Interview for the Globetrotter newspaper

There is a first time for everything. Today you can congratulate me for my first interview!

I have taken part in a few interviews before, but never was on this side of a microphone before. This was also the first time for Travel Photo Blogging to appear as the main topic of an interview.

The interview was done for an internet magazine called Globetrotter. It is a monthly newspaper published by the Slovenian branch of Hosteling International. It is being published in both Slovene and English.

I have been in touch with some of organisation's staff members before but this was my first opportunity to meet Anja (a volunteer working for Hostelling International Slovenia) in person. I must say we had a really relaxed discussion about our common love of travel. Since she has also done her share of travel, at some point I had an impression I should be interviewing her. The exchange of useful travel tips was definitely going both ways. It was really fun and I think we both enjoyed sipping a drink in a relaxed atmosphere of one of many cosy bars Ljubljana has to offer. The two photos were taken during a short stroll through the Ljubljana city centre.

The main topic of the interview was obviously travelling. Apart from that I also shared a few blogging tips for everyone thinking about starting their own blog.

Not only Anja but everyone at Hostelling International Slovenia I have been in contact with so far is really nice and they know just what a traveller needs. They really put a lot of effort in finding relevant information for their guests, invest in hospitality and always try to connect with the local environment. They are a part of a global organization you should always consider when looking for accommodation.

If you are wondering what the interview was all about you can check it out directly on the Hostelling International web page.

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Idrija - Home of Mercury, Lace and Žlikrofi

The town of Idrija does not usually find itself on a average tourist's itinerary when rushing through Slovenia. It is true travelers are discovering Slovenia, but usually they still stay on the beaten path - if we suppose such a path even exists in Slovenia.
Unfortunately by doing this, they miss some pretty awesome places. In my opinion Idrija is definitely one of the places that deserve more attention. Since it was recently added to the UNESCO heritage list, I am obviously not the only one with such an opinion.

Centuries old lace making tradition is not the only thing this over 500 years old Slovenian town has to offer. During the annual lace festival the thread used for lace making is carefully intertwined with rich technical heritage mostly related to half of a millennium of mercury mining and many local culinary delights. You should definitely consider visiting this charming town during the festival - I wrote about it in my previous post.

Amongst the sights there is one definitely worth visiting - Antonijev rov mine shaft is a part of Idrija Mercury Mine that remains open to the public. The mine was actually officially closed a few years ago but serious mining has not been practiced for a couple of decades.

A visitor to Antonijev rov (literary meaning Antony's shaft) can get a pretty good idea about how mining looked in the old days. Now the mine is closed down due to exploited ore deposits but the memory of life revolving around mercury mining still remains very alive within the people of this old Slovenian town.

A charming castle located near the very center of the town houses an interesting museum, mostly dedicated to mining history. There are also other items on display but mainly things revolve around mercury and lace.

There are also a few other dislocated units of museum scattered around the town and some interesting sites are also located in the surrounding hills but I will address those at some other time.

For more information about Idrija and its surroundings you should click on the Idrija label.

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Idrija Lace Festival 2013

Every year in the middle of June the Slovenian town of Idrija becomes the center of the lace world for a few days. This year's lace festival is going to be the 32nd in a row. It will be taking place from 14th to 16th of June 2013.

The main event of this annual festival is the national competition in lace making. Every year it is especially nice to see many youngsters competing for the prestigious title alongside seasoned veterans.

There are also many other interesting things going on besides the competition. For instance there is a lace fair with loads of different lace products, but also materials and patterns used for actual lace making.

Even if lace products are not your thing, there are many alternatives to keep you occupied. Every evening of the festival there will be local bands performing late into the night on the central town square.
Locals also take care that no visitor leaves with an empty stomach. There are many local specialties to choose from. One that should definitely deserve your attention is called žlikrofi. Žlikrofi are small boiled dumplings (similar to ravioli) filled with potatoes, onions, lards and seasoned with local spices, offered as a side or main dish. Simply delicious!

For the nature lovers there is a hiking trail waiting in every direction. You will probably encounter some of the vast variety of wildlife species roaming through the nearby forests. Unspoiled nature can actually be found everywhere in the surrounding rolling hills.

