I found this and though it was interesting to see the points of view on Bulgaria and what we shouldn't do? you may like it
The not-to-do list for BulgariaTo spare yourself from worries and deceptions, and to enjoy a safe and pleasant time in Bulgaria, here is a list of things to avoid:
Don't take a train. Bulgaria's railway company BDZ has recently admitted that 300 of its 320 train engines lack valid safety certificates and have not undergone mandatory technical examinations. Only half of the state firm's 430 passenger cars have been certified as safe, BDZ reported. Nine passengers burnt to death in Northern Bulgaria two years ago when a night train sleeping car, with blocked safety exits, went ablaze while in motion. The best way to travel to Bulgaria is to take a chartered flight and land straight at the seaside. This will reduce your dependence on Bulgaria's transportation system to an acceptable level. It takes seven hours to travel the 400 kilometre stretch from Sofia to the seaside by train, and some six hours if you take a bus or car.
Don't fall ill. Eighty percent of Bulgaria's hospitals are substandard, according to a recent report by the state medical audit agency. A two-year-old girl died of laryngitis in hospital in the town of Yambol a month ago, due to inadequate treatment. The health sector is under-funded, heavily indebted and in much need of reform. A four-month old boy died of pneumonia in the town of Blagoevgrad last Monday (May 24) because of suspected wrong treatment.
Don't trust taxi drivers. Especially those who doorstep foreigners at air terminals' arrival exits. They are sure to rip you off with a fare several times above the market price of 35-40 euro-cents per kilometre. Hire a cab from the legal taxi ranks only. They are located right outside the airports.
Don't miss a chance to use the Sofia subway. Its construction started in 1972, and the metro system already has one 18 kilometre-long stretch with a total of 14 stations. That makes 474 metres (yards), or 0.37 stations per year.
Don't hope for fast internet. Consider yourself lucky if you have coverage at all. Broadband penetration in Bulgaria is 13 percent (the lowest in the European Union) compared to the EU average of 28.4 percent.
Don't miss a chance to win in the state lottery. The jackpot has reached almost 2.7 million Bulgarian leva (some €1.35 million), and is expected to exceed 3 million leva (some €1.5 million) on Thursday (June 3).
Don't get confused by nods. In contrast to mainstream Europe, Bulgarians indicate a "
no"
by moving their heads up and down and "
yes"
by shaking heads from left to right.
Don't be afraid to smoke. There are smoking and non-smoking areas in all establishments larger than 50 square meters. The owners of smaller bars and restaurants are free to decide whether to welcome smokers - and most of them do. In terms of smoking, Bulgaria is second only to Greece in the EU. Thirty-nine percent of Bulgarians smoke, according to the latest Eurobarometer data.
Don't be surprised by Bulgarian football. It is only natural if the public invades the pitch en masse to beat up the referee or/and some underperforming players. The latest such case happened in the town of Mezdra. But it was not the first one.
Don't get scared by morning TV shows. They normally start with a reality police action. Officers in riot gear raid someone's home or office, throw him on the ground and point guns at his wife and children, yelling commands. Bulgarian television and websites readily run such footage, handed to them by the interior ministry. Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov, a former colleague of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov from his police years, is also a regular guest on morning talk shows. Every day he announces a new operation with a thrilling code-name - "
the Octopuses"
and "
the Jellyfish,"
for instance. Mr Tsvetanov modestly admits to authorship of most of these titles. He says Bulgaria needs new arrests every day to make for the past two decades of legal chaos and impunity in which crime and corruption flourished.
However, police hyperactivity has led to no convictions since Mr Borisov's government took office last July. Nevertheless, Mr Tsvetanov's approval rating has shot even above Mr Borisov's, an impressive record. Pollsters say ordinary Bulgarians massively enjoy police crackdowns;
the public's thirst for revenge is blurring all concerns about legality and human rights. It is only The Economist that has recently warned of "
a bad government of a different kind: a still weaker rule of law, and even a shift towards what might look like a police state."
Don't miss out on Bulgarian, cuisine. Wine and music. If you do, you will regret it for the rest of your life.