Post: #26

I've traveled a fair amount and I enjoy it there. Its not the greatest city in Europe but it doesnt try to be. Not too big, not too small, cheap, friendly people, easy to get around w/o knowing the language. It's not Paris but or London but thats part of the appeal.

Post: #27

(05-27-2010 11:12 PM)Brian Wrote:  not sure on cost of an apartment. there is a section of the city basically called student city where its all college kids and i've heard thats pretty damn cheap. a nice place near city centre would cost more but its still relatively inexpensive. actually these websites can help you with that

http://www.sofiaapartments.com/

as far as the girls in sofia check out http://bg.tilllate.com/en/all

checked one of the photoalbums of a club event, but must admit that I am hugely disappointed. Not a single hot girl. And what especially frightens me, is that the hired guns aka the promoters and bar-maids are not even attractive (in contrary to probably, the rest of the world).

I really want Bulgaria to be good, since I consider it for a mini retirement, but this is making me think Serbia might be a better bet.

Post: #28

Yeah, girls don't compare whatsoever to the Northern countries for my tastes, unfortunately.

Post: #29

depends on your type. most of the girls have thing, tight bodies and dark hair/features. very few fatties

Post: #30

I like the thin, tight bodies part. The faces seem kind of iffy...but I'm sure there are hotties like anywhere. I like the alternative hipster look myself so I suppose it will also depend on the club/scene.

Post: #31

There are many beautiful girls in Bulgaria. I've been living here for the last 3 years (also, born here) so I should know.
As others have noticed, some may have bad teeth or bad skin, but on the whole, I'd say the quality is better than mostly anywhere in the US (except NYC, Miami, etc.). Cheaper, too.

Post: #32

I've been meaning to report back on this

Went to Sofia for a long weekend earlier this year. Stayed in a hotel in the centre and nightlife-wise we focused on Studentski grad - Jim Beam, Fire and Orient 33, and a couple of other places I can't remember

I don't know if we went there the wrong weekend (I know the academic year was def still in full swing so plenty of students around) but overall we were rather disappointed with the city, nightlife and girls.

we didn't see anywhere near as many attractive girls as in poland for instance or slovakia; the clubs in studentski grad weren't anywhere near full capacity and we tried a whole bunch of them, and the city itself isn't very pretty.

If you're looking for a fun weekend away, based on my experience, i would suggest somewhere else in CEE

Post: #33

(05-31-2010 01:54 AM)K-man Wrote:  There are many beautiful girls in Bulgaria. I've been living here for the last 3 years (also, born here) so I should know.
As others have noticed, some may have bad teeth or bad skin, but on the whole, I'd say the quality is better than mostly anywhere in the US (except NYC, Miami, etc.). Cheaper, too.

K-man and Zanetti, what times do bars close there?

And can you smoke in bars/restaurants/nightclubs?

Post: #34

Well what time of year did you go? Studenski grad translates to "student city" so if you were there in the summer that would explain it.

Not sure what time the bars close, not sure if there is a last call per se or everyone just gives up and goes home. If there is a last call is around 5 or 6 am as I've definitely been at bars until those hours

Post: #35

Zanetti, exactly which "long weekend" were you here?

G Manifesto, you can smoke everywhere, although I think some laws are being passed for restaurents or something (Im not up to date) but habits change slowly here.

Post: #36

we were there 23-25 April

Post: #37

"Not sure what time the bars close, not sure if there is a last call per se or everyone just gives up and goes home. If there is a last call is around 5 or 6 am as I've definitely been at bars until those hours"

"G Manifesto, you can smoke everywhere, although I think some laws are being passed for restaurents or something (Im not up to date) but habits change slowly here."

Brian and Familydude, thanks for the info.

Bulgaria just shot up a few places on my list.

Post: #38

Been out of the forum for a while (spending most of my summer at the beach) but I will put in my 2c:
Student City is overrated, every single dude in town goes there hoping to pick up poor out-of-town girls living in the dorms by buying them a few drinks in the clubs. The natural result is 2-3:1 guys:girls ratio there, and girls getting picky.

For better results, try some of the downtown bars, like Brilliantin or Sin City (a big dance club with several rooms - house, 80s, folk, dance, etc.)
Impressing girls just because you are foreign used to happen in the 90s when everyone in EE was poor, but lately there's been a lot money flowing into the country so the local gangstas/drug dealers/real estate developers etc. all drive shiny new Benz's and BMW's and the girls who are after money all want to date them, not some backpacker staying in a hostel. Still, there is a segment for everyone, such as artsy/indie girls, travelers, etc. Don't expect to get the 10's, though.

