Bars and Bistros

Bars and bistros are public places which are to offer to their clientele entertainment, food and/or drinks, music, sometimes live but most importantly - a social space for meeting friends or making new acquaintances.

It turns out that going out has more to do with social cravings than purely satisfying one’s physiological needs like hunger and thirst. Even going out with the partner you live with is dictated by the need to socialize as a couple with the other visitors. If you go out with a big bunch of friends you are probably looking for a place to chat about your job, family, friends, travel etc.

Frequently these places turn into arenas of psychotherapeutic sessions, conducted by close girlfriends who need to share their problems and benefit from a friend’s advice or help. It is widely considered that men’s conversations are focused mainly on beer, cars, football and women. On the other hand there are the women’s conversations circling around shoes, gossip, SPA procedures, marriage and kids. Whether this is true or not remains primarily a privilege for those practicing this activity.

Unlike Englishmen, Bulgarians tend to turn their going out in the evening into a ritual, which includes a very serious preparation by both men and women – taking a shower, selection of proper clothing, make-up and hair styling – allowing them to run the bars’ catwalk with their heads lifted high up. Englishmen, on the other hand, attend the bars right after working hours to consume large amounts of booze in order to take a breath and relax from the long day. That’s why English bars are organized in a different way – on entering everybody go straight to the bar, get their drinks and then head off to a table where they can order food and snacks in peace enjoying their drinks.