Obechtanie ot predi ...

V predichna tema biah obechtal da publikuvam mnenieto na edin kolega amerikanets za Balgaria. Sajaliavam tche ne moga da go preveda. V Chtatite sam, no ochte niamam dostap do Internet ot doma mi. Eto go. Hi Nick, I have been home for almost two weeks now, settling in. I am doing the usual, setting up bank accounts, address changes, drivers license, etc. I should pick up my pictures of Bulgaria in the next day or so. I can't tell you and Mimi how much I enjoyed my stay in Bulgaria, it is certainly a beautiful country, so much to offer a tourist like me. No wonder you prefer living there now. We certainly covered some ground during my 12 day visit and the geography of Bulgaria has something for everyone. All of my relatives were impressed with the post card I sent from Albena showing the long wide beach, high rise hotels, and deep blue ocean. I am sure that they would be equally impressed with the city center of Sofia, the alpine ski resorts, the monestary, and the vinyards. I would like to come back again ! I believe that Bulgaria has tremendous business potential within the tourism and travel industries, not only due to the wide range of leisure opportunities but due to Bulgaria's geography as a gate way from Turkey and the Middle East to Europe. Being a businessman I cannot help but notice some blatant opportunities for improvement, so if you will forgive me, I will make some suggestions. If your government could sponsor these suggestions it will greatly improve the economy of Bulgaria and the prosperity of the average Bulgarian citizen. Growth in economy will increase the nation's tax base which is always agreeable to the politicians - they will have more money to spend. So here we go. 1) MAKE IT EASIER TO TAKE MONEY FROM TOURISTS AND TRAVELERS ! Simple as it seems, my experience is that Bulgaria, in general, only accepts cash from tourists - no credit cards or traveler's checks. This needs to change since tourists and travelers do not like to carry large amounts of cash with them due to the risk of loss or theft. This makes it inconveinent for the traveler to visit Bulgaria so they may elect another holiday destination ! If the traveler does come to Bulgaria with his cash he is then on a fixed budget (defined as the amount of money he has in his pocket). But the amount of cash a traveler will bring is based on an uneducated guess at best since he is not aware of all that awaits him. Therefore , like me, he will not bring enough cash. The Bulgarian Tourist Industry does not want their tourists to find themselves in this predicament. Bulgarian Tourism wants to say to their tourists " We have wonderful products and services for you to spend your money on so bring lots of money! - All that you can !" But this is not a very diplomatic way to get the idea across. The better way to say the same thing is to simply advertise that "Travelers Checks and Major Credit Cards are readily accepted". All in all it means the same thing. To make the Bulgarian economy more adaptable to Travelers Checks and Credit Cards will, of course, require changes in the banking laws, as well as the civil and criminal law codes. But most countries accept credit cards and travelers checks so these legal changes are not insurmountable. The law makers in Bulgaria just need to examine the law codes of other countries and then adapt similar code to Bulgarian law. No need to reinvent the wheel here and make it more difficult than it really is. The Bulgarian Bankers need to get on top of this. 2) PROVIDE CLEAN TOILETS WITH SINKS FOR WASHING THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE NATION. I'll come straight to the point here: With few exceptions, I found the lack of clean toilets in restaurants and at roads stops to be in pretty sad shape though out Bulgaria; I will go as far to say that I found them appalling. Western travelers want clean rest rooms with clean toilets, clean sinks, clean water, and clean towels. Anyone who does not understand this is not up to the western standards of cleanliness. This may sound like a harsh statement but it is the law in the USA that any restaurant must have separate in door toilet facilities for men and women. And these toilets are inspected by a government health representatives. Whether one believes that men and women should have separate toilet facilities is cultural, but that fact that toilet and washing facilities are required is indisputable. Why should the Bulgarian government push through this type of legislation ? Because it is good business that's why. Western women tourists demand clean toilets and wash rooms. If Bulgaria does not provide them then western women will not come to Bulgaria. If the women don't come then the men will not come. They will go elsewhere with their money. Maybe the Bulgarian politicians think we westerners are spoiled with our clean toilets. Maybe we are, but tourism is not the army and tourists who spend their money in Bulgaria are not soldiers. Tourists are people with money to spend on products and services so why shouldn't they come to Bulgaria and spend there money ? 3 COMPLETE THE DUAL CARRIAGE HIGHWAYS During my tour of Bulgaria I saw major roadways under construction. The sections that were complete were first rate and cater to high speed truck and auto traffic. But there are many long sections that are not complete. What is the hold up ? This is good work for Bulgarians and Bulgaria has the technology, materials, management, and labor to complete this work. The unemployed Bulgarians should be put to work on these roads now ! If there is a question of financing then the government should start issuing municipal (Tax Free) bonds to finance the work. This will make Bulgaria the preferred route for traffic to flow between Europe and the Middle East. Make sure that there are clean toilets and wash rooms at the service plazas where travelers spend their money ! Charge tolls if necessary. 4) GET THE WATER FLOWING IN THE FOUNTAINS AND THE GRASS PLANTED AND CUT IN SOFIA Sofia is a beautiful city with great avenues, architecture, institutions, and culture. It will be, in a short time, world class and ready to compete with any other European capital. I look at Sofia and readily see this potential. But the majority of tourists who now look at Sofia see only the reality. And the reality will cause a lack of confidence. And a lack of confidence will slow investment. There are many large parks that lack landscaping. This is nothing more that cutting the grass, planting flowers, trimming the hedges and trees, and adding some water and fertilizer. This is no big deal ! Plus it is employment for unskilled labor ! Just the addition of a little money will add so much to the beauty of Sofia. It is a shame to walk down the main avenues in the city center and see the dead grass and plants. How restoring these avenues to their former glory will improve the image of the city, and the image of Bulgaria, its people and culture. Why not start tomorrow ? It will not take long to get it beautified. Also get the water in the fountains flowing. To see beautiful fountains without the water flowing is an indication to the tourist that the municipal government is incompetent. The tourist and traveler then reason "If the government here can't operate a fountain then what can they do correctly". This is all low tech and low cost. The politicians need to get their act together here. Note that when one stays in Paris he can take an evening tour of the fountains complete with night lighting. The politicians need to make some laws that will keep the citizens of Sofia from stealing the street lamps. We have what we call "community service" here in the USA, this means that the guy who is caught stealing the street lamps is required to plant flowers in the park for a few months. Enough of that -

