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issue 99-100/2014-201
issue 9 9- 10 0/20 14- 20 15
ISSN 1312-8590
9 771312 859112
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contents
issue 99-100 / 2014-2015
10. Keynote 100

22. The people
28. The parties
32. The interviews
The people who answered

Vagabond's questions
62. The features

Vagabond specials
70. Legacies of Communism

The best of 1944-1989 Bulgaria
126. Balkans travel
Places and people from the peninsula
140. Fiction
Bulgarian and foreign writers featured

in Vagabond
144. My own choice
Where to eat, insiders confide
154. Other projects

160. HighFlights section
188. Books
87. High beam
192. Inside track
Top off-the-beaten track destinations
ZINE
NGLISH MAGA
BULGARIAS E
5.95 leva
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4(%452+3
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ORHAN
ORHAN
PAMUK
PAMUKORHAN
PAMUK
MATTHIAS
MATTHIAS
MATTHIAS
HOEPFNER
HOEPFNER
HOEPFNER
ISSUE 99-100/2014-2015
114. Sofia
The best capital's secrets
ISSN 1312-8590
9 771312 859112
10
cover by Anthony Georgieff
ISSUE 99-100/2014-2015
WORKING
HOURS:10-21
DAILY
FROM
10AM
TO 9PM
1300
over
1,300
wine
vintages
400and
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www.casavino.bg
CASAVINO
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for a party,
and

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which you haven't
everything

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to peoplewhose
devoted to

life
is

selecting of the most interesting wines
-
for you, and learn new things!
!
SOFIA
:
CASAVINO
Doyran,.
10A
Doyran
St,..
Beli
Brezi,
phone:
doiran@casavino.bg
CASAVINO ,
10,
,
:0886
088666
6609
09 22,
22, doiran@casavino.bg
CASAVINO
Zaimov,.
48
Yanko
Sakazov48,
Blvd,
Oborishte,:
phone:
19, zaimov@casavino.bg
CASAVINO ,
. ,
0888 0888
90 35 90
19, 35
zaimov@casavino.bg
CASAVINO
Mladost,.
91 Al.
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088690
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CASAVINO ,
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CASAVINO , . 10, : 0882 44 77 97, tsar@casavino.bg
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VARNA CASAVINO
CASAVINO,
Varna,.43
Ivan
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CASAVINO
Park
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CASAVINO
Varna,
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varnapark@casavino.bg
**
For
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visit
www.casavino.bg
or ask the
staff
at the
CASAVINO warehouses
www.casavino.bg
consulting

CASAVINO.
where to
find us
, Bulgaria's English Monthly, is distributed in

the airports in Sofia, Varna, Burgas, Plovdiv.
has a large subscription base among expatriates
in Bulgaria as well as people interested in Bulgaria in the UK,
the United States, Germany, and Scandinavia.
You can buy single copies of
at good
newsstands throughout Bulgaria
and on board the planes of AIR LAZUR.
In Sofia, you can also get
at the Red House
Culture and Debate Centre, at the Greenwich Book Center,
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In addition,
is being distributed at the
following fine establishments
Arena di Serdica, Sofia
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Business Park Sofia, Sofia
Checkpoint Charlie Restaurant, Sofia
Costa Coffee, Sofia, Varna, Plovdiv and Burgas
Downtown Hotel, Sofia
Gloria Mar Restaurant, Sofia
Grand Hotel Sofia, Sofia
Interhotel Bulgaria, Burgas
International Women's Club-Sofia
J.J. Murphy's, Sofia
Kanaal Bar, Sofia
Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena, Bansko
Kempinski Hotel Zografski, Sofia
La Capannina Restaurant, Sofia
Loran Gallery, Sofia
Mason's Stores
Maxido Shop, hotel Hilton, Sofia
Motto Bar & Club, Sofia
Park Hotel Sankt Peterburg, Plovdiv
Platinum Health Club, Sofia
Plaza Hotel, Varna
Princess Hotel, Sofia
Radisson SAS Grand Hotel, Sofia
Regus Business Center, Sofia
Residence Exclusive Club, Sofia
Sense Hotel, Sofia
Sheraton Sofia Hotel Balkan, Sofia
Spaghetti Kitchen, Sofia
Stilist Kapanov Hairdresser's, Sofia
UniCredit Bulbank, Sofia
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and many others throughout the country.
Can't find your
?
Drop us a line at distribution@vagabond.bg,
stating where in Bulgaria you are, and we will make
sure your local newsstands are properly supplied.
imprint
MANAGING EDITOR
PHOTOGRAPHY
Anthony Georgieff
anthony@vagabond.bg
Anthony Georgieff
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Daniel Lekov
Antoan Bozhinov
BTA
Elena Filipova
elena@vagabond.bg
Dragomir Ushev
PUBLISHER
ASSISTANT EDITORS
Dimana Trankova
Jane Keating
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Gergana Shkodrova
shkodrova@vagabond.bg
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
GREECE
Vagabond MEDIA
23 Budapest Street 1000 Sofia
phone: (+359 2) 983 3308
fax: (+359 2) 983 3358
editorial@vagabond.bg
www.vagabond.bg
PRINTED IN BULGARIA
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Plovdiv
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PAPER
MEDIA SALES
Cover: 200 g/m2

Inner page: 100 g/m2
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Kristina Panayotova
kristina@vagabond.bg
Svetlana Doncheva
svetlana@vagabond.bg
Tsvetelina Kovacheva
tsvetelina@vagabond.bg
Vanya Zlateva
vanya@vagabond.bg
COPYRIGHT
Vagabond Media. No part
of this publication may be reproduced in any form without
the express written consent of
the publisher
Produced on Apple Macintosh

computer equipment only
Pursuant to Article 7a, Paragraph 3 of the Bulgarian Compulsory Deposition of Printed and Other Works act
it is herewith declared that Anthony Georgieff is the sole proprietor of Vagabond Media Ltd.
ISSN 13128590
Unless explicitly stated, the views and opinions expressed or implied in
, Bulgaria's English
Monthly, are intended for entertainment only. The publisher assumes no responsibility, direct or implied,
for any advertising content. Products and services mentioned are subject to change without prior notice.
You are strongly advised to make proper research and seek professional advice before making any financial
commitment in response to advertising material
PETRU'S
PETRU'S
It all began with a dream. Ten years ago

chef Petar Yankov described in his notebook his future restaurant - photographies
of jazz and rock musicians on the walls, a
grand piano and musical instruments, pastel
colour scheme and elegant ambience, natural
materials and feel of class and cosiness. Then
followed his star career and with each new enterprise, a new dream was added to the initial
one. Small boutique sushi bar in Eastern style.
Winter and summer garden with Mediterranean feel and live aquarium. Live-cooking
restaurant where cook not only the chef and
all the waiters, but the guests, too, can prepare
their food. VIP room with heavy curtains, objects of art in luxurious framings on the walls,
and a single table with precisely 12 stools.
Petru's combines all this in a one of its kind
restaurant complex with own parking and
children's centre with professional animator.
The rooms are thematic, but the menu
is one, and each of the diners can choose
where the taste will lead him, regardless of
the decor of the hall. And the taste in Petru's
unites Petar Yankov's complete experience in
virtuoso preparation of classical dishes, made
of first-class products in a new and surprising
manner.
One visit to Petru's is not enough, because
the small details, which make the magic of the
place, are dozens. But the road to each dream
begins with a single step...
. 10

-
, ,
,
,
.
.
.

. Live-cooking ,

,
. VIP
,

12 .
Petru's

.
, ,

, .
Petru's

,
, .
Petru's ,
,
, .
...
Sofia, 48 Sveti Naum Blvd

, . " " 48
Open: 11 am - 11.30 pm
phone: +359 876 876 051
www.petrus.bg
: 11,00 - 23,30
: +359 876 876 051
www.petrus.bg
10 keynote
dear vagabond
Whenever there is an anniversary of any kind, there is an
outpouring of platitudes. As you know very well in the course of
the past eight years, this journal has always avoided sweet-talk and
commonplaces. We have tried, with the kind of resources we have
had, not to take anything for granted, to pose uneasy questions and
to demand straightforward answers. This has applied to everything
from politicians to ambassadors, from artists to inanimate objects
such as Bulgarian Orthodox churches sitting in the middle of
reservoirs. This is why I thought, initially, I wouldn't be making any
particular statements regarding our 100th issue.
But wait a minute, a friend said to me just as we were starting to
plan our 99-100 December 2014-January 2015 normal issue. You owe
it to your readers. You owe it to your sponsors and advertisers. You
owe it to all those people who have laid hands on Vagabond, Bulgaria's
English Magazine, since 2006. You have informed and entertained,
and very rarely have you mentioned anything about yourselves. For
once, he went on, you should stray from your professional routine,
and make a roundup. We want to see not only what you are doing but
how you've done it.
Sounds like yet another platitude, I responded and that was the
end of it.
But then I thought it over. I remembered May 2006 when we spent
a few long evenings, often going into the wee hours of the following
morning, jotting down ideas and making what at that time seemed
to us unrealistic pipedreams. I remembered the people who took
part in those early planning stages. I remembered Lucy Cooper, who
is now back in England. I remembered Jane Keating, who is now
in Singapore. I remembered Elena Filipova and Dimana Trankova,
Vagabond Media's faithful workhorses, who have never winced from
any task assigned to them and have always manifested, selflessly,
their unwavering loyalty and professionalism. I remembered a few
12
keynote
13
dozen other people, from Australia to the West Coast of the United
States and from India to Ireland by way of South Africa, who have at
different times and in different capacities made this magazine happen. I
do owe it to them.
The task of painting a truthful picture of what we have done in the
runup to the 100th issue of Vagabond turned out to be more daunting
than putting together the editorial mix for an ordinary issue. To do that
well, you need to step aside and take a look from a distance. Writers,
artists and photographers are, notoriously, rarely capable of doing that.
For one, back in 2006 Bulgaria was a very different place from what
it is at the moment. Optimism was in the air. The economy was doing
well. In fact, it was in an unprecedented upswing. Things were yet to
happen. Membership of the EU was on the horizon. Bulgarians pinned
their hopes on it. They had something to look forward to. The British
and the Irish were finding their place in the sun and bought holiday
homes anywhere from Bansko to Sunny Beach and from Veliko to
Malko Tarnovo. The political picture was also markedly different.
People thought that Bulgaria had finally kissed Communism goodbye
and was on the steady road toward democracy and market economy.
Against this background, we started with a very clear idea: never have
anything to do with any kind of government agency. We wanted to
model Vagabond on how most other media were produced in Western
Europe and the United States. Completely independent financially of
anything but advertising revenue.
Things started changing markedly when the economic crisis reached
Bulgaria, which coincided with the installation of a new government
in Sofia. One of the ironies of life in Bulgaria is that the man who
unashamedly spearheaded this new government, giving himself a free
hand in anything from the opening of kindergartens to chartering
government airplanes for neighbourhood soccer club matches but
doing nothing to face up to the economic downswing is now back
as a second-term prime minister. That's an entirely different issue and
I promise that we will be bringing out much material about it in the
coming months and years. What it meant for us at the time was that,
out of the blue and in a manner we did not think possible in an EU
14
keynote
15
country, the pressure on us was stepped up. Our sin? We were not
reprinting political press releases. Instead, we chose to do our job
correctly, reporting on and analysing events in an unbiased, timely,
precise and I dare say intelligent manner.
At about that time we realised that Communism had not gone
away at all in Bulgaria. OK, the economy was now in private hands,
there were no 1 May and 9 September "spontaneous" rallies, and there
were more than two newspapers on the newsstands. But the kind of
Communist-era Either-You-Are-With-Us-Or-You-Are-Against-Us
thinking was very much alive and kicking, under the watchful eye of
the dozens if not hundreds of Stalinist Red Army monuments still
dotting the country. It still is now, I'm afraid.
Bulgarians have a penchant for the past, as I'm sure you've noticed.
This is healthy, as there are so many things they have yet to come to
terms with, especially in the recent past. However, in more than one
way it is also counterproductive. To quote one political scientist, if
the Bulgarians had a unifying vision for the future, they would not be
fighting wars with their past. Throughout the years, since Issue One,
we have repeatedly concerned ourselves with this quite characteristic
Bulgarian phenomenon. We intend to continue to do so in the
future.
We also intend to continue to be intimately engaged with
issues of the day that we think are very important for Bulgaria
in the 2010s. One of them is nationalism, which in this country
usually masquerades as "patriotism." Another is tolerance and the
development of Bulgaria as a multicultural and multiethnic society,
within the framework of the EU and NATO. We will not cease to
take a stand against anyone who thinks a Bulgar is "better" than a Jew,
a Turk is inferior, and a Gypsy is subhuman. This way of thinking,
which often is used as a blanket excuse for many of the shortcomings
of Bulgaria's still inchoate democracy, is plain wrong. We will bring
you our arguments.
ZINE
NGLISH MAGA
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ISSUE 73 / 2012 5.95
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BULGARIAS ENGLISH MAGAZINE
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VAN CALSTER
KAREL VAN
ISSN 1312-8590
KESTEREN
A MAN AND HIS BIKE
ISSUE 73 / 2012
ISSUE 83-84/2013
ZINE
NGLISH MAGA
BULGARIAS E
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NGLISH MAGA
BULGARIAS E
POLITICAL CRISIS: IS IT UNIQUE BULGARIAN? > FOR A FEW STRETCHES OF ASPHALT > THRACIAN BULGARIA, PART 2 >
DEVILS THROAT AND ORPHEUSS BLOOD > CATHERINE BARBER ON SOFIAS CHARMS > LONG HAND OF GEORGE SOROS >
MAKING YOUR OWN RAKIYA > BULGARIA AND THE HOLOCAUST, BOOK REVIEW > BALKANS TRAVEL: BODRUM >
REVIEWS, ENTERTAINMENT, FUN & MORE
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ISSUE 71-72 / 2012
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ISSN 1312-8590
>> WHAT IS MILITSIONERSHTINA? > MEET GENUINE GERB SUPPORTER > TO DEMOLISH OR NOT TO DEMOLISH MONUMENT?
> PLOVDIVS AMAZING RELIGIOUS HERITAGE > GYPSIES AT BACHKOVO > THANK YOU FOR FAILURE > BALKAN TRAVEL:
CHALKIDIKI > FICTION BY DELANEY NOLAN & NIKOLAY PETKOV > REVIEWS, ENTERTAINMENT, FUN AND MORE >>
>> FAIR OR FEAR? > GYPSY PUZZLE >

CELEBRATING TODOR ZHIVKOV >
IN EUROPE WITH EUROPEAN THINKING >
GUIDE TO OTTOMAN BULGARIA > FICTION >
PLOVDIV PLEASURES > ALL QUIET ON THE TIMOK >
HOW CORRECT? >

AM I A PAINTER? >
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ENTERTAINMENT, FUN, WINING
& DINING AND MUCH MORE >>
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ISSUE 57-58 JUNE-JULY 2011
STALINIST SOFIA > NOT SO VESELIE > FOREIGN IN BULGARIA > SCHOOLING FOR REFUGEES > BEST HOTELS IN SOFIA >
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FICTION BY CHARLES CONLEY AND ZACHARY KARABASHLIEV > REVIEWS, ENTERTAINMENT, FUN & MORE >>
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ISSUE 71-72 / 2012
To put it another way, we will continue to do what we started doing in

the first place. It is quite simple, really. We have taken it upon ourselves
to explain, in plain English, what sometimes actually more often than
not are overwhelmingly complicated affairs, events and personalities.
Apart from the people I work with (you can see an extensive list on
p22), the people we have interviewed (please turn to p32), the many
known and unknown locals who have directed us to the off-off-off thebeaten-track places featured in this magazine (p87), the people of Sofia
(p114), the people in the Balkan countries that we've covered (p126)
and the Elizabeth Kostova Foundation for Creative Writing (p140),
I would also like to thank a few others.
Space prevents me from listing all our commercial advertisers
throughout the years they are in their hundreds, from small
businesses to large multinational companies, from corner restaurants to
huge hotels, from hole-in-the-wall real estate agents to major car sales
companies. But I do want to mention a few. These are our sponsors.
First and foremost, I would like to thank the America for Bulgaria
Foundation for continuing to endorse our travel pages. High Beam,
perhaps the single most popular section of the magazine, brings you
to places in Bulgaria that are scarcely or completely unknown but that
are very interesting and worth making an effort to see. These are the
places that make Bulgaria what it is. This is where Bulgaria's significant
potential for cultural and heritage travel lies.
Then I would like to thank the Open Society Institute in Sofia,
a major thinktank that through the years has conducted extensive
research into issues of public importance, including democracybuilding and minority rights. We have cooperated very closely with
them.
A word of thanks also goes to the Sofia City Council in the past,
we were the recipients of grants from them to promote Sofia as a
destination for cultural travel.
My biggest thanks, however, go to you. You are our readers. Without
you, we could not have got anywhere.
Enjoy your Vagabond!
>> VISIT DIMITROVGRAD > WHO SAVED THE JEWS > REPRESSION MASQUERADING AS JUSTICE? > DEAF ROCKS >
PLOVDIVS TEMPLES, PART 2 > SOFIA TRANSFORMED > YASSEN ATANASSOV & HIS POETIKI > BALKANS TRAVEL: EPHESUS >
LIFE OF LUXURY > FICTION BY NIKOLAY FENERSKI, GARRARD CONLEY > REVIEWS, ENTERTAINMENT, FUN + MORE >>
16
ISSUE 98/201
ISSUE 97/201
>> BULGARIAN ELECTIONS: PYRRHIC VICTORY > PALAMUD ATTACKS BLACK SEA COAST >
>> LEGACIES OF COMMUNISM > GEORGI MARKOV GETS MONUMENT IN SOFIA > NIKULDEN IN SOZOPOL >
INTERVIEW: STANA ILIEV ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE FASCINATION OF BEING DIFFERENT >
18
fiction
where
business
The Elizabeth Kostova Foundation

and
Bulgaria's
English
Monthly,
cooperate
in order
to enrich
the English
language
with translations of
contemporary Bulgarian writers. Every
year we give you
the chance to read
the work of a dozen
young and sometimes
not-so-young Bulgarian writers that the
EKF considers original,
refreshing and valu-
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in the heavy-jet aviation for Central and Eastern Europe. Over the years Air Lazur
has introduced high standards of VIP services and has developed a network of
prominent and well-off customers worldwide.
The basic services provided by Air Lazur is the performance of charter flights upon
request where the route and timetable are fixed by customer. Businessmen, heads
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their time and enjoy flying with Air Lazurs state of art Bombardier Challengers 604.
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Striving to gain and preserve its customers credit Air Lazur is entirely devoted to
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19
20
First Estates
Agency
Putting customer's needs first
always pays off
Pascal Duffy is a French/Irish entrepreneur and senior

sales professional who has chosen to work and live in
Bulgaria. He has gained first-hand knowledge on the
Bulgarian property market in the last ten years and
now, he implements his professional understanding and
vision in his new real estate project First Estates agency
operating on the higher end property segment in Sofia.
How did you decide to start First Estates?
First Estates came from the desire to create an
innovative real estate service on the Sofia market that is
strongly focused on customer experience. This is visible
through our online platform www.first.bg which offers
a variety of possible searches to locate your property:
from the classical map, to the possibility to draw the
relevant area on the map of Sofia, to look for properties
located in close proximity to your location. We give
a wide range of details in our property descriptions
from professionally taken property pictures to a 360
virtual tour, a full description of each room, a floor plan
and approximate location. We want our clients to get a
realistic understanding of the property and help them
find their desired property quickly and with ease.
What makes First Estates different?
Our business model. We built the company around
the idea of providing an innovative service range, an
easy to use search platform, and personalized support at
each step of developing our clients' real estate projects.
I believe you should choose to work with a property
consultant for his knowledge and capacity to defend
21
your interests as a customer and not run around 10

different agencies just because you like a property in
their portfolio. As an agency we look at the whole
market for our clients and do not hesitate to work
with other agencies for the benefit of our customers.
When you meet with one of our consultants you will be
interviewed, and your answers will allow us to determine
what you are looking for with greater precision and avoid
wasting your time with unnecessary viewings.
What is your target client?
Our clients come from a diverse range of backgrounds,
nationalities and ages. In general we offer residential
properties in the most desirable, southern areas of Sofia
(Center, Lozenets, Iztok, Ivan Vazov, etc.) We focus on
various property types: newly build, resale or properties
for renovation with the potential to become a very
desirable home or an investment. We also just opened a
retail and office department under the management of
Mira Karabiberova, a well-known real-estate professional
in the retail and commercial field.
How do you guarantee that you offer the best quality
of service to your clients?
We concentrate on the client's needs, on whether they
are realistic or should be refocused. The process can
take up to a few months, which we are happy to invest
in each of our customers. However, I believe our best
asset is the offering an all-round comprehensive range
of customer services by adding architectural services
through our in-house architect, professional property
valuations, property management, mortgage brokerage,
legal advances and even insurance policies through our
exclusive partnership with NetIns Brokers.
What is the future of the property market in
Bulgaria?
The property market in Sofia has been picking up
over the last 6 months. The number of enquiries for
property acquisitions saw a sharp increase and there is
a significant increase in the number of transactions. We
are definitely moving out of the recession and prices
have been stabilizing. If this continues, we will see a slow
increase in prices over the first 6 months of 2015. We will
hardly return to pre-crisis levels soon; but we can expect
a realistic 5 to 7% increase for 2015 and perhaps even
more depending on the area.
First Estates
Sofia, 27A Moskovska St, floor 1
Call 0700 15 15 1
first.bg
22
the people
the people
Vagabonds,
Flying and
Staying
Many editors, designers, photographers,

translators and media sales folk have passed
through the offices of Vagabond during its
100 issues. Some have stayed for years, and
others for months, but as the saying goes,
once a Vagabond always a Vagabond. Here
is an incomplete list of people who have
been a part of this journal through the years,
in alphabetical order.
ADMINISTRATION & MARKETING