A lot could also be said about the rich technical heritage this town has to offer but I will write about that in a separate post. There is another recently made video about the town of Idrija and the surrounding area included within Geopark Idrija worth checking out.

If you are in (or near) Slovenia, you should start planning your visit as soon as possible. If you need any local advice you are welcome to contact me - there are many opportunities to stray away from the beaten path.

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Geopark Idrija promotional video

I am proud to present a promotional video about the town of Idrija and its surroundings. It is the part of Slovenia I call home.

These valleys and hills have a lot to offer, but are still visited by very few foreign tourists and travelers. I hope this video will help turn things around.

If you are after some off the beaten track tips about the area, you are always welcome to drop me a line.

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Welcome, spring!

This year winter lingered around my home town in Slovenia quite a bit longer than we were used to. I guess it was due to a massive amount of snow we had. Higher temperatures with sun and quite a bit of rain in the last days took care of the last patches of snow in valleys around here.

In surrounding mountains however, a few more weeks (or even months) will have to go by for all that snow to melt - there is still meters of snow above 1.000 meters of altitude in some parts of the country.

I took a photo of these cute white flowers (snowdrops or Galanthus in Latin) behind my house a some days ago. It was just a few meters away from the place where I took a similar photo last year. They seem to grow on the same spot year after year when snow starts to melt. You can take a look at last year's snowdrops on the link. I wanted to make a comparison between the two photos - they were taken with two different cameras.

The first photo (the one on the link) was taken with my old Olympus C-5060WZ just before I replaced it with the current Nikon D7000. There is an obvious difference in the resolution of the two original photos but that is not reflected on the blog.

Please share your views and observations. Do you notice any difference between them? Is it really obvious?

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Top 10 reasons for visiting Slovenia

A few years ago Slovenia started regularly appearing on tops of various hot travel destinations lists all over the media. Key market players and trend-setters like Lonely Planet, Frommer's, Fodor's, and National Geographic have all been raving about this small country with a population of two million, tucked among Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia. If this still does not ring a bell, you definitely must be wondering what the fuss is all about...

As a local who has also done his share of travelling, I can easily point out a few strong points of this little gem of a country every visitor should be looking forward to. Even more than just that - I can do it from a traveller's point of view.

If you are a regular visitor of this blog, you have probably noticed I recently entered Big Blog Exchange competition (hosted by Hostelling International) and made it to 100 finalists from all over the world. If the jury recognizes Slovenia as an interesting enough travel destination, I will have the honor of exchanging places with another contestant from a yet unknown country. Only 16 lucky bloggers will have the chance to embark on this great adventure. I hope this list will also help tip the odds my way.

So with no further ado, here are my top 10 reasons why everyone should visit Slovenia:

1. DIVERSITY
   For a country only the size of Wales, Slovenia packs a huge variety of landscapes. Country's landscape changes from snow caped Alpine peaks in the north, to Adriatic coast in the south-west and Pannonian Basin in the east, with endless, green rolling hills in the middle. The best part of this is you can get from the Alps to the Adriatic sea in a couple of hours and even make a short stop at a fairytale-like lake on your way there.
   If diversity of landscape is not enough for you, there is also a whole different world hidden underground (some of the natural cave systems go on for over 20 kilometers).

2. GREAT FOOD & WINE
   Alongside with landscape food also changes from one part of the country to another. Near the northern border there is a strong Germanic influence and in the west Italian and Mediterranean cuisine is well represented. There is a similar situation in eastern (Hungarian influence) and southern regions.
   Those endless rolling hills mentioned before make a perfect setting for three main wine producing regions: Littoral, Lower Sava Valley and Drava Valley. Although low production capacities are keeping most Slovenian winemakers away from the World scene, there are some real gems among them.
3. ON THE EUROPEAN CROSSROADS
   Slovenia's location is one of its strong-points but at the same time takes its toll on the number of visitors. It is definitely conveniently located next to higher ranking tourist countries like Italy, Austria and also emerging Croatia.
   Sadly instead of including Slovenia into their itineraries tourists tend to rather spend more time in nearby Italy and Croatia. The best case scenario includes a short three-day visit to Slovenia.
   In my opinion Slovenia can serve as a perfect base for an European adventure - when (if at all) one gets tired of it, there are always places like Venice and Vienna just a short drive away.

