Sofia, Bulgaria: Layers of History and Diversity - Rick Steves’ Europe Travel Guide - Travel Bite

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Rick Steves, America's most respected authority on European travel, writes European travel guidebooks, and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio.

[nikolavrg]

Come to some villages and you see nice houses

[bzika]

What a great start. Sofia the capital of one of the poorest counties in the union. lol k

[galinageorgieva]

Dear Rick, nice video despite the not very adequate announce at the very beginning!
By the way, do you know why Bulgaria is currently one of the poorest members of the EU? Your country "Almighty" America has got a large contribution to that, purposefully! Back in the days, right after 1989, the end of communism, we were offered (by the Americans, Richard Rahn and Ronald Utt, in particular) economic plans which were literary made to destroy our economy by shutting factories and industries and leaving many people without employment, the most skillful ones amongst us were invited to live the American dream in this great land of America - which has always been prospering out of the decline of many countries around the world!
You were aiming to bring our country into extreme and catastrophic economic and demographic obscurity!
Thanks God, you could not quite achieve what you wanted although after 30 years of transition we are still struggling to recover from your plans! Our whole world which we live in though, is governed by some powerful laws which always work (without exception!) - Whatever you send out - you will sooner or later get back! ;)

Cheers from one of the poorest countries in the EU (with the help of God to be a great country again one day!)

[jessicafletcher]

Lets be honest. Little facts, no emotions. Why Bulgarian people are poor? No exactly. You don't know Bulgarian at all. Country with 98% of Bulgarians own home. They have apartments or house in the city and vacation home in village zone. Education was free in Bulgaria and high school diploma was mandatory. Bulgaria educated the kids and many of them have high degree after university for free until 1989. After that Bulgarian could go out of the country and they have different ways to choose how to leave. Bulgarians are overqualified and find own place whatever they want and are good in work place, good professionals. People with this ability are not poor. How regular people in the rich country live? Millions of children are hungry and soon they will be without medical insurance more and more facts we can find in " rich "countries. Who is reach and what it's mean. Bulgaria now try to solve the problems after difficult transition, political of course. And will be just fine, because Bulgarian DNA is strong, survived through the centuries. The country is rich, but not with billionaires but in another way. valuable way, with people who know how to survive and to make better live.

[rajuparakkal]

You really want to begin a video by talking about how poor a place is? Pathetic. I am not a Bulgarian. I just wanted to know more about Sofia because I'm visiting Bulgaria in a few months from the US. But your video and its beginning was not helpful at all. Try not to be so condescending.