Dober dan, Slovenija*

* Good day Slovenia

I got back from a long vacation in Slovenia earlier this week. I can hardly express how wonderful I find this little country to be and how relaxing and inspiring it was. This glorious landscape, as pictured above, was the view from our window for about 10 days.

Last year Emily and her family discovered a wonderful place to stay, Tilnik Farm, a guest house in the foothills of the Julian Alps of Slovenia. They completely fell in love with the place and wanted us to join them this summer for a family adventure. Even James and Adric were able to be us for the first day and a half.

It did not take long for Rick and me to share in Emily's enthusiasm. The farm is perched high up on a mountain plateau and overlooks a picturesque valley with the Idrijca river running through on one side  and forested hills on the other. It is owned and run by a wonderful British couple, Kate and Brett, who could hardly have been more welcoming.

On the property are pools, waterfalls, forest trails and magnificent views in every direction. Down the hill the Idrijca river slips through rocky gorges.

The water in the rivers and streams runs crystal clear and we enjoyed many hours clambering among the boulders.

Quinn and Jos made little bridges and other riverside sculptures. The setting is idyllic and we often had it all to ourselves. This part of Slovenia is something of a secret treasure. Cerkno is located in the northwest corner of Slovenia, little more than an hour's drive from Italy, Austria or Croatia.

There was not much reason to leave the property, although we did end up taking some day trips and discovering lovely local scenery. Often, however, just relaxing and enjoying the exquisite view was activity enough for us.

The children were free to ramble and wander. Quinn seemed especially happy there.

He really loved the animals, which included goats, sheep, dogs and chickens. Every morning he happily went to greet the fowls and feed them a little grain or scraps from the table.

He was anxious to join Kate, Brett and the dogs, Ruby and Lupa in morning chores.

Meals were taken outside on the porch.

The landscape was a never-ending drama. We got sun, fog, rain, mist, thunder storms and clear blue skies during our stay.

We were invited to use the produce from the little garden outside our door. Kate made us muffins and flat bread, Brett made salsa and shared some local spirits with us.

Everywhere it was green, lush and charming.

A path above the house led through the forest to a lookout point on top of the mountainside. Quinn and I headed up the path the first morning.

Brett took Rick out fly fishing and he came back with a beautiful rainbow trout which we grilled for a most tasty dinner that evening.

Life on the farm was idyllic. I don't know if I've enjoyed anywhere quite as much as this lovely little corner of the world, where everyone is kind, where life is simple, where crowds do not overrun the sites and where one can feel very connected to nature. I walked more than I ever do at home and came back feeling strong and invigorated.

It was an ideal location for the children, who could feel free to explore on their own with few dangers other than wasps or slippery rocks to concern themselves with.

Days and nights passed very quickly.

Slovenia has only been a country since 1991. Before the first great war this area was part of the Hapsburg Empire. Between the wars it was a part of Italy. Ernest Hemmingway writes about a local town in A Farewell to Arms. After the second World War this area was included in Yugoslavia and Marshall Tito, at least to some, was a hero. After Tito's death Slovenia as a nation was formed, borders based on language cohesion.

One day we went to a swimming hole, where we swam, built dams and rode a raft.

Wooden plank suspension bridges were constructed high above rivers. Walking across made us a bit queasy at first, but we became braver with experience.

One of the most beautiful outings we took was to the Tolmin Gorges. It was a bright and sunny day, so my photos are a little blown out, and not nearly as beautiful as this place really is.

The water rumbling through the gorges and sometimes falling from high plateaus is cool, clear and lively. The walk through this national park takes a bit over an hour, Up and down steep terrain.

Apparently Dante visited this place in the 14th century and based the description of his inferno on one of the enormous caves he toured. It is now named after the poet. For us it was a bit closer to paradise! At the end of the walk, after scrambling up the path, we crossed the "Devil's Bridge," pictured at right below. Some of us didn't like looking down as we crossed, but I wasn't one of those.

Another site very close to the farm was Divje Babe, a prehistoric cave where what is thought to be the world's oldest musical instrument was discovered, a bone flute. We took a walk there, which included some breathtaking views

And a beautiful hill top church. We came to think of the Slovenians as mountain goats. So many of their buildings are carved into these steep mountains. Quite an athletic feat!

It was a real pleasure to spend so much time with Zinnie, who reaches 19 months later this week. She has grown up so much this summer. She is talking more and more and has her very definite ideas about things. She happily does whatever her big brother is doing and learns so quickly, both the good and not so good behaviors!