Bilyana Vitomirova ; Elena Filipova 1 ; Gyulten Harlova; Lina Mitova
Maria Gencheva 11 ; Marta Lambova; Stoyanka Georgieva 13
18
EDITORS
Ani Ivanova 3 ; Dimana Trankova 2 ; Elena Kodinova; Gabriel Hershman
Gergana Manolova; Gus Worth; Lucy Cooper 16 ; Milena Hristova;
Nelly Tomova; Yekaterina Syrtsova 17
23
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
24
SUBEDITORS
Jane Keating 9 , Pam McEvilly
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Antoan Bozhinov; Daniel Lekov
25
; Dragomir Ushev
10
DESIGNERS
Dimitar Dimitrov; Emil Kojuharov 27 ; Gergana Shkodrova 29 ; Ivaylo Stamatov;
Margarita Bozhinova; Reneta Bozhinovska; Svetlana Atanasova 23
TRANSLATORS
Angela Rodel 30 ; Ivan Sokolov
22
; Vassil Yovchev
SALES
Aleksandra Brazitsova; Aleksandra Spiridonova 8 ; Beloslava Gospodinova; Isabella Moneva;
Georgi Brestenski; Gergana Lazarova 15 ; Kristina Panayotova 7 ; Lina Belinska 12 ;
Lina Lyubomirova 26 ; Lyuba Petrovich 21 ; Monika Balcheva; Natalia Stoilova 19 ;
Nelly Atanasova; Nikos Pistofides; Olga Batseva; Penka Dobreva; Penka Stancheva;
Ralitsa Dencheva; Sebastian Lagdeur 14 ; Svetlana Doncheva 5 ; Svetlana Evgenieva;
Timothy Howlett 2o ; Tsvetelina Kovacheva 6 ; Vanya Zlateva 4 ; Zoya Lovchinova
LOGISTICS
Ivan Beev
24 the
people
Whilst Vagabond has been prepared for print primarily by our members of
staff, through the years we have employed dozens of contributors whose
valuable services in writing, editorial, photography, graphic design and
media sales have made the magazine what it is now. Without them, it
would have been less rich and diverse. Our warmest thanks and gratitude!
For lack of space it is impossible to say a few words about each and
everyone of these talented professionals, so let's suffice with this
inextensive list in alphabetical oder.
ARTICLES
Albena Shkodrova (travel, politics) 46 ; Aleko Dyankov (current affairs)
31 ; Amanda Lees (expat life); Andrea Enright (expat life) 37 ;
Andrew MacDowall (economics, politics) 45 ; Antoaneta Baeva
(lifestyle); Biserka Markova; Boyan Yordanov (current affairs) 32 ;
Catherine Barber (expat life); Chris Nolan (fine food and wine);
Christina Dimitrova (current affairs); Christopher Buxton (current
affairs) 40 ; Curstaidh Hoppe (current affairs); Daniel Gordon (sports);
Daniel Oetzen; Diana Ivanova (legacies of Communism) 41 ;
Dimitar Ivanov (lifestyle); Dimitar Nedelchev (car reviews);
Dimiter Terziev (music technology); Eddie Brannigan 50 ; Elisa Pasquali
(fine food and wine); Evgeniy Daynov (politics); Filipa Arenga;
Galina Ganeva (high tech reviews); Geoffrey Keating 35 ;
Georgi Boyadzhiev (trainee); Gus Worth (current affairs);
Hristo Hristov (State Security legacies); Hristo Kyosev (entertainment);
Professor Hristo Matanov (history); Ida Daniel (advertising) 44 ;
Irina Kaneva; Iskra Sotirova; Iva Petroni (adventure and outdoor
tourism) 49 ; Iva Stoykova (current affairs); Iva Rudnikova (lifestyle);
Ivan Bakalov (politics, wine); Ivan Garelov (lifestyle); Ivanka Ivanova
(judiciary); James Dawson (expat life); Jane Keating; Jeff Nicks;
Jeanette Visser (fine food and wine); Jennifer Croft (travel, expat life);
the people
25
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
57
58
59
55 56
26
the people
advertorial
.s.c..r.
Clinic
27
One Step Clinic of

Assesement of Risk
Jeremiah Chamberlin (literature); Jill Sharer (fine food and wine);

John Charlton (sports); John Dyer; Jonathan White (real estate);
Julian Popov (current affairs) 36 ; Kalina Garelova (film reviews) 51 ;
Kapka Kassabova; Katharine Hill (fine food and wine); Katherine Watt
(expat life); Kjell Engelbrekt; Konstantin Ivanov (environment);
Koos van Schouten (expat life) 59 ; Kristen Ghodsee (anthropology,
history); Krysia Rozanska (lifestyle); Lance Nelson 52 ; Libby Andrews
(expat life) 34 ; Lone Funch Kofoed; Lyubomir Stanislavov (motoring
reviews) 33 ; Lyudmil Fotev (music reviews) 42 ; Manuela Neurater 48 ;
Maria Spirova (current affairs); Mat Youkee (economics) 55 ;
Matthew Suff; Maxim Minchev (travel, lifestyle); Michail Veshim
(culture shock); Mike Black (environment); Milen Radev 54 ;
Milena Deleva (literature); Nadia Damon (lifestyle, property) 39 ;
Nadia Sharpie (energy); Nikola Lalov (current affairs);
Nikola Krastev 57 ; Philip John Marchant; Plamen Doudov (economics);
Plamen Petrov; Rada Pletnyova; Radko Popov (religion issues) 47 ;
Ralph Holand (economics); Richard Cherry
(entertainment) 38 ; Robert Nurden (archaeology); Ruari Kavanagh
(current affairs); Sebastian Fasthuber (literature); Slavi Angelov (crime);
Sonia Ninova (trainee); Stanislava Ciurinskiene (property, real
estate) 43 ; Stoyana Georgieva (politics) 58 ; Susan Nadeau (Balkan
politics); Sylvia Choleva (book reviews); Tatyana Vaksberg (features);
Yavor Dachkov (politics) 53 ; Yulia Shenderovich (trainee); Juliana Roth
(features); Vera Ilieva (travel, lifestyle); Vesela Ilieva; Violeta Nikolova
(trainee); Will Ford (expat life).
PHOTOGRAPHY
Adi Iliev; Darren Zlatareff; Desiree Good; Donald Weber;
Ivo Hadjimishev 56 ; Julia Lazarova; Juri Tschariyski; Klearchos
Kaputsis; Marin Karavelov; Missirkov/Bogdanov; Nadezhda Chipeva;
Nikola Belopitov; Nina Lokmadzhieva; Pavel Pronin; Pier Petrov; Sava
Hlavacek; Tsvetomir Trankov.
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mdyankova@yahoo.com | violeta_stratieva@yahoo.ca | www.zarodish.com
28
the parties
29
Best of
events
1
2
3
4
4
1Vagabond celebrates its year-
5 6
and-a-half on the market, 2008
Two hundred guests showed up at the launch of Vagabond, on the roof

of the Ivan Vazov National Theatre, in October 2006, despite the fact
that it took place in the morning...
In March 2008, Vagabond threw another memorable party to mark
its year-and-a-half of existence. The place was the same, but this time
we partied in the evening, with dozens of guests, including former
German Ambassador Michael Geier, former Norwegian Ambassador
Tove Skarstein, BTA Director General Maxim Minchev, former Irish
Ambassador Geoffrey Keating, journalist Mira Badzheva, and many
others.
Some other events organised by ourselves include a couple of
thought-provoking press conferences, in 2008, upon the outcome of
the Symbols of Bulgaria campaign. In the winter of 2008 we launched
our book, East of Constantinople/Travels in Unknown Turkey.
We had our editorial offices blessed by a pair of clergymen from
Zografou Monastery in Mount Athos and St Catherine Monastery in
2 Presentation of Go Greece!
magazine in Thessaloniki, 2008
3 Press conference for the
Symbols of Bulgaria campaign, in

2008, pictured from left to right
Administration Minister Nikolay
Vassilev, Vagabond editor Anthony
Georgieff, Prof Georgi Lozanov
4 Architect Boyko Kadinov at

the launch of A Guide to Jewish
Bulgaria, 2011
5 American Ambassador John

Beyrle visits Vagabond's offices,
2007
6 Vagabond team joins the I Can

Too charity, 2008
7 Blessing of Vagabond's editorial

offices
30
the parties
31
8 9
10 11
12 13
8
Launch of Wall-to-Wall/Poetry
Europe, with Dutch Ambassador
Willem van Ee, 2009
9 Launch of A Guide to Ottoman

Bulgaria, 2011
10
HighFlights magazine
celebrates its first birthday, 2006
Mount Sinai. Ever since we have wanted to call in a rabbi and and imam
as well, in the hope it would work better.
Then American Ambassador John Beyrle, a true friend and dedicated
reader of Vagabond, made a surprise visit to our offices one early
afternoon in 2007. He was very happy to meet everyone at the office,
and everyone felt a piece of America had popped up in rainy Sofia.
Many other Western ambassadors followed suit.
In 2011, Vagabond made the news twice, with the launch of A Guide to
Jewish Bulgaria, and A Guide to Ottoman Bulgaria. The following year
we published The Turks of Bulgaria.
However, in December 2014 we are again in festive mode, for our
100th issue, a true achievement in the stagnating media market in
Bulgaria.
11
Presentation of A Guide to
Jewish Bulgaria in Burgas, 2011
12
Presentation of The Turks of

Bulgaria, 2012
13 Presentation of
A Guide to
Ottoman Bulgaria in Plovdiv, 2012
14
Prof Hristo Matanov at the

press conference for A Guide to
Ottoman Bulgaria
15
Author Anthony Georgieff

(left) and the Turkish Ambassador
Ismail Aramaz at the press
conference for the launch of The
Turks of Bulgaria
14 15
32
the interviews
33
top
interviews
Diplomats and artists, entrepreneurs and intellectuals, travellers
and writers: the faces which appear in Vagabond's interviews are as
diverse as Bulgaria and the people living here. Our first interviewee
was Vasko Vassilev, the famed musician, and the one featured just
before our 100th issue was the Italian Ambassador Marco Conticelli,
giving his optimistic view on the prospects for Bulgaria. Here are the
people who have spoken to Vagabond through the years.
VASKO VASSILEV, violinist, Issue 1

Another favourite pastime when in Bulgaria is watching Pamela
(Mae, his partner and the mother of Vanessa Mae) "eat herself silly"
as she enjoys the pleasures of this country's food. This takes up quite a lot
of time on each of our trips as her list of favourites is rather long. Every
day starts with a banitsa, then the rest of the day tends to be repeats of
aubergine mash, courgette there is no space to give the whole list!
1 3
4 5
Artist ANDREY DANIEL, Issue 1

DAVID VAROD, producer at Nu Image, Issue 2
GEORGI LOZANOV, intellectual, a regular guest of Vagabond. Here is a

snippet from his interview in Issue 67:
The first thing I tell a foreigner coming to Bulgaria is that this country
is a land of many temptations. Probably because we are in the Balkans,
the climate here seems to be specifically designed to be enjoyed. The
carnival is never ending I am referring to the pageant which started on
10 November 1989, when a set of values was rejected but a new one was
not installed. The good thing about carnivals is that you are allowed to do
anything. The bad thing is that anything can happen to you.
1 Vasko Vassilev
2 Andrey Daniel
3 Georgi Lozanov
4 Thea Nedelcheva
5 David Varod
Nikola Krastev
THEA NEDELCHEVA, curator in New York, Issue 2
34 the
interviews
35
So, the second thing I tell a foreigner is to take care because the greatest
danger and not only for foreigners but for Bulgarians as well is the weakness
of the rules."
EXPATS WITH INFLUENCE: In issues 4-6, Vagabond spoke with the foreign
managers of the some of the top companies in Bulgaria, who offered advice
on doing business in the country and living in it.
Painter HENRIK ENGSTROM, or "HEN", created astounding portraits of
Bulgarian divas, and talked about them in an interview in Issue 6
WIM WENDERS, movie director, Issue 7
IVAN MOUDOV, contemporary artist, Issue 8
CATARINA LEAL, Portuguese photographer, Issue 9
EMANUIL PATASHEV, from the Caritas Bulgaria charity organisation,
Issue 10
6 7
BEN CROSS, the movie star who settled in Sofia, Issue 11

I do like the people. Of course, everybody comments on the beautiful women
and it's true they are beautiful. But when you've lived here long enough you
begin to see between that pretty girl and this pretty girl the 10 people who're
not so gorgeous and who're struggling to earn a living. For these people life can
be tough. And this is a good thing to bear in mind."
KRYSIA ROZANSKA, Polish entrepreneur, Issue 12
Movie director ANDREY PAUNOV, Issue 13
10 11
KARL HABSBURG-LOTRINGEN, entrepreneur, issue 14

ALEKSANDRA SURCHADZHIEVA, ELEN KOLEVA and VIOLETA
MARKOVSKA, the young actors, talked with Vagabond about their movie,
Three Seamstresses.
In Issue 15/16, STEPHEN WILLIAMS, British Ambassador to Bulgaria
between 2007 and 2011, remembered the Bulgaria of the 1980s, when he was
first posted here:
My wife and I walked up to the top of Vitosha, and we also went for a walk
around Sofia. We walked past the flat where we used to live, we went out for
6 Henrik Engstrom
7 Ben Cross
8 Andrey Paunov
9 Ivan Moudov
10 Emanuil Patashev
11 Catarina Leal
12 Stephen Williams
8 9
6
12
36
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37
a meal, we had some delicious Bulgarian food, and all that brought back very
happy memories from the 1980s. These things haven't changed and I'm glad
they haven't. I recognise this Bulgaria. But Bulgaria as a member of the EU,
a member of NATO, the Bulgaria that has such a variety of free media, that
has shopping malls, and such a range of commercial activity in the city, I don't
recognise that Bulgaria."
Writer ELIZABETH KOSTOVA, author of the international best-seller
The Historian, founder of Elizabeth Kostova Foundation, confided in an
interview for Issue 15/16:
I like best the solo ballads and the sound of the Rhodope kaba gayda, or lowpitched bagpipes. After all these years, they still raise the hair on the back of my
neck when I hear them."
and
We need to get about a million people together to clean up the rubbish
alone, and do a massive education project, with enforceable laws behind it.
Bulgaria has a natural landscape that is beautiful almost beyond belief and
it deserves much better treatment. The Communist environmental disaster
has given way to a new threat the lack of vision about how land will be
responsibly used, or protected. The unplanned overdevelopment and destruction
of the Black Sea coast at the hands of both Bulgarians and foreigners should
have us all out protesting, and of course it has now spread to the Rhodope
Mountains."
13 14
15 16
SYLVIA PASKALEVA, a leading doctor and health

MANEL RIERA CUNILL, a businessman, Issue 17
Architects ANNA NEVROKOPSKA and RADOSLAV MARKOV, Issue 18
In issue 21 JONATHAN BOUSFIELD, author of the Rough Guide to

Bulgaria, gave one of the most funny, enlightening, informative and sincere
interviews we have ever published.
Maybe chalga music is the perfect metaphor for modern Bulgarian society.
The recording technology is modern, the girls are scantily clad, but the
underlying melodies are unashamedly a part of the Ottoman past.
I've always been struck by the way Bulgarian museums draw maximum
pathos from the nation's history by displaying often quite gruesome relics of
national heroes. These are frequently passed over by foreign visitors who often
don't even know to look for them. Favourites of mine include the hair of Vasil
13 Wim Wenders
14 Jonathan Bousfield
15 Sylvia Paskaleva
16 Elizabeth Kostova
Eleanor Johnson
VIKTORIA IVANOVA, the matriarch of Varna's Greek community, Issue 19
38
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Levski in Sofia's National Military Museum, the skull of Stefan Karadzha in

the Ruse Historical Museum, the pickled heart of Aleko Konstantinov in the
Svishtov Museum, and the suitcases of Zahari Stoyanov (who dropped dead
during a visit to Paris, hence the compelling nature of his luggage) in museums
in both Medven and Ruse, and the false eyeball of revolutionary poet Geo Milev
in Sofia's National History Museum."
JOHN BEYRLE, American Ambassador between 2005 and 2008, spoke to us
for Issue 22, before moving to Moscow:
Really, I love the Rhodope. Probably my favourite place is Krichim I need
to get a map out to tell you the route. As you take a road down through Batak
and then down towards Devin, there is a place with a beautiful overlook of
one of the dams. It's just a magical place. I'd say if I could just transport myself
anywhere on a nice morning when the air has that sort of Rhodope morning
smell that's where I would stop time and just sit for a while and enjoy myself.
Yeah, you are very high up and looking down on the city, the reservoir and the
mountains the very low Rhodope. At that moment you want to be a bird
because you just want to go off the balcony."
1 2
3 4
17
18 19
Vagabond also interviewed EDWIN ALDRIN, the second man to step on the
Moon, in its 22nd Issue:
The key point I want to get across to people is that in 20-30 years' time we
will have a habitable place in space, where everything has been built from
scratch. Having said that, from personal experience the Moon is a sorry place to
set up habitation, so that venue is out of the question. You can't ask taxpayers to
support a budding bureaucracy on the surface of the Moon! "
Photographer ALEKSANDER IVANOV, Issue 22
MATT BROWN, American charity worker, volunteer, founder of the

Bulgarian Centre for Development and Training, Issue 23
BELINA KOSTADINOVA, Zurich-based Bulgarian pianist, Issue 24
17 Yoanna Bukovska
18 Belina Kostadinova
19 Kapka Kassabova
Suzanne Schwertz
Philanthropists ROBERT and NELLIE GIPSON, in Issue 23:

The blessings that we have are largely attributable to free education. We
would say that most of what we do both here and in the United States relates
to education. Maybe we're just paying back society for the gifts that we received.
The American College in Sofia is a beautiful example if you look at how far
it has come in the quality of the education and the quality of the students, it's
exciting."
40 the
interviews
41
RUDOLPH BARTSCH, Director of the Goethe Institute in Bulgaria,

Issue 25
Photographer ANDREAS MULLER-POHLE, Issue 25
KAPKA KASSABOVA, Bulgarian-born author of fiction and memoirs
who lives in Scotland and has been published in English and Spanish, was
interviewed in issues 25 and 81.
Of course Bulgaria needs a museum of Communism, and enough time has
passed to start thinking about it seriously," she said in a lengthy interview
in Issue 25. "My first choice venue would be the former Communist Party
building which is, I believe, partly vacant. A sample of the things that should
feature include all of the Kremikovtsi factory, an empty, concrete town
square with a broken bench and a malfunctioning water fountain and the
disintegrating monolithic monument near the NDK, built in record time
in 1981 to commemorate 1,300 years of the Bulgarian State. There should
be the hard chewing-gum called Ideal, translucent red lollipop sticks in the
shape of roosters, the pioneers' uniform with its blood-red tie-scarf, and a
queue of freezing citizens who don't know what they're queuing for plus
jars of pickles, rooms full of very boring, alphabetically classified files and a
room full of public signs along the lines of 'The Hero Is Always Present!' The
soundtrack should be a recording of political jokes. It should be bitter-sweet,
though perhaps more bitter than sweet. But I wouldn't like it to be as grim and
humourless as the Budapest House of Horrors.
20
4
25 26
YOANNA BUKOVSKA, actress, Issue 26

Underwater photographer LYUBOMIR KLISUROV, Issue 26
Director YAVOR GARDEV, Issue 27
Actress ERNESTINA SHINOVA, Issue 28/29
SONIA ROUVE, intellectual, writer, Issue 28/29
Writer ILIYA TROYANOV, who lives in Germany and writes in German,
Issue 28/29
Artist GREDDY ASSA, Issue 28/29
Former Dutch Ambassador WILLEM VAN EE, Issue 28/29
23 24
21 22
20 Greddy Assa
21 Sonia Rouve
22 Rudolph Bartsch
23 Alla Georgieva
24 Yavor Gardevr
25 Iliya Troyanov
26 Ernestina Shinova
42 the
interviews
43
Photographer JEAN-MARC CARACCI, Issue 28/29

Conceptual artist ALLA GEORGIEVA. Her provocative art on the cover
of Issue 30 prompted a deluge of phone calls to our editorial offices from
angry Bulgarians
ANGEL STANKOV MBE, violinist, Issue 31
Singer DYANA DAFOVA, Issue 32
NANCY MCELDOWNEY, American Ambassador to Bulgaria in 20082009, Issue 34:

