For Sale

Unique Property/Former Bed and Breakfast

16 Pirin Street, Miladinovsti, Bulgaria

                                              Updated information coming soon!

PRICE on Application 

PRICE NEGOTIABLE

The property was successfully run  as a bed and breakfast up to 2012. It is perfect for someone who is active and engaged and who wishes to live and derive an income from the property as a bed and breakfast/ guest house/ other.

If you enjoy welcoming international guests, caring for them for their stay, then this is the property for you. It will suit an active owner or couple  who are interested in turning this property into its former fabulous state.

It is a architecturally magnificent dwelling, so unique, there are only three others of this design in the whole of Bulgaria.

It is being sold as a property that needs work on decor, a good, thorough paint job, re-installation of appliances, etc., to get it up to standard to run as a business again.

Unfortunately, in 2020, the house was significantly robbed and most furniture, appliances and fittings and household maintenance items were stolen.

However, the plumbing, electrical and other infrastructure was all in good working order to that point.

It was open and run successfully as a B&B, and catered for guests who wanted to experience rural-based Escape Tourism or to relax in the quiet solitude of a peaceful village surrounded by mountains and with easy access to key Historic Thracian sites.

The house welcomes the sun and light and has expansive and large double-glazed windows in every room.

There is a website in place which you can re-build to suit your preferences. The property is being sold as is.  It does require a keen, active and enthusiastic buyer who can improve the decor and amenity to conduct a business and derive and income. All it needs is your touch.

It is situated in a peaceful and welcoming village of 400 people, 30 kilometres from Yambol which is the nearest commercial and administrative centre. This is a perfect venue for Escape Tourism, and for those who just wish to slow down, and relax. It is easily accessed via the busy Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul, Turkey, or from the Bulgarian Capital, Sophia.

AMENITIES

The building comprises six large bedrooms, four bathrooms, two spacious living/relaxing areas, and two and a half kitchens. In addition there is a large shed and workshop on the property, with secure car parking, a workshop and a substantial storage area.

Three storeys of the house have been fully refurbished to capture light and sun throughout winter and summer. The upper storeys have magnificent views of the village and surrounds, and to the nearby mountains.

Included in the house in the past (many of these will need to be re-established):

• Satellite Internet
• Television access with excellent uninterrupted reception
• Full central heating
• Reverse cycle air conditioning in some rooms
• Hydrofoil pump for generating water from a well in the event of water shortage or unavailability.

The whole property is landscaped and had secure fencing for the perimeter. It has paved entertainment areas, three areas of shade pergolas, cultivated areas for growing vegetable, fruit trees, grape vines for fruit and summer shade and rose gardens.

It is significantly overgrown and neglected for three years. However, it will be relatively easy to reveal all the excellent amenity present when run as a Band B.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Ground Floor (Guests)
Picture show this floor as it was prior to robbery. Photos are only indicative of what could be achieved.

• 90m2
• Welcoming entry and discrete storage area under stairs
• Rose Room and Blue Room: Two fully double rooms, each with en suite bathroom and independent hot water systems, reverse-cycle air-con, electric blankets – and many windows welcoming the sun and the light
• A spacious guest retreat with easy summer access to the spacious patio area at the front of the house
• A guest kitchen area which is excellent, and was used for  for catering for outdoors entertaining

Main Entry – Front Door

Second Entry

Guest Retreat

Guest Kitchen

Rose Room

Blue Room

Storage under stairs

First Floor (Proprietor’s Living Quarters)
Pictures show this floor as it was prior to robbery. Photos are only indicative of what could be achieved.

• 90 m2
• A spacious kitchen/dining and living area with a wood-fired heater and reverse cycle air-conditioner, gas cooking and double electric oven. It has a custom-built table that is three metres long (!), and matching chairs. This was not stolen in the theft. It is too big!
• Each room has access to balconies
• A spacious bathroom
• Large double bedroom with reverse-cycle air conditioning and fabulous views of the nearby forest.
• Laundry and linen storage area, and hot water system.
• This photos show this area sparsely furnished with custom-built furniture as it was  before the robbery.  It is envisaged that the new owners will use this as their living area and will furnish with their own possessions and kitchen appliances.

Kitchen

Living Room

Kitchen from Living Room

Bedroom

Bathroom

Landing

Linen Storage

Laundry

Second Floor (Guests)
Pictures show this floor as it was prior to robbery. Photos are only indicative of what could be achieved.