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Rick left for home a few days before I did. Emily and Jos were performing in a theater festival in Ljubljana and I went along as resident childcare worker. Rick came home to take care of clients.

We had been to Ljubljana two years ago, last time they participated in the festival and I already felt as if I knew the town fairly well. It is very beautiful, with a Mediterranean feeling. The buildings are brightly colored and ornate.

Ljubljana was declared to be the world's most honest city by Reader's Digest in 2009. There is a minimum of crime here and one feels quite embraced by its generous spirit.

The festival provided us with a lovely two bedroom apartment right in the center of town. The kids and I did quite a lot of sightseeing.

The church bells rang throughout the day and I enjoyed this music. At night there was plenty of music too, although more often from street bands.

The early mornings were quiet on the streets of Ljubljana, but the daytime and evening were jumpy. The cafe life here is lively. When everyone else left town, I had an afternoon on my own and spent most of it going from one sidewalk cafe to the next, lunch, coffee, wine, dinner. I had a good book and a nice ramble.

Now I'm back to work where September rings in lots of exciting events. I will keep you posted.

I ♡ Slovenia

A narrow alleyway in Piran where one can climb stairs from the sea to the hill.

Piran is the prettiest city on Slovenia's coast. Located just south of the northeastern border of Italy, near Trieste, where the top of the boot curves around,  it retains that very Mediterranean flavor. It was once an important harbor of the Roman Empire and the Venetians influenced it's architectural development.

We didn't have time to spend more than part of a day on the coast, but I really wanted to have a view of the Adriatic, which I had never visited. From Ljubljana, nothing is more than a two hour drive, so we took Quinn and headed to the sea. We were not disappointed.

The Adriatic Sea separates the Italian peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, it runs up the back of the boot. The color of the water is clear blue. All the roofs of Piran are red tile and the buildings are white stucco, making the views over the town spectacular.

We parked at the top of the hill behind old town Piran and had our picnic lunch. We then discovered a labyrinth of small alleyways, schoolyards, backyards and restaurants that led steeply downwards toward the harbor. Stone steps were often cracked and broken away, no doubt having been laid hundreds of years before. All along the descent, we caught glimpses of this idyllic city nestled in its little half moon of land.

The harbor itself was filled with beautiful sailing vessels. The sea was calm and inviting.
Rick and Quinn stuck a toe in the water before we ascended our secret stairway and headed out for our next adventure.

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When I was young, I had a horse and belonged to the Pony Club, where I learned to ride in the English style, jump steeples and the whole nine yards. I wore the jodhpurs, boots, coat and velvet hard hat. I carried a little leather crop. Every one of my riding buddies wanted nothing more than to visit Vienna and see a show of the Lipizzaner horses. These incredible animals are able to perform choreographed movements which seem beyond the physical capability of the animal.

I had no idea, however, that these lovely horses, which almost always turn pure white, no matter what their birth color, were originally from Slovenia. When I learned that the Lipizzaner came from the village of Lipica, and that they gave demonstrations there on a few days a week during the summer, I made sure we could arrive at the appointed hour and in so doing, fulfill a very long-held dream.

Nowadays, there are many places in the world that raise the Lippizzaner, but Lipica is reputed to be their birthplace. The purpose of the stables is to breed and train the horses for the Spanish and Viennese exhibition centers, where they do their performances. In Lipica, the performances are only occasional and the horses are not yet graduates of the program. Still they were very skilled.

There are various shows all performed to classical music. It's entirely enchanting to watch them go through their paces.

 

After the show we were able to tour the stables, meet some of the beasts and hear a lively story about their history. For all of us, including Quinn, who is already a horse lover, it was a wonderful afternoon. If you want to see them in action, you can view some of their amazing and distinctive movements here and here:

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By the end of our week in Slovenia, we had experienced some of its many charms. We fully intend to make it a habit to go there. It is less than a two hour plane ride from Paris to Ljubljana. It seems such a relaxed, beautiful and undiscovered playground.

Emily and Jos were happy with the results of their week with Lois, putting wooden objects together in interesting ways. They had a paper river, instruments which were played in mechanical ways, a set of closet doors, suspended from the ceiling which could be made to flap like a butterfly, by means of turning a wooden sifter which animated a row of wooden spoons which somehow got the doors to flying. It was wonderfully clever as an installation, lit to form intriguing shadows. But they also had a musical and theatrical component which brought their theme Holz, alive: wooden objects, all longing to reunite with the forest.