The topic (about Bulgarian sentiment towards Russia) has often
been put to me as an either/or equation. If Bulgarians have a sympathetic
approach to Russian culture, Russian history or the Russian language,
then it must mean, ipso facto, that they have a negative view towards the
United States. And I don't start from that premise. My experience has been,
personally, in terms of the people that I've met, and this is also brought out in
terms of polling data, that Bulgarians also like America and Americans.
"When Americans come to me and ask for advice, I tell them that what
they need to do is have zero tolerance for corruption. One hundred percent of
the time, they and all of their employees should tell the truth, and should act
in an honest and above-board fashion, because the moment anyone accepts a
favour that is inappropriate, they then become a part of the process. And each
of us, through everything we do, needs to take a stand and say: 'I won't be a
part of that, I don't want my organisation to be a part of that'."
NIKOLAY VASSILEV, former Bulgarian government minister, elaborated
in Issue 34 on his initiative to unify the transliteration of road and street
signs from the Cyrillic into Latin alphabet:
What is your usual reaction when you see the name of a Bulgarian place
misspelled or spelled in a way that is difficult to understand?"
"My initial response is to compare Bulgaria to the other countries where
such problems exist. A lot of incorrect signs can still be found on roads, maps
and internet sites. On the ministry's website there is a gallery with photos of
'bad examples' of incorrect signs sent in by members of the public."
LILLY DRUMEVA, Bulgarian blue grass and country singer and musician,
appeared in issues 37 and 70
27 28
29
27 Nikolay Vassilev
28 Lilly Drumeva
29 Nancy
Mceldowney
Ivan Kolovoz
Avantgarde sculptor PAVEL KOYCHEV, Issue 33
44 the
interviews
45
RANA DASGUPTA, an Indian-British writer who put Bulgaria centrestage in his hugely popular novel, Solo, shared some insights in Issue 35/36:
In this country so full with music, I was fascinated by the way the
Communists banned so much music when they came in stifling the centuries
of Gypsy music, Turkish music and so on, that had passed through Bulgaria. It
seemed a rich metaphor for contemporary life: in the moment that the nation
is created, the world goes quiet.
It went on from there. The more I read about this country, the more I
identified with it the more I felt that this was the story I wanted to tell. I
have newspaper cuttings and notes about Bulgaria dating back to 1997, so it's
been in my mind for a while."
EDWARD VICK, the man who established the Vick Prize, which rewarded
the translation into English of Bulgarian literature, Issue 37. The award has
now been discontinued
Professor RANDAL BAKER, author of the humorous book Bulgariana,
Issue 38
30 31
32 33
JAMES WARLICK, American Ambassador from 2010 to 2012, appeared in

issues 41/42 and 69.
I am concerned about media freedom," he said in Issue 69. "The foundation
of any democracy is a strong, free, independent press. I am concerned that the
media is falling into the hands of a small number of people. Of course, there
needs to be transparency in ownership. I would like to see a vibrant press where
journalists are able to do the kind of investigative reporting that they should be
doing and where editors are free to publish the kind of stories that they want.
Journalists should be able to question and critique. All of that has to improve in
Bulgaria and I hope that it will in the future."
Artist MAGDALENA MITEVA, issue 41/42
German photographer BRITTA MORISSE PIMENTEL, Issue 43/44
30 Gayatri Manchanda
31James Warlick
32 Rana Dasgupta
33 Professor Randal
Baker
Shruti Kapur
Indian artist GaYATRI MANCHANDA found Bulgaria to be a source of

inspiration.
My paintings are a permanent link to all my places," she said in our special
feature in Issue 45/46. After living in Sofia in the late 1980s and a hiatus which
continued until 2009, she noticed that "only the mountain is the same. Nobody lived
in Boyana then except Todor Zhivkov and the villagers. We never got to Boyana,
we only went up the hill, to Boyana Church. There was a very nice restaurant there,
Vodenicharska Mehana. I don't know how I remember the name."
46 the
interviews
47
CHARLES DAVID GRANNINGER, Director of the American Research

Center in Sofia, Issue 47/48
DENITSA MIHAYLOVA, the first Gypsy employed in the administration

of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on political correctness and the future
of minorities in Bulgaria, in Issue 51/52:
Around the world, the traditional designation for our ethnicity is Gypsy,
and it is incorrect to perceive the word as discriminatory. After all, will the
Gypsy problem get solved if the people are called Roma? We young, educated
and integrated Gypsies are the good example that will gradually uproot the
prejudice that has for decades been piling up against us."
34 35
36 37
ORHAN PAMUK visited Bulgaria in the summer of 2011, and Vagabond

had the pleasure of taking the Nobel Prize winner on a stroll around
central Sofia, and to feature him in Issue 57/58:
I see my novels as a sort of arena, where various independent points
of view, not necessarily political, but various cultural points of view, social
points of view, intermingle and all the voices are heard. I treat the novel as
an arena where everyone speaks freely."
Boni Bonev
In the spring of 2011, an enthusiastic documentary seemingly made by

a historian who had been born in London and had lived in Sofia for
10 years presented the capital city's ancient and modern history in an
unusually catchy and sexy way, and became a hit on YouTube. Vagabond
tracked down TERRY RANDALL, the man in the video, only to discover
that he was actually an actor, hired by the Sofia Municipality, and was
from Ellesmere Port. More in Issue 53/54:
How did you become the presenter of Sofia The History of
Europe?
It was most of all social networking in Irish pubs. A friend of mine was asked if he
knew someone who could do that. Presenting is very different from acting. I used to
think that presenters were talentless and actors were doing a harder job because they
were hiding their own personality. So this documentary made me appreciate the
presenter's art. There is a skill to it and I have to acknowledge that now.
What surprised you most when you arrived in Bulgaria?
Sofia was a complete culture shock: the noise from the traffic, names I
couldn't even pronounce properly. The architecture surprised me too. I'd
never seen architecture like that. It's so Eastern European."
SUZANNE FARREL, ballerina, Issue 55/56
Lora Zhelyazkova
Belgian artist MARIE-CHANTAL BIELA, Issue 49/50
38 39
34 Marie-Chantal Biela
35 Terry Randall
36 Charles David
Granninger
37 Suzanne Farrel
38 Denitsa Mihaylova
39 Orhan Pamuk
interviews
49
Nelly Tomova
STEVE KEiL, Bulgaria-based entrepreneur and TED presenter, Issue 59/60:

I have to say that my first impression of Bulgaria was not very good. It was
one of those rainy days back then there wasn't Brussels Boulevard from the
airport it was full of dupki, or potholes, everywhere. It was a grey day, and the
Druzhba neighbourhood was grey with all these panel buildings. I said: 'Gosh,
this place needs a lot of paint.' But after that it was cool. I quickly got to Bansko."
48 49
Ivan Stoimenov
48 the
SAMUEL FINZI, Bulgarian actor who is a TV drama star in Germany, Issue

61/62:
Manners in Bulgaria seemed to me to have become coarser. I thought there
was no respect for the fellow man, but this summer I found the atmosphere
here somehow mellower. I can't claim that's really the case. Perhaps I had this
impression because Sofia was empty and the weather was fine, which tends to
put the tourist in a mood to see everything as being okay."
STEFANO BENAZZO, former Italian Ambassador to Bulgaria, and an avid
model-maker, Issue 63/64
1
50 51
52 53
JULIANA ROTH, a professor in intercultural communication in Munich,

offered some precious advice on dealing with Bulgarians in issue 65:
If you use public transportation you will have to get used to people 'sitting
in your lap.' The Bulgarian personal 'bubble' that surrounds the individual
and indicates privacy is very small. Individuals stand very close to each other
and, especially in rush hour, you might feel extremely challenged by the bodily
contact, odours and breaths you will be exposed to. You will encounter this
specific handling of personal space virtually everywhere in meetings, queues,
taxis and so on."
JONATHAN ALLEN, British Ambassador to Bulgaria since 2012, was the
guest of Vagabond in issues 66 and 89. In the latter, he said:
My impression is that there is a significant proportion of the Bulgarian
people who feel they do not have proper political representation. I know it's
difficult to set up new political parties, but the fact that a lot of people do not
vote or vote for parties that fail to make it into parliament does create room for
new political entities to emerge."
ISMAIL ARAMAZ, Turkish Ambassador from 2010 to 2013, in Issue 68:
Firstly, lay the ghost of Turkey to rest. Bulgaria has made its peace with all
its neighbours and former enemies, except Turkey. I think it is time we buried
the past and became very good friends. Once the Bulgarians rid themselves of
48 Steve Keil
49 Juliana Roth
50 Samuel Finzi
51 Jonathan Allen
52 Ismail Aramaz
53 Stefano Benazzo
50
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51
their prejudice and angst, it will have a liberating effect on their perceptions.
My mission here is to ensure that the Bulgarians treat Turkey like any other
neighbouring country.
Secondly, keep an open mind on Turkey. I once read that 'the human mind
is like a parachute; it is only useful when it is open.' I am mystified that, while
we are next-door neighbours, Bulgarians know so little about Turkey."
Gallerist DESISLAVA MONEVA, Issue 69
SHAUL KAMISA RAZ, Israeli Ambassador to Bulgaria, Issue 70
TOVE SKARSTEIN, Norwegian Ambassador to Bulgaria from 2006 to
2012, Issue 71/72:
Can you name three things in Bulgaria that in your opinion have
changed for the better?
The road signs. Previously, they were only in Cyrillic and thus
unreadable to a foreigner. Now when you drive you can understand whether
you are on your way to Kulata or to Burgas.
Sofia looks better kept now in terms of garbage collection. The city looks
tidier.
I came to Bulgaria when it was accepted as a member of the EU. I
remember the fireworks and euphoria on 31 December 2006. Now the
Bulgarians seem to have become more balanced about the advantages and
disadvantages of being in the EU. I think the expectations of EU membership
were somewhat unrealistic. But I do think that the majority of the Bulgarian
people have a better life today."
54 55
56 57
Artist DEYAN VALKOV, Issue 71/72
YASSEN ATANASOV, poet and writer, Issue 73

Architect BOYKO KADINOV, Issue 74
54 Desislava Moneva
55 Shaul Kamisa Raz
56 Karel Van Kesteren
57 Tove Skarstein
58 Deyan Valkov
59 Yassen Atanasov
Tsvetelina Belutova
KAREL VAN KESTEREN, Former Dutch Ambassador to Bulgaria and

a dedicated biker, told us in Issue 73:
My favourite ride in Bulgaria is to Svoge and along the Iskar. Then I
usually detour through the side roads and end up on the road that comes
down from Montana, which enables me to see the whole city of Sofia at the
foot of Vitosha, with the Rila mountains in the background. Wonderful."
58 59
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MARCIE RIES, American Ambassador to Bulgaria since 2012,

Issue 75/76:
Media issues are of great importance in terms of democratic institutions.
The media are known as the Fourth Estate and are really critical to a
democratic society. I have already spoken with a lot of journalists and I am
trying to keep an eye on what's going on in the media. There are several
things that we think about when we consider media freedoms. One is, of
course, that journalists should be responsible, objective and accurate. Another
is that they should be free to write about whatever subject they choose. I have
heard reports of intimidation of journalists that leads to self-censorship.
Another important thing is investigative journalism. We should see
responsible journalism based on research on topics such as corruption and so
on."
MATTHIAS HOEPFNER, German Ambassador from 2009 to 2014, gave
two interviews to Vagabond, in issues 77 and 90.
It is very discouraging that the rating of Bulgaria in the press freedom
index of Reporters Without Borders has been plummeting during the past
few years," he said in one of his last interviews before leaving Bulgaria.
"When I arrived, Bulgaria held 56th position, following an already steep
fall from the 35th position it held when it entered the EU. Bulgaria has
persistently dropped further to its current position of 100th, the lowest
position any EU country has ever held in the history of this index. Free and
independent media are one of the most important foundations of democracy
and also an indispensable precondition for prosperity in a modern market
economy.
The current state of affairs should not be tolerated in an EU country.
Urgent action is necessary."
60
61 62
TERRY STAMATOPOULOS, Greek Ambassador from 2012 to 2013,

Issue 78
JOHN ROWAN, Former Irish Ambassador, Issue 79
I enjoy attending the diverse cultural events on offer here. From the
philharmonic concerts in Bulgaria Hall to the jazz sessions at the Sofia Live
club, from impromptu gigs at a friends caf to a feast of Balkan traditional
music and dance in NDK. The quality of Bulgarian folk music and choral
work is astonishing and it is a tribute to the Bulgarian people that they
have maintained its richness. My daughter, who lives in San Francisco and
is a professional musician, was enticed to Sofia to broaden her repertoire
and took the decision to do a PhD in Bulgarian musical composition at the
National Academy of Music. So we have the music scene here to thank for
63
60 Marcie Ries
61 Terry
Stamatopoulos
62 Matthias Hoepfner
63 John Rowan
54 the
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55
seeing more of her in the last two years than we did in the previous 20. To
accompany the music, there's always the excellent Bulgarian cuisine and
wine, and at local prices, you can indulge your tastes.
If an Irish friend came for a visit, what would you advise them not to
do in Bulgaria?
Don't drink any non-Bulgarian wine."
In Issue 80, ELIZABETH ALLEN, senior policy advisor to the British
government, was the first to answer the questions of Vagabond in a series
of interviews on Sofia as a potential European capital of culture in 2019:
If I'm honest, I would say that compared to other European capital cities
Sofia is not cosmopolitan but perhaps I am making an unfair comparison
with London where you see people of different backgrounds on every street."
MARTINA VRDOLJAK, a Croatian diplomat, Issue 82
KAARE JANSON, Former Danish Ambassador to Bulgaria, Issue 82
CATHERINE BARBER, Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy
from 2010 to 2014, Issue 83/84:
Living in Sofia, we are lucky to have so many parks. It's a really green
city, and lovely to walk around. My favourite occupation at the weekend
is to take a map of the city, draw myself a route including a park, and
walk for several hours. The best way to become properly acquainted with
a city, in my experience, is on foot. Sofia's parks contain many fascinating
little monuments and statues which, if you stop to read about them, offer a
window into the place and history. Apart from these green spaces in the city,
Id have to count Mount Vitosha as one of Sofia's amazing things. We are
unbelievably lucky to have such a beautiful place to hike and relax, so close.
I always take visitors to one of the churches in the foothills of the mountain.
And lastly, though not so dramatic, one of Sofia's attractive attributes is the
proliferation of small cafs, bars and restaurants. I think it would be possible
to go to a different zavedenie, or establishment, every evening and never
repeat a visit, as new places open so often."
ANICK VAN CALSTER, Belgian Ambassador, said in Issue 83/84:
It strikes me that Bulgarians very often look to the outside to find
solutions or problems. In the difficult situation now I see Bulgarians asking
around; who is going to help us? I think the Bulgarians have to do it for
themselves. Of course, Bulgaria has friends, being a member of the EU
and NATO and so on. There can be sharing of examples, best practices,
encouragement, and so on, but ultimately the Bulgarians will have to do it
themselves. The Bulgarians should trust that they can do it."
64 65
66 67
68
64 Kaare Janson
65 Tmartina Vrdoljak
66 Anick Van Calster
67 Elizabeth Allen
68 Catherine Barber
56
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MARIE VRINAT-NIKOLOV, French translator of Bulgarian literature, Issue 86:

I think Sofia lacks human diversity. We meet mainly Caucasian people.
To the consternation of many Bulgarians I would like to point out that I
actually miss Blacks, Arabs and Asians. I am firmly opposed to the spread of
nationalism and intolerance. Sadly, this is an European disease... where will
poor old cosmopolitans find their ideal place?"
DEMOSTENIS STOIDIS, Greek Ambassador, Issue 91

STEPHANE MOISSET, a French entrepreneur living in Bulgaria, is one of
the most outspoken interviewees we've had in our 100 issues. Here is an
extract from his appearance in Issue 92:
The culture shock comes also from the fact that people have absolutely
no sense of community, for what belongs to everybody, such as streets, roads
71
69 70
72 73
74
75
Dennis Griggs
KRISTEN GHODSEE, an American anthropologist focusing on Bulgaria,

Issue 87/88:
Does Bulgaria have an ethnic problem?
It depends who you ask. I lived in the city of Madan in the Rhodope for
about a year back in 2005-2006. This is a predominantly Pomak region. I was
deeply impressed by the spirit of tolerance and multiculturalism that permeated
the community. Bulgaria has been a multiethnic and multiconfessional society
for centuries. A friend in Madan once told me that societies were like flower
gardens; they were more beautiful if you had lots of different types of flowers
planted side by side. To the extent that Bulgaria today has any kind of ethnic
'problem,' I believe that politicians are manufacturing it in order to distract
people from the real problems in society: 'weapons of mass distraction.'
Of course, members of the Gypsy and Turkish minorities in Bulgaria are
subject to discrimination. The more mono-ethnic the village or town, the
more likely Bulgarians are to be hostile to Turks and Roma. In these areas,
Gypsies are all perceived to be beggars, prostitutes and thieves, and the Turks
apparently represent the Fifth Column of Turkish irredentism."
69
Xavier Lapeyre de
Cabanes
70 Diana Rowan
71 Kristen Ghodsee
72 Marie Vrinat-
Nikolov
73 Sleyman Gke
74 Stephane Moisset
75 Demostenis Stoidis
Jose Santiago Tan
DIANA ROWAN, an Irish musician with a PhD in harp from Sofia's

Music Academy, Issue 85:
I haven't learned more than 20 words of Bulgarian since the people are
such incredible multilinguists, so right there you see the cosmopolitanism of
the city. Whatever you want to find is available if you look, from Chinese
medicinal herbs to tango. Everyone seems to have read Irelands beloved
James Joyce, everyone travels, and everyone is unusually well versed with the
world at large. It's so easy to enjoy world culture in Sofia that I actually wish
I could find more traditional Bulgarian music and events."
58
the interviews
COMFORT AND STYLE

AT THE FEET OF THE VITOSHA MOUNTAIN!
59
Christmas Offer!!!
and so on. Bulgarians are always late and never apologise and this is a
Frenchman talking! When they drive, they are so aggressive that they would
drive through your car if they could. I have seen people throwing garbage out
of their windows. Excuse the metaphor, but it feels like someone urinating in
their living room and then saying, 'Well I don't care, it's not my room.'"
XAVIER LAPEYRE DE CABANES became the French Ambassador to
Bulgaria in 2013. He had been here before and was eager to share his
impressions on what had changed and what hadn't since 1991, in Issue 93:
Now we live in the same world. Young Bulgarians and the young French
are educated in the same mode. The people belonging to my generation
in Bulgaria did not get the same education as myself, as they grew up in
a system where they could not read the books they wanted, or listen to the
music they liked, or watch the films they wanted to see, or travel to the
countries they wanted to visit. They did not live in a free country.
Secondly, Bulgaria is a lot more developed economically now than it was
previously. At the beginning of the 21st Century Bulgaria's GDP was a third
of the median EU. Now, it's half, a significant increase. Of course, I am not
going to tell you there is no difference between Sofia and Paris. Yet, in Sofia
you can live quite comfortably. There are no longer electricity shortages, and
the transport system is efficient.
Not all changes are for the better, however. Now, when I travel through
Bulgaria, I see many villages in fact whole regions of the country that are
in ruins. It's like a desert, really."
MARTIN ZAIMOV, banker, Issue 94:
The economy is strong, and banks are now in a very strong position
compared to 15 years ago when the economy was in actual fact bankrupt. In
1996 Bulgaria's government was on the brink of bankruptcy, while now it is
one of the least indebted in Europe. The government can borrow billions at
relatively low cost and thus has the capacity to cover any bank failure."
LYUBOSLAVA ROUSEVA, analyst, journalist, Issue 95/96:
GERB managed to streamline the rallies and use them to facilitate its
political comeback. Initially, what appeared like a genuine manifestation of
civil society soon plunged into unenlightened buffoonery. Borisov snatched
the opportunity and presented it as the voice of those morally discontent with
the government and then as an alternative to the BSP-DPS model."
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60
the interviews
61
76
MARCO CONTICELLI, Italian Ambassador since 2012, recounted
the similarities between Bulgarians and Italians in his special feature
interview in Issue 98:
We both 'hate and love' our countries, we spend many hours at the table
enjoying food, we are relatively traditional and friendly people, strongly
attached to family and community values. Our scenery is astonishing;
home to a beautiful coastline gorgeous mountains and plains, and a great
archaeological heritage, as well as to adventure sports. It's no surprise that
more and more Italians decide to come to Bulgaria to visit, and then stay.
They just feel at home!"
SLEYMAN GKE, Turkish Ambassador to Bulgaria since 2013, Issue 97:
The world we are trying to build is forward-looking; creating prosperity,
wealth, mutual understanding, empathy and respect. Our common heritage
not only binds us together, but provides important milestones for our
common future. One important thing I should mention here is that we are
not only talking about the Ottoman heritage in Bulgaria, but also about the
Bulgarian heritage in Turkey."
STANA ILIEV, a German-Bulgarian activist who has lived in Bulgaria
since 2008, Issue 98.
76 Marco Conticelli
62
the features
Vagabond
Specials
Routine can be a killjoy, but while churning out day in, day out each
of our 100 issues we have rarely felt bored. Besides our regular topics
on travel and politics, we produced lengthy, special features and
sometimes ruffled some feathers in the establishment.
TANKS IN THE JUNKYARD OF HISTORY
In early 2007, in issue 5 of Vagabond, we ran an article about something
which, at the time, just looked curious: on the Bulgarian border with
Turkey dozens of Soviet and Nazi tanks were preserved, sunk into the
ground, their guns pointing at Istanbul. These tanks had been installed
in Communist times as a part of the Warsaw Pact defences against
NATO member Turkey. By 2007, Bulgaria and Turkey were already
allies, but the tanks were still lying all over the place ignored, rusting,
and in various stages of dilapidation. We asked the Defence Ministry
for information about the disused tanks, and the ministry declined,
saying the rusting hardware was still "classified information."
We threatened to sue the ministry under the Access to Information
Act. As a result, we got the detailed information we needed. One of the
consequences was that the Access to Information Programme NGO
rewarded the defence minister with its annual award for the Most
Absurd Reason To Deny Access to Public Information. The reason?
While the ministry still refused to provide us with a map of what has
gone down in Cold War history as the Krali Marko Defence Line,
Google Maps didn't...
After several years, the military did decide to dismantle all of the
tanks and put them where they rightfully belong, in the junkyard of
history.
63
64 the
features
THE SYMBOLS OF BULGARIA CAMPAIGN

In 2008, Bulgaria was all in the grip of a nationwide campaign to
choose a national symbol, endorsed by then President Georgi Parvanov.
A number of places of historical importance were selected and the
Madara Horseman won the national vote. In Vagabond, we decided
it was time to ask expats in Bulgaria what they thought represented
modern Bulgaria best. The answers they gave, and the symbols
shortlisted, had nothing in common with what the Bulgarians had
suggested. These included:
Mutri
Sexy girls
Rakiya and cigarette smoke
The martenitsa
Misty Rhodope mornings
Central Sofia with its multicultural vibe
The combination of flashy jeeps and donkey carts
Stray dogs
The Bulgarian Ey sega, meaning Maana but without the sense of
urgency.
Bulgarians were furious and even hysterical because they thought
outsiders were making fun of them. The participants in the online vote
chose the martenitsa, followed by the Rhodope morning mists, and the
mutri, as the most prominent features of modern Bulgaria. For more,
check issues 23 and 26 of Vagabond.
FROM THE THRACIANS TO THE NDK: VAGABOND'S
GUIDE TO BULGARIAN HISTORY
There are few English-language sources on the history of Bulgaria, and
those are often tainted by propaganda. That is why we commissioned
one of Bulgaria's top historians, Professor Hristo Matanov, to write a
series of articles about the country's past, from the dawn of prehistory
to the fall of Communism. In a year, from issue 5 until issue 17, our
readers were able to get acquainted with mysterious Thracians and
bold Bulgarian khans, follow the ups and downs of the Bulgarian state,
engage with the National Revival of the 19th Century and learn what a
national catastrophe means to Bulgarians. Even more importantly, they
got a glimpse of the years of Communism and its consequences, which
are still felt in modern Bulgaria.
65
66
the features
LAUGH! YOU ARE IN BULGARIA!

