Need info from some real locals

[Diana S]

Hey thanks for this Taxis sound as dodgy as those we encountered in Budapest where we were royally ripped off.

 

[Roxanne G]

For Varna (and not golden sands), the price range would go from 60 leva (for half/hour) to 150/hour.
One bloke quote me 200 leva for a stripper at cleopatra (one of the worst club in the city), but I think it's too much IMHO.
Streethookers quote me 50 leva for a nasty blowjob in a street or 150 in my place (not worth it in both case).

For Sofia, when I first came, I got a 120 leva/hour tight chick in my hotel (+20 for the hotel). Bad experience for both of us (tight bulgarian pussy ain't no fun for big guy).

shayhiri, I sent you also an email, but no response. However, I'll be in Bulgaria for 6 monthes, so there is still opportunity.

 

[Sebastian]

OK, here's some basic tips and current info.

Strip-clubs: Stick to the well established (Kama Sutra, Cleopatra, Velvet). If you go there in a cab, be prepared to be offered to be taken some place else, "even better". Never, and I mean NEVER agree. Tell the driver to either drive you where he's told or stop the car. When you get there, make sure it's the same place - and don't let the driver follow you downstairs into the bar.

A good way of getting rid of scheming cabs in advance is to tell them only the general place and NOT the name of the establishment. Tell them to take you to:
"Hotel Hemus" (Cleopatra)
"Pirogov/Captain Cook" (Velvet) or
"Rakovska i Dondukov" (Kama Sutra)
Once there, you should be able to spot the entrance.

The strip-clubs are only good for having a drink and watching. (Though even that's a bit of a history now, cause the girls aren't let to strip their pants anymore. Good ole days, gone forever.) Most of the girls can be had, but the price is ridiculous: 220 leva/hour.

Appartments: That's where you should head for the real deal. Still keep the prices of old: 60 leva/hour or even 40 leva for half an hour (recomended). Dirt cheap and there are gorgeous girls to be found with a bit of luck/patience. Of course, these are the prices for locals, you'll most probably be charged at least double, if you don't have a friend who speaks the language with you. Here are some of the adresses, off the top of my head: Skobelev 69; Vitoshka 89; Praga 32. There are DOZENS more. And of course, once again you'll be at the mercy of the cabs.

P.S.: I remember being asked about skiing in Sofia and the Varna city scene. No problems about the first. You could go skiing DAILY. The Vitosha Mt. is practically IN the city. You can get to the action in no more than two hours with public transport. As for Varna, prices got doubled everywhere last summer. Be prepared to pay at least 200 leva/hour for an ordinary appartment. And that's without the cab's cut or the double standart "foreigner" prices. Good thing is they have a very nice "Peep Show" strip-bar, located very near to the central Church. I believe it's the only place in Varna worth visiting. Welcome to Sofia.

 

[Bella]

Well thanks shayhiri for the offer, but I have tried to contact you via pm and email Edit made contact thanks.

 

[nebbie]

Cheers buddy. I will try to contact privately as we have met some top folk and now good mates through this siteTa Baboon

 

[ronghui lu]

Not necessarily "disaster", but at the very least you'll end up paying for the fun 3 to 5 times more than a local would. And if the cabs take you to a no-go rip-off (and worse) bar, which is exactly what most of them get paid to do, it would be a disaster indeed.

You can call me anytime, though. I frequent the night scene anyway and I fancy good company. See my other posts for reference.

Mail is: [email protected] If we don't get to meet, at least I'll be able to point you to some of the safe places - and make sure you avoid the fooltraps. I can't do the latter here though, sadly - it's a public forum and I'm a local.

P.S.: All the bars, even the good ones, are as of now ridiculously overpriced. I'd never pay 120 Euro an hour, because:
1. that's MORE tahn the f*cking going rate in Frankfurt and Amsterdam (not talking SE Asia here)
2. there are still many appartments that stick to the 20 to 30 Euro traditional price, which has stayed unchanged through all the past 10-15 years of wild inflation. The only reason I still monger on my own turf, btw.

 

[AZMI]

Just tell me. I will be in Sofia in a few weeks and will no doubt end up aking taxi drivers where to go. I know this is a recipe for disaster so would appreciate some mongering tips. I cannot possibly be the only bloke going to sofia!!!