Bansko Wins Gold in Italy

In this week’s Buzz:

• Students hiding drugs in unfinished buildings in Bansko

• Vignette in Bulgaria set to increase by 11.5% next month

• Looking for recommendations on an insurance company for our apartment

• Rafting season opens as Bulgaria hosts European Whitewater Rafting Cup

• Canadian Wrestling Championship comes to Bansko

• Missing the pub quizzes? Looks like the BSD one is coming back in two weeks

• End of winter season parties and Bansko ski loyalty club members race off

Yulen Ski Club Competitor First Bulgarian to Win Pinocchio Sugli Sci International Ski Competition

A prestigious alpine competition took place in Italy recently. The Pinocchio Sugli Sci Race has been running for 43 years. Yulen Ski Club participant Lilia Hadzhistoyanova was the first Bulgarian to win gold: she won first place in the U14 Slalom, surpassing the efforts of participants from Austria and Italy.

This is one of the strongest competitions in the FIS calendar for young people, and Lilia’s victory is significant for both Bulgaria and Bansko.

Read more about the competition and the achievements here.

It’s great to see young people representing Bansko (and Bulgaria) doing so well in international competitions, especially when the local municipality puts in significant effort and financial help for these young athletes.

Five M — Savour Every Bite, Cherish Every Moment

At Five M, every dish is a masterpiece, from delicious appetizers to exquisite main courses and desserts. Everything is created to bring you delight and unforgettable moments.
See our new menu here.

Inside the Bansko Notice Board Group

✍️ 68 New Posts, 💬 165 Comments, 👍️ 981 Reactions

Where Can I Buy Kirsch in Bansko?
Ryan wants to know if anyone knows a place in Bansko that sells Kirsch. (It is a clear, colourless brandy from Germany, Switzerland, and France.) See what recommendations people gave.

Can Anyone Recommend An Insurance Company For Our Apartment?
Katie asked if anyone had a recommendation for an insurance company for her apartment in Bansko. She’s previously used Uniqua but has been put off by their team consistently not providing her with a quote. See what choices people gave.

Ulen Announces Unprecedented Perks For Bansko Locals (April Fools)
Mark posted an April Fools story about Ulen offering discounts and great deals for Bansko locals. It's worth taking a read through it if you want a giggle.

Looking For An English Speaking Plumber
Suzanne is looking for an English-speaking plumber to help fix an issue with a shower mixer tap. Some people had some suggestions.

Just Finished a 10-day Physiotherapeutic Programme & Had To Share
Valeria shared her experience of a 10-day physiotherapeutic programme at Hot Springs Medical Spa in Banya. She posted because she was impressed by the quality, level of service, and value for money compared to Western Europe.

(The above posts are publicly accessible. You don’t need a Facebook account to view.)

Local/Municipality News

Students Hiding Drugs in Unfinished Buildings in Bansko 
On Thursday this week, local police inspected an abandoned/unfinished building in town and found that students had been storing marijuana and cigarettes in a wall of the building. Three young people were taken in for questioning, and the prosecutor’s office is preparing a case. Read more [translation required].

Municipality Puts Up New Windproof Belt 
Bansko Municipality is continuing its development of green areas. This week, 70 American Red Oak trees and over 1,000 Forsythia bushes were planted. This will create a windproof belt on the open area to the west of Yavor Street. (Yavor Street is the ring road that goes past Four Leaf Clover down to the bottom end of town.) Read more.

Vignette (Road Tax) Set To Increase by 11.5%
In just under four weeks' time (1st of May), the road tax in Bulgaria (Vignette) is set to increase by 11.5%: going from 87 BGN to 97 BGN for the annual payment for cars and vans up to 3.5 tons. With Ulen increasing their prices this year by over 13% and lots of items increasing in the supermarket over the past 6-12 months, I’m not too convinced about Bulgaria's 3.7% published inflation rate. Read more.