How about THE AIRPORT-you do not have a second chance for a first impression...Vapreki, 4e leti6teto v Atina e s podobna struktura izglejda6e mi tolkova po-svejo...Na niakoi da mu e napravilo vpe4alenie, 4e sled kato si se prigotvila za zaminavane i si izhar4ila lev4etata,4e neznaej dali niama da sa otnovo samo suveniri sledva6tiiat put, togava v kafeto na leti6teto v Sofia sled kato ve4e si minala "Check-In" ne priemat valuta - ako poleta ti ima zakusnenie i si gladna 6te triabva da prosi6 niakoi prozorliv BULGARIN da ti podari niakolko le4eta, za da si kupi6 ne6to...Poznai kakvo ti e samouvstvieto, 4e i se se6ta6 za razkazi ot roda na Bai Ganio...A az sum bulgarche obi4am....

Благодарности за писмото. Обаче твоят американски човек не е имал достатъчно "кенефен опит". Явно ТОЙ НЕ Е ХОДИЛ В КЕНЕФА (простете думата, но не знам по-низка, за нужната употреба) НА ШИПКА! Ако бе ходил, вероятностите са да вече да се е пребил от хлъзгане по лигавата слуз, барабар с пъплещи червеи и други гнусотий, покриваща пода... И ако след хлъзгането НЕ се е бил пребил - нямаше да иска нито да пише за България, нито да гледа картата на там! Предложението за кредитните карти е така умело казано! Ако искаш някой да харчи пари в твоето заведение - че дай му възможност! Това е толкова близко до ума! Аз бих предложил още една точка: След като ни помолите да ви уредим контакти със западни производители, и ви уредим пряк достъп до тяхното призводство за внос в България (а не да ходите и пре-купувате пре-продавате боклуци от къде ли не) - че кажете ни от време на време как вървят нещата! Не ви искаме "търговските тайни"! Хич! Но кажете стоките продават ли се, купувачите какво харесват, какво НЕ харесват в тях! Няма по-човешки и по-приет начин от поддръжка на отношения с производител от това да му кажеш как върви търговията с неговите изделия! Производителите са се нагърбили да обърнат внимание на България, с покупателен пазар размер на американско градче със 100 000 човека - че кривнете си кефа и вие да обърнете обратно внимане! С един човешки оглед на търговските развития с изделията на производителя. Ама нас какво ни притиска какво казвате и не казвате на производителите? Ами ако ни е притискало преди, за да ви уредим отношенията, и производителят е гледал към нас като към ваши представители - по едно човешко продължение този производител очаква да чуе отзиви за българската търговия не само от вас, но и от нас! Ето това ни притиска! А ако решите сами да си водите отношенията - идеално! Но уведомете нас и производителя, с едно писмо, показващо двойното адресиране, че този пренос в отношенията да бъде приет като нормален и добросъвестен - а не като поредната балканска потайническа машинация, този път зад наш гръб! Защото производителите мислят по линията че каквото вие правите зад нас, ние бидейки ваши сънародници, Боже опази какво бихте правили зад ТЯХ, те бидейки чужденци! Да си кажа и аз казалото, а? Евала, Оптимисте, че ми даде повода! Благодаря!