We arrived in Sunny Beach both hopeful and dubious. My Arizona flesh needed sunshine, and much of it, but the beach we had just left in Varna had been nicknamed the "the family beach" and Sunny Beach the "party beach." Having seen Varna, I imagined I was in for nothing short of an orgy.
Upon arriving, we were pleasantly surprised with our accommodations. You can not always trust vacation rental photos; our flat however was perfect - spacious and bright with a modern vibe. You can tell that the owner put forth her best, and I liked the economical art with which she decorated the bare halls leading to the entrance. You can check out the home on airbnb here.
The nearest beach was a five minute walk downhill, and much to my delight, there were only a few sets of topless ta-tas and no pounding music or drunk millenials. Our location was at the very end of Sunny Beach's string of hotels, and therefore the quietest. Even though there was the obligatory pile of trash at the top of the beach, the sand itself was clean, and so I was at rest. You have the option of paying a couple dollars for a lounge
chair and umbrella, but there's also free space for folks such as we.
Six weeks of travel had now passed, and so for us summer break was now at an end. Homeschool was back in session, but alongside core courses, P.E. was swimming at the beach, Life Skills was buying fresh produce with a foreign currency and language, and History included research on nearby points of interest. It felt wonderful to have our minds actively engaged.
There are no shortage of restaurants to choose from on and near the ocean, the most affordable being those furthest back. Adam and I went on a date to a Greek restaurant during sunset, and paid 33usd for a salad, cheese appetizer, bowl of mussels, seafood risotto, and two glasses of wine. Each dish was fresh, flavorful, and quite plentiful.
After dinner, my teeth were in need of flossing, and at home we were out of the proper tool. In many places in Europe, you can not buy items like tylenol, band-aids or contact solution at a grocery store, and so you must go to the apothecary. It can be an inconvenience when shopping, as it necessitates an extra stop, but I enjoy casually remarking, "I must make a visit to the apothecary today." It throws me back a couple hundred years, and I picture myself in a dark shop, purchasing concoctions of oil and herbs from a gray haired, gnome-like man. In reality, modern apothecaries are only small drug stores with very bright fluorescent lights and women in lab coats. At this specific apothecary, we were shocked to find they only accepted cash. We ended our date wandering the streets in search of an ATM - I couldn't go to bed with mussels in my teeth.
So what are the crazier parts of Sunny Beach like? Well, you can do anything there - get a tattoo, take in a nudie show, smoke some hookah, or like us, eat delicious doner, buy sunglasses, play frisbee, and have your son to take photos of you, oblivious that your hair is sticking up on end. There is something for everyone.
After five days of study and sunning, we drove the incredible distance of fifteen kilometers to the ancient town of Nessebar, a Unesco World Heritage Center. Although Sunny Beach ends where Nessebar begins, the two could not differ more. Nessebar is a quiet town, where cobble stone lanes wind between well preserved traditional homes. Tourist shops sell handmade crafts of high quality, and the restaurants cater to wealthy retirees. It is stunning, complete with several churches dating back as far back as the late fifth century, some with vestiges of original frescoes. We had limited time, and wished this gem had been discovered earlier.
I tried to coerce Adam into buying a colorful serving dish, common to all Bulgarian homes. He correctly reminded me that our backpacks were already too heavy and overcrowded. Little did he know that in only five days I was to be given one as a gift from our hotel manager; I love a man who bestows trinkets...and pottery. As I write my pot is carefully tucked between sleeping bags and tents. No matter the weight, it is coming home.
Bulgaria supplies 85% of the world's rose oil. At a shop covered in pink and smelling heavenly, Serenna and I purchased rose lotion, chapstick, perfume and candies. We floated out feeling quite elegant.
We left Nessebar and returned to wild Sunny Beach for one more night. Two years ago I spent time at the French Riviera. It was flawless, and so were the people vacationing there. Honestly, though, I was bored. If what you want is sand and sun at affordable prices, consider Bulgaria. At the Black Sea you may raise a quizzical brow quite a bit - but you will never stifle a yawn.
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