Bulgarians often take themselves very seriously, but that doesn't mean
you should explore the country and its people without a healthy pinch
of irony. We have devoted many pages to the fun of culture shock and
how to survive it in Bulgaria.
Richard Cherry, an Australian, became one of our star writers, with
his crazy articles on what Bulgarians are and how to deal with them
without getting punched. Here's an excerpt from his Bulgaria for
Beginners, in issue 7 of Vagabond:
"OK, you've tried a Zagorka, maybe a Kamenitza, and found them
mildly lacking in charm. You ask yourself: In a country where I can get a
500ml bottle of Becks for 50p, why would I drink the local gear? Because
you can, of course. What's the difference between an Ariana and an
Astika? A Bolyarka and a Burgasko? There's something here for everyone,
ranging from bland, gassy lagers to dark, toxic brews more suited to a
petrie dish than a beer glass. Discover for yourself the full spectrum of
Bulgarian beers, from the merely tolerable to the completely un-keepdownable. And imagine how sharply you'll rise in your Bulgarian
friends' estimation when, having been offered an Almus, you can smile
sagely and say, 'No thanks! That stuff 's made with Danube water'."
No wonder we've never convinced a Bulgarian brewery to advertise.
This is from Cherry's cheerful piece on the Bulgarian Black Sea, in
issue 11:
"It's not Bulgaria's fault that, by an accident of geography, there's simply
less coastline to go round. But I remember my first sight of the Black Sea
coast, a couple of summers back, thinking: It's crowded. A lot of people. A
lot of furniture. You know those plastic banana loungers and stuff ? And
Bulgarian beaches are strewn with so many cocktail bars, slot machines,
and huge sub-woofers that you end up feeling like you're in a big daytime
disco with sand. The British love it here, of course. Apart from being
cheap as chips for them, these are the best beaches they've ever seen."
Cherry eventually left Bulgaria, leaving behind a pair of comedy
shoes too big to be filled by an ordinary person. Hristo Kyosev stepped
in, offering his precious MisLeading Advice for First Time Visitors to
Bulgaria, between issues 26 and 39/40. These, of course, should be
digested with a modicum of common sense.
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68
the features
For example: It is customary for waiters and waitresses in Bulgarian

restaurants to give diners at least 30 minutes to get acquainted with the
atmosphere and general feel of the place before they offer their services. If
a waiter approaches you before the allocated time limit, send him away
immediately by waving your arms in the air and shouting chiba, chiba!.
Or: Taxi drivers in Bulgaria are rather talkative. Be the first to break
the ice by starting a conversation on some of the most popular topics
among local taxi drivers: Kak e lizingat?, or What is the situation with
the monthly instalments covering the purchase of the taxi cab?; Kak e
kolegata?, or How do you get along with the other shift partner-driver who
shares this car?; or Kakvo mislish za polititsite?, or What do you think of
our politicians? Having asked the right question, just sit back, relax, shake
your head in assent from time to time and enjoy the ride.
And: The phrase "I'll get the bill" in bars and restaurants deeply offends
Bulgarians and bruises their egos. Avoid confusion and embarrassment by
announcing in a loud voice: "Im not paying anything" before setting out
for a night on the town with your Bulgarian pals.
In spite of the gloomy years we are living through (as you should
know from our increasingly dark political analyses), we still produce
funny stuff. Check out the Top 10 Techniques To Infuriate Your
Bulgarian Friends, in issue 91. Here's a sample:
"Bulgarians love conspiracy theories. They will probably have already
told you their own explanations about US world hegemony, about the
influx of asylum seekers, about shale gas and many others. Now is the time
to produce one conspiracy theory of your own. If you really want to bite, tell
them The Daily Mail has been carrying reports about Bulgarians settling
in Britain and conspiring to overthrow the monarchy. The Daily Mail,
you might add, rarely gets a story right, so you used your own sources to do
a little investigation. It turned out the plotters were in fact Macedonian
revolutionaries pretending to be Bulgarians. You know that of course the
Macedonian nation is much older and nobler than the Bulgarian, so why
would a Macedonian want to pretend he is Bulgarian?"
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70
the legacies of communism
TOP
communism
8
1 CLEANLINESS BRINGS HEALTH.
HEALTH IS HAPPINESS
2 COME TO WORK RELAXED
3 PEDESTRIANS
Love it or hate it, call it a clich, but Communism, with its mentality
and its ways of organising society and the economy, still defines modern
Bulgaria and Vagabond has been investigating this since its first issues.
Funnily enough, the stories about Communism and its remains are
regularly some of the most read pieces on www.vagabond.bg.
COMMUNIST ERA SIGNS
In Communist Bulgaria public signs combined the ideas of urging
people to do things deemed good for them and preventing them
from doing other things considered dangerous or unhealthy. To put
it another way, they taught people how to live and behave in the
new, Socialist society, although those who created these instructions
were often somewhat heavy-handed where the choice of words was
concerned. This was how signs like CLEANLINESS BRINGS
HEALTH. HEALTH IS HAPPINESS, or PEDESTRIANS!
MOVE ONLY ALONG THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THE
SIDEWALKS IN THE DIRECTION OF YOUR MOVEMENT!
came into being. For more Socialist style instructions, go to issue 91 of
Vagabond.
10
MOVE ONLY ALONG THE RIGHT-HAND

SIDE OF THE SIDEWALKS IN THE
DIRECTION OF YOUR MOVEMENT!
4 PARTY OFFICE
5 ATTENTION!
BEWARE OF FALLING SUBJECTS
6 WORKSHOP FOR RESTRETCHING BED

SPRINGS
11
12
7 THROWING RUBBISH EATING SEEDS

SPITTING IN STREETS INDICATES BASE
CULTURE
8 EVERY CHILD A DEPOSITOR AT THE
STATE SAVINGS BANK
14
9 BEWARE OF JABBING
10 ROOM FOR DAMSELS
11 GRAZING FORBIDDEN!
12 FOR RUBBISH USE THE BASKETS
13 ATTENTION!
THERE ARE NO SPARE PARTS FOR THE

HUMAN BODY
13
14 CITIZENS. PRESERVE YOUR HEALTH.

DO NOT LITTER THE STREETS!
15 THE BEAUTY OF THE PARK URGES ITS
BEING KEPT CLEAN
15
16
16 EXPOSE THE VIOLATORS OF

CLEANLINESS
71
72
73

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BELENE, THE ISLAND OF HORRORS

Nostalgia for Communism, when jobs were
secure and each family had a guaranteed twoweek holiday at the seaside, is rife in modern
Bulgaria. But the regime was hard on those
who opposed it, and the prison for political
opponents on the Danube island of Belene
(issue 91) was one of its most monstrous
creations.
SCI-FI KHANS OVER SHUMEN
One of the megalomaniacal projects with
which Bulgaria, already deep in debt,
celebrated the 1,300th anniversary of its
founding, was the giant concrete complex
dedicated to its first rulers, on the Shumen
Plateau (issue 97). The modernistic sculptures
of khans are still fascinating to foreign tourists,
but for the wrong reasons. To the Western
eye, their cyberpunk features could have come
straight out of a sci-fi animation movie.

74
75
WOMEN'S RIGHTS
The empowerment of women is probably the best thing Socialism
did for Bulgaria, and American anthropologist Kristen Ghodsee's
study (issue 95/96) sheds precious light on the achievements of Elena
Lagadinova, the star of Bulgarian emancipation.
17 18
19 20
FORGOTTEN ADVERTS
It may be hard to believe, but the most read article on www.vagabond.
bg is Stop! Attention! Cross!, devoted to the Socialist roadside signs
(issue 45/46). The item in question has been read more than 90,000
times since its publication in 2010. Go figure.
17 Elena Lagadinova
18 Balkantourist, disused sign
from the times of Communinsm
19
Bulgarian-Turkish border
at Rezovo
20
Chaika, the choice of

Communist dignitaries at the
time
KILLING BORDERS
Under Socialism, many people from the Eastern bloc escaped or tried
to escape to the West through Bulgaria. Many were captured and/
or killed by Bulgarian border guards, and buried in unmarked graves
on the spot. 2014 saw a surge of interest in Bulgaria in these stories,
but Vagabond has been reporting on them for quite a long time. We
published an article on the investigation of East German deaths on the
Bulgarian border as early as 2007, in issue 15/16, and in issue 77 we had
a detailed feature on Bulgaria's borders during and after Communism.
CARS OF COMMUNISM
Second and third-hand Opels, Fords and Renaults dominate the
roads of modern Bulgaria, but here and there you can still see the odd
Lada, Moskvich or Zhiguli, alive and whirring along the road. In issue
51/52 we included the most prominent Socialist car models, from the
luxurious Chaikas to the despised Trabants.
76
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AESTHETIC SURGERY &
AESTHETIC MEDICINE
The original closed approach scarless lifting techniques by
Prof. Dr. Nikolay Serdev are the most minimally invasive methods
for beautification and rejuvenation of the face and body. They are
performed only through needle punctures to lift and stitch stable
mobile facial tissues on a higher level to immobile structures and
delay ageing by years. There is no cutting of skin and subsequently
no scars.
The Serdev Suture Lifts are atraumatic, mini-invasive and
encompass more than 21 techniques that are carried out under
local anesthesia, cause practically invisible swelling and scars
are mere prick points. These methods allow the patient to
return to their work, social life and usual activities one or two
days after surgery, and have an immediate eect. Postoperative
care is minimal because of the little atraumatic nature of the
procedures.
The techniques of Dr. Serdev can be applied to each facial
area with excellent results eyebrows and eye area can be lifted,
the fine wrinkles around the eyes and the nasolabial fold are
smoothed out, the cheekbones and mouth corners look higher,
the nasal tip is lifted and narrowed, the chin enhanced and ears
are corrected. After the operation the face looks younger and the
corrections in proportions, angles and volumes of the beauty
triangle make it more beautiful.
GEORGI DIMITROV MAUSOLEUM

The garden in front of the National Art
Gallery in Sofia is now a drab spot where cars
park and youngsters drink beer; a nuisance
for the city council who is stuck with the
task of creating something meaningful out
of this place. Until 1999, however, here rose
the squat, white mausoleum containing the
embalmed remains of Dimitrov, Bulgaria's
first Stalinist dictator (issue 38).
VICTIMS OF COMMUNISM
An estimated 300,000 people suffered in
Bulgaria because of their political views.
Seen as enemies of the regime, they were
killed, tortured, imprisoned, resettled and
denied proper education or careers. Yet,
the monuments dedicated to the victims of
Communism are surprisingly few, as you will
see in issue 63/64.
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11, 20th April Street, Soa, Bulgaria
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78
79
SOCIALIST MYSTICISM
Officially, Communist Bulgaria was an atheist
state and superstitions didn't have any place in
it. In practice, however, superstition flourished,
fed by the lack of a proper religious life and
a disbelief in anything the state said. Vanga,
the blind clairvoyant who lived in Petrich,
is the epitome of this trend. In her lifetime,
she attracted thousands of visitors, including
top Communist functionaries, and the
attention of State Security. She died in 1996,
but still enjoys huge popularity. Vagabond has
covered Vanga extensively, from the secret
1981 excavations in the Strandzha supposedly
inspired by her (issue 8), to her house which is
now a museum (issue 28/29), and to her life,
predictions and abode at Rupite (issue 93).
'REVIVAL PROCESS' AND 'BIG
EXCURSION'
One of the biggest crimes of the Communist
regime was its policies against the Muslims
and Turks in Bulgaria (issue 35/36). These
culminated in the forcible name-changing of
Pomaks, in the 1960s and the 1970s, followed
by the renaming of about 850,000 Turks,
in the winter of 1984-1985. By renaming
we mean it literally: Hassans were forced,
sometimes at gunpoint, to rename themselves
to Asens... Many weren't happy with this,
resulting in demonstrations, the formation
of a clandestine resistance movement, as well
as several terrorist attacks. In the summer of
1989, the Communist government issued exit
visas to the Bulgarian Turks, and the mass
hysteria forced about 360,000 of them to
join the so-called Big Excursion, and leave
for Turkey. This event is now considered the
biggest forced migration in post-war Europe.
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80
81
BRIGADES
The economy of Socialist Bulgaria was in constant need of labour.
Initially, workers were needed for big infrastructure projects, such
as building dams, road passes and whole cities, like Dimitrovgrad
(issue73). From the 1960s onwards, however, the so-called brigades
became the summertime activity for students in highschools and
universities, who helped on farms picking tomatoes, apples or peppers.
More on this Bulgarian invention in issue 34.
FOREIGN TOURIST IN SOCIALIST BULGARIA
In the 1970s, Bill Bryson almost had his pair of jeans removed in broad
daylight in central Sofia by a young Bulgarian who was too eager to
acquire a piece of original Western clothing. The visitors from Socialist
East Germany, however, experienced Bulgaria and the Black Sea in a
completely different manner. A series of postcards sent to their relatives
(issue 25) show their fascination with the Bulgarian sea, climate and
fruit, and their hopes of buying a decent rope here.
82
83
COMMUNISM'S FLYING SAUCER

Thanks to the Internet and the countless Top-10-Derelict-BuildingsTo-See-Before-You-Die lists, Bulgaria's entry is increasingly gaining
attention. The monument-cum-convention centre at Buzludzha
(issue 94) was built to commemorate the founding of the Bulgarian
Communist Party, but is now in a severe state of disrepair, a treat for
all those interested in urban decay and the follies of failed totalitarian
states.
THE THICK RED LINE
Monuments of Red Army soldiers and Bulgarian Communist partisans
were essential for the government between 1944 and 1989. They
popped up everywhere, from the centre of Sofia to unremarkable sites
in the country which had witnessed clashes between guerrillas and
the police during the Second World War, reminding the obedient
population to whom they should be grateful for their happy Socialist
lives. Unlike other former Communist states, Bulgaria has preserved
most of these monuments (in issue 39/40).
84
FUN
FUN
FUN
FUN
DAY
DAY
DAY
DAY
86
advertorial
87
Winery Number One

in Bulgaria:
CASTRA RUBRA
The story of Castra Rubra Winery is the story of its

owner, Jair Agopian. He is one of the people for whom
wine is not business, but a way of life.
It all started about 15 years ago, when Agopian
discovered the most important truth about the drink
of gods: good wine is made of good grape. He began
searching for the best vineyard in Bulgaria, and ended in
the village of Kolarovo, near Harmanli and the borders
with Greece and Turkey.
Having the best grape and introducing the innovative
bag-in-box technology, Agopian immediately became
a major factor in Bulgaria's wine industry. Initially, it was
hard to sell "wine in carton", but soon both restaurants and
sceptics fell for his wines as they were good and came in a
handy package.
In spite of the good results, Agopian knew that if he
wanted to make truly big wine, he needed good winery.
Then Fate stepped in and met him with Michel Rolland,
one of the ten most influential winemakers according
to Decanter Magazine, and creator of many top wines.
Agopian told Rolland about his future project, Castra
Rubra, and only months later they signed a contract
stipulating that in Bulgaria Rolland will consult only Jair
Agopian's projects.
In 2004, the Frenchman visited Bulgaria and
inspected the place of the future winery in Kolarovo.
The winemaking conditions here are perfect the
sunny days are significantly more than the Bulgarian
average and the soils are so diverse that each vineyard
produces unique grapes. There is history, too, as close to
the village are the remains of the Castra Rubra Roman
fortress which gave the name of the winery.
Michel Rolland was impressed by both the terroir and
the future winery project, and made only small changes
in Agopian's initial plan. The main effort was put into
improvement of vineyards and planting of new grapes

like Alicante bouschet, Sangiovese, Pinot noir, Cabernet
franc, Sauvignon gris, Sauvignon blanc, Grenache blanc,
Syrah, Petit verdot, Chardonnay and Viognier.
Today, the Castra Rubra vineyards and winery are
renowned as the best in Bulgaria.
Why? Because its winemakers chose the harder road.
The grape turns into wine naturally, through gravity
flow process. The whole production is bottled at the
same time and the red wines age in the bottle. There
are no compromises with the quality of the casks or
the ageing period. As a result, the Castra Rubra wines
are divine and of the best quality, comparable with the
world's standards.
Castra Rubra is probably Bulgaria's most decorated
winery, winning golden and silver medals in wine
competitions from Canada to Asia. Robert Parker, the
biggest wine critic in the US, tweeted the following:
"Keep tasting very good Bulgarian wines-From Jair
Agopian-his winery called Castra Rubra".
This is the grand goal of Castra Rubra winemakers: to
show to the world the new, better face of Bulgarian wine
and place the country where it belongs, among the first
in the world.
High Beam is a series of articles, initiated by Vagabond Magazine, with the generous support
of the America for Bulgaria Foundation, that aims to provide details and background of places,
cultural entities, events, personalities and facts of life that are sometimes difficult to understand
for the outsider in the Balkans. The ultimate aim is the preservation of Bulgaria's cultural heritage
including but not limited to archaeological, cultural and ethnic diversity.
high beam
89
TOP
High
Beam
1 2
3 4
One of Vagabond's main goals, to keep on discovering and presenting

the hidden gems of Bulgaria often off-off-off the beaten track,
received valuable assistance from the America for Bulgaria Foundation,
and in 2009 we started the High Beam section of this journal. There
we tell the stories of lesser known but interesting and fascinating places
scattered all over Bulgaria, visit exotic festivals and explore the ruins of
ancient, medieval and Socialist buildings. We also focus on discussing
Bulgaria's minorities and their heritage. You will fine some of these
stories in our latest book, Hidden Treasures of Bulgaria 2. On the
following pages, we offer you more.
DIVERSE BULGARIA
Bulgaria is home to an array of ethnic and religions minorities
with interesting heritages and often traumatic histories. Vagabond
consistently draws attention to them, with special articles devoted to
the country's Ottoman (issue 97) and Armenian (issue 98) heritage,
and the question of antisemitism in modern Bulgaria (issue 55/56).
For concise information on most of the country's minorities, check
out issue 67, where you'll meet well known groups such as the Turks,
the Gypsies and the Jews, and more exotic communities like the
Karakachans and the Gagauz.
5
1 A Karakachan
2 Elderly Pomak women
3 Gagauz
4 Russians
5 Gypsies
6 A Jewish boy
7 An Armenian
8 A Turk
Tsvetomir Trankov
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7 8
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FIREWALKERS
Nestinarstvo, the rite where men and women dance on glowing embers,
is one of Bulgaria's best known and most mysterious traditions, mostly
because of the tourist shows on the Black Sea coast. To experience the
bizarre atmosphere of the real thing, however, you have to go deep into
the Strandzha, the mountain where the rite is still performed, and on a
very special day. Discover more, in issue 79 of Vagabond.
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OUR NEW PROJECT

MOTOPISTA NOVA!
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We have been building for you for more than 20 years.

