4/11.- Golden Sands, Bulgaria!!! Most restaurants have staff on the street to drag in customers (yes drag) which can become annoying once the novelty has worn off. Shops on the resort range from small stalls to mini super markets. A packet of 20 cigarettes will cost 30p, a large cold can of beer will set you back 60p and bottles of spirits start at £2 (the “Metro” duty free shop in Varna has more bargains). Most of the goods on sale are cheaper than the U.K. Look out for Game Boy cartridges, gold and silver jewelry, locally produced rose perfume, spices, designer bags and clothes, sunglasses, local wood crafts, leather craft belts, wallets and shoes, beach wear and fruit. All the usual holiday souvenirs and mementos are on sale. Watches are a big seller, but most are copies that might be cheaper in the U.K. Knifes including flick knifes, butterfly knifes, death stars, sword sticks and belt buckle knifes are a big seller, beware all are banned in the UK. The resort has a large number of artists along the sea front. Most will be happy to paint your portrait and frame it for a very reasonable price. Other artists specialize in portraits on tee shirts, and hand painted henna tattoos. The main street is lined with stalls and shops selling allsorts, including traditional Bulgarian pottery which is very pretty. Many restaurants and bars are dotted around too. Our favourite, The Old House Restaurant, offers a wide range of dishes. They have a massive barbeque just at the entrance of the restaurant so that, if you choose, you can watch them cook your meal on it. The food was delicious, very well priced and the local wine complimented it finely. I don't think that during the whole week that we paid more than £25 for four of us to eat 2 courses and have a beer and a bottle of wine - bargain! Another place that we frequented for an aperitif was the 101 Cocktail Bar. The waiters were lovely (esp. Stan the Cocktail Man) and with a comprehensive range of cheap drinks to choose from, you could find yourself not making it to dinner... as happened a time or two with us. There are quite a few nightclubs and discos to wile away the small hours. Bonkers Disco is very popular as is the Playboy bar to name only two.  => next