I. Norway is literally the North Pole and Bulgaria is basically Africa
Since I visited Norway a lot in 2019-2020 and I currently live here, I can assure everybody that there are no icebergs floating on the streets and yes, people do know what the Sun looks like. They even wear t-shirts and sandals !!!
I mean the biggest delusion of the southern nations is that the whole Scandinavia is just a place nobody actually lives in and in fact why do we need to go there - we ain’t having clothes for that! Also polar bears, duuuh.
Well, I am happy to discover that Norway has way more to offer than I ever expected - raw nature, amazing rich in taste food, cozy homes and actually temperature above 20 degrees in July!
Now, let’s talk a bit about Bulgaria. It is an EU member, so no, it is are not in Africa! Yes, we eat strange food like chicken livers and beef stomach - we are just less snobbish! We have 4 seasons so we have seen snow, it’s just less :) .
Bulgaria also has a lot to offer - big cosmopolitan cities, rich cultural heritage (since the romans made a lot of villas and spa centres centuries ago), exotic seaside with sand beaches and actually warm sea water. Crazy night life is also a big thing here - while the discos in Norway shut down at 02:00 a.m, in Bulgaria this is the height of the party.
Similarities between Norway and Bulgaria:
1. Beautiful, rich in colours and life nature: while Norway gives me the impression of more sharp colours, in Bulgaria I enjoy the softness and the warmer palette of colours.
2. Extremely delicious food: I really need to write a separate article for that, but I have to mention the Norwegian bakery goods which are among my top favourite, making company to their majesties the Italian and the French. Bulgarian way of stuffing a lamb with rise and bake it whole in an outdoor oven is one of the best tastes you can experience during
Ester holiday!
3. Inspiring history: both the Vikings and the proto-Bulgarians have made conquests at both ends of Europe and have laid serious foundations for the development of their people which continues more than 10 centuries!
Did you know: Bulgarian Rose Oil, or Rose Otto, is the essential oil extracted from the petals of one of the rarest flowers in the world, the Bulgarian Rose Damascena; which is only cultivated and harvested in the Rose Valley of Kazanlak (also known as the “Bulgarian Rose Valley”). Because of its amazing properties, multiple applications in skin care, medicine, aromatherapy, and fine perfumery, and extremely limited supply very year, pure genuine Bulgarian Rose Otto is considered one of the most precious essential oils in the world.
II. Norwegians are closed and cold people while Bulgarians are lazy and loud
Truth is Norwegians are very calm people who keep their privacy which is not a bad thing and we Bulgarians should know better than always pinch and shout at each other.
On the other side, Bulgarians are experts in charming people only by giving them a super huge loving smile, which can melt the ice around Svalbard. Tips for Norwegians - it’s not a bad thing to look a little more approachable.
We are spontaneous and love being outside with our friends and yes we talk a lot. I will never forget how tired my hubby was on our first family lunch cause it was like a 4 - 5 hour long feast with tens of people talking over each other. And no, we are not lazy, we are more live-for-the- moment people and sometimes we delay the efficiency for the next day because there is always a possibility of an unexpected party!
The common traits of those two nations are:
1. Warm and welcoming: I mean, Norwegians will never overlook a person in need and they basically never use their car horns just to indicate their irritation. Bulgarians will always give you a hug, a bunch of food and rakiya* and also you can be their guest at any time - no appointment in advance needed.
2. Sharp minds and set of various skills: both Norwegians and Bulgarians have a lot of flexes and are very analytical and handy. The difference comes down to answering the question ‘Why?’ . Norwegians will say - ‘Cause we want efficiency, comfort and we are looking further in the future.’ For the Bulgarians the situation is more like ‘we need to outwit you and we don’t want to pay somebody else for the things we can do on our own’.
3. Activity enthusiasts: running in the park, cycling, pumping in the gym, hiking or simply roaming the streets - the key is to move and I enjoy this mindset.
Looking forward to read your tips on Norwegian trips, food and traditions!
* Rakiya: the collective term for fruit spirits popular in the Balkans. The alcohol content of rakia is normally 40% ABV. The EU recognizes 12 brands of Bulgarian rakiya through the Protected Designation of Origin and Protected Geographical Indication marks, which protect the name of products from a specific region that follow a traditional production process.