Your trust is the strongest incentive for us to continue creating.
YAYLATA
There is a good reason why a number of Bulgarian film-makers have
felt obliged to shoot their movies on location at Yaylata, the rocky
plateau on Bulgaria's northern Black Sea coast (issue 91): this place is
breathtakingly beautiful. Covering 74 acres and rising up to 60 metres
above the waves, Yaylata is the last chunk of the great European steppes,
and home to many rare and endangered bird and plant species, with
astonishing landscapes and caves carved by early Christian hermits.
We build homes, we build up friendships
Sales:
Sofia, Rikardo Vakarini St, block 7 | phone: +359 2 892 0720; +359 2 892 0748
mobile: +359 887 286 876 | office@torinbg.com | www.torinbg.com
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POBITI KAMANI
Situated near Varna, one of Bulgaria's best known natural phenomena
appears eerie at night or in winter (Vagabond, issue 39/40). In these
magical hours, you can easily believe the legend that the columns are
the remains of petrified giants.
THRACIAN TREASURES
Being in Bulgaria nowadays means that you are bombarded with news
and stories about Thracian gold treasures. But why did the Thracians
love gold so much? How were these hoards discovered? Which are the
most astonishing of them and where can you see them? Issue 55/56 of
Vagabond provides some of the answers.
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THE GHOST VILLAGE OF TAMRASH

Tamrash, on the northern slopes of the Rhodope (issue 45/46) is no
longer to be found on maps, as it was abandoned in 1912, when Bulgaria
launched its offensive against the Ottoman Empire from there. The
Pomaks, Bulgarian-speaking Muslims who lived in Tamrash, fled and
settled in Asia Minor. Only two cemeteries survive from the village,
with the ghostly sight of white tombstones popping up among the firs.
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THE VILLAGE OF DOLEN

Visiting a traditional village or town in Bulgaria may be a
disappointment, as many of them have succumbed to relentless
touristification, and their spirit of authenticity is evaporating quicker
than the contents of a bottle of rakiya dropped on the street. Dolen, in
the Western Rhodope, doesn't fit into this pattern. Small and tucked
away in the mountains, it is quiet and mostly undisturbed by modern
tourism. A bonus: a hidden stone in the local church grants wishes.
MEGALITHIC BULGARIA
Stonehenge may be far away, but Bulgaria has a rich heritage of
megalithic structures, built mainly by the Thracians in the 2nd-1st
millennia BC. High Beam has covered many of these, from the famed
Tatul and Perperikon, in issues 59/60 and 95/96 respectively, to lesser
known sites like the Deaf Rocks shrine, in issue 73. The Megalithic
Bulgaria article in issue 78 is the best guide for Thracian history
novices, as information on the most astonishing sites is gathered into
one place.
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MEN DANCING IN ICY RIVER, KALOFER

Long before there was the ice bucket challenge (does
anyone remember that, anyway?), the men of Kalofer
used to test their strength and spirit in a more daring way.
On the morning of Epiphany, 6 January, they dance the
horo in the freezing waters of the Tundzha River. Why?
Check our coverage of the event in issue 87/88.
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RIBNOVO WEDDING
Few things can compare to the wedding ceremony of the Pomaks who
live in the Rhodope village of Ribnovo (issue 86). A wedding here takes
two days, and culminates with the bride's face being painted completely
white and covered in sequins, a rite which is as mysterious as it is
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astonishing to see.
PLOVDIV'S SMALL BASILICA
In 2013, the excavated and restored Small Basilica in
Plovdiv (Vagabond, issue 85) appeared on the mustvisit tourist map of Bulgaria. Combining careful
restoration and modern architecture, the remains of
a Late Antiquity church preserve splendid mosaics.
The America for Bulgaria Foundation funded this
breakthrough project, and the team at Vagabond
created www.romanplovdiv.org, a web site which
sheds more light on the restoration of the building,
and life in Plovdiv under the Romans.
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DERELICT BULGARIA
It took us two issues, 69 and 70, to cover one of the most distinctive
elements of 21st Century Bulgaria: its modern ruins. Abandoned
factories and empty schools, forgotten Communist monuments and
dilapidated former military bases, these are all the outcome of illconceived Socialist development and a malfunctioning Bulgaria during
post-Communism.
BULGARIA FROM THE WINDOW OF A TRAIN
Taking the train in Bulgaria can be confusing, and the comfort levels
can be more on a par with what you see in Albania, but travelling by
train could easily become one of your top experiences in the country
(Vagabond, issue 94). The voices of passengers playing cards or talking
to friends, pensioners discussing current politics, the rattle of the train
wheels and the changing landscapes blend into a journey which you will
remember for the rest of your life.
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GYPSY BRIDES MARKET

Most people meet their brides at work, drinking in a bar, walking
their dogs, and many other occasions quite well known in life. The
young men and women of the Gypsy clan of the Kalaydzhii, however,
meet their significant others at a special fair (issue 90). It is called the
brides market, but girls are not really sold there, and the bargaining
with prospective in-laws is just a remnant of the old times, when the
itinerant Kalaydzhii had few chances to congregate and had to organise
a special meeting of the community.
ISKAR GORGE
The longest river running entirely in Bulgarian territory, the Iskar,
carves a gorge through the Stara Planina (issue 79), which blends
stupendous scenery with interesting monasteries and some gruesome
stories, including that of the British Major Frank Thompson, killed
there during the Second World War. Travelling by car along the gorge
is more comfortable and gives you the opportunity to stop and explore,
but if you feel adventurous enough, take the train.
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SUNKEN CHURCHES
Socialist Bulgaria needed water for its factories, fields and the cities that
were growing to accommodate villagers who had lost their livelihood
due to the forced collectivisation of arable land. A number of dams
were built, and whole villages were submerged in the process. The
remains of some are still poking up above the water, and on the pages of
Vagabond's issue 51/52.
TIME FOR RAKIYA
Ever wondered how homemade rakiya, the drink Bulgarians are
obsessed with, is made? Our article in issue 83/84 reveals everything
you need to know and some practices you would probably rather not
know about rakiya preparation. Now, close your eyes and answer:
what is dzhibri?
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IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF LEVSKI AND BOTEV

High Beam devoted two articles, in issues 77 and 80, to the
peregrinations of Bulgaria's most revered revolutionaries, Vasil Levski
(1837-1873) and Hristo Botev (1848-1876). They lived on the road,
moving from their birthplaces in the fields between the Stara Planina
and the Sredna Gora mountains, across the Danube, to Russia,
Walachia and Serbia, before dying heroically on Bulgarian soil.
This series of articles is supported by the

America for Bulgaria Foundation. The
statements and opinions expressed herein
are those of the authors and do not necessarily
reflect the opinion of the America for Bulgaria
Foundation and its partners.
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sofia
Here is a secret: while Vagabond was in its development stage, it

was going to be a magazine solely about Sofia. We changed our
minds, eventually, but Bulgaria's capital has remained a permanent
fixture on the pages of the magazine. We have covered extensively its
restaurant and night scene, but the articles we cherish the most are
the ones devoted to its many hidden gems.
SOFIA'S PLACES OF WORSHIP
In a series of articles running from issue 41/42 to issue 47/48, we
tried to create a concise collection of the churches and shrines of
all the major faiths in Bulgaria's capital: from the famed cathedral
of St Aleksandr Nevski, the Banyaba Mosque and the Central
Sofia Synagogue, to little known churches like the Greek Orthodox
Church, the Dr Long Church and the shrine of the White
Brotherhood Society.
SOFIA'S THEATRE DISTRICT
Rakovski Street is definitely not Broadway, but for some strange
reason most of the capital's theatres are on it or close by it. As a
foreigner you will be unlikely to understand a stage play in Bulgarian,
yet it is good to know the theatre geography of Sofia, so that you will
at least be aware of the difference between waiting for someone at the
National Theatre or in front of the 199 Theatre, without checking
Google (issue 59/60).
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NEW GENERATION OF HEALTHY DINING
SOFIA'S EAGLES
Anyone who has been in Sofia for more
than two days is at least vaguely aware of
the existence of Eagles Bridge, the late 19th
Century construction still channeling the city
traffic from the centre to Tsarigradsko Shose
Boulevard and the neighbourhoods around it.
The capital, however, teems with numerous
representations of birds of prey, some large,
some small, some majestic and others less
so. Some of the best nest in issue 87/88 of
Vagabond.
CITY CLOCKS OF SOFIA
"What is the time?," is a question one still hears
frequently on the streets of Sofia, and for a
reason. The capital is dotted with public clocks,
perched on top of buildings from all periods of
modernity, but few of them work. The clocks
of the capital (issue 49/50) are, however, a
charming detail, and for those who dare to stop
looking at the cracked slabs of the pavements
and gaze upwards, there is a reward
ECCENTRIC SOFIA
Want to see the stuffed puppy of famed poet
and writer Ivan Vazov (pictured)? Ready for
the ghastly sight of glass eyes and pickled
brains? Then our article on some of Sofia's
more eccentric sites (issue 32) is just for you. To
maintain the balance, we also wrote an article
on the eccentricities you will encounter in
Bulgaria's museums outside of the capital, in
issue 33.
To eat well and

healthy in Soa
has never been
easier!
1. Book a table at
La Skara Restaurant
2. Choose vegetables
and fresh marinated
meat from a selection
made by chefs
3. Grill by yourself
in the BBQ
4. Enjoy the result!
Soa, Students town, next to block 60 | phone: 0889 369 369
www.la-skara.com | www.facebook.com/laskarasoa
Individual yoga and Pilates classes by

professional instructors, in Bulgarian or English
Bowen technique, Ayurvedic facial
therapy, Reiki therapy
Group classes:
Classical yoga for beginners
Classical yoga for all
Ashtanga yoga
Hatha yoga
Hatha flow yoga
Pilates
Fat burning yoga
Yoga for kids
Yoga for elderly
Soa, 16 Zlaten Rog (opposite the garden
of Kempinski Hotel) | phone: 0887 937 960
yogastudioeleven@abv.bg
www.yogastudioeleven.com
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SUGAR FACTORY
Here is a sad story. Situated on one of Sofia's
prime locations, a grandiose complex of
beautiful industrial brick buildings is fading
away (issue 49/50). Built by a Belgian
company at the turn of the 20th Century as a
sugar processing plant and living quarters for
the workers, the factory became a warehouse
under Communism, and is now in a complete
state of dilapidation.
REVAMPED TRANSFORMATORS
Graffiti is ubiquitous in central Sofia, but little
of it makes such a pleasant difference as the
painted electricity transformers on some of
the capital's emblematic streets (issue 73).
FIVE CITIES THAT COULD
REPLACE SOFIA AS A CAPITAL
What if Sofia hadn't become the capital of
Bulgaria in the fateful year 1879? Tonguein-cheekishly, we decided to investigate,
and selected our five top contenders for the
capital crown. With all their strong points and
weaknesses, they are all in issue 78.
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MUSEUM OF SOFIA
Sofia is a rarity: it has had a museum since
1928, yet few have wandered among its
treasures, as the museum still lacks a proper
exhibition space. For Vagabond, however, this
is not a problem. We covered the Museum
of Sofia after it moved to its new premises
in the former Central Baths (issue 66) and
its fascinating collection, including rockinghorses and carriages used by the former
Bulgarian kings and the macabre stationery of
Prime Minister Stefan Stambolov.
ST PARASKEVA CHURCH
As in any big city, Sofia, too, has seemingly
unremarkable buildings that keep dark secrets.
Take St Paraskeva Church at the intersection
of Rakovski and Simeon streets (issue 74). Its
whole basement is filled with the knick-knacks
of what is probably Sofia's biggest pawn shop.
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DOCTORS' GARDEN
One of Sofia's most beloved gardens, the
Doctors' Garden is actually a memorial to
the medical personnel who lost their lives in
the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, and our
article in issue 41/42 discloses more about this
hidden treasure of the capital.
THE BELL RINGER
OF ALEKSANDR NEVSKI
CATHEDRAL
Anyone who has passed by Alexandr Nevsky
Cathedral on a Sunday morning or afternoon,
or during a big Christian feast, has been
enchanted by the melodic ringing of its bells.
The person responsible for the creation of
one of Sofia's most recognisable sounds is an
elderly lady, Maria Zabova, who spoke with
Vagabond for its 31st issue.
124 advertorial
dr shterev
hospital
expands its
delivery
ward
Expansion comes after eight years
of successful progress by making
thousands of parents happy!
"The normal course of a delivery and the tranquility in

the delivery rooms is 'forged' during the nine-months
monitoring of the pregnancy," says Assoc. Prof. Atanas
Shterev, the father of assisted reproduction in Bulgaria
Dr Shterev Hospital, the famed clinic for obstetrics,
gynaecology and reproductive medicine in Bulgaria,
is making substantial investments in order to provide
the best conditions and medical services in this field.
The innovative progress of the hospital starts with the
creation of a new hospital building and continues with
the renovation and expansion of the maternity ward.
The major goal of the hospital's team is to offer medical
and administrative services that correspond to the
highest world standards. Thus, the maternity ward has
reached a doubled capacity and is still one of the most
famous OB/GYN clinics in Bulgaria.
Since November 2014, all pregnant women can benefit
from the new delivery rooms, the newly expanded room
for intensive postpartum monitoring, 10 more rooms for
postnatal recovery, new premises for neonatal care and
fully renewed medical atmosphere.
In the beginning was the monitoring of the
pregnancy
The comprehensive care for all pregnant women is the
credo of the team of Assoc. Prof. Atanas Shterev. This is
the reason why lately a special unit on prenatal and foetal
medicine care has been established, where a number of
qualified professionals, many of whom have specialised
in the famous school of Prof. Kypros Nicolaides from
the renowned medical centre King's College, London.
The aim of the Management of Dr Shterev Hospital is
to offer services based on the highest achievements of
the world medicine. They have purchased specialised

equipment for minimal invasive laser surgery that give
a chance of happiness to more and more families. This
way, Bulgaria ranks among the five countries in Europe,
among the UK, France, Belgium and Spain, in which
pregnant women have the opportunity to benefit from
the performance of modern foetal medicine.
"Medicine is a team activity, conducted by a number of
specialists - anaesthesiologists, paediatricians, geneticists,
surgeons, but first in this chain is the specialist in foetal
medicine," summarises Assoc. Prof. Shterev.
A peek in the delivery ward
The new wing of the extended maternity ward is
particularly impressive. Here, the pregnant woman
encounters a place with bright colours and cozy
furniture that diverts her attention away from the stress
of the future delivery.
"The sense of home comfort is very important so
that the mother and the newborn can fully experience
their first few days together. When the baby is born, our
team of neonatologists puts the baby on the mothers
breast. This first mother-baby contact is quite important
because it helps for the start of the lactation process,"
explains midwife Krusteva.
Experience matters
Each mother needs to have an adviser in order to be
certain that she does the best for her baby. Consequently,
the specialists from the delivery ward give individual
support to every young mother to get used to the
cares for the newborn. For the women, who are not
accommodated in a single room, a premise for the babies
is equipped with a special chair for the nursing mothers.
advertorial 125
"We make sure that each mother is not only an
observer of the first cares for the baby but is also an active
participant. This way she feels much more comfortable
and we become her friends and advisors. This 'training'
includes the bath and dress up of the baby, together with
the first cares," explain the specialists from Dr Shterev
Hospital.
Mommy also matters
The cares for the future mother are so comprehensive
that the specialists from the hospital make a joke that the
only thing that the pregnant woman needs to carry with
her when the delivery starts is her ID card and her belly.
But have you ever expected:
a specialised physiotherapy care!
In the hospital the responsibility for the mother
is much more than the ordinary home comfort. For
every woman in labor, Dr Shterev Hospital team have
provided physiotherapy care - unique rehabilitation
program for the proper recovery in the first days after
birth.
"We show and teach each woman how to stand up
and how to stand in comfortable positions," states
Dr Marinela Kojuharova, a physiotherapy specialist.
The fast recovery of the woman lowers the risk of
thrombosis and other postnatal complications. This
is the reason why, the good practice in Dr Shterev
Hospital continues even after the discharge of the
patient with exclusive, for Bulgaria, price packages for
a postnatal recovery. Thus, the women who have given
birth recently are able to have a fast rehabilitation and
can easily regain their slim figure they have had before
the delivery.
Close to the stem cell bank
The stem cell bank for the storage of stem cells is
available for the women who give birth at Dr Shterev
Hospital. Each midwife is trained to work with a special
set so that she will be able, immediately after the cord
clamping, to take blood from it. In this blood sample,
the specialists segregate the stem cells that will be stored
in order to guarantee benefits in the future.
The first steps on the road of life are a feast/celebration
The discharge of the newborn turns into a family
celebration that takes place in a special hall at Dr
Shterev Hospital. In this hall, family and friends can
make unique photos of the new member of the family
and offer their heartfelt congratulations. The hall is
separated in two a cocktail area and a cozy corner that
is quite close to the cozy atmosphere at home. All that
the relatives need to do is to provide more space for their
cameras so that they can capture the precious memories
of this unique moment.
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Balkans
TRavel
One of the best things about living in Bulgaria is its crossroads position,
which allows you to reach the farthest nooks of the Balkans within
a day's car ride. Each of the 100 issues of Vagabond brought you to
some corner of Europe's most fascinating and least known peninsula,
allowing you to enjoy astonishing sunsets, walk along the cobbled
streets of traditional cities and villages, explore curiosities and lose
yourself in crazy festivals.
CROATIA Tito's Island

If you are scared of stuffed animals, don't go to Veliki Brijun Island
(Vagabond, issue 82), but if you don't mind looking into the glass eyes of
a pair of long-dead lions and suchlike, the tour around the former villa of
Croatia's maverick Communist leader, Josip Broz Tito, is an adventure
full of discoveries. The wild animals of his private zoo, donated by
dignitaries such as Indira Gandhi, still roam the island, while those who
have passed away have been lovingly, although not very skilfully, stuffed
and exhibited in a special room. Meeting Tito's own talking parrot, Koki,
is a bonus. If you are lucky, he will swear back at you in Croatian.
ALBANIA Berat
Recovering from the decades of oppression, paranoia and the isolation
of Enver Xoxha's self-styled Stalinist regime, Albania is Europe's
most fascinating place at the moment. The country is in the throes of
transition between the past and modernity, and few places illustrate
this better than the traditional town of Berat, the City of a Thousand
Windows. Check issue 94 of Vagabond to see why.
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BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA Sarajevo

Small, diverse, and still traumatised by the Bosnian war of 1992-1996,
Bosnia and Herzegovina is a treat, provided that you don't try the local
version of Shopska, which includes cabbage and pickled gherkins (yikes!).
Sarajevo, the capital, is the best place to start your Bosnian journey, and
in issue 40 we offered you at least 10 reasons to do so, from the beautiful
and lively Ottoman-era marketplace to the bridge where a fatal shot at
the crown prince of Austria-Hungary set off the First World War to the
beautiful fin-de-sicle architecture and the souvenirs made from empty
shells from the 1990s brutal Siege of Sarajevo.
KOSOVO Kosovo Polje
Entering the newest state in Europe, the Republic of Kosovo, is possible
from Albania or Macedonia, but not from Serbia, as the latter still
disputes its legitimacy. The reasons are many and varied, but it all started
on St Vitus Day in 1389, when the Serbs gloriously lost a battle against the
Ottomans at Kosovo Polje, near Pristina, the capital of today's Republic
of Kosovo. This battle left a permanent scar on the national psyche of the
Serbian people, and still reverberates in the Balkans. We did our best to
recreate the eerie atmosphere of the battlefield and to unravel the stories
surrounding it, in issue 49/50 of Vagabond.
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GREECE Mount Athos

The mysterious monastic republic, which bans all females, is a place
stuck in the past, where people still organise their day in accordance with
Byzantine time, are strict vegetarians and seek to worship in the austere
medieval manner. Who could resist such a place? We didn't, and wrote
about Mount Athos twice, in issues 19 and 90 of Vagabond.
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GREECE Cape Sounion

Many places in the Balkans claim to have "the
most beautiful sunset in the world." We have
covered a lot of these, including the sunsets
of Santorini (issue 67) and Zadar (issue 89).
The winner for us, however, is Cape Sounion,
near Athens, for its heartbreaking history and
magnificent ancient temple, vandalised by
thousands visitors, including Lord Byron, who
left his signature on one of the columns.
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MONTENEGRO Cetinje
Everyone knows Kotor, the "Pearl of Montenegro," which extends into
the impossibly beautiful bay of the same name. Even the Russians do,
and buy holiday properties all over the area. Fewer foreigners, though,
are familiar with Cetinje (Vagabond, issue 39/40), the old capital of this
small and fiercely independent Balkan state. The straight streets of the
town are lined with palatial buildings in various stages of dilapidation.
Many of them used to be foreign embassies, and their architecture
mirrors the characteristics of the nations they belonged to. The Russian
is imperial, the British is Edwardian, the French is Moorish, and the
Bulgarian is humble, and today houses a tavern.
FORMER YUGOSLAV
REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA Tetovo
Nowadays, the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia's main attraction
is Skopje, with the disfigured statues and the neo-neo-neo-Baroque
buildings in the centre, created to emphasise the nation's ancient roots
and enduring greatness. For a more balanced view of the country, you
shouldn't miss Tetovo, a city dominated by Albanian people and their
heritage (Vagabond, issue 11).
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ROMANIA Constana
The Roman poet Ovid hated Tomis, modern day Constana (Vagabond,
issue 74), because of its harsh winters and unsophisticated inhabitants,
but mostly because he couldn't leave it, as he had been exiled there by the
emperor. Today, Constana is one of Romania's most interesting places, a
city right on the Black Sea and full of dilapidated, melancholic buildings
left over from the times of pre-Communism economic prosperity.
SERBIA Gua
Combining madness, music, alcohol and nationalism in the Balkans
should be a recipe for disaster, but the Gua Trumpet Festival (Vagabond,
issue 59/60) blends them perfectly well, and peacefully too. Organised
each August since 1961, the festival gathers about half a million Serbs and
foreigners into the tiny village of Gua. For three days, the crowd drinks
rakiya, eats grilled meat and dances to the booming music of competing
brass bands, providing one of the best examples of the meaning of
cacophony. Miles Davis himself visited the Gua festival, and was
smitten, as you will be, too.
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TURKEY Traditional Wrestling, Edirne

Few sporting events in the world can compare to the annual wrestling
tournament at Edirne (Vagabond, issue 34). Organised since 1362, it is the
oldest uninterrupted sports event in the world, a spectacular feast where
men in leather breeches wrestle under the hot July sun, their naked skins
shiny with sweat and the olive oil poured over their bodies. Only one of
them becomes a champion, and those who have lost often weep on the
greasy ground. It is no wonder, then, that Dave Freeman included this
event in his 100 Things To Do Before You Die list.
TURKEY Istanbul
The megalopolis on the Bosporus has been a favourite of Vagabond
through the years, and we have covered its many facets, from its food
(issue 8) and hidden gems (issue 28/29) to its melancholy (issue 57/58)
and vibrancy (issue 97). One thing we have learnt in the process: the
greatest city in this part of the world is like a river, it is different each time
you immerse yourself in it. So, brace yourself for a revisit soon.
TURKEY Noah's Ark
Mount Ararat is technically not in the Balkans but, since it is in Turkey,
the magnificent mountain ended up in issue 23 of Vagabond. We did
that not only to introduce you to one of the least known corners of
Turkey, but the temptation to introduce you to Hasan Baba, the stately
septuagenarian who is the keeper of what one American researcher
believes to be the remains of the Noah's Ark, was too strong to resist.
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140 the
fiction
vagabond
fiction
141
1 Kapka Kassabova
2 Arguably the best-known contemporary
Bulgarian author, Georgi Gospodinov

published his breakthrough novel Natural
Novel in 1999. The book is still the most
translated piece of Bulgarian fiction since
1989. Gospodinov's second novel, Physics of
Sorrow, 2013, was nominated for four major
European literary awards
3 One of Bulgaria's most loved writers,
Alek Popov is the author of Mission London,

