Anyway here we are in Borovets for the rest of the week. A ski town which ticks along in summer, enlivened by JWOC participants for now. Lifts still run though so may be able to get up to Yastrabets 2369m if weather good. Many hotels tucked in amongst trees, few shops of nondescript nature, cafés and restaurants. One or two stalls selling jams, honey (important product of Bulgaria as is also of Slovenia), and dried therapeutic herbs. Healthy lot, these Bulgarians, what with that and yogurt which originated in the Balkans and here is very nice. Everything is so cheap, it's amazing to us and other foreigners, but there's a sting there for locals because if prescence of tourists push prices up, things get to be out of reach of locals. Eg. Taxi to bus station for us both, 25 mins, cost us about NZD 8. Bus up to Samokov, over an hour, about NZD 3. Taxis are so cheap often a better bet than the rather complicated tram and bus and underground system. Has to be a yellow one as others are unmetered and unlicensed and liable to diddle you.
Here's the taxi after dropping us off, and then the bus...
As usual , they were digging the place up when we got to the bus station in Samokov..
Until the boss arrived in his flash ! truck and took them off for lunch
Here is the Borovets Gardens Aparthotel where we are now ensconced, very nice two-roomed plus bathroom for just the two us us, fridge and cooking facility, very swish and still not expensive.
And the piece de resistance, a Bealey style pull-out bed for me. How did David's design travel so far?!
First pull out "drawer"
Lift and pull out side of mattress with loop
And drop into place The NZ team are in another grand hotel nearby, along with several other teams. We met up with some of them and all seems well, having a good time and looking forward to first race tomorrow Tuesday.
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