We left the singing city, and took several trains to land us in Maribor, Slovenia. We ended up going the wrong route (according to our ticket) due to the bad advice of a train condu
ctor. Joe looks up and says, “The other part of our train is leaving”. Good thing no one was in the meal car at the time!! We were greeted by Joe's cousin Luchka, whom we stayed with for the week along with her husband Duchan and their two daughters. Right from the start we were made to feel like part of the family. There was always plenty of food to be had (and that you were expected to eat!) and plenty of alcohol. We had no idea that people could drink so much, seriously! The food consisted of cold cuts, untoasted bread, cheese, and pickles. Very fatty, but tasty!
As part of their motorcycle club, they take two trips per year, we were lucky to have arrived on this weekend. We joined the bus tour across the whole of Slovenia (all 350km of it!) to the coast where Ita
ly is only kilometers away. I quite enjoyed the coast of the country that is still fighting for a part of the Adriatic Sea. So beautiful and quiet, plus everything is relatively cheap for our dollar! Although Slovenian’s don’t actually make that much money considering the prices. Many people complain of the negative impact the European Union has brought to their country along with the many positives. It is more of an advantage for a rich country than a poor country to join. Depending on how you look at it.
The day started off at 6:30, with our ticket to get onto the bus was a shot of brandy (no exceptions)! A few minutes later and it was a shot of jagermeister. I think you can imagine how the rest of the day went! In between the Slovenian trade museum, a magnificent cave and a space museum, we were constantly handed beers and made to do shots with the fellow bus goers. Some of us (Nina) were a bit happier about the drinking.
Finally, we stopped for dinner at a very nice wine tasting restaurant. Unfortunately some of the men were so drunk that they were shouting out during the presentation. Pretty funny, although embarrassing since we were sitting at their table!! As dinner progressed, the night go
t livelier. Two guys had come prepared with an accordion and trumpet, so we danced the polka. One of the guys actually fell asleep for about a half hour, laying his head down on the table! We stumbled aboard the bus, and the show got even better. Joe’s 45 year old cousin finished the evening by dancing and gyrating for all in nothing but his red underwear. That man can move! Needless to say, his wife was at the front of the bus ignoring him! We arrived home about 11:30, having not stopped drinking for the past 17 hours. Although they do not do this every day, we decided that the Slovenians know how to party! What a great way to see the country though, on a bus filled with locals. The land
scape was stunning and everything we’d hoped for. Green landscapes filled with red roofed country style houses. So adorable!
The next few days were spent visiting various family members of Joe's. Everyone was so welcoming and generous. We enjoyed great home cooked grub like schnitzel and potatoes, and a superb lunch on top of a mountain at a ski resort. One memory that stands out is visiting with Joe's 80 year old uncle, who insisted on giving us his homemade blueberry schnapps. They also took us bowling, and to the casino! Some people’s English was better than others and we tended to drift towards those we could communicate with!
We made a day trip to Zagreb, Croatia with Joe's cousin Dushan. Because Croatia is not part of the EU, we had to give our passports for inspection, but there was no questioning or
anything, they pretty much just let you right through (not like the US/Canada border). Zagreb was a lovely city, although quite big and intimidating compared to adorable Maribor. Being the capital of Croatia, there is a large population and tall buildings in the city. We walked through some lovely blossom trees, around the shops including an outdoor market, and stopped for pivo (beer) on a very young and trendy street lined with outdoor cafes. We learned throughout our trip that Croatians and Slovenians on a whole are not too fond of one another, so they rarely visit each other's countries even though they are so close!
