BULGARIA TRIPS - HOTEL ACCOMMODATION RESERVATIONS & TRAVEL GUIDE

Bulgarian Ski Resorts Snow Levels And Skiing Conditions Reports. Bulgaria Ski Holidays Winter Season 2010

(updated 04 March 2010)

The snow base at most of the Bulgarian ski resorts which we report on has further decreased this week, because of the higher temperatures all across Bulgaria. The skiing conditions are spring-like and the snow is very slushy on the lowest runs, especially on Vitosha Mountain above the Bulgarian capital of Sofia. The snow base at Pamporovo has kept decreasing, but the resort still has good skiing and snowboarding on offer. The Bulgarian resort of Bansko still provides with very good skiing conditions and the deepest snow in Bulgaria, although the snow quality has deteriorated a bit due to the warm weather. The winter resort of Borovets (45 - 100 cm) is skiing very well, but for the best conditions head to the skiable terrain of the higher slopes. Lower temperatures acompanied by new snow showers are forecast in the Bulgarian ski resorts at the start of next week.

Martenitsa - Bulgarian Festival of Baba Marta

(1 March 2010, all across Bulgaria)

Each year on first of March, Bulgarians celebrate the coming of the spring with exchange of red and white braided tassels, which also might include small dolls called Martenitsa. The name of the event comes from the Bulgarian word for March /mart/, or as a legend has it, an old lady named Baba Marta (Grandma Marta).
The braided red and white tassels are given and received in order to please the angry Baba Marta, so that winter will be over soon and the spring will come. The colours in these tassels are symbolic - white symbolizing the purity of the melting snow, and the red - the setting of the sun, which becomes more intense.
Once given a Martenitsa, one should wear it (usually around the wrist) until behold a stalk, which is a symbol of the coming spring, and then one have to tie the tassel to the nearest tree for good luck.

Sofia International Film Festival

(4 - 14 March 2010, Sofia, Bulgaria)

The annual Sofia International Film Festival includes the best Bulgarian, Balkan and international shorts, documentary films and retrospectives. The popular event, which is held in the first half of March, promotes the innovative work in the industry, while stimulating the cooperation between local Bulgarian, Balkan and international movie makers.
A 5-member international jury judges the productions of the filmmakers in the International Competition and the Bulgarian national contest for short films. There are different awards to be won at the festival, by the best filmmakers, such as the Grand Prix for Best Film, the Special Jury Award in the International Competition, the Audience and the Jameson Short Film Awards for Best Bulgarian short film. The programme for the 2010 Sofia International Film Festival can be found on the fest’s official website.