4. HISTORICAL HERITAGE
   Due to its location and a quite turbulent past, there are many fascinating historical sites in Slovenia. They range from prehistoric (the oldest musical instrument in Europe was recently discovered here), Roman, medieval (picturesque castles), WWI (one of the bloodiest battles was fought in the west of the country) to WWII (many remains of partisan activities) and beyond.
5. UNTOUCHED NATURE
   Despite its location in the very heart of Europe there are still many nicely preserved regions where a traveller can be one with nature. Over half of the country is covered with forests where many rare animals can still be observed in their natural habitat. A true paradise for nature lovers!

6. PRISTINE LAKES AND RIVERS
   You can try swimming in many Alpine lakes and rivers so clear they will make your head spin. It is no wonder a fairytale movie spectacle like The Chronicles of Narnia was filmed in the Soča river valley. You can also find some unique fishing and adrenaline sports opportunities there - usually for a fraction of a price you would pay in a neighboring country.

7. AFFORDABILITY
   Even though prices have gone up since embracing the Euro, Slovenia is still very affordable compared to its neighbors. I am sure with growing tourism, prices will only rise with time. This is usually an irreversible process, so visiting as soon as possible is the right thing to do.
8. RELATIVELY UNDISCOVERED
   Even though it is not unknown, I think it is fair to say Slovenia is still relatively undiscovered. This however is changing fast. With growing media attention more and more visitors are finding it on the tourist map. This might be good for the economy but seeing crowds of tourists around every corner is not a very desirable thing for a traveller.
   Luckily at this moment finding a place for yourself is pretty easy to do - even though it is a small country.

9. FRIENDLY PEOPLE
   Visitors to the country are usually surprised to find friendly locals always ready to help them out. I guess this has something to do with the fact people are not tired of tourists yet. There are not all that many... yet.
   If you are approached by a local it does not mean he wants something from you - he probably just wants to offer help.
   Having one of the lowest crime rates in Europe should also say something. This does not mean a traveller should be totally careless in Slovenia but probably there is no need to be more careful than at home.
10. ENGLISH IS WIDELY SPOKEN
    Last but definitely not least - there is a good chance you will not have any problems communicating while in Slovenia. I find this to be quite important when trying to learn more about a local culture. Most locals speak at least a second language apart from Slovenian. English, Serbian, Croatian, Italian and German are widely spoken. If you do find a person who does not speak any English, there is a very good chance he (or she) has a friend or a relative nearby who does.
    Despite all this, it always helps if you show a little effort and learn a word or two in local language. It just might help you get to the other side of that door that usually stays closed.

I believe Slovenia is a perfect destination for a first time visitor to Europe. It offers a perfect taste of Europe - a little bite of every neighboring country, usually with some local seasoning. Since it is pretty easy to navigate and laid-back it can serve as an introduction to more hectic places (e.g. Rome or Athens).

Slovenia can make a prefect start to your European adventure!

How about you, my trustful reader - have you ever been to Slovenia? Did you like it? What do you think of the above list?
Please leave a comment. I would really love to hear from you.

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Village of Vojsko in winter

I have posted various cross-country skiing photos from the highest lying village of Slovenian Primorska region (i.e. Slovenian Littoral) before - you can check out my previous post if you are interested.

Vojsko is a small village near the town of Idrija and since it lies more than 1.000 meters above sea level it usually gets loads of snow. This winter is no exception.

On my way to the cross-country skiing center I always pass by the church in the little village. The other day I made a short stop and took a few photos. Although some snow has already melted, there was still about a meter and a half of it left. In my book that is still a hardcore winter. Since in the past decades they often had to deal with more than twice the amount of this year's snow, some locals might disagree with me.

I will let you check out these photos and judge for yourself.

Regardless of all problems snowy winter brings along, I always love to visit Vojsko plateau. Nature is so beautiful around these parts and there is a great variety of wildlife preserved for a visitor to admire. Among other things this also makes it an excellent destination for photo hunting... but that is a different story for another post.

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Cross-country skiing class

Winter has been quite generous with snow so far in Slovenia and it looks like we are getting some more this week. Snow usually brings along some trouble but it also enables us snow sports enthusiasts to have lots of fun.