The last day in Maribor we went shopping at the local mall, and walked around downtown (which doesn't take long considering the size!). We all loved how small and inviting the city makes you feel. Perhaps we have a biased opinion since we stayed with such nice hospitable people, but nevertheless I would certainly go back and visit if I had the chance. This was the third Eastern European country Nina and I had visited, and as far as the people go, our favorite. They are so much nicer and not in such a rush as other places. We really enjoyed our stay! Slovenia has renewed our faith in Eastern Europe!
ctor. Joe looks up and says, “The other part of our train is leaving”. Good thing no one was in the meal car at the time!! We were greeted by Joe's cousin Luchka, whom we stayed with for the week along with her husband Duchan and their two daughters. Right from the start we were made to feel like part of the family. There was always plenty of food to be had (and that you were expected to eat!) and plenty of alcohol. We had no idea that people could drink so much, seriously! The food consisted of cold cuts, untoasted bread, cheese, and pickles. Very fatty, but tasty!As part of their motorcycle club, they take two trips per year, we were lucky to have arrived on this weekend. We joined the bus tour across the whole of Slovenia (all 350km of it!) to the coast where Ita
ly is only kilometers away. I quite enjoyed the coast of the country that is still fighting for a part of the Adriatic Sea. So beautiful and quiet, plus everything is relatively cheap for our dollar! Although Slovenian’s don’t actually make that much money considering the prices. Many people complain of the negative impact the European Union has brought to their country along with the many positives. It is more of an advantage for a rich country than a poor country to join. Depending on how you look at it.The day started off at 6:30, with our ticket to get onto the bus was a shot of brandy (no exceptions)! A few minutes later and it was a shot of jagermeister. I think you can imagine how the rest of the day went! In between the Slovenian trade museum, a magnificent cave and a space museum, we were constantly handed beers and made to do shots with the fellow bus goers. Some of us (Nina) were a bit happier about the drinking.
Finally, we stopped for dinner at a very nice wine tasting restaurant. Unfortunately some of the men were so drunk that they were shouting out during the presentation. Pretty funny, although embarrassing since we were sitting at their table!! As dinner progressed, the night go
t livelier. Two guys had come prepared with an accordion and trumpet, so we danced the polka. One of the guys actually fell asleep for about a half hour, laying his head down on the table! We stumbled aboard the bus, and the show got even better. Joe’s 45 year old cousin finished the evening by dancing and gyrating for all in nothing but his red underwear. That man can move! Needless to say, his wife was at the front of the bus ignoring him! We arrived home about 11:30, having not stopped drinking for the past 17 hours. Although they do not do this every day, we decided that the Slovenians know how to party! What a great way to see the country though, on a bus filled with locals. The land
scape was stunning and everything we’d hoped for. Green landscapes filled with red roofed country style houses. So adorable!The next few days were spent visiting various family members of Joe's. Everyone was so welcoming and generous. We enjoyed great home cooked grub like schnitzel and potatoes, and a superb lunch on top of a mountain at a ski resort. One memory that stands out is visiting with Joe's 80 year old uncle, who insisted on giving us his homemade blueberry schnapps. They also took us bowling, and to the casino! Some people’s English was better than others and we tended to drift towards those we could communicate with!
We made a day trip to Zagreb, Croatia with Joe's cousin Dushan. Because Croatia is not part of the EU, we had to give our passports for inspection, but there was no questioning or
anything, they pretty much just let you right through (not like the US/Canada border). Zagreb was a lovely city, although quite big and intimidating compared to adorable Maribor. Being the capital of Croatia, there is a large population and tall buildings in the city. We walked through some lovely blossom trees, around the shops including an outdoor market, and stopped for pivo (beer) on a very young and trendy street lined with outdoor cafes. We learned throughout our trip that Croatians and Slovenians on a whole are not too fond of one another, so they rarely visit each other's countries even though they are so close!
The last day in Maribor we went shopping at the local mall, and walked around downtown (which doesn't take long considering the size!). We all loved how small and inviting the city makes you feel. Perhaps we have a biased opinion since we stayed with such nice hospitable people, but nevertheless I would certainly go back and visit if I had the chance. This was the third Eastern European country Nina and I had visited, and as far as the people go, our favorite. They are so much nicer and not in such a rush as other places. We really enjoyed our stay! Slovenia has renewed our faith in Eastern Europe!
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