• 90 m2
• Three spacious bedrooms and sleeps seven guests (1 x double, 1 x twin, and 1 x double plus single bed): Klimpt Room: fits a Double bed – with  access to balcony; Twin Room:  fits two king singles, and access to balcony; Tulip Room: Fits Double plus single beds (and access to two balconies).
• A spacious and sun-welcoming bathroom with its own hot water system and access to the balcony
• Guest half-kitchen

Klimpt Room

Tulip Room

Twin Room

Guest Bathroom

Guest Landing

Third/Top Floor (needs work)

This floor was not renovated in line with the rest of the property.

The fourth floor is again 90 square metres space and is incomplete – and ready for your touch, flair and ideas. You can realise the rest of this vision. It can be developed to provide another 3 guest areas plus a bathroom, wc, and half or full kitchen. Earlier owner planned to convert this to proprietor living quarters and using First Floor for  more guest amenity. This floor provides you the opportunity to put your stamp on your vision of the next development level for this magnificent property.

                                   

Outside

Garden

Side of house and shed

Inside of shed

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For further information about the property please contact either of the people listed below:

Information coming soon!

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ONE YEAR HAS PASSED…

PHOTO: Jack, Sue’s brother stands on the jetty at Princess Royal Harbour, before boarding the ferry  with Suzie’s ashes.
(Photographer: Mike Adlam, family friend)

Well, one year has passed since Suzie, our Aussie-in-Bulgaria died.

The sadness remains; however, the pain of loss is subsiding, albeit only incrementally.

I was unable to bring myself to post the promised account of the Albany Farewell in May 2012. As the pain heals, I can now give the promised account.

It was an occasion of mixed emotions. About 250 people attended, and many travelled long distances to be present. The local Member of Parliament, the Hon. Peter Watson  read the official eulogy and others read their farewell messages.

PHOTO: Hon Peter Watson reads the eulogy at Suzie’s farewell.
(Photo: Ari Petursson, Sue’s Brother-in-Law)

There was sadness and contemplation amongst the crowd:

(Photo: Ari Petursson)

And of course as people regaled us with stories of Suzie’s full and adventurous life, there was much laughter.

(Photo: Ari Petursson)

Sue’s immediate family then boarded a ferry to go out into Princess Royal Harbour, and following Sue’s wishes, we scattered her ashes, with rose petals and sprigs of Rosemary and other flowers.

PHOTO: The ferry takes Suzie’s family out into the harbour to scatter a third of her ashes as she wished.
(Photo: Ari Petursson)

When we returned to the Quarantine Station, the venue for the Celebration of Suzie’s life, there was ample opportunity to revel in her fun life. There was a 354-slide Powerpoint presentation running continuously, and Suzie’s library of photo Albums was available to peruse. Most of the photos were of parties, and people having a lot of fun with the Queen of Welcomes, Suzie.  Her sister, Marie prepared a Montage Board telling the story of Sue’s life:

(Photo: Ari Petursson)

Many people from Suzie’s past offered photos to be displayed, and this one of her taking photography seriously at a VERY early age tells its own story:

PHOTO: Suzie taking photos at about 10 years of age ( that’e her with the camera!).
(Photo: Mr Eric Harley).

Although a celebration of a life well- and fully-lived, it was a sad occasion for which most of Sue’s family came together (some were overseas).  She would have loved the event, and I am sure would have been the last to leave… .

PHOTO: Suzie’s immediate family gather together to say”Goodbye”.
(Photo; Liza Gallen [Mercer], Sue’s niece.)

We celebrated with wine and fabulous food, listened to her prolific Library of music, cried, laughed, caught up with old and dear friends who cared for her. It was a Big send-off for a Big Goirl who had a Big Presence in our lives!

The main message at her fabulous farewell, was that  she showed us how important it was to take our fear in hand and go and Just Do It! Follow our dreams as she did hers.

Her legacy lives on with sweet memories and just a few drinks being enjoyed around the World by those who cared for her and loved her.

She rests in peace.
🙂

PS: I have just discovered and uploaded 27 messages from last year of which I was unaware. They are now inserted in the various posts to which they relate.

YOUR MESSAGES & PHOTOS WELCOME

To all Sue’s dear Friends and followers throughout the World:  If you would like a message from you read out at her farewell on the 5th May in Albany, please:

1. post a comment here at her Blog, or,
2. email your message to Sue’s old email address ( I will pick the message up and process them for reading out).