For Bulgaria, I strongly recommend the following as the best for partying:
- enjoy the affordable drinks/food ($1-2 beers, $3-5 quick meal, $10-15 three-course meal)
- go people watching (lots of eye candy at clubs such as the above, or the cluster of beach clubs at Cacao Beach)
- if you don't get lucky (most likely result), end the night with a hooker - $20 street blowjob, $40 call-in escort (6-7/10), or $100 high class escort (9/10).

And to answer the G: no closing time, but weeknights the party generally dies out around 3am, and weekends 5am. Smoking is allowed in bars and clubs, in restaurants they have non-smoking and smoking sections, with the latter set to disappear soon, per some EU directives.

Post: #39

K-man,

How would a Black American guy do in Sofia???

Post: #40

@ Global Baller -

when i was there I met a bunch of black US Marines who were stationed there for a year and were protecting the US Embassy in Sofia. Those guys cleaned up. There are not a lot of blacks in Bulgaria, actually very few, and the amount of American black men is almost non existent.

@KMan - I loved Brilliantine!! went there many times

Post: #41

(08-30-2010 11:30 AM)Brian Wrote:  @ Global Baller -

when i was there I met a bunch of black US Marines who were stationed there for a year and were protecting the US Embassy in Sofia. Those guys cleaned up. There are not a lot of blacks in Bulgaria, actually very few, and the amount of American black men is almost non existent.

@KMan - I loved Brilliantine!! went there many times

That has to be a sweet gig...I met a Marine doing the same thing in Brasilia, Brasil this past weekend and he does his thing! To go around protecting various embassies around the world for one-year only and transfer to another gig I bet most Marines who are in Iraq would kill for that poisition. Must be pretty intense competition within the agency to get those gigs.

Post: #42

Yeah its a hard gig to get. They have a great set up also. The Marine house on base is like a nice college dorm, each person has his own room, big rec room, outdoor bbq, full kitchen, bar, big screen...they even have their own driver. So they basically have no expenses. 3 1 yr stints in different countries. The downside is that when you get a country like Yemen or the Sudan you are F'd big time. Its really hit or miss.

Post: #43

Time for a bump.

Am leaving Istanbul in a few days (Turkish flag collected of course - though I have to be honest it was not easy) and heading to Sofia.

Anybody know any local people there? Dudes with game who could wing and maybe show me the ropes.

This is only my second time in Sofia and the first time was a school skiing trip when I was 15 years old so I will be on the usual mission - collect the Bulgarian flag.

Post: #44

speaking of bulgarian girls... the OP is right... and you can't compare them to serbian girls... serbian girls in eastern europe are what argentine girls are in south america. they are too damn similar. i happen to lived in both countries for a while. i'm partly serbian too

sofia is nothing like budapest, prague or kiev

Post: #45

(05-01-2011 11:14 AM)maestrobaires Wrote:  and you can't compare them to serbian girls... serbian girls in eastern europe are what argentine girls are in south america. they are too damn similar.

Just wondering what you meant by this....Maybe you could expand on serbian girls.

Post: #46

pretty girls, nasty attitudes

Post: #47

(05-03-2011 05:18 PM)maestrobaires Wrote:  pretty girls, nasty attitudes

+1. Serbian girls (and guys for that matter) are prone to being cold and critical.

You mention Argentinians. I find them to be very warm and laid back.

Post: #48

compared to serbs yeah they are hahaha

serbs are ok actually great if traveled and lived abroad. the country has been isolated for the last twenty years

Post: #49

I dunno about Serbs that travel, met a bunch of them in Rio during Carnival. They were all air hostesses for Emirates I think it was and every single one of them was extremely stuck up. None of them were that pretty either. Their attitudes pissed me off. I tried talking to them about when I travelled Serbia and they were so dismissive and rude, they didn't seem to think too highly of their own country either.

Post: #50

nicely put. serb girls flying for emirates are sort of their own! serbs as a kind are too rude. and yeah they think low of their own culture / country

me being partly serbian myself and having lived in belgrade and novi sad for years haven't banged nor dated that many serb women