Slovenia! Cave Kisses on Day 20!

We leave the Adriatic behind for the beautiful country of Slovenia including the capital city, Ljubljana.  Try getting your tongue around that one!

Before we exited Croatia for the final time, a couple of notes.

1). There was a scale in my bathroom in Zagreb.  No, I did not use it, nor was I tempted.  I’m on vacation!  How insulting!  (Just kidding!). It would be helpful to weigh my luggage though!

2). How many people live in the Dalmatian region which is the west Adriatic coast above the 25 miles belonging to Bosnia & Herzegovina?  Answer - 101!  Get it!

3). Dubrovnik is called the “Rivera of the Adriatic”.  I couldn’t remember if I had mentioned it earlier.

The kuna is almost gone!  Croatia will start using the euro on January 1, 2023.  They joined the EU on July 1, 2013, and it’s necessary to wait a minimum of five years to enter the euro zone.  Public debt is still high due to loans from international banks at a high interest rate for highways before Croatia joined the EU.   

The Schengen area consists of countries which founded the EU, and most European countries belong.  Countries in the Schengen area can travel without asking for a passport, and Croatia is also joining this group January 1, 2023.  Slovenia is a member but neither Hungary nor Romania are part of the Schengen zone.  It’s not as important to these two countries since they are not surrounded like Croatia by countries that do belong.   

Slovenia is a very mountainous country and has been called the Balkan Alps.  In fact, one  mountain range is called the Julian Alps after Julius Caesar.  With a population of two million people, small towns hug the valleys.  The Slovenia countryside is often compared to Austria or Switzerland.

Slovenia was the first Balkan country to declare their independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.  With few Serbs in Slovenia, Milosevic didn’t have much interest here, and the war only lasted ten days.  Milosevic knew Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina would also be leaving Yugoslavia, and he was more concerned in protecting Serbians in those countries.

In 2004, Slovenia joined the EU in the year which saw the largest enlargement of the organization ever.  Ten countries joined that year, and they only had to wait three years to switch their currency to the euro.  Slovenia was first in 2010 when they discontinued using the “tollar”.

Slovenia has not incurred the financial debt like Croatia.  Since they were part of the EU, they were able to borrow money at a much lower interest rate to build highways and infrastructure.  For 600 years, they were part of the Austrian empire, and they still prefer to be called “Austrian Brothers”.

People confuse Slovenia which is southern Slavs and Slovakia which consists of western Slavs like the Polish and Czech.  Both countries flags are very similar which confuses people.  Both are red, white, and blue with a coat of arms located in the top right corner.  

A major mistake was made at the Russian Olympics when a Slovenia skier won gold, and at the awards ceremony, the Slovakian flag was raised and their anthem played,

The highest mountain at 9,000 ft is called Father Mountain, and “real” Slovenias need to climb this mountain at least once during their lifetime.  “I Feel Slovenia” is the country’s slogan, and the letters “LOVE” are always emphasized.  

With only thirty miles of coastline, Slovenia is not a beach destination.  However, tourism is huge as visitors flock to the caves, lakes, and mountains.  More tourism dollars are spent in the summer than the winter; although, they do have modern ski slopes.  

Slovenians love jokes and making fun of themselves and their small country.  Such as…

*In Slovenia, you can only play their national instrument, the accordion, vertically.  If you play it horizontally, you’ll hit the borders!

*Why did Slovenia join the EU?  Because Austria needed more parking space!

*When the Slovenian Olympics ski jumpers are training, they need passports when they jump!

*If you open an umbrella on the main square in Ljubljana, watch out, or you’ll poke someone in the eye in Dubrovnik!

The Postojna Cave is our destination today!  I love caves, and between  commercial caves in VA, KY, SD, NM, and CA, (9 or 10) and actual spelunking with the Boy Scouts (4-5), I believe this is about my fifteenth cave I’ve visited.

After our group discovered we were in the wrong line…my German is rusty, but the sign said “English!”…we boarded a small train to enter the cave .  I thought we would be putt-putting along, but rather I felt like I was on a Busch Gardens ride!  It would be easy to break an arm…which we had been warned to keep inside the train…if you were tempted to raise one up.

After an unusually long ride, but hey, it was fun, we exited to begin the hour plus walking tour.  It was a huge group with one guide, and rather than fight the crowds which were primarily Asian, I was at the back slowly walking, taking pictures, and videos for the grandkids.

Suddenly, I realized I was alone except for Janet, another woman in our group.

It was much more fun and interesting to walk, and as I told Janet, listen to the cave.  She had already been “kissed” several times which is when a cave water droplet falls on you.  It means the cave likes you!

I was waiting for a few kisses, and as my companion and I named formations, and I explained about soda straws, 

  

draperies, 

“cave bacon”, 

the difference between stalagmites versus stalactites, 

columns,

  

the importance not to touch the formations no matter how tempting, stopping to listen in the silence and hear the slow drip of water, the kisses fell!

Oh, I was happy the cave liked me!

Discovered in 1818, the cave was opened to the public in 1873 and electrified in 1892.  The cave has an extensive system of walkways and handrails which were amazingly not slippery.  However, it was difficult for me to see the damage to this magnificent creation when man-made “improvements” cut through formations breaking them, killing their natural growth from oils on careless hands, soot from torches, and green algae around electric lights.

The damage, however, does not mean I did not enjoy the cave.  I was thoroughly enjoying myself, and in my mind, reliving some of my moments in favorite caves and especially spelunking with my boys.  

There is such excitement entering a totally pitch-dark echoing hollow and shining a light on parts of a huge cavern!  Or, army crawling pulling yourself along a muddy narrow pathway…again in the dark… which is too low to crawl on your knees!  Or, wriggling through a tight stricture which your son just said, “Sorry, mom, I don’t think you will fit!”  Well, I showed him!

Unfortunately or fortunately, Janet and I were now totally alone in the cave!  Ahhhh, peace, and I’m in my happy place!

I wondered if we had missed an exit because we didn’t hear any voices, and my head had been looking up as I walked not down.  We laughed about hugging a stalagmite…No!!!!…like we teach our kids to hug a tree if lost in the woods.

Oh well, we are on a pathway, and there are lights.  Just how lost could we be!

Finally, we start to hear echoing voices…Drats!, and I realized our time of self-exploration was over.  We re-boarded the train…which I didn’t expect thinking we would walk out…and the two delinquents were placed in the front seats…to keep an eye on us, I suspect!

And as I leave the cave, a final kiss is offered.  Thank you, sweet cave!

The Slovenia countryside is charming, and even though I’ve never been to Austria, I can imagine the similarities.  After all, The Sound of Music is one of my all time favorite movies!

Ljubljana is the capital and a bustling, vibrant city.  Recently, they were awarded “Most Green City in Europe”!  Underground recycling bins are located by the hotel, and hundreds of people are on bicycles.  Some of these bikes are flying, and they aren’t in bike lanes.  We are told not to worry about the cars, but watch out for the bikes!

As we take a walking tour of the city center, we are instructed to stand still if a bike is heading straight towards you.  They will go around rather than you dancing and trying to avoid it.  Seems a bike and I may have a fateful meeting here!

The downtown area which use to be busy with cars is now a lovely pedestrian mall with shops, and restaurants, beautiful architecture, fountains, statues, sidewalk vendors, street musicians…and bicycles!

  

  
  

Ljubljana castle is on the hill overlooking the city…

 

and several bridges link the city together.


Our guide recommends this sausage shop.  One sausage is two big links, but you can ask for a half order.  I think I’ve eaten enough sausages for a while!

After our tour, several of us forsake traditional dinner for ice cream.  I thoroughly enjoy my blueberry gelato…absolutely delish!…as we sit outdoors and people watch and absorb the atmosphere.  It looks like a beautiful end to the day.

Our last night together is rapidly approaching as our group divides.  Four of us will continue to a post-trip in Serbia while the others will return home.  When I was awoken last night at 2:00 AM by a shrill ringing noise, I checked my hotel door for heat…none, looked and smelled for smoke…none, peeped out my door…no one but the noise, looked out the windows for smoke, fire, and/or a fire truck…none, and called the front desk…no answer.

I decided to stay in my room and be constructive because I really couldn’t sleep. Being on the second floor, I figured I could crawl out the windows with my bed sheets if there really was a fire.  Ha, ha…but it looks easy enough on tv!

I tried to write a poem for our group to perform at our farewell dinner, but no luck.  I thought about a game putting our guide on the spot answering questions about us!  He has been teasing us about a final quiz or we cannot leave the Balkans.  He has assigned me as Study Group leader and will ask how the groups are organized and the studying coming!

My final attempt was a play about our members and different things happening on our trip.  Everyone has speaking parts, and I only hope I haven’t offended anyone!  People seemed receptive when I told them about it at breakfast.

With all the history and information in this blog, each reader should be able to pass a test about the Balkans!  Enjoy as GJ keeps Traveling!  And I hope one day a cave kisses you too!