You Probably Didn’t Know This About Bulgaria
You Probably Didn’t Know This About Bulgaria
Do you think you know everything about Bulgaria? Bulgaria is a seriously under-explored country. There’s so much about it that remains unknown. In this article, we are going to talk about things about Bulgaria that you probably didn’t know about.
But first, did you book your flight to Bulgaria from Ireland as yet? Hurry up! Flights to Bulgaria are incredibly affordable, just like just about anything related to Bulgaria.
What you didn’t know about Bulgaria...
#1: Bulgaria was one of the few countries in Europe where the Jews escaped persecution at the hands of the Nazis during World War 2. This was despite the fact that Bulgaria supported Germany during the war. Bulgaria’s entire Jewish population of 40,000 people were spared the horrors of the Holocaust. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church should take credit for this. They stood like a rock against Nazi forces when they sought access to Bulgarian Jews.
#2: Bulgaria is the biggest producer of rose oil. In fact, 85% of world’s rose oil is produced in Bulgaria. Rose oil is a vital ingredient used in perfumes. It’s not easy to gather rose oil. It requires a lot of hard work from farmers. The Bulgarian farmers are well regarded for the effort they put into their work. The best time to visit the countryside in Bulgaria is during May and June. That’s the time of the rose harvest and the farms are incredibly colourful during this time.
#3: Bulgaria produces the best yogurt in the world. That’s because there’s a unique bacteria used to ferment yogurt in Bulgaria called Lactobacillus bulgaricus which is not found anywhere else in the world. There’s nothing quite like the yogurt made from sheep's milk in Bulgaria. You will love adding it to your breakfast.
#4: Shopska is the national dish of Bulgaria. It’s a simple salad made from cucumbers, diced garden tomatoes, onions, peppers, with white brine cheese, and a light dressing of red wine vinegar and sunflower oil. Add parsley for decoration and you have the healthiest and most sumptuous meal you’ll get anywhere. Shopska was widely promoted by the Bulgarian government when it was still a communist state and there were food shortages in the country. The ingredients used to make Shopska are easily available; it can be made in just a couple of minutes and is incredibly fulfilling.
#5: The oldest gold treasure was discovered in Bulgaria at a burial site not far from the city of Varna, on the Black Sea Coast. This was discovered by a construction crew that was digging a ditch. As many as 300 graves were found at the site, which date back to the 4500 BC. As many as three thousand gold ornaments were found. The site of the excavation is today a popular tourist spot visited by thousands of tourists every year.
#6: Most of us associate bagpipes with Scotland. But Bulgarians have their own version of bagpipes, called as gaida. It’s a musical instrument made from goat or sheep skin connected to a 3-section pipe, a blowpipe and a short pipe. Bulgarians take their music very seriously.