Four-Month Chess Course Successfully Completed
A free chess course for children that started in November has just concluded. Included in a story in issue #16 of the Bansko Buzz, this course sought to teach the 20+ children how to play chess and increase their skill level. Read more.

Bansko Municipality Welcomes Delegation From China
This week, a delegation from Hainan in China visited the local municipality to talk about a proposal to include joint cultural initiatives, including festivals and other events. The local municipality expressed confidence that such an exchange would greatly benefit the local community. Read more.

World Autism Awareness Day Recognised in Razlog
This week, Razlog Municipality and the local Rotary Club organised an initiative on World Autism Awareness Day. The campaign included information materials to help individuals recognise why early diagnosis and intervention are beneficial. They also wanted to emphasise the importance of acceptance and support for people with autism. Read more.

Rafting Season Opens as Bulgaria Hosts European Whitewater Rafting Cup
We’ve not quite finished the winter season in Bansko, but the whitewater rafting season has begun. This weekend, the European Whitewater Rafting Cup took place in Kresna Gorge on the Struma River (on the way to Sandanski, southwest of Bansko). Participants came from several European countries to compete, including Bulgaria, Great Britain, Serbia, Romania, and Greece. Read more [translation required].

Delays on Road To/From Simitli/Blageovgrad
There are roadworks near Gradevo village on the way to Simitli/Blageovgrad. That means there will be delays if you’re driving from Bansko to there or to Bansko (coming from Sofia? You need to go through this area). Important: If you’re driving to Bansko on any Friday in April after 3pm, or from Bansko any Sunday in April before 7pm, expect significant delays (around 1 hour or more).

Recommended Businesses

Shop on Amazon & get packages delivered to Bansko with GGBG. Regular transport from the UK, Germany and the USA to Bulgaria. See website for info.

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Hawaiian Party at The Hub. Join us on Sunday 13th, from 7pm for fun, games and music. Don’t forget to come in your worst Hawaiin shirt or pop on a hula skirt 😁 

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Events Next Week

Oil Painting and Wine Evening
Why not sit back, relax with a glass of wine and paint a nice painting? Takes place on Tuesday (25th) at Altspace central location (here). The 30 BGN entry fee gets you all the painting stuff you need and some wine. Message Altspace to book.

Bansko Street Dogs Pub Quiz
It looks like the popular Bansko Street Dogs Pub Quiz will be back on Easter Monday (21st of April). The venue is to be confirmed, but the time will be the same: the quiz starts at 7.30pm. I’ll have more details for you next week once things have been confirmed.

National Canadian Wrestling Championship
The 29th Canadian Wrestling Championships comes to Bansko this week and includes participants who will compete in men, women, adolescents, and people with disabilities categories. Participants will be from across Bulgaria. It takes place at the Nikola Vaptsarov Center in the town square and starts at 2pm on Friday (11th), continuing at 9.30am on Saturday (12th) and Sunday (13th). More info.

Bansko Ski Loyalty Club Members Competition
If you’re part of Banski Ski’s loyalty club membership (two or more consecutive season passes), then Ulen (the ski resort operator) is inviting you to their annual end-of-season competition on Saturday (12th) on slope no. 8. You should register by emailing Ulen [email protected] or by phoning them. In previous years, the race has started at 10am. More info.

Hawaiian Party To End The Season at The Hub
On Sunday (13th) from 7pm, join everyone for an end-of-season party at The Hub. The theme is Hawaiian, so don’t forget to wear your worst Hawaiian shirt or a hula skirt. Drinks promotions (including some 2-for-1 deals), party games, and a DJ bangin’ out the tunes until late. One not to miss.

Other End of Season Parties
There are supposed to be gatherings/parties for the end of the season at Sky High Terrace and sCheers bar & coffee shop, but they have yet to publish any details, so maybe The Hub is the place to be...

Photo of the Week

One week left to ski on the slopes in Bansko, and they look great!

Tag @banskobuzz to get your photo in the Buzz.