2001, which many claim is the funnies
contemporary Bulgarian novel. Its movie
adaptation, in 2010, became a blockbuster.
Popov's latest book, Sisters Palaveevi in the
Storm of History, 2013, is a funny account on
the Communist guerrilla movement
4 Virginia Zaharieva's bestselling book
Nine Rabbits, 2008, was published in the UK

and the US with the help of the Elizabeth
Kostova Foundation
Since its first issue, Vagabond has been the only media
introducing contemporary Bulgarian literature and writers
to English-speaking audience. The first to feature was Kapka
Kassabova, the Bulgarian-born author living in Scotland, and
Street Without a Name, her brilliant memoir for childhood
under Socialism and revisiting modern Bulgaria. In 2008,
Vagabond became the partner of the Elizabeth Kostova
Foundation, created by the bestselling author of The Historian
in a bid to promote Bulgarian literature abroad. The EKF
organises annual creative writing seminars in Sozopol, gathering
Bulgarian and foreign authors who are then published in
Vagabond. The foundation, together with Open Letter Books,
also publishes Bulgarian authors in the US.
Here is an alphabetical list of the authors, who you have read
in Vagabond:
Albena Stambolova, Alek Popov, Alexander Sekulov,
Alexander Shpatov, Alexandra Chaushova, Anna Kovatcheva,
Anthony Georgieff, Aurora Brackett, Bistra Velichkova, Cab
Tran, Carin Clevidence, Charles Conley, Christopher Buxton,
Christos Chartomatsidis, Delaney Nolan, Dena Popova, Diana
Spechler, Dimana Trankova, Eireene Nealand, Ekaterina
Karabasheva, Emil Andreev, Evgeniy Cherepov, Galin
Nikiforov, Garrard Conley, Garth Greenwell, Georgi Etimov,
Georgi Gospodinov, Georgi Tenev, Hristo Karastoyanov,
1 3
5 6
5 British Matthew Kneale is the author
of the bestselling novel English Passengers,

2000. His first non-fiction book, An Atheist's
History of Belief, 2013, is now being
translated to many other languages
In 2013, American writer Molly Antopol

received the award of 5 under 35 by the
National Book Foundation, and the next
year she lived up to the expectations.
In 2014, her debut story collection
UnAmericans was nominated for the
National Book Award
7 A Bulgarian migr in the US, Zachary
Karabashliev debut novel 18% Grey became

an instant bestseller in Bulgaria, in 2008.
He later returned to Bulgaria and is now
working for one of the biggest publishing
houses, Ciela
8 Milen Ruskov's second novel, Thrown Into
Nature was published in the US by Open

Letter Books in 2011. His latest book, The
Heights, a story about the Revival Period
written in a 19th Century dialect of the
Bulgarian, became a slow-burning hit and
secured Ruskov the Literature Award of the
European Union in 2014
9 Jeremiah Chamberlin is a lecturer
in English language and literature in the

University of Michigan, and the author of
essays and short fiction
8 9
142 the
CHILDRENS ACADEMY
OF SCIENCES, ARTS
AND SPORTS
fiction
Sozopol, Bulgaria
1822 June 2015
Iana Boukova, Iren Levi, Irina Papancheva, Ivan Dimitrov,

Ivan Landzhev, Ivo Siromahov, J.T. Bushnell, Jack Harte,
Jane E. Martin, Jeremiah Chamberlin, John Hamilton,
John Struloeff, Kapka Kassabova, Kathy Flann, Kelly Luce,
Kodi Scheer, Krassimir Damianov, Kristin Dimitrova,
Lana Santoni, Lee Romer Kaplan, Maria Dobrevska, Maria
Doneva, Marianna Georgieva, Mariko Nagai, Maya Sloan,
Michael Hinken, Michael Hyde, Milen Ruskov, Molly
Antopol, Momchil Nikolov, Nadya Radulova, Natalie
Bakopoulos, Nikolay Boykov, Nikolay Fenersky, Nikolay
Petkov, Palmi Ranchev, Paul Vidich, Paulina Petrova, Petar
Denchev, Petja Heinrich, Peycho Kanev, Philip Anastassiu,
Rayko Baychev, Sonia Nikolova, Stanislava Ciurinskiene,
Stanislava Kara, Steven Wingate, Stiol Roshken, Stoyan
Nenov, Svetla Damyanovska, Rita Ciresi, Todor P. Todorov,
Travis Holland, Valery Stefanov, Vesselin Stoyanov, Virginia
Zaharieva, Vladimir Zarev, Vladislav Hristov, Yana Punkina,
Yanitsa Radeva, Zachary Karabashliev, Zdravka Evtimova.
NOW IN PLOVDIV, TOO!

One of Bulgaria's most outward thinking private education institution is already
available for children not only in Soa. The Plovdiv branch of the academy is now
open, providing modern, free-thinking and exible education to children and parents
who want to develop their talents and discover the world.
SOZOPOL
FICTION
SEMINARS
Explore your writing on the beautiful Black Sea coast!
The Elizabeth Kostova Foundation offers its eighth annual summer fiction
writing seminar in the ancient town of Sozopol, Bulgaria. The seminar
consists of intensive daily fiction workshops, roundtable discussions,
guest lectures and literary readings by faculty and participants. Fiction
writers from Bulgaria and fiction writers from English-speaking countries,
including but not limited to the U.K. and the U.S., are invited to apply.
A total number of ten applicants will be selected for participation and
funding.
SCHOLARSHIPS
Five participants writing in English and five writing in Bulgarian language
will receive scholarships. A scholarship covers tuition, room and board, incountry transportation, and 50% of international travel expenses.
The programme includes group and individual classes in:

APPLICATION DEADLINE
20 March 2015, 22:00 h
(UTC +2:00, EET)
Please submit your
application within the
deadline. If you are late,
the online submission
system will be closed. Only
applications submitted via
the online system will be
accepted.
CONTACT INFORMATION
For more information on
how to apply, or details
about the seminar,
please visit the website
of the Elizabeth Kostova
Foundation: www.ekf.bg
Competitive Mathematics
Mathematics in English
Bulgarian language
Creative writing
Astronomy and
archeoastronomy
History and Ethnography

English, German, French,
Spanish, Russian and
Chinese languages
English with drama
Classical languages
Graphic and
web design
Photography
Animation
Fine and Applied Arts
Piano, guitar, pop and
jazz singing, sol-fa
Chess
Kung fu
Taekwondo
As well as preparation for exams after the 4th, 7th and 12th grades
In summers, the Academy organises language camp with tutors from Cambridge
Education Group
The classes will be at the rooms of the House of the Sciences and Technology,
on 1 William Gladstone St
Applies and inquiries on ofce@childrens-academy-bg.com or on 0888 222 863
144 my
own choice
my own
choice
Where the best places to eat are is one of the most important questions
a foreigner has in a new or relatively unknown country. Knowing this,
Vagabond has sought the sound advice of insiders, who have selected
for you humble eateries, exotic places and exquisite establishments for
a great or intriguing dining experience, or just shared their informed
opinions on Bulgarian food.
IVAN GARELOV, TV anchor, issue 3
"A roadside establishment, the Istanbul Turkish restaurant is on the
motorway to Plovdiv, shortly before Ihtiman. With its unassuming
interior, it was built to cater for Turkish truck drivers. The food is,
however, so tasty that well-informed Sofianites gladly splash out on
the petrol and time to go there for lunch during weekends. While
arranging the skewered lamb, veal, chicken or mince over the charcoal
fire in the modest room, the chef is also baking incredibly delicious
bread in the wood-fired oven. You can hardly find better Turkish
cuisine in Turkey itself and this is not just my opinion; the Turkish
drivers eating at the next table will tell you the same."
GEOFFREY KEATING, Irish Ambassador between 2005 and
2010, issue 5
"Speaking of tradition, I should say that my favourite Irish pub in
Sofia is J.J. Murphy's. The interior has an authentic feel to it and, in
the summer, the walled garden is a great place to spend an hour or two
with a pint. The food's not bad either. I recommend the leprechaun
burger, but only in spring or autumn when the Balkans are wreathed in
rainbows and you can be sure of a good supply of fresh ingredients.
I am told that the little creatures are easily trapped and that they do not
suffer in any way, although I have noticed that their pots of gold are
removed before they reach the table."
"":
"" -
, " ",
, .
-
,
.
, , , , ,
, .

"" .
:
: 11.00-19.00
:
, . " " 93
: 0888 426610;
0888 304724
gallery_gp@mail.bg
www.artgalleryforum.net
SPAGGO LIMITED
An elegant business restaurant with summer
garden and lunch menu in the weekdays,
600 m away from Kempinski Hotel Zografski.
SPAGGO & FUNNY

Restaurant with a terrace
Movie nights
Lunch menus
Catering
Boutique cakes and desserts
Children's restaurant
Children's academy for little cooks
Children games and entertainment
Serdica Center, 48 Sitnyakovo Blvd, floor 1
for reservations: +359 886 040 844
for recommendations: + 359 888 662 206
www.spaggo.com
12 Nikola Obrazopisov St
for reservations: +359 888 441 595
for recommendations: + 359 888 662 206
own choice
147
LUCY COOPER, Vagabond editor in 200-2007, issue

"If you're after traditional Bulgarian fare in the capital,
look no further than Pod Lipite. This is the place to take
visitors, friends and family to give them an authentic taste
of Bulgaria. Those wanting an all out Bulgarian dining
experience can try the chicken hearts, livers, pan-fried calf 's
head or other strange pieces of animals. But if this doesn't
appeal, stick with the pork knuckle, cold meats, sache, or
wild boar. There are some vegetable options too and they do
a great kyopoolu."
MEHMET GCK, Former Turkish Ambassador, issue 11
"The Mahaloto Restaurant has an attractive ambience,
particularly in the summer, with a simple and welcoming
atmosphere in its courtyard. The interior is like a wine cellar
transformed into three halls and decorated with old knick-knacks
and furniture. Unlike so many other places, the menu is only
about four pages long, but the content is very satisfying. The
Caprese salad is particularly appetising, as are the steaks and
chicken dishes. The chocolate mousse is also worth trying. There
is a separate menu of the day and the staff are very friendly.
MICHAEL GEIER, Former German Ambassador and Slow
Food Movement member, issue 12
"Bulgarian cuisine is fresh (the salads!), delightful (kavarma)
and very sociable, but it was born before calories were counted.
Since my arrival from low fat East Asia, tight jackets and split
trouser seats have tormented me! In the meantime, I'm reading
Bulgarian cookery books. I have to decide which of the many
tempting Bulgarian wines to offer friends on a cold winter's night
in Germany, along with photos of our travels in this beautiful
country."
ALEXANDRA DIMITRAKOPOULOUBRANNIGAN, Greece-Ireland, issue 17
"Pastorant instantly became a favourite restaurant in Sofia.
Salads and pasta were simple, homey and very tasty. Top
marks to the tiramisu. Decoration was feminine, cosy,
romantic and gloriously mismatched. Staff are easygoing,
friendly and efficient."
SHERITA FLORA
Let's start
the day
neatly!
Flower Retail Store & Landscaping

Landscape design and development
of green areas. Interior and exterior
landscaping and gardening.
Bouquets,
flowers and
plants for all
occasions.
Delivery.
Business Park Sofia, Building 10, Sofia
phone: 489 9626, 0899 900 011
www.sheritaora.com ; www.ozeleniavane.com
Professional
cleaning
of oces,
business
buildings,
homes
and
exteriors.
Includes
cleaning
using climbing
equipment and
cleaning of escalators.
Central Oce
65 Iskar St, Soa
phone: 983 28 28, 0899 900 010; fax: 980 73 09
Business Park Soa Oce
Business Park Soa, Building 3, Soa
phone: 489 9286, 0896 668 504
email: sherita_m@ybobg.com; www.sheritam.com
12 Ivan Vazov St. Sofia phone: 988 03 70
146 my
148 my
own choice
149
JEANETTE VISSER,
South Africa, issue 20
"A little jewel in the centre of Sofia is definitely L'Etranger.
This French restaurant has a carefully selected menu which
will definitely suit all tastes. The Bulgarian custom of starting
a meal with a fresh salad and rakiya followed by one of
their excellent wines contributes, of course, to the spirit of
togetherness. A custom which will always bring back good
memories."
TOVE SKARSTEIN,
Former Norwegian Ambassador, issue 21
"I love that every menu in Bulgaria begins with
a list of various salads, including the Shopska as
the consistently common addition. Main courses
usually offer meat, but as a Norwegian, I generally
go for fish. I have learnt that a salad starter is a
must. I skip the rakiya, which is too strong for me.
I often joke with Bulgarian friends that drinking
rakiya is such a necessity as it helps to kill the
germs in the salads, but they usually don't find it
too funny!"
JILL SHARER, USA, issue 22
"Every city has its classic watering holes. New Orleans has Caf Du
Monde, Los Angeles has Phillipes French Dip Sandwiches and
New York has The Oyster Bar. These are places that have been
around for generations where locals remember their first culinary
experiences as childhood rites of passage. Thanks to 45 years of
Communism, there are scant few of these classic restaurants here in
Sofia. The Czechoslovakian Club (15 Krakra St, phone: 441 383)
is one of them. My favourite thing here is actually a side dish. It's a
doughy, bread-like, dumplingy thing called knedly. I also like the
stewed pork with sour cabbage. It's not a light meal but it's worth
the calories. Be sure to come here hungry and be prepared to leave
very full."
150 my
Sofia, Iztok
own choice
6 Dr Lyuben Rusev Str.

CASA VIVA Residence
phones: 0877 016 060,
0879 545 246
www.dellarte.bg
MICHAEL WELLNER-POSPISIL,
Former Director of the Czech
Cultural Centre in Sofia, issue 30
"Hambara bar has a discreet entrance without a sign. Walk through a
tiny alley and you'll see a door made from rough wooden planks. If it's
closed don't hesitate to knock or, better still, bang on it with your fist.
The diners on the other side who are waiting to be seated will open it
for you. The interior is lit only by candles and above the toilets you'll
see a sign that says, Redaktsiya, or editing room. The toilets alone are
worth seeing. Because the bar is so discreet, only regular customers
come here, intellectuals mostly, or musicians, artists, and art lovers.
DIVYABH MANCHANDA,
Former Indian Ambassador
to Bulgaria, issue 51/52
"Whenever I am asked about the Indian restaurants
here, I give cautious replies. There are four in Sofia
which come to mind: Taj Mahal, Koh-i-Noor,
Saffron and Gurkha, where Indo-Nepalese cuisine is
served. As you know very well, the job of a diplomat,
particularly of an ambassador, involves the serving
of the cuisine of their country. So, in our house,
which is resplendent with Gayatri's acrylic and water
colour paintings, we always serve Indian meals
to our guests, like poories, channas, basmati rice,
tandoori chicken, pao bhaji, pakoras, samosas, and
for the sweet part gajjar ka halwa and several kind
of barfee.
TSUNEHARU TAKEDA,
Former Japanese Ambassador to Bulgaria, issue 49/50
"Most of all, Bulgarians like sushi and tempura, particularly fried
prawns. I have also been curious to sample the newly opened
Japanese restaurants here and I have been among the first to try
them out. When I arrived in Bulgaria, there wasn't a single Japanese
restaurant and now there are several. In Sofia I would recommend
as the most delicious SASA and Hamachi. They serve tasty sushi
and tempura and I hope they will continue to keep up the authentic
Japanese taste."
DELL'ARTE RESTAURANT
Mediterranean taste, pleasant settings, ideal place for
business meetings, corporate events, tastings or family
gatherings
The menu changes with the seasons
Pure food and ingredients sourced from Bulgarian
farms in the mountains
On order, degustation menus for big companies
Winter and Summer wine tasting cycle with little
known but interesting Bulgarian wines and excellent
vintages from the New and the Old World
Rich programme including stand-up comedy,

acoustic rock dinner, jazz, karaoke nights
Twice monthly children's puppet theatre

, . 7 | : 02 857 01 19
sveta_sofia@abv.bg | www.svetasofia.com
21 18
600 7-
I- 2013 2014 .

7- .

" " %:
31 %
34 %
(,
.) 9 %
20 %
6 %
152 my
own choice
CHRIS NOLAN,
Ireland, issue 24
"In spite of being well known and always
busy, Olive's is a place I would like to
recommend. They have a wide range, very
international. I especially love their Norma
Jean Burger, their diced fried potatoes with
spices, their Olive's salad and their grilled
peppers. Both the portions and the prices are
very reasonable. Service is first-rate and they
speak English."
BERTIL ROTH, Former Swedish
Ambassador to Bulgaria, issue 14
"Motto is blessed with a very central
location. The restaurant is very
trendy and mostly patronised by
younger people than me, but I very
much appreciate the pleasant garden
for simple summertime lunches."
JAMES SPRINGER, issue 10
"My favourite, upmarket restaurant in town at least for lunch would
be Checkpoint Charlie. Why? Well, first, it's very close to my office, and
it has a fantastic lunch menu with no exorbitant prices and a very mellow
atmosphere just right for unwinding after the stress of work. But, it
also has a great ambience at night when there is often entertainment
accompanying the excellent food. All my meals there have been well
prepared, tasty and served in a professional manner."
The Magic
of Laser
Dr Iren Vlahova brings
the revolution of laser dental
treatment to patients in Bulgaria
For children and adults, the magic in dental treatment is
here no pain, no discomfort and unpleasant vibrations,
no enduring trauma and fear of visiting the dentist.
How? With the latest generation of dental lasers,
used by Dr Iren Vlahova. After gaining years of precious
experience, Dr Vlahova has now graduated as Master of
Science in Laser Dentistry at Genoa University, and is
eager to bring her new knowledge and skills to patients
in Bulgaria.
Dental lasers are extremely effective for caries
diagnostic, cavity preparation, caries removal and teeth
prevention. Using only the property of light, they help
the dentist to perform all dental treatments with comfort
and precision, including taking care of the soft tissues in
surgical and cosmetic procedures, and giving the desired
new design of the smile.
A laser can be a substitute or a complimentary tool
in restorative dentistry and has many operative and
psychological advantages in restorative dental care.
With the development and introduction of Erbium
family lasers, the pediatric dentist has a safe and
efficient laser to treat the hard and soft tissues of
the oral cavity. This makes Dr Vlahova's main goal
"Filling without drilling" possible. Erbium lasers can
be used in conjunction with traditional techniques to
complete routine dental procedure or they can be used
as alternative to conventional technique with equal
or sometimes better results. Laser technology allows
Dr Vlahova with the prototype of the

first laser, invented by Theodore Maiman
advertorial
153
the dentist to perform micro dentistry, removing only

impaired dental tissue and preserving the remaining
healthy tooth structure. Several laser wavelengths are
available in dentistry for different applications on both
soft and hard tissues.
Light is the newest weapon in the fight against tooth
decay and pain, the bad reputation the dentists acquire
when using the drill, and the general perception of how
scary a dentist's office is. It is a challenge to cope with the
different reactions of the patients and end their treatment
with positive survey results instead with negative ones,
to see desire and impatience for their next visit instead
of the fear and anxiety that are common upon entering a
dentistry clinic. Many adult patients have been mistreated
as kids by their dentists who didn't know how to handle
them and as a result, had traumatized them. Treating decay
with a laser, without noise, vibration and heat-friction
of the drill, induces no fear and anxiety in children and
eliminates the phobias and traumas that many older
patents have taken into their adult lives.
Dental laser is a magic, which makes the whole family
happy. There is a secret, though, and Dr Vlahova knows it.
"Light is a magic, but we are magicians and must treat our
patients with knowledge, desire and talent."
Happy young patients
Dr Vlahova at her graduation as Master of Science

from the Genoa University in Laser Dentistry
Sofia, Lagera District, 3 Hristo Matov St | phone: + 359 2 952 1229; + 359 888 414 818
dr.ivlahova@gmail.com
154 other
projects
In 2005, about a year before we launched Vagabond, we started