I have been lucky enough to spend quite a few really nice and fun days on skis so far this season and I do not intend to stop just yet.
Apart from alpine skiing I also like to go cross-country skiing from time to time. Last weekend I had a great opportunity to improve my skills at a training course. It was led by a friend of mine, so I knew pretty well what to expect.

We chose a great location - Vojsko cross-country skiing center. It is located near the town of Idrija in Slovenia (you can check out its location here). I posted about this great activity before - you can check out what I wrote about a great day I spent cross-country skiing on this same location roughly 3 years ago (you should probably click on the link if you like this post).

We were a group of eight and considering there were some first-timers amongst us, we all did great. We started with some warm-up exercises and continued with an introduction to skate skiing. After more than three hours of improving ours skills and doing quite a few kilometers of skating through a section of available tracks, we enjoyed a brief break.

Weather was quite nice. Apart from a foggy morning we had a nice and sunny day. Snow was still on trees, providing an idyllic setting for spending a day in the nature.

The afternoon was reserved for a cross-country trek. We changed from skate to classic style skis and ventured off the track into the forest. Wading through nearly meter and a half of snow wearing only boots would be almost impossible, but with skis on, it was quite easy.
It took us around two hours to do a ten kilometer track. Views and natural beauty were just breathtaking. Almost every one of us preferred this part to our morning skating exercises. There were however a few who had trouble with deep snow - I guess being overweight does not actually help with this activity.

Since we really enjoyed this day, we will try to repeat it as soon as possible. I also intend to go on a bit more serious cross country trek as soon as possible.

If you ever find yourself in Slovenia and would like to try a winter activity like this, do not hesitate. If you need an advice or help in organizing such an event feel free to contact me through email or simply leave a comment on this post. I will gladly help you out.

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End of the World in Ljubljana

Ljubljana - the capital of Slovenia, has had similar Christmas lighting for a few years now. It represents planets, stars, constellations and other space objects. Besides the fact I find it really nice, some sections of it are also very appropriate for the announced end of the world.

If you have been hiding in a dark cave for the last few years, let me inform you that the end of the world was scheduled for 21st of December 2012. As you have probably noticed by now, the world is still here and internet is still up and running.

I will leave you with this photo of shooting stars in the skies over Ljubljana and an interesting quote on the end of the world topic by Richard Bach:

What the caterpillar calls the end of the world the master calls a butterfly.

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Soča river valley video presentation

Another video promoting (in my opinion) the most beautiful part of Slovenia has recently been released. It focuses on Soča river valley. The Emerald river really is something special and definitely deserves your attention.

Enjoy the video and feel free to ask any questions about the area that might pop up. I will gladly help you out with some local advice.

I have posted about different sports activities in these parts before - it is a perfect place for trying out various adrenaline packed activities. You can check out a post about kayaking and there is also another one about my ziplining adventure in the area.

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Dej še'n litro concert in Ljubljana

Those of you out there who are having second thoughts about visiting the capital of Slovenia during winter season do not have to worry - December is as good time as any to do it. The city streets might not be as vibrant at this time as during summer months but there are still many reasons that will definitely leave a happy smile on your face every day before turning in for the night.

Two days ago was no different as a brass band Dej še'n litro held a concert in the picturesque streets of Ljubljana, Slovenia. This was a perfect excuse to get together with a group of friends and have a good time. It was a traditional, free concert dedicated to band supporters, friends and random passers-by alike.

The band took care of everything - good mood, mulled wine, excellent music and there was even a little something for those with a sweet tooth. A perfect evening in my eyes!

Ljubljana city streets provided a perfect setting for the event with holiday season lighting already set up. The sound of brass music echoed the streets long into the cold night.

I can only imagine how much effort they had to put into this event. Even the cold (it was below minus 5 degrees Celsius!) could not stop them and the crowd from having a great time.

It has to be quite a challenge playing an instrument in those conditions. Gloves get in the way, bare fingers get stiffened by the cold and despite of all that, songs have to be played just as fast as any other time. No wonder alcoholic beverages were the preferred choice of the evening.