As well, there will be a running Powerpoint presentation of photos of her life, with friends, her family and at myriad parties, and in various exotic locations throughout the World-that-was-her-Oyster!

• If you have a favourite photo/s of her with you, please email  it to my attention at her old e-address.

PHOTO: Kerrie Green ( Sue’s second cousin)

I will post  a summary of proceedings and some photos in the week after the event.

Sue Mercer

A farewell to celebrate

Sue Mercer’s life

will be held at Camp Quaranup, Albany

Saturday 5th May 2012

1.30pm start

Posted by her sister, Jillian.

Australia to say, “Goodbye”

A farewell for Sue will be held in Albany in Western Australia on Saturday the 5th May 2012.

Sue’s ashes, accompanied by her two brothers Tony and Jack and her neice, Elizabeth, are now safely in Australia. Sue’s wishes were that a third go each to the harbour in Albany, Scotland, and in her precious and bountiful garden in Miladinovsti. The family will scatter some of them in Princess Royal Harbour.

Later, a gathering to celebrate Sue’s life will happen. Friends and well-wishers from the broad spectrum of life that Sue’s warmth reached are expected to attend.

Posted by her sister, Jillian

Miladinovsti says “Goodbye…”

On Saturday the 3rd March the people of Miladinovsti held a farewell service in the Village Church. Sue’s family had only intended to follow her instructions and have her cremated in Sophia. However, the Mayor and the provincial priest insisted that something be held for her. He pointed out that Sue had raised substantial money for the restoration of the Church and that all wished to say, farewell and thank you.

With Hristina’s help I posted flyers around the Village to inform everyone that there would be a public viewing. As is the tradition, a poster was also fixed to the gate at 16 Pirin Street:

I was told there was no need to organise flowers as the tradition was to bring them. All we had to do was provide some lollies  –  a little sweet so that people could taste and remember some of the sweetness of Sue’s life.

The day was icey cold with a clear bright sun shining. The newly renovated Church was consecrated late in 2011 and it was the last “social” event that Sue attended before becoming seriously ill. It looked wonderful:

PHOTO: Elizabeth Mercer ( Sue’s neice)

Community members said their goodbyes and even the gypsies came.   Very quickly Sue’s coffin was filled with flowers and many of them snowdrops  –  the first flowers of Spring.

There was present pathos, humour, great sadness and the strong sense of community that so endeared the village to Sue  –  and Sue to the Village people.  Sue would have written it up on her Blog with the incisive wit and observations that have made an-aussie-in-bulgaria famous throughout the World.

Posted by her sister, Jillian

R.I.P. Our Aussie in Bulgaria

The fighter that Susie was, means that she faced the challenge of her illness with the ferocity of a warrior. But it was too Big for her.
After a short and perplexing illness, Sue died this morning, at 5 am Bulgarian time on the 29th February.
Sue lived her life to the full. Her adventures are legend. She insisted on celebrating this Christmas in her inimitable style – with Moet!
I was blessed to be able to be with her.
Posted by her sister,  Jillian.

PHOTO: Sue Mercer, 14th February 2012 (taken at the blood-testing clinic by her sister Marie).

could have been better…

but it’s not the end of the world ( she said hopefully)

After a week of being snowed in, Marie and I managed to get into Yambol on Tuesday so I could have my long overdue blood test. The results this time were mixed.  My red cells, hemoglobin and platelets have all shown some improvement, but the white soldiers have let me down again with a drop from 1000 back to 700.  I keep getting silly little infections because my immunity is all but non existent…these are things like urinary tract infections and thrush, things I haven’t had for 20 years or more…and strange things growing in my nose…and at the moment, I have a mouth full of ulcers and I just think that the few white cells I have are spending their time fighting these bloody infections and not getting a chance to improve.  When I turned in the good results a few weeks back, that was the first time for ages that I was completely infection free…so the war goes on.

Yesterday Marie made her departure back to Australia and I have some very sad animals around the place…Goosey didn’t disappoint and followed her right to the front gate honking his farewells to her.  If anyone knew something was up, it was him.  If the gate had been open, I have no doubt he would have tried to follow her into the taxi. And Gina, who didn’t show much at all when Marie was leaving, came into my room later that day and was very sad indeed. She sat with her head on my bed, not something Gina does, and just looked plain miserable.  Dinner time cheered her a little, but she’s not that happy this morning and clearly looking for that ‘other’ person.