HighFlights, Bulgaria's Airport Magazine. It was a square-format mag
in both English and Bulgarian, and the initial idea was to distribute
it as a compliment to the passengers going through Sofia Airport. Its
main purpose was to present travel destinations to both incoming and
outgoing travellers. To put it in another way, we would carry stories
and travelogues about Bulgaria and about world destinations that air
companies flying out of Sofia Airport reached. Significantly, we also ran
information about the airport itself those little but very useful tids
and bits that passengers want to know when they have a couple of hours
to bide between flights.
At that time both the management of Sofia Airport and the Ministry
of Transportation, its principal, appeared quiet sympathetic to the
idea. Hey, they said. Most other airports in Europe have some sort of a
publication that is given off to passengers to while away their waiting
times. It wouldn't cost anyone a penny, so let's do it.
The first issue of the magazine appeared in September 2005, and
quickly became a hit. What was initially meant to serve the people
going through Sofia Airport became so popular that the airport would
run out of copies and we would have to print extra and extra. The other
Bulgarian airports, those in Burgas, Varna and Plovdiv, followed suit.
We started distributing to them as well.
155
other projects
157
Editorially, HighFlights in its original form soon transcended the

boundaries of your typical airport mag. We ran interviews with
interesting people: the opera diva Alexandrina Pendachanska,
politician Meglena Kuneva, Bulgaria-born German TV star Samuel
Fintzi, adventurer Rumen Grozev, actress Snezhina Petrova, to name
just a few. We carried stories about all corners of Bulgaria, and France
and India, Thailand and Turkey, Greece and Portugal, the UK and
Brazil. There was fun. Our MisLeading Advice and On the Origins of
Some Bulgarian Idioms sections were hilarious and prompted readers to
send us letters from as far away as Australia and Mexico, with the whole
of Europe in-between.
HighFlights also had an up-to-date calendar about current cultural
events in Sofia as well as plenty of reviews about anything from high
tech gadgets on the Bulgarian market to movies, music and theatre
performances, and books.
However, as everyone who has done business in Bulgaria knows,
what starts in a well thoughtover manner does not necessarily end
particularly well. The reasons are many and varied, and are related
primarily to the Bulgarian way of doing business rather than any sound
economic practices. Managements change, and so do the mindsets of
their superiors. Theoretically, the management of a major state-owned
enterprise is supposed to make sure that enterprise offers adequate
goods and services, and makes money at the end of the year. The reality,
however, is often different.
With the onslaught of the economic crisis which coincided with the
advent of GERB, HighFlights found itself in a situation that had no
easy or fast solutions. Again, it had little to do with business practices
or economic common sense, but rather depended on the whims and
quirks of individuals who treated state property as if it was their own.
Nothing new or unusual.
To cut a long story short, we had to rehash the original HighFlights
into a smaller format and make it a part of Vagabond. Now HighFlights
continues to reach the passengers of Bulgaria's airport "in a package"
with Vagabond, its younger brother.
What makes us proud and happy is that people continue to associate
Vagabond Media with HighFlights even though it's been about three
years since the last issue of the square format mag came out. And yes
it is a collectible. I know personally at least a dozen people, both in
Bulgaria and abroad, who still keep all their complimentary copies in
their bookshelves from Number One (September 2005) to Number 69
(November 2011).
158 other
projects
This is not a secret: we are in love with Greece. We are Philhellenes

in that old-fashioned, slightly romantic sense of the word. We are
interested in all aspects of Greece, from its incredible cultural heritage
to its fantastic beaches; from its extraordinary island sunsets to its
seaside taverns; from its Ottoman bridges in the north to its bizarre
volcanic formations in the south. From Crete to Samothrace and from
Athens to Thessaloniki by way of Ioannina, Kastoria and Grevena.
As we were not alone in our Philhellenism (Greece is a top travel
destination for Bulgarians), we decided to produce a magazine about it.
Issue One of Go Greece!, Bulgaria's Magazine About Greece, hit the
newsstands in September, 2008. We are currently doing Number 47.
Some of the fantastic travel destinations in Greece that we've covered
include the hidden traditional villages and stone bridges in the Pindus
mountains, the gorges of Crete and the Zagorochoria area; the ancient
temples of Athens, Sounion and Delphi; the mysterious cave where
Zeus was born and the underground shrine where ancient people
flocked to get their fortune foretold by the dead; the spectacular
sunsets and the supernatural beaches of Santorini.
Some of the people we've interviewed are writer Alexander
Sekulov, actors Yavor Baharov and Kalin Vrachanski, TV anchor
Iva Doychinova and a number of Greeks living in Bulgaria, from
ambassadors, to entrepreneurs and people of the arts and culture.
The stories we've run concern not only sightseeing. Go Greece!
goes deep (and enthusiastically so) in all things Greek: from cuisine
and cultural life, to the traditional feasts and carnivals, to the strange
vehicles one can see in Greek villages and its inimitable farmers'
markets; to its ancient deities and heroes and the modern paganists
emerging in Greece.
In short, we do our best to make the magazine a kind of print version
of the awe, curiosity, lust for life, and a bit of sorrow you feel after
watching Zorba The Greek or reading The Magus, two pieces of fiction
with strong roots in the dry Greek soil.
Yamas!
PS. To be fair, we are also in love with Turkey, the countries in the
Western Balkans, the countries around the Black Sea... We are not yet
producing magazines about them, but hold on.
160
161
fiction
:HOFRPHWR
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162, 189
164
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162
high news plovdiv airport
163
plovdiv airport
winter schedule 2014/2015
Winter schedule of Plovdiv Airport started on 27
October 2014.
Ryanair flights from/to London Stansted are operated
twice a week, in Monday and Friday. The flights from/to
Frankfurt Hahn, which continue in the winter, too, are
operated in the same days.
Tickets can be purchased at www.ryanair.com and
IATA travel agencies.
Seasonal scheduled flights of S7 from and to MoscowDomodedovo will be served at Plovdiv Airport from 26
December 2014 till 29 March 2015 every Monday, Friday
and Sunday. Tickets can be purchased at www.s7.ru and

IATA travel agencies.
Plovdiv Airport will also provide services for the Ski
Season 2014/2015. Charter flights of Monarch Airlines
will be operated from/to London Gatwick, these of
Yamal Airlines from/to Moscow-Domodedovo,
Donavia Airlines from/to Rostov-on-Don, and Jet2.
com will be flying from/to Belfast.
For the first time ever Plovdiv Airport will service
charters from Turkey, as Pegasus Airlines will fly from/to
Izmir in January and February 2015.
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164
165
The season
of gifts
Choose with sense,
present with sensibility
by Violeta Rozova
The end of the year always comes with hopes for
something good in the future after 1 January, and few
things embody the expectation and emotion of this
moment better than the gifts we exchange between
Christmas and New Year. They help us to express
our love or feelings of respect, to impress a business
partner or just to spoil our loved ones, and ourselves.
The emotion leads us when we chose presents, but
a bit of common sense is needed in the process in
the seas of consumerist abundance, it guides us
to the best, the more stylish and memorable gifts,
regardless of whether they are elegant clothes and
watches, fine jewellery or exclusive cosmetics.
(continued on p168)
SXC.HU

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SOFIASERDICA CENTER, FLOOR +1

PLOVDIVMALL PLOVDIV, FLOOR +1
VARNAGRAND MALL VARNA, FLOOR +1
www.m-suit.com | FB: MSuit.bg
166
167
THE HIGHEST
QUALITY STANDARDS
FOR ULTIMATE
FUNCTIONALITY
Victorinox, a company with the status of a national treasure in

Switzerland because of its most legendary product the Swiss
Army Knife is celebrating its 130th anniversary in 2014. To
mark the occasion, Victorinox Swiss Army has created I.N.O.X., a
new watch that pays tribute to the history and industrial knowhow of the brand by showcasing the values that have made
it famous: authenticity, strength, quality, expertise and Swiss
design.
An exceptional celebration requires an exceptional watch.
I.N.O.X. demonstrates a level of robustness never before achieved in watchmaking. Designed to withstand unusual stress, it
has passed a ruthless battery of 130 strength tests.
Some of the I.N.O.X. tests were so extreme they merit special
mention. An I.N.O.X. is tested to be capable of resisting:
Nitric and sulfuric acid solution.

A fall of 10 meters onto a concrete surface.
This is the equivalent of a drop from a 3-floor building.
Exposure to a flame for more than one minute (+1200 C)
Being driven over by a tank weighing up to 64 tons.
Two hours in a washing machine at 90 C with full spin cycle.
Beyond the standard certification tests of the Swiss watch industry, this series of new tests was developed specifically for
I.N.O.X. and reflect Victorinox Swiss Armys passion for pushing
boundaries and imposing new rules on resistance and quality.
Furkapass
Switzerland
ALPNACH
3-year warranty I Swiss Made I Mechanical self-winding movement
44 mm I Water resistant to 100 meters I Scratch-resistant, triple-coated
7-9 SOLUNSKA, SOFIA

+359 88 44 66 832
WWW.REMCO.BG
MAKERS OF THE ORIGINAL SWISS ARMY KNIFE I WWW.VICTORINOX.COM
1015 euros | Ref. 241686

7-9 SOLUNSKA, SOFIA ; +359 88 44 66 832; WWW.REMCO.BG
MAKERS OF THE ORIGINAL SWISS ARMY KNIFE I WWW.VICTORINOX.COM
168 shopping
169
(continued from p164)
( o .164)
maverick sport
maverick sport
Time for action
Maverick Sport has a very strong and

sporty character, built on subtle contrasts.
In 2014 the collection is enriched with
eight new models: four three-handed
watches and four chronographs,
all with original detailing on their
dials. The three colors, red, blue
and yellow, are a nod to the flag
of the municipality of Ibach,
where Victorinox was founded
in 1884 and is still headquartered
today. The same signature is
on the complementary strap in NATO
fabric that supplements the original
black one. All are powered by SwissMade Ronda quartz movement.
is
Maverick Sport
,
. 2014 .,
: ,

.
,

, 1884 .
Victorinox,
.
NATO,
.

Ronda.
matrixcell cream by
ericson laboratoire
matrixcell cream
ericson laboratoire
Restructuring night cream
Stop the lapse of time with the night balm for deep
skin reconstruction MATRIXCELL CREAM by ERICSON
LABORATOIRE. The highly concentrated formula with
sculpting agents creates volume, fills the face and firms
the skin, lifts and shapes the contour.
The active ingredients include the
biotechnological formula Matrigenics,
the biotechnological active ingredient
Matrixyl, and oils of cocoa, olive
and karite, bee wax, pomegranate
extract, vitamin . These are
powerful anti-oxidants and
effectively deal with premature
ageing. The skin becomes denser
and firmer, fuller and younger,
and you feel ready to meet the
challenges of the day with fresh,
beautiful face.

MATRIXCELL
CREAM ERICSON LABORATOIRE.
, ,
.
Matrigenics,
Matrixyl, ,
, , , .

.
- ,
- -,
,
.
170 shopping
jacques lemans
Passion of time
Good, stylish watches never go out of fashion

they replace the jewels in ladies' attire, and add
a hint of elegance in the male outfit. The
collections of JACQUES LEMANS
(Navitaimer LTD, Sofia, 86 Tsar
Simeon St, www.jacques-lemans.bg)
offer a range of watches to give
as a gift to yourself or someone
else, but two of these stand out.
Rome La Passion, with Swarovski
crystals and models in different
colours, is for ladies who are into
fresh elegance, and the gentlemen
with evaluate highly the restrained
masculinity of the Kevin Costner
Collection, with design approved
by the legendary actor himself.
jacques lemans

,

,
.
JACQUES LEMANS (
, , . " " 86,
www.jacques-lemans.bg)

,
. Rome
La Passion, Swarovski
, ,
,
Kevin Costner,
.
he name of male elegance
When you need a suit of the highest quality,

complemented by elegant accessories and coats of
(www.m-suit.com) is the
natural fabrics,
answer. The brand's collections are modern and stylish,
and win you over with a
variety of colours, sizes and
cuts. Only now,
is more affordable with its
exclusive sales of up to -50%.
All discounts are real, and the
reduction of all goods varies
between -20% and -50%. And
what is the best you can
choose from a range of clothes,
which will accentuate your
elegance and individuality
without compromises with the
comfort.
- , (www.m-suit.com) .
,
,
,
. ,
-

-50%.
,

-20% -50%.
-

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.
Give style, receive precision
40 , JACQUES LEMANS
-

, ,
.
For more than 40 years now, JACQUES LEMANS has

been among the biggest international companies for
watches in the mid-price segment and a recognised
leader in manufacturing of precise, stylish, exquisite
and reliable watches for him and for her.
850
-
120

850 watch models

highest quality standards at affordable prices
available worldwide in more than 120 countries
producer of the ocial UEFA Champions League
Watch Collection

, . " " 86
. 0888 25 13 90;
. 02 983 24 61
navitaimer@b-trust.org
Navitaimer LTD
Sofia, 86 Tsar Simeon St
mobile: 0888 25 13 90
phone: 02 983 24 61
navitaimer@b-trust.org
172 shopping
The secret of good vision
How do you know that your new pair of glasses is

great? You have the feeling that you see with new eyes,
and your looks attract compliments. Everything begins
with the correct diagnostics and measurement of visual
status. Next is the choosing of a frame fitting your taste
and finances, your lifestyle and work, your hobbies and
home embience. The crucial part in making of dioptric
spectacles is the selection of the most suitable glasses,
covering, colouring, and design, and
their precise production. Key at this
point are the professionalism and
precision of the opticians, from the
selection of glasses to the control of the
medical and technical norms. In FOX
OPTICS (www.foxoptics.com) you have it
all. A recognition to the quality offered
by the chain of optics is the first place in
the Clients Politics Category for 2012
in the annual awards for good business
practices organised by Forbes Bulgaria.
, ?
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com) .

" " 2012 .

Forbes .
Checkpoint Charlie
Live Jazz on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays
12 Ivan Vazov St. Sofia phone: 988 03 70
Gourmet Cuisine
East meets West

in Soa at
BALDININI
fox optics
When do you want your glasses to be ready to wear?

With FOX Optics, you decide!
We make turn the ordinary glasses into a mark for our customers'
individuality and lifestyle. We improve the way you live and the way you look,
and our opticians help you find the best frames, glasses and lenses. We use
a latest generation 3D computer which guarantees the precision and high
quality of our glasses.
OPTIC SHOPS IN SOFIA

61 Aleksandar Stamboliyski Blvd
18 Serdica St
73 Hristo Botev Blvd
26A Knyaz Al. Dondukov Blvd
Lyulin region, block 443
Mladost 4 region,
Business Park Sofia, building 10
18 Shipchenski prohod Blvd,

Galaxy Trade Centre
Sofia South Ring Mall, level +1
Central Office
61 Aleksandar Stamboliyski Blvd,
phone: 02 980 0215, 0887 209 191
office@foxoptics.com
www.foxoptics.com
174 shopping
175
camellia by l'erbolario "" l'erbolario
Tenderness, grace, perfection

Camellia, the new
cosmetics collection by
L'ERBOLARIO (www.
verdecosmetica.bg), is
inspired by the graceful and
tender flowers, embodied
in its aroma which gives you
the feeling of perfection
and beauty. The camellia is
a symbol of perseverance,
faithfulness and romantic
love, that is why L'Erbolario
added it into the aromatic
oasis of its collection, which
is dedicated to women and
charms with the scent of love
and tender feelings.
, ,
L E R B O L A R I O
Home deliveries
- 20% off for takeaways!!!
"",

L'ERBOLARIO
(www.verdecosmetica.bg),

, ,
.
,
, L'Erbolario

,

.
More than 12 years the restaurant Taj Mahal and its chefs Chandra
Khandel and Tikaram Khandel share their journey through some of the
most savoury and spirited Indian culture.
This is much more than just a culinary environment. The aim of the
establishment is to offer a multi-layered, unique experience. Your visit
to Taj Mahal Restaurant feels like a pleasure of life, allowing you the
opportunity to enjoy great times with your companions, as well as the
shared experience of the delectable food and beverages on offer.
You are a valued guest of our establishment and will be tempted to
return very soon for the charming atmosphere and enticing cuisine.
Come again you will be welcomed warmly.
Sofia, 11 "11th August" St | phone: 02 987 36 32 | tajmahal.bg@gmail.com | www.tajmahal.bg
NATURALLY, WITH L'ERBOLARIO

Plant-based cosmetics which are effective and reliable
L'Erbolario is one of Italy's best known

phytocosmetics companies, founded more
than 35 years ago by Franco Bergamaschi
and wife Daniela Villa in pursuit of an
overriding passion for plants shared by the
entire Bergamaschi family.
L'Erbolario is the producer of over 500
beauty care products for women, men and
children, and delightfully fragrant products
for home. The company plant is just outside Lodi, and combines modern technologies and century-old traditions.
Ethical approach
Facial, body and hair care products
Suncare for everyone
Cosmetics and care for the whole family
You can make your own perfume,
or give L'Erbolario's products as gifts,
wrapped in special packaging
Verde Cosmetics, ocial distributor

for LErbolario for Bulgaria
LErbolario stores:
Soa, Mall Bulgaria, ground oor

Varna, 5 Shipka St
www.erbolario.com
176
shopping
177
manila grace
manila grace
yuno pearls
Women with style know how important is the skill to

combine clothes and accessories to achieve individual
look. MANILA GRACE Italian brand (www.manilagrace.
com), which already has its own mono-brand stores in
Paradise Center Sofia and Grand Mall Varna, cherishes
courage, individuality and ability
to impose your own handwriting.
The trademark of Manila Grace are
layered combinations of different
in density and colour fabrics. Thus,
the Manila Grace woman can
combine clothes and accessories,
solving every day the pieces of her
personal jigsaw puzzle depending
on her mood, the weather or the
occasion. You can play, too, with
the pieces of ideas and assemble
your Manila Grace puzzle the
result will amaze you.
. MANILA GRACE (www.

manilagrace.com),
Paradise Center, , Grand Mall Varna,
,

. Manila
Grace
.
Manila Grace
,

, .
,
Manila Grace .
Natural pearls are a symbol of beauty and elegance, and

the unique collection of YUNO PEARLS (www.
yunopearls.com; shops in Sofia Paradise Center, TZUM,
Mall of Sofia, The Mall) offers you jewels which bring
light in life and leave a strong memory. Among the most
interesting festive suggestions of Yuno Pearls is the
elegant two-row bracelet of 40 white cultivated natural
pearls finished with an exquisite silver clasp, encrusted
with 32 Zirconium crystals. As an addition to the
bracelet, or as a gift on its own, chose a ring with a single
white cultivated pearl and silver in the shape of ribbon,
encrusted with precision with 14 Zirconium crystals.
Solve the jigsaw puzzle
Discover the magic of pearls
yuno pearls
FASHION
I N S P I R A T I O N
Sofia Paradise Center | Varna Grand Mall Varna | www.manilagrace.com

, YUNO
PEARLS (www.yunopearls.com;
Paradise Center, , Mall of Sofia, The Mall)
,
. -
Yuno Pearls
40 ,
, ,
32 .
,
,
, 14
.
178
ideas
2015:
The top 5 places to be in

the next year
- 5 ,

by Violeta Rozova
"Where to go?," is a question most of people have

asked themselves at least once, when they have faced
the following hard questions: a couple of free days;
desire to run away to some romantic place with his or
hers significant other; an important birthday or other
personal event which should be celebrated in the most
memorable way; of just a few days stolen from the work
schedule, and devoted to complete relaxation from the
troubles of everyday.
" ?" ,
,
: ;
;
,
- ;
, .
Blach Sea Rama
2015:
Reloaded
Golf
Luxury villas
Leisure
Relaxation
Fine dining
Events
...it's all at BlackSeaRama Golf & Villas

BlackSeaRama Golf & Villas, road E 87, Tabiata area, 9600 Balchik, Bulgaria
For reservations: +359 886 601 158, blacksearama@blacksearama.com
www.blacksearama.com
Weddings
180
ideas
, ,
: ,
, .
5 2015 ., , ,
, .
Blach Sea Rama
Happily, modem Bulgaria presents you with dozens of

opportunities to escape from the city, the unpleasant
acquaintances and even from yourself: spa hotels in
the mountains, secluded quest-houses in the middle of
nowhere, luxurious retreats from the vanity of everyday
along the Black Sea coast, and city hotels with all
amenities. On the following pages are listed our top 5
suggestions for 2015, among which there is everything,
from spa pleasures and clean nature to quiet places at
the Sofia centre, where you can be yourself.
BLACKSEARAMA GOLF & VILLAS:

YOU HAVE TO SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT
Endless sea view from a height of 200 m to Cape
Kaliakra and Cape Galata: this is BLACKSEARAMA
GOLF & VILLAS (close to Balchik, www.blacksearama.
com), the first signature championship golf course
in Bulgaria designed by the golf legend Gary Player.
BlackSeaRama Golf & Villas consists of one- and
two-floor villas, the Bell Tower holiday village and the
Club Residence aparthotel. The luxurious villas and
apartments have five-star hotel service, and the infinity
swimming pools bring the feeling of endless relaxation.
Each of the four restaurants in the complex has its own
identity and style, and makes you a part of exquisite
travel around the world cuisine. The meals are
prepared with seasonal vegetables from the complex's
own organic garden, and its vineyards produce white
wine, exclusively for the guests of BlackSeaRama.
Awarded as the Building of the Year in 2008, the Club
House is a boutique and elegant building in Tuscan
style, where you will find Proshop, winery, relaxation
centre with indoor swimming pool, bar, steakhouse
restaurant and bistro with panoramic terrace. In close
proximity to the Club House is an incredible stage,
BLACKSEARAMA GOLF & VILLAS:

,
200
BLACKSEARAMA
GOLF & VILLAS ( , www.
blacksearama.com),

. BlackSeaRama Golf & Villas
- , " "
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- ,

.
,
.
,
BlackSeaRama.
2008,
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.
SANATORIUM AND
HEALTH COMPLEX
Our children deserve it!
KAMCHIA
Modern amenities, clean nature and cosmical opportunities for education and culture
The capital of happy childhood, Sanatorium and Health Complex
Kamchia, is situated in a pristine nook by the seaside and the mouth
of the Kamchia River. It combines the beauty of nature and modern
green architecture with countless opportunities for children to study,
sport and create, together with other children or with their families.
The complex combines two children wellness camps Raduga and
Chernomorski, a hotel Longoz, a holiday village Pirin. Sanatorium and
Health Complex Kamchia offers excelent conditions year-round for
2000 of guests full capacity simultaneously. The complex is a preferred
destination for recreation for children and family, for educational,
cultural, sports, business, social and medical tourism.
Unique sports complex with Olympic-size swimming pool, athletics track, sports hall, sports fields and gyms
The health and balneology centre has 14 specialised rooms, clinical laboratory, X-rays, physiotherapy and
rehabilitation including phototherapy, kinesitherapy, inhalation, water treatment, mud treatment
Two 600-seats cinemas, amphitheatre for 2,000 visitors, atrium, conference rooms, exhibition spaces
Yuriy Gagarin Educational Centre with educational technologies, computers and multimedia. It is also the home
of the Yuriy Gagarin Private School for children from 1st to 12th grade with intensive studying of Russian and
English languages
There can be organized and held a university or college branch, an innovation and technology transfer center, a
qualifying center, language camps, mobile schools, olympiads and competitions, children camps, festivals
Sanatorium and Health Complex Kamchia | Central oce: Soa, 53 Tundzha St, phone/fax: +359 2 858 1928
sokkamchia-soa@einet.bg | www.sok-kamchia.com
182
ideas
on the edge of the rocks, which recreates an open air

ancient amphitheatre for 150 people, and is a preferred
place for award ceremonies, weddings and concerts.a
Sanatorium and Health
Complex Kamchiya:
To kids, with love
Can you combine the holiday with the care for your
children and their education? Yes, at Sanatorium
and Health Complex Kamchia (central
office Sofia, 53 Tundzha St, phone: +359 2 858 1928,
www.sok-kamchia.com). Tugged in one of the most
picturesque parts of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast,
among the unspoilt nature close to the mouth of the
Kamchia River, the complex offers modern children's
camps, a hotel and a villa settlement where you can
enjoy your vacation in peace, while your children
have fun studying, creating art or doing sports. The
complex offers a wide range of opportunities for
sports: swimming pools, one of which is Olympicsize; multipurpose fields and gyms. The events,
organised in the cinema and concert halls, the atrium
and amphitheatre, as well the visits of the digital
planetarium make the days here even more interesting.
Besides the excellent beach, in Kamchia you have at
your disposal a variety of saunas and rehabilitation and
physiotherapy programmes. Your kids will be reluctant
to leave the place, but there is a solution to the problem
- enrol them in the various thematic camps or in the
complex's private school with intensive studying of the
Russian and English languages.
easyHotel
Less is more
When you are in Sofia, regardless of whether you
are travelling for business or pleasure, everything is
outside: the business meetings, the fun, the sites of
interest. So why to pay for an expensive hotel? If you
are happy with sleeping at a clean and affordable place
close to the centre, but without compromises with the
cleanliness and the privacy, easyHotel (Sofia, 108
Aldomirovska St, phone: 02 920 1654, enquiries@sofia.
easyhotel.com, www.easyhotel.com) is for you. Created
by the owner of the low-cost easyJet air carrier, the
hotel offers small, functional rooms with their own
bathrooms and amenities like LCD TV set and free
Wi-Fi. The reception is open 24 hours, and there are
indoor and outdoor parking lots. The earlier you
make your reservation, the cheaper your stay
will be.
183
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1928, www.sok-kamchia.com). ,