It seemed to me the crowd really appreciated the band's effort and cheered loud after every piece they played. I really hope the band was also happy with how the whole event turned out.
Hopefully it was not the last time they did something like this. If I get a chance to visit another performance of Dej še'n litro brass band, I will definitely try to attend. I can hardly wait!

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Nikon photo day

For the sixth time in a row Nikon Slovenia has organized an annual event for photography enthusiasts once again. Until recently Nikon was the only one of big photo names to do such a thing in a small country like Slovenia - just yesterday Canon did something similar (the event was titled You can party by Canon)! Unfortunately I could not attend - maybe next year.

Since a little bit of competition is almost always a good thing, I hope this will be one of many such events.

Nikon Day 2012 - Hot & Cool, as they named the event this year, took place 10 days ago on 30th of November in Ljubljana. Every photo lover could find something interesting there. This year's theme was cold white winter and everything that comes with it - from polar bears, to snow sports photography.

For me the definite highlights were great photo lectures by three great photographers: Florian Schulz, Marcel Lämmerhirt and Arne Hodalič (Google them - they have done lots of great work so far). Unfortunately I got to see just two of them.

Another service first 70 participants could take advantage of was Check&Clean. The team of professionals checked and cleaned one camera body and one lens per person. Such professional service was just what my equipment needed, so I embraced this opportunity with both hands. I must say they did a great job on my D7000 and my most used Nikkor lens!

There were also countless opportunities to test your own or new Nikon photo equipment on models in studio conditions. There was an interesting studio set with a group of models posing for many photographers lined up to take a shot or two.

Good work Nikon Slovenia! I am already looking forward to visiting the next year's event.

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Akordika group through my lens

Every summer for the last few years there is an interesting festival held in the Slovenian town of Idrija. It is called "Četrtki na placu", which literally translates into "Thursdays on the square".
The stage set on the main town square makes a great venue for events like this. Hopefully there will be even more of them in the future years.

Every year this small festival features different bands, vocal groups and even a theater group or two. So on every Thursday evening in July and August mostly local crowd gathers to listen to event.
If you ever happen to be in the neighborhood during that period, you should definitely check it out. The entrance is free of charge.

Often there is also something on the stage well worth a look. These photos are from a pleasant August evening I spent with a group Akordika. A guy I know plays trombone for them so it was an even more interesting performance from my point of view.

They advertise themselves as Musical theatre performers - a group of 10 talented people who perform popular musical theatre pieces.

Apart from top notch musicians, there is also a group of three dancers adding another dimension to their performances. They mostly perform pieces from various musicals, but also have many other great scores up their sleeves.

They do a great job and I really recommend you check them out if you ever get a chance.

I promised to send them a couple of photos and since some quite nice ones turned out I thought to also share them with you. I hope you like them.

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Wordless Wednesday: Canoe on Planinsko jezero

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Rain storms hit Slovenia

The last few weeks weather was not too kind to travellers around Slovenia. There were some really nice and sunny days in between the rain storms but when it was raining it was next to impossible to do anything outside.

One weekend ago we had loads of rain for the second time in a couple of weeks in Slovenia. In some areas it did not stop pouring throughout the whole weekend. I am talking serious rainfall - both times up to 250 millimeters of rain in 48 hours (that is just under 10 inches or 250 liters per square meter)!

For the most unfortunate parts of the country this meant the amount of rain in two weeks topped the cumulative rainfall of the past 9 months.

I do not know what is to blame but climate changes definitely come to mind. We could have witnessed quite a lot of these extreme weather situations in the last years. It seems like there are more and more every year and they range from extreme cold winter months to scorching hot summer periods and from summer drought to autumn floods.

Obviously there were quite a few problems with flooding in the last weeks but fortunately we made it through without any serious problems. A few of the nearby roads were temporary closed and a few basements flooded. As the last photo shows, some roads were literally disappearing into water even a week after.

In some parts of Slovenia they were not so lucky - many homes and some industrial buildings were completely flooded and ruined by the water.

I took a few shots when it was raining near the town of Idrija (the first two photos) and another bunch a week later when water in some parts was still draining after a whole week without rain. The last three photos were taken at Planinsko polje which turns from a grass field to a lake a couple times per year due to extensive rainfall.

For the next few days meteorologists are predicting strong rainfall again. I hope this time forecasts are not correct and it will not be so bad...

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17th Ljubljana marathon in snow

Yesterday was the day of the 17th Ljubljana marathon. The last Sunday in October has been reserved for this event in the Slovenian capital for quite some time.

Yesterday's weather conditions however, were not something one would wish for. After a night of torrential downpour temperatures dropped to zero Celsius and rain turned to snow all over Slovenia. We woke up into the first white morning this season! Luckily I had anticipated this and changed to winter tires just a couple of days ago.

As I expected, all this did not turn M. away from participating - hardly anything is an obstacle for her when it comes to running.

After a usual morning routine we made our way to Ljubljana. On our way we drove through some areas with quite a lot of snow - at one point there was even a fallen tree partly blocking the road.

Once we reached Ljubljana things looked a little better but still far from perfect. After I dropped M. off for a warmup I met up with a couple of friends. Together we went to the start line and cheered to the crowd of eager runners. On our way there were running-late runners whooshing by us all the time. Obviously not everyone was expecting winter road conditions.

With live music and snow falling down on the excited crowd, the air was buzzing with energy. Group performing on the stage set over the start line was a great choice - the percussion extravaganza group The Stroj made even my heart jump!
There were also many other bands playing at multiple points around the track, helping runners' spirits to stay high throughout the whole experience.

We chose to retreat to a nice bar nearby for a quick drink. After our quick warming up session we proceeded to the finish line.

Some participants obviously did not take the event too seriously - many were dressed up in funny costumes. My personal favorite were a group of Paleolithic runners - with beards, wooden clubs and some even in flip-flops!
We watched the Ethiopian runner Shiferaw Berhanu win the 42 kilometer event (and a check for €15.000,00) in the time of 2:09,40. An excellent time in given conditions.

Because of a lack of practice in the last two months, M. was not so very sure what her expectations and target time should be. In the end everything worked out more then fine and she easily finished her second half-marathon with a personal best of 2 hours 4 minutes and 57 seconds. Congratulations!

Despite far from perfect conditions, 16.441 runners competed in various events in the two days of the event. Although this year's record number of registrations (25.686 runners from 41 countries) seemed enough to break last year's record in participation, they came roughly 2.000 participants short.
I think with the weather we have had, this was a formidable achievement as well. Big thumbs up to all the runners who took up this challenge!

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How to escape bad weather?

Many of my faithful readers know I live in Slovenia. When people hear about it for the first time many imagine a cold country somewhere in the the middle of former Soviet Union.

In fact it is a small country in the very middle of Europe. Slovenia is tucked among its larger neighbors: Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia. As with some other things, it also seems like this little diverse county adopted some climate characteristics from every one of those neighboring countries.

No matter how sunny and hot it might get during the summer on that little stretch of Slovenia's Adriatic coast, the hills get freaking cold during the winter months. It is not unusual for temperatures to drop below 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) for a week or two in January or February.

As much as I love skiing and the book&TV series where they keep repeating that "winter is coming", I am not too fond of cold, cold winter. That said it should be obvious I try to escape damp, cold weather every winter for at least a week or so.
This year I am already planing an escape trip to Portugal - more specifically Lisbon.
As we are expecting temperatures around zero Centigrade and below at the end of November in Slovenia, we are looking forward to 15 degrees and hopefully less rain in Lisbon. I hope everything works out.

This time we are going as a group of 7 friends. I wish it would turn out to be very much like two years ago when we visited Berlin. Well, actually I am hoping for a little less snow and a lot more sunshine.

Airplane tickets and hostel rooms are already booked. So far it seems like this is going to be a very affordable trip. Both - low budget airline tickets and 4 days of hostel expenses added up to under 130 EUR per person. A bargain if you ask me!

A friend living in UK also wanted to join us but something else came up - he will be going on a Maldives Holiday instead. He found a really good deal through an online flight search engine. It searches for flights from UK to all parts of the world and includes both budget and conventional airlines - a very useful tool indeed.

Nowadays it is not all that hard to get a good deal for a flight. Since we won't be flying from UK we could not use the handy search tool mentioned above, but in the end we found very affordable EasyJet tickets from Venice to Lisbon.
I am really looking forward to this trip. This year I can hardly wait for the cold to come... Just to get away from it for a while, of course.

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