Planning next day.


When I wake up I see that unfortunately also today sun is busy somewhere else. It is a pity because I think that Varna is a great city and with sun shining it would be great to go around among those beautiful buildings, through its parks and along the sea. However, at least is not raining but is clearly not the same. I can wait that weather maybe improves because before I have to manage an important issue about tomorrow trip to Romania. Twenties' BuildingI took it for granted that two important towns such as Varna and Constanța, relatively close, would have plenty of connections but instead what I saw on internet didn’t confirm my assumption. It looks like direct buses are not scheduled on daily basis and connection by train doesn’t exist at all. I asked also support from the girl at the reception that by the way speaks Spanish, so it is easy to communicate with her and she also suggested to check at the main bus station. And this is what I’m doing now. Information office is closed for a short break so I start to check with all bus companies managing international connections to Romania and most of them do not serve Constanța but one that does it as part of a connection to Odessa in Ukraine running every second day and tomorrow is the wrong day. Unfortunately this is also confirmed by the information office. Apparently there is no way but I still feel optimistic. In the end we are talking of a distance of about 150 kilometres. I’m sure there would be a way. I will think about it later now I have something else to do.

Retro Museum.


Next to the bus station there is a big mall, similar to many other ones around Europe. This are a perfect expression of the non-place defined by the Retro Museum entranceFrench anthropologist Marc Augè. Polish Fiat logoHowever this one has a peculiarity making it different than any one else. Beside the usual bowling, cinema, food hall and supermarket, this mall also hosts a museum of objects from Communist time, from 1944 until 1989. This sight since is very likely a private one is not mentioned in any of the official documentation provided by tourist office. I discovered its existence by a simple stamp “Retro Museum” I’ve seen in a street and then searching on Internet. Communist stockingsTicket price is above the Bulgarian average since it costs 10 Lev, about 5 Euros but I think it is worth it. The museum is located in a huge hall at first floor of the mall and among the objects there are an incredible collection of cars all in perfect condition. Lada carI noticed some that was clearly based on some Fiat model since at that time Fiat had several partnerships in Eastern Europe but my favourite ones are two Russian models: the magnificent Volga, the black car of the communist leaders and, at the antipodes the basic Lada 4×4 that I had the chance to drive in Armenia. Great car when you have to go uphill or to overtake some obstacle. I found it a little dangerous on downhill but maybe was that particular one I was driving. Next to cars there are often wax statues of communist Car and Krushevleaders and also some Bulgarian artist of that age. Children games in Retro MuseumEverything is very well set up with electronic panels with text in four languages. Beside the cars that of course take most of the hall space, there are dozens of displays containing small objects and this is also very interesting. There are toys, cameras, packets of cigarettes, computers. Objects from real life. The visit takes about one hour and I really enjoy it. A perfect way to spend time when the weather is bad.

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