And as when Jillian left before her, I felt very sad to see Marie go, but she needs to get back to her family and I need to continue to rebuild myself so that hopefully, by the time the weather is warmer, I’ll be doing some work.  It’s a very quiet house this morning.

The weather has warmed considerably so if I can muster the energy, I might try and take Gina for a bit of a shuffle around the village today.  I may not be able to move very quickly now, but I just let her free and she can run crazy…and she does.

Now I wait to hear back from Dr Amine…

Of sisters and geese…

and so poor old Goosey continued to pine for his Lucy and every day he’s sat out the back calling, calling, calling for her.

Marie has been feeding him and watering him and slowly but surely you could see him starting to bond with her.  He got very excited when she appeared in the backyard and started following her very closely when she was there.  Even when I ventured into the backyard, he was almost affectionate and clearly just wanted some company, coming and sitting very close to me and even allowing me to touch him…but Marie was definitely the favourite.

He even figured out which room she was sleeping in and whenever she moved about her room or coughed or made any noise, he started calling her…I had to give her ear plugs for the night because she’s had a cough that sometimes wakes her at night and yes, every cough bought a chorus of Goosey calls for her.

Last Friday we went to Yambol so Nana ( that’s me) could have a bit of a day out and a bit of an airing. Hey, spending most of your life in bed is very boring and really starts to get you down after a while.  Anyway, I was in the bathroom drawing on a face when from down below, at the front of the house, I heard the funny little ‘putt putt’ noise that geese make.  I thought to myself that he must be out the front of the house…next thing I heard Marie’s voice asking ‘and what are you doing around here ?’  Well, clearly, looking for her !!

And the other day she decided to clear the snow from the front of the house and guess who discovered her there and spent the rest of the time keeping her company….it’s really sweet.

and people ask me why I don’t eat my geese !!  How could you eat something that forms bonds with  not only it’s own species, but with humans as well.  This has been fantastic to watch, Marie and her new bestie wandering around the yard.  He just loves her.

A friend made the comment that Marie may look out the window of the plane when she’s returning to Australia and see Goosey flying along next to her shouting ” Oi, where do you think you’re going…what about me ”

But don’t think I’ve forgotten his goosey needs.  A friend found me another goose and she’s beautiful

White, like her predecessor, but she has curly wings, which is lovely.  After Goosey’s initial excitement at meeting her, there’s been a bit of a cooling off and now she and Goosey and kinda skirting around each other a little, doing a lot of checking out of each other.  I’m hoping they do bond and in fact, Marie and I are sure they will once he forgets Marie  🙂

TooLucy, for that is her name, is a bit of a harpy and she nags him a bit.  When she does this, he promptly seeks out Marie.  She’s much quieter and doesn’t nag. I have no doubt that they will settle into each other and it will be nice to see Goosey with company again…he really has been so lonely and it’s been quite sad to watch.

Mind you, the ever practical Hristina on finding out that Lucy had been killed suggested that I knock his head off and eat him !!!

And me ??  I just continue to improve in my general health stakes.  Every day sees me in less pain and less difficulty and able to do more and more.  I have another blood test later this week and I’ve got everything crossed that the results are even better than the last lot.  I feel so much better and figure that must be a good sign.  Wish me luck.

Glad news & Sad News…

but no bad news….which is nice.

First the glad. My latest round of blood tests have shown some improvement. !!!  I’m doing my best not to get too excited because I’ve had improvement before and then those hopes have been dashed.  But though I’ve had improvements before, they’ve never been this good.

Just to help you understand what’s happening to me:

The areas that my blood is failing are white cells, red cells, haemoglobin and platelets…most things really….  🙂

My white count should be between 4,000 – 11,000. When I was tested on Jan12th it had fallen to it’s all time lowest, 600.  Latest result, I have 1,000 white soldiers helping to keep me alive.  It’s still a long way short of ‘really good’ but there’s a part of me now that thinks if I do catch a cold, I might not die.

My red count should be between 4.20 – 5.40. Last test, 2.88 –  Most recent test 3.84

Hemoglobin should be between 120 -160…last test 71, this time 91

and my platelets should be 140 – 440…last test, 165 and this time 194

The psychological effect it had on me was worth a million bucks of great medical treatment and I think the effect is still happening.  I just feel so much better in every way.  Still frail, still fragile and my weight has dropped even further to 63 kilos – my new look will be ‘Famine Chic’, but I can always build up again later. But generally, I just feel a lifting of spirits…let’s hope I don’t get crushed again.

To the sad news.  Unfortunately, because I am out of action, I’ve let a few things slide, one being the locking up of the geese every night. On Wednesday night my poor lovely Lucy paid the ultimate price for my laxness when, what I can only assume were dogs, got into the yard and literally tore the poor wee thing apart.  I awoke yesterday and could hear Goosey making a rather strange cry…over and over and over and over.  Now this is a goose who loves a good trumpeting and a damned good honking, but this was different.  I threw on some clothes and headed outside, only to find the remains of Lucy and her poor old partner just sitting there calling for her.  And he’s still calling for her…it’s really sad.

I went down this morning and the f**kers had obviously come back last night to get him.  Fortunately I had asked Marie to ensure he was locked in safely and so he was OK, but they had been right around the enclosure, obviously looking for a way in.

I opened the gate to let him out and he just came and sat next to me.  Geese partner for life and I think he’s very lonely.  As soon as I’m fit enough, I’m going to ask around the village for a new girlie for him… he deserves it. Whatever took Lucy apart did it in front of him, so he must be feeling pretty shit right now.

Other than that, life (if I can call it that) goes on.  Gina is as happy as a pig in poo because Marie is cooking her deluxe food, far more deluxe than she gets from me.  I warned her she’d be making a rod for her own back, but of course, it’ll be a rod for my back after Marie has gone…a bit like Jillian and her two walks a day for Madam the Queen….boy, is Gina loving this.

Time for me to sleep away another 3 or 4 hours…

ciao for now

The Changing of the Guards…

at Pirin Shestniaset  (Pirin 16…where I live)

So here I was, starting to feel a little nervous about Jillian’s impending departure and wondering if I could just manage on my own here while I  sorted out getting myself and Gina back to Australia, for this is the decision I had made.

Unbeknown to myself there were plans afoot that should have involved me but, for some reason, my family made the decision to exclude me from their ideas. Anyway, Tony blew that out of the water when he forwarded an email that certainly was not for my eyes and I then spat my dummy and insisted that anything that was being planned for me, was to include me.  Now, it was all good anyway and yesterday another of my sisters, Marie, arrived from Australia to take up the care duties of this broken down old soul.

So ‘Cyclone Jillian’ made her departure back to Australia this morning and the ‘quietly determined, don’t argue with me Marie Mercer’  (all 5ft of her) has stepped in to fill the breach.

I will never be able to thank Jillian for all she has done for me. I told her that this morning and really, there just isn’t.  She has certainly aided my recovery and made a huge difference to my mental state. She has done so much work around the place that should I actually be fit by Spring, getting the summer garden in won’t be too much of a chore, and she’s finished off dozens a ‘things’ around the house that I won’t have to worry about any more…she’s a bleedin’ star !!  And it’s been fun having her here, probably more fun for me than her, but fun none the less.

As I write this, she’s in a plane winging her way back to her real life, her dog and her home…and I suspect she’ll be glad to put her feet up for a few days before she gets back to work.

And working quietly around the place now, Marie is picking up where Jillian left off, and it is wonderful to have her here as well.  I guess I really don’t want to face this alone, and my sisters have made things just that big bit better.

To things bloody…I spoke with my doctor yesterday and he believes the reason my last result were so rubbish is because I had a couple of infections and was fighting them off instead to working to rebuild my immune system. Problem I have is every opportunistic little infection like thrush, herpes or urinary tract infections becomes a BIG problem for my system.  When I had my last blood test, I had the bloody lot….riddled I was !! and that would not help my white count.

So, this week I’m spending my time and Marie’s energy trying to build myself up again…mind you, I do have something nasty growing in my right nostril, but I’m sure I can beat that into submission before I have another test.  One of my brothers partners, Marilu, has sent me a blood tonic, which I’m getting stuck into and I’m jumping on any infections that try and poke their heads over the parapet, hopefully before they get established.  I even have a little pink in my lower eyelids, which is already an improvement on the last few weeks. With any luck, by Monday or Tuesday it will be time to have another crack at my blood

And look  …

I’m clearly not dead yet…and there’s even a little life in those eyes of mine