von Michael Hieslmair | Aug 10, 2014 | First Research Trip, Team Vienna |
From the guard at the SOMAT hotel, we got the hint to the SOMAT base in Pazardzhik. Since it was on our route we stopped over. Again a very friendly guard who has been already for SOMAT showed us around, telling us stories from the ‚glory days‘! By coincidence we met a couple posing in front of the old and staged „Berliet“ truck from the 1960-ties. He has been working for SOMAT for several years and now lives in Slovakia. He just came to Pazardzhik meet his parents and his siblings – all living abroad. Surprisingly the run down base is still partly in use – owned by the successor-enterprise Willi Betz and rented to several other businesses....
von Michael Hieslmair | Aug 10, 2014 | First Research Trip, Team Vienna |
We pull over, as we notice the lettering „Waberers Terminal“. The company Waberers Optimum Solution is the successor of state owned hauling-company Hungarocamion. At our previous stop a truck driver explained Emi the difference between „Grey Parking“ and „White Parking“. The „Grey“ is not guarded and provides a rather informal...
von Michael Hieslmair | Aug 10, 2014 | First Research Trip, Team Vienna |
The Sunday morning in Dimitrovgrad second hand car market (or better: spare parts market) plus flea market located in the park around the old sports stadium was really impressive – for our Western European romantic gaze. But the market well organized and less informal as supposed. Even the municipality of Dimitrovgrad provides several informations about all the markets on their webpage. ...
von Michael Hieslmair | Aug 10, 2014 | First Research Trip, Team Vienna |
In Dimitrovgrad, the main market close to the railway station, which had also been normalized in the meantime, which is a logical development everywhere else as well. Only at the margins it remains a bit more informal… As a reference an article by Velislava Petrova and the transformation of the Market – which she seems to her problematic. „Take the Market Out of Sight“ Along the path from the main market to the car and spare parts market some vendors are selling from the tailgates of their cars or just putting up their goods on the pavement – frequency matters!...
von Michael Hieslmair | Aug 9, 2014 | First Research Trip, Team Vienna |
Heading for Edirne! But sadly, after paying for the visa 25,-€ per person and after waiting several hours at the turkish checkpoint, we were sent back to Bulgarian territory. The argument was, that our van is licensed as a truck and we would have to queue up behind all the other big trucks! But we made at least some interesting observations. For example 2nd generation kids living in the EU have to purchase a visa as well and get a sticker in their passport. The customs got suspicious about a lady driving the car of her mother. She had to wait even longer than we until it was approved that she was legitimate driving the car. … some more informal kiosks lined up the street. Still in use but the big shopping mall in the duty-free zone has its effect. … finally a snapshot of the famous EU-border fence which is going to be erected between Turky and...
von Michael Hieslmair | Aug 9, 2014 | First Research Trip, Team Vienna |
Taking the old road from Svilengrad to the Bulgarian-Turkish border we discovered the ruin of one of the view SOMAT hotels. Also this complex is owned by the successor-enterprise Willi Betz. Even though it is not in use, the area is guarded. But the nice guard – the son of the lady who in former times managed the hotel and the parking – showed us around! ...