It has now been several weeks since coming back to France and normal daily life continues to provide lots of interesting tales, but I'm not quite finished recounting our vacation. Next week I'll share some photos and stories of Austria. After that, I'll bring it all back home.

Quinn discovered a bunny suit at the house we were staying in.

Week 15: Quinn on Vacation and Other Adventures

One thing summer does not offer, is much opportunity to visit Quinn, especially since he's been traveling around Europe with his parents over the last three weeks. We are lucky enough to get some virtual views and lots of photographs of his ongoing adventures. Phone conversations go something like this:

Quinn! How are you?

Nana? Bobo?

Yes Quinn, it's Nana and Bobo! We miss you.

Doggie!

Did you see a doggie today? What does a dog say Quinn?

Woof woof!

What does a rooster say?

Cockadoodle-do!

This same conversation can be repeated over and over and none of us ever seems to get bored. Such is the goofiness of grandparenthood. Here are a few images from Quinn's summer vacation which ends next week.

The first week of vacation was spent on a working farm in Austria which caters to children. There are lots of animals (thus the animal sounds). Quinn, who lives in Paris, hasn't met many animals before and apparently he is quite enthralled with furry and feathered creatures of every sort. He even dreams about them and repeats animal noises in his sleep.

Farmer Quinn

Mighty Quinn, the swimmer

Quinn helps plan the itinerary

The second week brought him to the beautiful city of Ljubljana (Slovenia), where the setting is urban. When Quinn got to the hotel he pointed out the window and said "Moo?" in other words, "Can we go see the cows now." There aren't too many barnyard animals in the city, so Emily and Jos took him to the zoo. His favorite creature was an owl in a big cage.

Here he's pointing and saying "gar!" which he says frequently. Quinn is 19 months and beginning to talk three languages at once. He understands what his father says to him in Flemish, he understands English which Emily speaks with him and he also can respond to French, as this is the language of his neighbors and nanny in Paris. "Gar" is one of the first things he learned to say and it is meant to be "Regard!" French for "Look!"

'Look at the owl!"

 

Peek-a-boo

Playing around

His last vacation week was spent on the Island of Cres in Croatia enjoying the sea, the sun and the wonderful sea food. There is a donkey next to their bungalow and Quinn visits him every day.

Mediterranean Idyll

Sardines. Yum!

Quinn meets Mr. Donkey

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We visited another Loire Valley garden this week. In contrast to the whimsicality of the gardens of Chaumont-sur-Loire, Villandry is formal to a fault. The gardens are historically accurate representations of royal French gardens of the Renaissance, which clearly are meant to be observed from above.  I prefer wild garden excess myself, but certainly one can appreciate the discipline required to maintain these precise gardens whose shapes and colors represent specific ideas and feelings. For instance, one garden represents different experiences of love, the four quadrants speak of tender love, passionate love, fickle love and tragic love.

Surrounding the castle and gardens of Villandry are woods with pleasant paths for strolling. The views through the trees are lovely.

My favorite garden was called the water garden. I have a recurring dream about a place like this. To me it's like looking into another world.

What a wonderful way to grow vegetables, although how could you ever pick any of the produce?

I love the purple basil. It would take quite a few people to consume this much. We did lunch at the Villandry restaurant where they specialize in salads and greens fresh from the gardens.

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September brings visits from journalists. This week we had Laura and Gilles from the Derby Telegraph in the Midlands, England. Our regional tourist office hosts British journalists quite often who write articles about our area of France, which is very convenient to England. Generally the itinerary includes a stay at Maison Conti as we are one of only two four-star establishments in the region. This is the first time, however, that a journalist has requested an etching course as well as a night's stay and dinner. They were enthusiastic students.

Laura's print. This is the symbol of Liverpool, where Laura was born

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This week the moon is waning and rising quite late at night which allows for some spectacular star gazing on crystal clear evenings. Night falls much earlier these days, and by 9:30 it's already dark. Last night Rick and I sat at the window with the telescope, looking southeast at Jupiter. We could see four of it's moons clearly lined up, one on the left three on the right of the bright planet. We could even see some of the striping as we looked with our highest magnification lens. Out the back windows the dipper blazes above the castle; there is little light pollution in Montmirail, so we can enjoy the entire canopy of the sky and bright stars on a clear night.

If you're lucky enough to live somewhere that allows you to enjoy the night sky, there are good opportunities to view Jupiter this month. It's at it's closest now. A good calendar of celestial events can be helpful in knowing where to look and what to look for.

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Late summer picnic