European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 12, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pa0626 stars and stripes july 2007 the Price is right traditional currencies mean bargains in most of Eastern Europe by Carol Pucci the Seattle times we were in the mood for a splurge when i decoded the cyrillic letters and found the sign for a basement restau rant in downtown Sofia known for its Home cooking and White Tablecloth Between the wooden covers of the menu we found our favorite dishes the shop ska a chilled mix of cucumbers and Salty White cheese a Platter of roasted eggplant pars Ley fritters with Yogurt and Dill sauce stuffed Bell peppers and roasted it was our last so my husband and i ordered them All along with a Hal Fliter of Danube the Bill for two was the most we paid for a dinner in three weeks of travel in Hunga Romania and while the weak Dollar and Strong euro have combined to push up prices in Germany and other parts of Western pizza and Beer Money still buys a gourmet meal in the former soviet bloc coun tries that still use traditional such As the Lei Romania and the lev in a firs class ticket for a seven hour train ride in an air conditioned car costs the equivalent of less than a on Day pass for travel on the London underground in the Price of a breakfast and dinner in a Rural guest House runs about 73 or per the amount i paid for dinner alone last february in a Paris in waiters in Long White aprons deliver Frothy cof fee concoctions on Silver trays for what Starbucks charges for a Latte in a paper if youre looking for an afford Able european these countries May be the last Frontier when it comes to budget there euro free for the moment and nearly two decades after the fall of there alive with stylish restau clubs and Good Public Young English speaking entrepreneurs cultivate a we try harder attitude missing in More developed countries jaded by 4 mass we ordered a pizza to share in and the waiter Cut it in half and delivered it on two quest houses and hostels offered to pick us up at train and bus hotels packed us breakfast to go when we had to catch Dawn youll change currencies As often As you change clothes depending on How Many coun tries you but Yoth vont disappointed in what the Dollar act photos Budapest is famous for its classic at by a Swiss confectioner in Coffee is served outside on a sunny Patio in dozens of wine cellars dug into Hillside caves line an area called the Valley of Beautiful about a mile or so from for you can fill a Small plastic water bottle with wine siphoned directly from the Jozsef Sara serves customers inside his family owned what things Cost heres a sampling of prices we paid in Eastern Europe admission to Thermal Hungary Beer at a cafe on the Eger town Square Day pass for the trams and buses in Budapest Coffee at the Central Budapest Mast taxi ride one hour from sight Sara to Tartu Romania pizza and wine for Baia Romania big Baia Romania room with breakfast and dinner in Village Mara Romania per family Entrance to state Art Veliko Bulgaria dorm room with nomads Veliko Bulgaria dinner for two with wine and tip at before Bulgaria Entrance to Alexander Nesto Bulgaria taxi from downtown to Bulgaria the Seattle times take Forin this Little town of 80 Miles from is Hun Garys version of Germany Rothenburg or Belgium Bruges without the crowds or High pric famous for its Thermal baroque architecture and bulls blood Eger is a popular weekend destination for hungarian and ukrainian prices Are higher than they might be in an Eastern european town a Lviv 09 attractions but lower than in similar towns in Western Europe that i or it we paid about the equivalent of for a double room with breakfast at the Dobo guest House near the town Marjanna Kuleszo has seven rooms in her family each with a private bathroom and ours was outfitted with Pine including a big Ward Robe and a Bay covered with a eur Tabor looked put onto a Cobblestone Street lined with buildings de Lemon yellow and a fit dozens of wine cellars dug into Hillside caves line an area called the Valley of Beautiful about a mile from for you can fill a Small plastic water bottle with wine siphoned directly from the taking the Waters at the City Baths is a social event that just about anyone can Hungar ians Call the Eger Bath Complex a but the pools fed from under ground hot Springs Are More like an adult version of an american water a Day pass costs we borrowed towels from our guest House and bought sandals at a store for a similar to Eger is the town of Veliko Durnovo in three hours by train from before the turks invaded bulgar Durnovo was the Royal capital from 1185 to if youre exchanging american dollars for bulgarian you can still live Here like a starving after an eight hour train ride from we settled in for dinner at the Gurko tavern a cozy restau rant and hotel built into a Cliff overlooking a Canyon Cut by the snaking mantra we started with two Beers and a plate of roasted red and Green Bell then came cold see Page 27