Slovenia

I could probably write about 10,000 words about our day, but I won't. I'm pretty sure no one out there in my readership has that much patience (I know I wouldn't). So you'll have to do with the abridged version of a very long day.

The plan was to see some huge underground caves, a castle, some cute villages. Then back to the hotel, relax a bit and then a gourmet dinner. We actually achieved a fair amount, although not necessarily as we expected.

The caves are in Postojna, about an hour from the hotel. So after a leisurely breakfast and taking our time getting ready for the day, we headed out. We got to the caves after 11:00 and found that the next tour left at 12:00, so we killed some time in an exhibit there and then went down. It is a pretty amazing place. If you've been to Howe Caverns or something similar in the US, you haven't seen anything as big as this. And you haven't seen a group tour as big as this, either. The group with the English speaking guide was probably 100, and there were separate groups for Slovenian, German, and French, at least. You took a 5 minute train ride through the first kilometer or so of the caves, then embarked on a walking tour that lasted about an hour and covered a few kilometers. Every so often, the guide would stop and make a short speech through a PA system, then we would move on.

Sally & Beebs take a train ride; crowds in cave; stalagmites, May 2014

Given that the crowd was so large, we were often split up, and Beebs and I found ourselves bringing up the rear as we were taking the strictly forbidden pictures(1). None of which really do justice to the scale and scope of the caverns - they were big.

After we finished, we headed down the road to look at a castle that was built into the side of a mountain, although we didn't plan to actually take tour there. When I hopped out to take a picture, Miguel turned the car around and backed into a pole, shattering the rear window in the van. Needless to say we were all upset. But we kept our tempers and cleaned up the shattered glass, and I made a bunch of phone calls to the rental company(2). After a bit of to-ing and fro-ing, we determined that we needed to drive back to the airport, about an hour away, to get a replacement van fully equipped with windows on all sides.

Castle in cave; view from a missing window, Miguel shows his work, May 2014

We did manage to drive through some cute villages, although we didn't stop anywhere to walk around - the mood just wasn't right.

By the time we finished at the airport, we were all pretty beat. As we were driving back in our spiffy new van with the full complement of windows, we though it would we a swell idea to stop somewhere to pick up a bottle of wine to have when we got to the hotel, to kind of take the edge off the stress of the afternoon. It wasn't until we got to Idrija, the bigger town a few kilometers from our hotel, that we found a supermarket. Despite our challenges with the local language, we were able to tell what it was because the sign said "Supermarket". Sally picked out some produce, Beebs stayed in the car and did some stuff on her phone, and Miguel and I scoped out the local wines. We would up getting a merlot, a cab and a local grape for about EUR 12. For three bottles. Which were top shelf. Our entire bill was EUR 22, including pretzels, the fruit, the wine, 9 liters of water and a donut (a not-very-good one).

Back at the hotel, we settled down under a covered patio and killed the local grape, which came in a full liter bottle. Feeling much more relaxed, we retired to our rooms and prepared for dinner.

Dinner was pretty much a customized event here at the Kendev dvorec(3). Our host and new best friend offered us a number of choices for each course and told us his thoughts on each. Needless to say, Sally's garlic issue was scrupulously attended to, and there was no reduction in her enjoyment of the meal despite this. We brought our remaining two bottles of wine.

Miguel complements the chef, May 2014

It was amazing. Each course was delicious, prepared from fresh and local ingredients. Our host explained each one, and kept the wine flowing throughout. The conversation flowed as well, ranging from politics to history, from parenting to having parents. Quite delightful, engaging and intense(4). We finished both bottles of wine.

At no time did the subject of car windows come up.

After a couple of hours we decided we had had enough, and went into the kitchen to thank our chef. He in turn insisted that we join him for schnapps, and we wound up talking to them all for another hour in the kitchen. The conversation ranged from the EuroVision finals, to college lacrosse, to local farming and foods, to language, to 9/11. Although we'll probably never see them again, it was like making some good friends. One could say that this evening was a good reason to travel.

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(1) The prohibition on photographs inside the caves was on the website, on sign by the ticket booth and entrance, and announced very directly by the guide. It was also universally ignored.

(2) The rental company people were completely professional and helpful, even calling me back to tell me the first office we were instructed to go to didn't have a suitable car for us, and we needed to go to the airport office. They will, of course, soak us for the repairs. But they were nice.

(3) We were the only table in the restaurant until another couple came in about an hour later.

(4) Beebs and Miguel were half asleep yesterday, so this was our first real meal together. We have 11 more. I can't wait.

 

Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans