I am in a hurry to write a few words because I want to honor the invitation to write about a country other than the one I live in. It's late Sunday and I'm preparing to leave tomorrow for a short trip to the country I want to write about.
It's a very nice and unexpected coincidence, I mean this suggestion to write on the weekend, made by 
There are nine topics and this ninth, "Which, of the countries you have personally been to, (other than your own), is your favourite and why?" would have been my choice anyway, especially since coincidentally I'm leaving tomorrow on this trip booked about three months ago.
I live in Romania and until 1990 when I turned 46, it was difficult to travel to foreign countries, we needed approval that few received.
The first trip abroad I managed to make was to Budapest, the capital of Hungary, in the 80s. It's a beautiful city, where I managed to stay for three days. The rule I invented by the fact that most of my trips lasted three days.
After 1990, the year Romania became a democratic and free country, I spent a few days in Vienna and Brussels, and a transit through Germany. They were on the run. Most of my time was spent in two countries south of Romania: Bulgaria and Greece. I traveled there looking for the sea. In Greece, I went three times, three consecutive years, and in Bulgaria many more times, I didn't even count, but probably more than 20 times!
I've probably already revealed my favorite country...
Bulgaria!
I chose Bulgaria not because it is the most beautiful destination I have ever had. Greece is beautiful, for me it's the maximum beauty I need, but Bulgaria?
I choose Bulgaria because, and you may not believe this, a sense of guilt!
There are certain feelings between populations and peoples, feelings due to long-ago events in history... that make some people like each other and others dislike each other. I'm referring now to this part of the world where I live, in Eastern and Central Europe, specifically in the Balkans.
The Romanians don't love the Hungarians and the Hungarians despise the Romanians, whom they consider inferior. The Greeks do not love the Turks at all, but the Greeks and the Romanians appreciate each other. The Romanians don't love the Russians and somewhat despise the Bulgarians...and so on, all sorts of combinations.
When I was young I thought Bulgarians were inferior to the Romanians, without having met any Bulgarians and without having traveled in the neighboring country. This belief of mine was rooted in the many accounts of acquaintances and colleagues transiting Bulgaria on their way to Greece. They told of a country still undeveloped, without good roads, with a poorer population than in Romania, and a lot of crime. They all told of corrupt police and gangs of bandits.
I believed what they said.
My first trip to Bulgaria made me change my mind immediately! I was ashamed and apologized...
Bulgaria is a beautiful country, with a varied relief, with everything. I saw hardworking people. I had much better service than in my country. I didn't have any problems with the police and I didn't "meet" any bandits. I feel at home in Bulgaria. It is the country where I would like to live.
History and place on the map have made these two countries, Bulgaria and Romania, which are taken together in the European Union, less developed and civilized than their Western neighbors. At the moment great efforts are being made for development and education... and my opinion is that Bulgaria, in a short time, will be a more developed and attractive country than my country, Romania.
Bulgaria is my main holiday destination and I go there several times a year. The Black Sea coast in particular. I like to travel through this country because I don't see many people in the villages I pass through on my way to the sea, unlike Romania which is full of inhabitants. It seems strange what I say and it is also hard to explain but where there are fewer people there is less stress and I go there to relax.
In conclusion, Bulgaria is the country, other than the one I live in, that I like the most and where I feel guilty every time I cross the border. Then I forget about it because I admire the landscape that I can't wait to see again.
Only about eight hours to go and I'm off to Balchik, my favorite place in Bulgaria!
