Falling For sLOVEnia

Knives

Oct 9, 20193 min read

I feel like every time I blink it's a new day. I really wish that it would all slow down, I just want to soak this experience in to the maximum! Which I guess is an funny way to saying: I really don't blog as much as I (probably) should. But you see, we found summer again recently and - let's be honest - who wants to spend a warm, sunny day seaside staring at their computer?!! ....Okay, other than 'IT Security Geek Kelly' 😉 - but even he is getting out and working on his tan!! 😎

Okay, so Croatia! We've been here for three weeks now and this country is blowing our minds with its beauty and hospitality!! But wait, isn't this blog about Slovenia? You bet it is!

Unfortunately, there is just no way for me to share Croatia with you without first giving Slovenia the centre stage spot it deserves! It might be a small country, but it is BIG in so many outstanding ways!

To date, we've stayed in Slovenia twice now and interestingly neither one of them was actually planned, it just felt...right a the time. And, really, how can it not - it's the only country with the word LOVE in it's name!

The green views of North Eastern Slovenia

Slovenia may be a little more difficult to find on a map, but it really is everything in one compact package. Sandwiched between the Alps and the Adriatic Sea, Slovenia has everything from castles and caves to villages and vineyards!

Almost 60% of the country is covered by forest, making it one of the most densely forested countries in Europe. It's no wonder that it is the only country in Europe to have a population of over 500 brown bears! Although I also did learn that there are 90,000 beekeepers there too (that's 1 in every 20 people) so...maybe the bear population has something to do with all that honey? *wink*

Exploring Eastern Slovenia

Compared to Ljubijana or Lake Bled, Eastern Slovenia doesn't get a lot of tourists. So of course circumstance would have it that this is where we ended up visiting first!

Yes, we saw and watched the water-buffalo (YES! IN SLOVENIA!)

Between our time in Vienna and Southern Austria, we rented an entire house just outside the community of Jeruzalem. I can't believe I'm telling you this but... we ultimately decided on the house because it had a big backyard so that the dogs could just play and run to their hearts content in the August summer sun. (Boy, do the dogs ever have us trained😜) But it also had a pool for us, remote rural tranquility, grapevines, blackberries, fruit trees (fig, peach, apple, plum & pear), warm sunsets over cornfields, and the fastest internet speeds we've seen in Europe!

In Slovenia, they really love making wine, and it shows, as there is a vineyard for every 70 people in the country. And I can completely understand why - IT'S DELICIOUS! Even though I'm in Croatia right now, I am still seeking out Slovenian wine at the store - but let's keep that our little secret, kay? ..... Puklavec Family Wines are my new found favourite🥂...aagh I've already told you too much!!!)

Here is but a sample of our time there, and I really hope that, if you have the chance, you'll go there and experience it for yourself.

Which Way to the Beach?

"But I want to spend my vacation on the beach" you say? Well hey, good thing you can also enjoy the Adriatic Sea in this magical little country. Slovenia has a tiny coastline - just 30 miles according to Google...which would be..um...48.28km. But it's totally more than enough to get your toes wet, lounge out, and eat gelato!🍨

We made an unplanned trip to coastal Piran in early September (shortly after my last post now that I think about it - See what I mean about time just slipping away?!!), and even though I was fighting a head cold, we had such a fantastic time!

We treated ourselves to a few nights at the Boutique Hotel Portorose just outside of the old town of Piran. I think the only way to best convey the beauty of this place is to share a quick 50 second video...

It really look like this.

In fact, it's even cooler when you're down exploring the city streets that twist and turn in a maze of drying laundry, snoozing cats, and tiny family run restaurants. It's even better in September when the crowds are mostly gone and you feel like a local.

But again, you don't need to take my word for it...