Zdravejte is a common greeting in Bulgarian. We present to you some interesting information about Bulgaria.
In case you are from Bulgaria and wish to report inconsistencies, please reply to this topic.
According to a study by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAN), around, fifteen million people worldwide speak the Bulgarian language, the oldest written Slavic language written in the Cyrillic alphabet. It’s the official language so people of all ethnicities speak it either as a first or second language. The country, that may have supplied rose oil for your skincare products and perfumes keeps its native language and culture alive even being under Ottoman ruling for around five centuries.
Let’s talk about the country as a travel destination shall we?
Fun fact, if you are new in Bulgaria, you will get confused by the local’s gestures of approving and disapproving things, as they shake their heads for yes, and nod for no. But don’t worry they will understand your confusion too.
Spa-lovers and Bulgaria, it’s a perfect match.
As it is the second richest natural mineral springs country in Europe. A south-Bulgarian town named Velingrad is known as the SPA Capital of the Balkan due to its immense myriad of mineral waters and SPA hotels.
And if you are a fan of adventure sports, Bulgaria has the medieval town of Bansko to offer you, cause this is the famous spot for skiing, a fun sport full of thrill, a sense of freedom and an opportunity to feel the wind on your face and in your hair.
If you visit Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, you will understand, why it has a motto like “grows but does not age”. It’s situated 15 minutes away from Vitosha Mountain, which has a beautiful silhouette to offer. And for a change of entertainment, you can also visit M-Tel IMAX, the largest cinema screen in the Balkans.
In the winter months, Bulgarians celebrate Kukeri which is quite similar to Halloween. Inhabitants dance and make noise while wearing peculiar costumes decorated with heavy bells and huge hats or masks. They believed this ritual help to scare evil spirits away and bring a good harvest.
Bulgaria is one of the most gigantic wine manufacturers in the world. And maybe this is the reason why, on 14th February, Bulgarians celebrate Trifon Zarezan, the patron of vine growers and wine producers, while the rest of the world celebrates Valentine’s Day.
Festive seasons are incomplete without music, and the native folk music of this country is out of the world, literally. The Bulgarian folk song “Izlel e Delio Haydutin” has been flying around open space together with Bach’s and Mozart’s greatest works since 1977, being a part of the Voyager Golden Record, a collection of human artifacts intended as a message for extraterrestrial life on the Mars Voyager by NASA.
To know about the locals, food culture can be a good aspect for starters. Bulgaria is a paradise for the people who love to have yogurt and salad. Bulgaria is the homeland of yogurt thus the taste of Bulgarian yogurt is unmatched, it’s even the national food of Bulgaria, locals believe that they live longer because of yogurt (Approximately Bulgarians live up to 75 years). The cuisine is extremely influenced by Greek and Turkish cuisine. You can experience the culinary harmony with dishes like Baklava and Shopska salad. Also, don’t forget to try the authentic ones such as Banitsa, Tarator, Moussaka, Kiselo Mlyako, and Mehsana Skara, Sarmi if you are a meat-lover. The country has a national drink too, named, Rakia, an alcoholic drink, made from fermented pears, grapes, or apricots.
Like every local of any respective country, Bulgarians have some unique rituals. For example, Bulgarians have their own style to wish “break a leg”.the family members spill water in front of the doorstep before a family member leaves home for a special event, then wish her or him Goodluck.
Hope you like it, if you know any other fascinating facts about Bulgaria, let us all know!
