire away. Have more info when I return to U.K. Tonyt

Hi Tony

Hope you've had a good trip. Great to get your feedback- still early in the season I guess, but news particularly from Albena seems fairly slow this year. I was hoping for some fab reviews of the beach club by now!! Nice to hear it's been hot despite the thunder- weather isn't great at home for June, although I know it can be a dodgy month as we've had some very wet kiddy parties in the past!!

Have a great journey home- will look forward to hearing more about your top tips for eating out etc on your return.

Pam

Thanks for the update, Tony.

Glad to hear that the bakery/cafeteria is still operational, at least I can obtain a reasonably-priced beer there. I trust that you meant 'watering hole' - although your version may have been equally accurate?.

Think I'll stick with Metro for my Astika, at 1.74 Leva per 2 litre bottle...
Baldur

Good evening. Baldur them Bulgarian keyboards take some getting used to. Net access is available in most hotels, you buy a card for
1 Hour 8 lev. 3 hours 24 lev. 5 hours 40 lev. Can be used in any Hotel.
card contains User name and password. Use what time you want, stop then you can use again anywhere.

Cash. make sure you have enough with you. Friend from North Wales had to visit Doctor in Albena, 120 Lev's for consultancy, 70 Lev's for antibiotics. As pointed out before. E.U. insurance Card. U.S.

Safety Deposit Boxes are 40 Lev's per fortnight.

Bus to Sunny Beach from Albena leaves Bus Station 0930 arrives 1200
returns from Sunny Beach 1730 arrive Albena 1945. buy ticket at Kiosk
14 Lev each way.

Go Kart Track at the Bus Station

Buggy racing track in Luna Park by Dodgems. Albena centrum.

Yes Peter you are right Bookings are even further down than last year, four Hotels I know of (Used by Brits) are only half full. Drouzbha. Dobruja,
Panorama and Kamelia.

Outside of Albena, everywhere you look the are massive complesxes being built for purchase. On the road from Golden Sands to Varna there must be at least 40 large blocks of apartments being built for sale again.
I think there are going to be some very big colds being caught. The same goes for the village of Kranevo, one big building site at the moment.

Trips. I have a phone number of a guy called William who does trips to the following(lot less than your reps prices)
Nessebar and Sunny Beach 35 Lev.
Balchik and Cape Kaliakra 23 Lev
Bulgarian Village 50 Lev
Veliko Tarnovo 60 Lev
Danube Trip 60 Lev
Fishing Trip 40 Lev
Jeep Safari 55 Lev p.m. me and I will p.m. phone number back

Taxi Prices. Why are they so high in resorts. My Driver has to pay 4.000 levs for 1st May to 30th Sept for rent of his stand opposite the Dobruja Hotel. this is to be compared with the 400 Lev a Driver pays for a stand at Dobrich Bus Station.

Even the rents for the sellers pitches along the road and front have gone up. My Taxi Drivers Mum who is 72 was asked to pay 4,700 lev's for pitch outside of Bazaar to sell Postcards, she has now got a pitch outside the Orchidea Hotel for 2,300 Lev's . So if in the area buy a couple of cards, thinking the poor old dear leaves Dobrich at 0630 each day and gets home at about midnight.

Where to Eat in Albena, Well my adopted Grand-Daugfhter and myself ate at the following and never had a complaint about, Service, Food, Presentation or Prices.

Peter's House.
Drouzbha Hotel.
Shadows Bar.
Izvora
Irish Bar (No more Irish then the Chinese Restaurant above)
Luna Park
Lugana Mare Hotel complex
Hakuna Matata (Was mumbies)
Restaurant opposite Plazza on main road (sorry forgot the name).

I hope I have covered it all, any questions, fire away. By the way a great flight with B.A. and you can do a baggage drop in Varna and book in via the net 24 hours before flight.

Exchage rate in Hotels and Banks in Albena 2.72. I got 2.86 using Nationwide Card in ATMS no charges (Thank you Baldur) Dobrich and Varna Banks were offering 2.86. And Baldur they now have a large prominent Green sign with reference the 8.000 lev business at Varna Airport.

Cheers Tonyt.

thanks Tony for all the info. Sad to be back??

Not really only 9 weeks and 6 days and I go again. Tonyt

come on Tony- surely you know the hours and minutes to go as well

Sorry, cannot quote those due to Bulgaria Air's lack of compliancy to timetables and schedules. Tony

Good morning Tony,

Thanks for all the info - glad to hear that you had a good trip home.

Yes, the 'up-market' sign indicating the requirement to declare currency in excess of 8,000 Leva was in place when I landed at Varna in March.

As you say, the number of developments has reached ridiculous proportions - everywhere appears to have a 'Prodava Se' sign, however remote it may be! I *think* that the sign pictured referred to the land, rather than the church under construction near Chiflika Chukurovo at Prilep.
If you travelled on the 'new' road from Albena to Varna, you will have seen the development(s) being built in the middle of nowhere, which a Bulgarian friend likened to 'an isolation hospital for the English'.

Baldur

thanks for all the info TonyT.
Decided not to go to Kranevo but back to good old Albena..
Waiting for my confirmation about my booking so next week I'll tell you more
Tanjette

Yes, the 'up-market' sign indicating the requirement to declare currency in excess of 8,000 Leva was in place when I landed at Varna in March.

I take it that the appropriate form you had to fill in didn't cause any problems, Baldur!

Peter

They didn't have an official '50 Stotinki plus beer bottle top' form, Peter....

Baldur

Thanks for the info Tonyt, all very interesting. Was it Bulgarian Air or British Airways you flew with? I am assuming Bulgarian Air in view of your quip.... very apt. Thanks again. Nels.

It was BA this time Nels, no online check-in with Bulgaria Air.

Tony's next trip is with Bulgaria Air - hence the quip.

Baldur

Must admit I did wonder Baldur, thought maybe things had moved on at great pace... however must say my friend has found Bulgaria Air very helpful when for various reasons she has had to get flights changed or at short notice, however I think it is mainly the people at Varna airport and the fact that she has a delightful baby in tow that helps.