Ski holidays in Bansko
We got from Odessa to Bansko by bus in 23 hours and 55 minutes, despite the fact that we spent half an hour in a snowdrift on the Izmail-Reni section. On the website of the travel agency it was indicated that the travel time is 24-30 hours. It turned out even faster due to the fact that there was little transport at customs in February and there was no inspection of the bus (probably due to the fact that the bus had Bulgarian numbers). The return trip was about 27 hours due to a bus breakdown (in Sofia, on the ring road, we stood for a couple of hours until another bus was sent from Bansko. And also stood for a couple of hours at the Ukrainian border until the new bus was issued an entry permit).
Before Bulgaria, I was in Poland (Zakopane), Bukovel, Slovakia (High Tatras), Romania (Poiana Brasov). Definitely, Bansko is better because of the great variety and difficult trails. The Pirin Mountains are higher and, accordingly, the trails are long. We were a little unlucky with the weather - on the last skiing at the top, the lift was closed because the snow had melted. And the last 2 days at the bottom of the mountain the snow melted, it was inconvenient to ride. Prices in stores are acceptable, only expensive cheese. I couldn't find yogurt anywhere, except for small bottles of Danone. At the box office for ski passes and in the store I paid with a bank card.
On the 4th day of skiing, I got injured - the ski came off and I fell on the edge, cut my leg. The girl called a rescuer, who bandaged my leg on the mountain. Then they brought me by snowmobile to the lift, from which I went down to an intermediate point, where they took my ski pass and registered the fact of injury. According to workers, about 20-30 people come to them with injuries per day. Then they took me on a snowmobile to the gondola and on it I went down to the emergency room. Under the insurance there, they sewed up my wound. The registrar herself called the assistance company and arranged everything. 2 days later he came to them for dressing. As a surgeon, I can say that a colleague sewed my leg up perfectly.
A ski pass for 6 days costs 340 leva, which is approximately 176 euros. Of the minuses - a huge queue for the gondola. If you come there at 9 am, then you have to stand for about 50 minutes. If you come at 8.30, then stand in line for 25 minutes. Paradoxically, there are fewer skiers on weekends than on weekdays. After arriving in Kyiv, I learned that the Bulgarians wanted to build a second lift within 5 years, but for this they needed a government subsidy.
The city has many grocery, sports and souvenir shops, many cafes and restaurants, nightclubs, an ice arena. Compared to the Romanian Poiana Brasov, the city is seething. Lots of skiers from all over the world. There were no problems with the Russian language, the Bulgarians understand it perfectly. In 2008 I was in Bulgaria at sea, so adults also understood Russian, but I already had to communicate with children in English.
I think that only the Alps are better than Bulgaria.
