Tuesday 30 August 2016

Bad service, great service

Toma, our host in Pleven, drove us to the bus station to help us get our tickets to Ruse. After being redirected to two different ticket windows by indifferent employees, the one where we were supposed to buy our tickets was closed with a note indicating a lunch break from 12:00 to 12:30. It was already 12:45 and the bus was scheduled to leave at 1:10. Tomi called the phone number posted on the window and found that the the clerk was paying personal bills at another kiosk in the bus station. She basically told Toma that she would be done when she decided. So we waited and in the end got our tickets just in time.

In contrast, the next day we took a local bus to a nearby monastery. The fare for the trip out was 2.80 BGN (about $2.10). When we got on the bus for the return journey, I had 2.80 BGN ready to pay. I handed the ticket seller (a guy in his twenties) the cash. He promptly handed some of it back and said with some pride that "on this bus you only pay 2.40". He asked where we were from and then thanked us several times for coming to visit his country.

The guesthouse in Ruse

Our room

The Basarbovo Rock Monastery near Ruse







4 comments:

  1. You are welcome to your nasty birds and aggressive sheep dogs but this little outing would be one that would interest me too - very cool little place carved into the hill! Also think you did well in your accomodation selections to this point.

    Karen

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    1. It was a great hike but a bit hairy on the descent. We have done well with accommodation. All have been clean, well priced and quiet.

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  2. I agree with Karen - I'd love to do this hike! Such great photos, and the weather looks really nice too!

    Laura

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  3. It was a good one. Stairways, forest, a few scattered farms and a long walk across the top with great views. (And a delicious dinner back in town)

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