- Bansko Buzz
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- Red Angel Above Bansko
In this week’s Buzz:
Some photos of the cycle path between Bansko and Razlog
HEMS (Red Angel) seen and heard flying above Bansko most of the day
Wars and drought threaten higher food prices in Bulgaria
Bansko ski clubs come away with medals at ski cup in North Macedonia
810,000 Bulgarians live on a pension of ~€322 a month
Unique Bansko culinary event this coming weekend
Unification Day celebrations on Sunday 6th
Last week/weekend of continuous movement of gondola in Bansko
Two mountain rescues brought the emergency medical helicopter (Red Angel) to Pirin on Saturday
Photo by Stoycho Banenski
Yesterday (Saturday 29th), the emergency rescue helicopter (HEMS) flew above Bansko for most of the day on two rescue missions.
The first was to rescue Dr. Blagoy Terziev, a long-term medical specialist in mountain rescue who suffered a suspected fractured hip while hiking in the Mount Gazey area above Bansko (here) in the morning. The emergency medical helicopter had to make several attempts to land because of the terrain in the area.
The second incident was in the Popovo Lake area above Dobrinishte (here) just after noon, where a 59-year-old tourist fractured his lower leg. Mountain rescue was dispatched alongside the HEMS team to fly the injured tourist from the lake area for treatment in Sofia.
For the second incident, Bansko’s mayor, Stoycho Banenski, took part in the rescue effort, as he is part of the local Mountain Rescue unit in Bansko. After the incidents, he posted on social media to remind everyone that the Pirin Mountains are unforgiving and that anyone venturing into the mountains should be prepared, responsible, and focused.
This reminded me of the guidelines the local mountain rescue service published about being prepared when hiking in the mountains (published here).
Why do we hear the helicopter a lot above Bansko when they’re called on? Sometimes the helicopter will stop off in the gondola car park to pick up extra mountain rescue/medical personnel before heading to the location they’ve been given. They will then (sometimes) land back at the gondola car park to transfer the casualty to a waiting ambulance for road transport to hospital.
The usual flight time for the HEMS helicopter (LZ-HMB) to reach Bansko from Sofia is around 30 minutes.
Show your appreciation for the mountain rescue service by donating here.
(Read more about the incidents here. [Translation required].)
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Inside the Bansko Notice Board Group
✍️ 79 New Posts, 💬 259 Comments, 👍️ 1,193 Reactions
Where can I buy chicken or beef bones for broth?
Michael wants to make some bone broth while in Bansko and wanted to know where it was best to get some chicken or beef bones. See where people suggested.
The parking fee at Pirin Golf has gone from 4€ to 15€. Any idea why?
Loucia asked whether anyone knew why the parking fee at Pirin Golf had jumped so much since she visited there in February this year. See what people had to say.
Looking for an apartment contract for visa D application
George is looking for an apartment owner or real estate agent to help him secure a lease for an apartment as part of his visa D application. See who people suggested.
The cycle path between Bansko and Razlog is beginning to take shape
Rich posted some photos as he travelled along the cycle path from Bansko to Razlog (currently under construction) to show what it looks like (more in the comments).
Bansko & Beyond
Bansko and Indonesia celebrate nearly two decades of shared culture
This week, Bansko Municipality and the honorary consulate for Indonesia in town celebrated two decades of cultural exchange and friendly relations at the honorary consulate on Khan Asparuh Street. Both parties emphasised they wanted to expand cooperation through culture, tourism, and business in the region. Read more. [Translation required.]
Wars and drought threaten higher food prices in Bulgaria
Highlighted earlier in the year in The Beehive, prices are set to rise across Bulgaria, Europe and the world in the next six months due to lower crop yields, lower availability of fertiliser (to grow crops), and the price of oil being continuously high (due to the war in Iran). Read more.
Successful summer cup for ski clubs from Bansko
Two ski clubs from Bansko (SK Bansko and El Tepe) took part in the cross-country skiing programme as part of the Balkan Cup in North Macedonia. Several competitors from Bansko, from under 10s to under 14s, came away with medals for their age and category. It looks like it’s shaping up to be a great season for competitors from Bansko. Read more.
Other news stories
Here are a handful of other news stories you may find interesting:
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Events Next Week
Exhibitions at The Tourist Information Center
These run most days from 9am to 12noon and 1pm to 6pm at the Tourist Information Center (near the old tree). A painting exhibition called Joleff Art (by Nina Tsvetomir & Latchezar Dzholevi) continues on Monday and Tuesday. Then, from Friday (4th) to Tuesday 8th, Daniela Roshkova displays her painting exhibition (Disney-inspired Fairy World) and Radostina Angelinina displays her crochet exhibition (Fairy Tales).
An Evening with Wines from Salla Estate
On Thursday (3rd) at DiVino Wine Bar on Glazne Street, from 7pm, join the Salla Estate team for a tasting of wines from the Northern Black Sea region. Price 15€. More info.
Main Event: Unique Bansko
The culinary event this year will run over two days (Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th), starting at around 5pm on both days in the main square. There will be a mixture of culinary workshops and creative workshops (for children), as well as exhibitions of local dishes. Saturday sees a folklore performance in the theatre hall while Sunday sees a procession on the streets (with bagpipes) in celebration of Unification Day. More info. [Translation required.]
Unification Day (National Holiday)
Sunday 6th of September is Unification Day in Bulgaria. On this day in 1885, the Principality of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia were united to form a single Bulgarian state. Read more. All government offices will be closed on Monday 7th, and some shops/stores may have alternative hours.
Reminder: This will be the last week/weekend to use the Bansko gondola for continuous movement. From Monday 7th, it switches to once up in the morning and once down in the afternoon (Monday to Friday only) until the end of November.
Planning Further Ahead?
Here is a list of events/festivals happening in September.
Organising an event in or around Bansko? Submit it for consideration here.
Photo of the Week
The changing weather over Bansko from Krinetz.
Photo by Vadim Sukharevski
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Before You Go…
This coming weekend with Unique Bansko and Unification Day celebrations will be the final event weekend of the summer programme, which brings hundreds of people to town.
Expect places to be busy in town until Tuesday 8th, when it should start to feel like Bansko calms down a little after a busy summer. Until the last few weeks of October, it’s hiking season, so weekends will still see some people in town hiking, cycling, or taking in the good weather.
—
Nick Sanders
Publisher, Bansko Buzz
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