From August 8 to 24, “the whole world will be Olympic Games” – a cliche, but true. Even for those who are not actually sports fans.
As tradition goes, a number of venues offer their clients the opportunity to watch the ongoing sports event life, in this case, the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
One company applied to Sofia city hall to arrange a large screen broadcasting the Games for the public. The screen will be placed outside NDK (National Palace of Culture) near the flag poles and will broadcast on Bulgarian National Television (BNT). There will be a beer stand in front of the screen.
As they did for the 2008 Uefa European Football Championship, Sofia’s pubs and hotels will again make sure their TV sets are on, broadcasting the Games, welcoming all the sports fanatics wanting to share the experience with both friends and strangers.
The TV sets at the Hilton Hotel’s bar Artists, behind to NDK, will broadcast BNT’s reports from the Olympics. To reserve a seat or table call 02/ 933 50 00.
Flannagans bar and restaurant at Radisson SAS Grand Hotel in the centre of the city, across from Parliament, will display the Games on two TV sets, the conditions they had for Euro 2008 in June. The reservation number is 02/ 933 47 40.
The Holiday Inn, next to Business Park Sofia, offers its outdoor terrace to sport fans. There will be three wide-screen TVs, the hotel told The Sofia Echo. Watching the Games inside will be possible in the case of bad weather. To book, call 02/ 807 07 07.
Another venue broadcasting the Games will be Grand Hotel Sofia, next to Ivan Vazov National Theatre. The television sets in its Grand Cafe and piano bar will broadcast the Games. For those who want a more secluded venue, the hotel offers a private hall, but booking is needed. For more information, call reception on 02/ 811 09 00.
Pubs around Sofia are famous for gathering sports fans regularly and the Olympics are no exception.
All of the TV sets in JJ Murphy’s Irish Pub at 6 Kurnigradska Str will show the Games. To book, call 02/ 980 28 70.
The Irish Harp on 7 Sveta Sofia Str will offer a real Olympic TV experience, with more than 10 TV sets broadcasting reports on the Games. Telephone 02/ 989 87 37.
Irly’s Pub in Ivan Vazov neighbourhood will again offer its garden, especially prepared for sports event broadcasting, including a happy hour promotion. Phone: 02/ 852 92 88.
2030 Brasserie in the Lozenets neighbourhood, near the US embassy, will provide a large-screen TV to broadcast the Games. Booking at 02/ 868 34 91 is recommended.
Three flat-screen TVs will show the Games in Birraria Perfekt, at the Ariana Lake. Phone 089/ 461 29 13.
Needless to say, there will be plenty of other pubs and cafes where one could watch the Olympics. But if these places are a little too social for you, be sure to tune into BNT at home. BNT is the only licensed television station in Bulgaria to broadcast the Olympics. It will have a 15-hour daily direct programme aired from Beijing. The broadcast will start at 5am, finishing at 6.30pm and a 90-minute daily programme will summarise the day at 10.30pm. However, BNT’s broadcast will focus on the participation of the Bulgarian players.
Private broadcaster Ring TV will also broadcast part of the Olympics including football, tennis and handball, semi-finals and finals, after it bought sublicense from BNT.
If the world is going to be “Olympics for two weeks”, don’t resist it, just let it be and enjoy the atmosphere over a beer… or two.