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enquiries@sofia.easyhotel.com, www.easyhotel.com)
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SOFIA
The unique experience
The first thought of a guest entering a
room in easyHotel Sofia for the first time, is that
he or she has somehow transferred to a ship
or an airplane cabin. Many fall in love with the
futuristic design and the orange colour palette
which are the trademark of the 20 hotels of the
easy chain all over the world. The association
with being in an airplane is probably deliberate,
as the author of the idea for low-cost hotel is
also the owner of the easyJet carrier.
The rooms at easyHotel are compact but
not that compact as the infamous capsule
hotels in Tokyo. Each room has enough space
for a double bed and some functional furniture,
and its own shower bathroom. To complete
the sense of cosiness, the rooms at easyHotel
have adjustable air-conditioning, LCD TV set,
free Wi-Fi access and electronic card key. The
bathrooms have round windows like in a ship
cabin, and the feeling for being in open sea is
complemented by the material they are made
of, moulded Fiberglass used in modern yachts.
A spacious room is not always functional,
and the easyHotel design proves this, with
introducing a range of innovative furniture
in the rooms. Built-in niches in the beds are
the equivalent of traditional wardrobe and
nightstand. There is a tiny dressing table with a
mirror, spot reading light, and genuine hat and
coat racks, the TV is on the wall. The repetitive
orange motive is on each detail.
asyHotel Sofia is interesting not only with

its genuine vision, but also with its more than
affordable prices. The rate for a double room
starts from 19 euro, and the earlier you make a
reservation, the cheaper your stay is going to
be. The prices are dynamic, just like in buying
an airplane ticket, so reservations are chiefly
made online.
The reception is open 24/7 and for guests
with cars there are underground and free
outdoor parking.
easyHotel Sofia is in the centre of the
capital, one metro station away from the ideal
centre. From April 2015 it will have a direct
metro connection with Sofia Airport.
easyHotel Sofia | 108 Aldomirovska St (Konstantin Velichkov Metro Station) | phone: +359 (0)2 920 1654
enquiries@sofia.easyhotel.com | Reservations: www.easyhotel.com
184
ideas
GRAND MANASTIRA COMPLEX:

FOR A PERFECT WINTER VACATION
The snowy slopes of Pamporovo Resort with the
ski runs and the dense pine forests will boost your
energy and will make your winter holiday one of the
best moments in the year. Make the memory even
more pleasant, with booking a standard or luxurious
room or apartment at GRAND MANASTIRA
COMPLEX (Pamporovo, phone: 0882 299 646 booking@
grandmonastery.com, www.grandmonastery.com).
Situated on altitude of 1,650 m, the complex combines
standard and comfort, and is an unmatchable
opportunity to spend several careless days on the
nearby ski runs, in the exquisite restaurants and bars,
and at Asia Spa, the only Asia spa chain in Bulgaria
with original treatments from Bali, Thailand and the
Philippines. Grand Manastira Complex also has an
indoor swimming pool, several saunas, vitamin bar,
solarium and the chance to enjoy over 150 types of
massage and spa rituals.
185
" ":

.
-,
"
" (, : 0889 00 20 20,
reservations@laguna-tours.com, www.dineviresort.bg).
1650 ,

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Snow, sun, ski, spa...

In Dinevi Resort, Pamporovo
?
80 -

2 , , ,

Why The Grand Monastery in Pamporovo?

Only 80 m from the main ski lift
Newly furnished apartments with fireplaces
2 restaurants, ASIA spa, bowling, parking
Swimming pool and sauna included in stay
For reservations / : (+359) 0889 00 20 20 | Promo code / : VAGSKI | www.dineviresort.bg
Live your
winter dream
in Interhotel
Sandanski!
INTERHOTEL SANDANSKI:
SPA PLEASURES THE YEAR ROUND
One of the most popular destinations for spa and
balneology, INTERHOTEL SANDANSKI (www.
interhotelsandanski.bg) is the place to immerse in a
wholesome vacation among nature and with a variety
of procedures, therapies, massages and opportunities
for relaxation. The hotel has two mineral water
swimming pools with temperature 31-33 and thermal
pool with water temperature of 38, five tennis courts
and many other opportunities for sport. The spa
complex offers sauna, solarium, steam bath and rooms
for cosmetic procedures, using the healing qualities of
local mineral water. At guests disposal are a modern
spa centre, sauna, steam bath and rooms for cosmetic
procedures, using the healing qualities of mineral
water. The balneological complex offers a wide range of
programmes for healing and prophylaxis of
osteoporosis, conditions of the musculosketelal system,
pulmonary diseases. Interhotel Sandanski has special
offers for all who want to immerse themselves in the
magic of winter spa pleasures: the Winter Spa Vacation
and Winter Relaxation packages.
For more information

contact us at:
+ 359 746 31165,
e-mail: reservations@ihsand.com
or visit our website:
www.interhotelsandanski.bg
"":

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Happy First Birthday

to Terminal 2 - Burgas Airport!
Vagabond Media is happy to announce its cooperation with

Penguin Travel, the travel agency based in Copenhagen and
Soa, to provide a new service to our readers: experience
for yourself all the places, sites, events and everything else
you read about in Vagabond, Bulgaria's English Magazine.
City Breaks
Heritage Tours
Eccentric Bulgaria
Incentive Travel
We now oer highly customisable, tailor-made tours to

just about anywhere in Bulgaria (and of course through the
Balkans) that you have read about in this journal during
the past six years. Just go on www.vagabond.bg, nd your
destination, and drop us an email. We will provide you with
a quote immediately.
Our new service includes anything from half-a-day tour of
Soa to a week-long journey o-o-o-the-beaten track
through Bulgaria.
Some examples of what we have to oer:
On 4 December a year ago, an inauguration ceremony

marked the opening of the new passengers' Terminal 2 at
Burgas Airport.
Created by renowned architects and designers, the
terminal aims to preserve the passengers' holiday spirit
during their stay at the airport, with a combination of
characteristic elements of the region's architecture and
nature. Thus, the first impression of arriving passengers are
the roses, recreated in the interior of Baggage Claim.
The building spreads on more than 21,000 sq.m, with
spacious Arrivals and Departures areas. The most modern
line for management of systems for service of passengers
and luggage is in operation, with complete integration
of the different systems and electronic measurement
and regulation of processes in the terminal. Modern

technology for service, energy efficiency and flexible space
arrangement complement the advantages of the new
building. For the customers, there are attractive shopping
areas on more than 2,300 sq.m, restaurants, bars and stores
of famous brands, a Bulgarian bazaar and comfortable
open areas.
The total value of the investment is 80 million leva.
More than 2,500,000 passengers were serviced in an year
in the new terminal of Burgas Airport. The most preferred
destinations were Moscow, Minsk, Sankt Petersburg,
London, Tel Aviv. The terminal was used by 157 air carriers
flying to 220 destinations in Europe, Asia and Africa, with
a total number of 19,002 flights.
Jewish Bulgaria
Once Bulgaria was a major Jewish centre in southeastern Europe, which did not
deport about 49,000 of its Jews during the Second World War. Now the Jewish community in the country is small, but the heritage remains sometimes
well-kept and maintained, but often overlooked, ignored and abandoned. With a
highly-qualied guide, who has authored many articles and a book about Jewish
heritage in the Balkans, you can now visit some or all of the Jewish-related sites.
Expect to discover some surprising gateways to a forgotten yet potent reminder of
a world that no longer exists.
Ottoman Bulgaria

2 - !
Did you know that until the late 19th century Bulgaria was a part of a powerful empire spanning on three continents and incorporating lands as varied as what is now
Egypt, Greece, Israel, Turkey and Iraq? Modern Bulgaria is dotted with remnants
of the Ottoman Empire bridges, mosques, public baths, residential architecture,
water fountains... This is an exciting tour that will give some unique insights into
why Bulgaria is what it is at the beginning of the 21st century.
Communist Bulgaria
In 1990 Bulgaria was the only Warsaw Pact country to re-elect its former Communists in a multiparty election. In 2013 Bulgaria is the only country in Eastern Europe that has not demolished,
dismantled or at least put in context its hundreds if not thousands of Communist-era monuments,
statues and architectural complexes varying from monstrosities such as the Founders of Bulgaria
monument in Shumen and the ying saucer building at Buzludzha to the menacing Red Army monument in Central Soa. Many of those have been left to the elements to wither, just as the ideology
that once inspired them. In a generation, they will be gone, so now is the time to see them, experience them and see for yourself what Eastern Europe looked like 25 years ago.
Our tours are highly customisable and can be done for anything from a few hours in central Soa to a week-long
trip in the country. We provide convenient transportation, hotel accommodation, good food and wine and above
all expert guides who will tell you all the stories that will help you make sense of what you see in one of Europe's
least known lands.
Just send us an email on travel@vagabond.bg with a specific inquiry and we will be happy to oblige.
www.vagabond.bg
www.penguin.bg
www.penguin.dk
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188
the books
the books
Vagabond
Reads
Since 2006, we have added a portfolio of books to our
magazines. Here are some of them.
In 2008 we published East of Constantinople/Travels
in Unknown Turkey, a travelogue about some of the
highlights of one of Europe's most amazing countries.
From the Iranian border and what some still think is the
remnants of Noah's Ark to places like Mount Nemrut,
anlurfa, Cappadocia and Trabzon, we transversed
eastern Turkey several times over to be able to come up
with a product that still captures the imagination of
thousands of readers. In Bulgarian only.
In 2009 we published a small book entitled Wall-toWall/Poetry Europe. This was supposed to be a guide to a
major project in which the embassies of all EU member
states plus Turkey participated. The aim of the project?
To decorate some of Sofia's empty walls with snippets
from a wide range of poets from European countries.
These included Constantine Cavafy (Greece), Jaan
Kaplinski (Estonia), Odilon-Jean Prier (Belgium), Piet
Hein (Denmark), Wolf Harranth (Austria), Marcelijus
Martinaitis (Lithuania), Tomas Transtrmer (Sweden),
Liz Lochhead (UK), Mirtn Direin (Ireland) and Jan
Hanlo (The Netherlands). They were in the company of
poets from other European countries that hardly need any
introduction: Dante, Schiller, Hristo Botev and Mihai
Eminescu. The project had been initiated by the Dutch
Embassy in Sofia. The book, which includes short bios of

the represented poets, is in over 20 languages (plus English
and Bulgarian) a linguistic treat!
Our Guide to Jewish Bulgaria appeared in 2011. This
book takes on to the relatively well-known Jewish heritage
sites in Sofia, Plovdiv, Samokov, Pazardzhik, Ruse and
Shumen, but it also detours off the beaten track to the
lesser and sometimes unexpected sites of Jewish interest
in Vidin, Lom, Silistra, Dobrich, Varna, Burgas, Yambol,
Stara Zagora, Dupnitsa, Kyustendil, Gotse Delchev and
many others. Richly illustrated with superb photography
and voicing independent research and opinion, A Guide
to Jewish Bulgaria was designed to be a journey through
both territory and time: illuminating the backgrounds
while directing through the topography. Many of the
monuments described are hard to find and in various
stages of disrepair. Some are poignant, others are stomachchurning. But once discovered, they hold a reward as they
open up the gateways to a fascinating if largely forgotten
part of Europe's Jewish heritage. In English.
Bulgaria spent 500 years of its history under the
Ottomans and the country is still dotted with various
remnants of its Ottoman past. Still, there is surprisingly
little information about all the bridges, mosques, public
buildings, water fountains, forts and schools that the
Ottomans built. Amazingly from a Western standpoint,
the Ottoman legacy in this country is still controversial.
We took the challenge, at the end of 2011, and we wrote
and published, with the assistance of noted historian
Professor Hristo Matanov, A Guide to Ottoman Bulgaria:
two versions of it, in Bulgarian and in English. Within a
189
190
the books
191
Papers of the American

Research Center in Sofia
Preface to Volume I, by Eric C. De Sena n James F. Clarke, Pioneer of Bulgarian Historical Studies
in the United States, by Dennis P. Hupchick (2013 Eugene Schuyler Lecture) n Communications and
Commerce in the Balkans from Alexander the Great to Alexander Battenberg: Proceedings
of Conference at ARCS, October 2012 n Places, Instruments and Artifacts of Exchange along the
Southwestern Black Sea Coast in the Roman Period, by Hristo Preshlenov n Barbarians and the
Black Sea in the Roman Period a Brief History, by Artur Blazejewski n The Danubian Dilemma:
Conduits and Obstacles in Upper and Lower Moesia, by Daniel Weiss n North to South along
the Danube: Commerce between Braov and Vidin in the th Century, by Snezhana Rakova n The
Tabula Peutingeriana: a Changing Value for the Interpretation of Roman Road Networks and
Ancient Topographies along the Middle and Lower Strymon, by Dragomir Garbov n The Via Egnatia:
the Most Actively Used Overland Route in the Balkans, by Liliana Simeonova n Access of Heavy
Load Vehicles in Pautalia, Serdika, Philippopolis and Nicopolis ad Istrum, by Dimitrina Popova n
Archaeological Complexes near Pchelarovo Village, Kardzhali Region: an Emporium from
the Hellenistic and Roman Eras? by Zdravko Dimitrov n The Silk Road: Religion, War and Trade,
by Ivan Stancioff and Albina Valieva-Khairullina n The Armenians. Traders and Friends of Frederick
Barbarossa in the Balkans during the Third Crusade , by Elena Koytcheva n Trading
in Empresses: the Politics and Matrimonial Exchange between Byzantium and Bulgaria in the
th and th centuries, by Jake Ransohoff n The Ottoman Commercial Regulations during the
Tanzimat Period . Legislation Reforms and their Application in the Town of Rusuk,
by Ivelina Masheva n Language Contact, Bilingualism, and Communication in Thrace and Moesia
Inferior stth c. AD as Attested in the Epigraphic Monuments from Bulgaria, by Dimitar Iliev
Volume
Sofia, October 2014
few months, it sold out so we did a second run, at the

beginning of 2012. At the moment we have a small stock
of A Guide to Ottoman Bulgaria in Bulgarian only. The
English version is out of print.
Encouraged by the success of Ottoman Bulgaria, we went
deeper into Bulgaria's heritage since the 15th Century. Whilst
Ottoman Bulgaria focused on material heritage mainly sites
and buildings, our next title was supposed to deal with the
non-material heritage of the Ottomans: music and dance,
language, cuisine, religion... We invited a number of Bulgarian
scholars to participate: Yordanka Bibina, Radko Popov, Orlin
Sabev, Doroteya Dobreva, Bozhidar Aleksiev, Ivanka Vlaeva.
This is how The Turks of Bulgaria came into being, at the
end of 2012. The book was so novel in Bulgaria that a group
of "patriots," including some scholars, snatched the chance to
brand us "traitors" and demand the book be banned. Bulgaria
in the 21st Century is rarely at peace with its own past... Like
A Guide to Ottoman Bulgaria, The Turks of Bulgaria came out
in two versions: one in Bulgarian and one in English. Both are
still available.
In 2013, we started a very interesting cooperation with
the American Research Center in Sofia. The result of this
has been three titles: Medieval Melnik by Elena Kostova
(2013), Memories of Everyday Life During Socialism in the
Town of Rousse, Bulgaria by Dilyana Ivanova (2014) and
The Jews of Karnobat by Zvi Keren (2014). These books
are quite different from what we had done previously
as they are purely academic researches in history and
archaeology. We are very happy with them, and went on
to publish the research papers of ARCS, called you've
guessed it! PARCS. The first volume of PARCS is
already out. In early 2015 we will be bringing out the
second. All of those are in English.
Earlier in 2014 we did a small book to commemorate
the 100th anniversary of one of Sofia's landmark buildings,
the Residence of the British Ambassador. The British
Residence, as it is popularly known in Sofia, is a gem.
Situated on a major road in Central Sofia it has undergone
several reconstructions since its original inauguration in
1914, but its spirit has remained unchanged: exquisitely

British. The residence is increasingly used for social
functions in addition to being of course the home of the
British ambassador and his family. The British Residence
book is in English and Bulgarian.
In December 2014 we are bringing out another major
title: Hidden Treasures of Bulgaria, Vol. 2. With it we we
take the reader to lesser or completely unknown places in
Bulgaria that fully live up to the promise of being "hidden
treasures." Often located off or off-off the beaten path,
they are an integral part of what makes today's Bulgaria
such a fascinating travel destination. Many of the rock
formations, monasteries, bridges, Jewish cemeteries and
abandoned border zone outposts are not to be found in
any guidebook, and neither are some of the events and
festivals described and photographed in detail here. To
get to see them, one needs to know that they exist and
how to get to them, and to understand what they are
about one needs to be familiar with the background. This
book provides both. Hidden Treasures of Bulgaria is the
result of many years of travel and research through all
parts of Bulgaria, from the western Rhodope to Shabla,
and from the estuary of the Timok River on the Danube
to Bulgaria's far-flung Rezovo on the southern Black Sea
coast. We feel it is an indispensable source of information
about everything that travellers are likely to want to
know about this country and more. It is a tableau
vivant of where Bulgaria stands at the beginning of the
21st Century: with one foot entrenched in its sometimes
controversial past but with the other making determined
strides towards its European future. In English.
The road ahead? In 2015 we will be publishing two more
guidebooks, one about Bulgaria's Thracian heritage and
one about its Roman heritage. Coming to a bookshop
near you...
Copies of most of these books are available on amazon.
com and amazon.co.uk, at Bulgarian bookshops, and
directly from ourselves. Just drop us a line at
editorial@vagabond.bg.
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192
inside track
193
mahaloto
restaurant
Sofia, 51 Vasil Levski Blvd

phone: 0887 617 972
mahalotto@gmail.com
For more than 10 years, this has been where you get delicious meal along with the quiet
atmosphere to help you wind down after a busy day in the centre of Sofia. The restaurant
menu includes favourites such as pepper steak, Caf de Paris veal and trout with walnuts
to suit your palate. Complete the experience with a selection from the wine list Old
and New World both, with a scattering of Bulgaria's best. Mahaloto is a suitable place for
business lunch or dinner, and you can offer your guests the taste of Bulgarian cuisine as
well. The free wifi and dreamy atmosphere will hook you up for hours of lounging here.
sofia hotel balkan,

a luxury collection hotel
Sofia, 5 Sveta Nedelya Sq

phone: 02 981 6541
www.theluxurycollection.com/sofia
When it comes to location, service and history Sofia Hotel Balkan is not only in the
very heart of the city, but the building itself is part of the architectural heritage of the
capital. The hotel combines timeless grace and modern convenience and is preferred
for the lavishing guest rooms and exquisite event halls. This summer Sofia Hotel
Balkan will take exclusive care for its corporate guests. Until 15 September they can
enjoy free transfer, free upgrade (upon availability) and free access to the Executive
Lounge. And this is only the beginning of the journey that is Sofia Hotel Balkan.
plaza
hotel
Varna, 10 Slivnitsa Blvd

phone: 052 684 060; fax: 052 684 061
www.hotelplazabg.com
To make the most of Varna, go for the centre and the Plaza Hotel. Right in front
of the Sea Garden, the exclusive accommodation is packed with features such as
luxurious leather furniture, bathtub, air-conditioning, and free Wi-Fi. The helpful
staff will take on whatever you need done so that you can relax and soak up the
ambience of Varna. The location in the heart of the city is perfect, just steps away from
the beach and with a great range establishments nearby.
ZINE
NGLISH MAGA
BULGARIAS E
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issue 99-100/2014-201
issue 9 9- 10 0/20 14- 20 15
ISSN 1312-8590
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issue 9 9- 10 0/20 14- 20 15

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b. SERVICE ICONSb. SERVICE ICONS

choose from. All icons

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10. Keynote 100

The people who answered

62. The features

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126. Balkans travel

Places and people from the peninsula

Bulgarian and foreign writers featured

144. My own choice

Where to eat, insiders confide

154. Other projects

192. Inside track

Top off-the-beaten track destinations

The best capital's secrets

cover by Anthony Georgieff

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It all began with a dream. Ten years ago

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BULGARIAS ENGLISH MAGAZINE

BULGARIAS ENGLISH MAGAZINE

ISSUE 71-72 / 2012

BULGARIAS ENGLISH MAGAZINE

BULGARIAS ENGLISH MAGAZINE

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BULGARIAS ENGLISH MAGAZINE

ISSUE 57-58 JUNE-JULY 2011

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ISSUE 61-62 OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2011

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Pascal Duffy is a French/Irish entrepreneur and senior

your interests as a customer and not run around 10

Many editors, designers, photographers,

ADMINISTRATION & MARKETING

One Step Clinic of

Jeremiah Chamberlin (literature); Jill Sharer (fine food and wine);

, . " " 15-17 (20- ) | : 0895 77 07 17

and-a-half on the market, 2008

Two hundred guests showed up at the launch of Vagabond, on the roof

magazine in Thessaloniki, 2008

3 Press conference for the

Symbols of Bulgaria campaign, in

4 Architect Boyko Kadinov at

5 American Ambassador John

6 Vagabond team joins the I Can

7 Blessing of Vagabond's editorial

9 Launch of A Guide to Ottoman

Presentation of The Turks of

Prof Hristo Matanov at the

Author Anthony Georgieff

VASKO VASSILEV, violinist, Issue 1