Slovenia | Travel By Jury

Maribor, Slovenia

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Admin of TBJ

Nestled in the Pohorje Mountains in the mysterious Styria region of Europe is the charming city of Maribor, Slovenia. It’s becoming a semi-popular European skiing and winter-sports destination, and the city, which is home to a the University of Maribor and thus a large academic and student population, is rife with fun things to do outdoors in the spring and summer as well. The first things you’re likely to do when in Maribor, however, is head straight to the Old Vine, the Guinness-certified oldest producing wine vine in the world. The vine, as well as its accompanying museum/store, are worth a stop, but its the gentle amble along the Drava in Lent, Maribor’s “old town,” that will be the most enjoyable. Stop by the market in Lent and pick up pumpkin seed oil (or just browse trinkets or fresh fruit, veggies, and jams), as well as take in the popular landmarks such as the Judgement Tower and Water Tower. Maribor can be enjoyed in its pedestrianized squares, Slomškov Trg and Glanvi Trg in particular are good for tucking in a drink outside and people watching, and the city is friendly and warm. While locals often drive to nearby Graz, Austria (about a 45 minute drive) to shop, there’s a lot of nice stores in Maribor, especially near the castle in Grajski Trg. The University and Slovene National Theater keep the city steady on classic and cutting edge arts and culture, and the city’s various monuments – relating to historical subjects that are a testament to the age of the city: the Plague,and, Communist occupation, the Second World War – are worth a look, especially the bizarre National Liberation Memorial. The cathedral and castle are lovely, and the view from Piramida Hill in Mestni Park. Maribor is easy to get around, and if you do grab a cab, it’ll be a cheap and quick ride. Maribor is a beautiful introduction to Slovenia and a wonderfully charming European city that deserves your visit – but do note that you’ll be arriving by car or train, as Maribor doesn’t have an airport (most people take a train from Ljubljana or Graz’s airports; the train from Graz can take a bit if you don’t time it right).

Filed under: Eastern Europe, Europe | Tagged: cathedral, Drava River, Eastern Europe, Europe, farmer's market, fresh fruit, friendly folk, Glanvi Trg, Grajski Trg, jams, Judgement Tower, Lent, liberation monument, Ljubljana, Maribor, Mestni Park, monuments, Old Vine, opera, Piramida Hill, plague monument, Pohorje Mountains, public market, pumpkin seed oil, Slomškov Trg, Slovene National Theater, Slovenia, Styria, train from Graz to Maribor, train from Maribor to Graz, University of Maribor, Water Tower | Leave a Comment »

JR: Bled, Slovenia

Posted on September 13, 2010 by Admin of TBJ

There is something almost incomprehensible about sitting on a park bench, looking out over a green lake pebbled by a slight breeze at a castle twice as old as your country. As the morning sun echoes off mossy stones, you see into the past and realize the great Hapsburg ruling dynasty of Europe vacationed here. Yes, Hapsburgs drank, cried, laughed, and ruled their way into oblivion while your ancestors carved a raw wilderness into The New World. As the bass swirl in the lake and Slovene citizens walk to work around you, pine trees like you’ve never seen before climb up the Julian Alps to reach the snow that never exists in May where you live. You notice the houses made of tile and stone on the opposite shore of glacial Lake Bled, beyond the castle, and you wonder what the people behind the yellow, green, beige, and pearl colored walls might think if they noticed you on this bench wearing a shirt that reads “I’m an American.” Everywhere the smell of expresso brewing, the taste of vanilla-and-cream pastry called kremna rezina, the roar of motor bikes, the playfulness of gaudy fishing boats and old men mending nets, the laughter of small children tied to their parents wrists and bouncing like helium balloons along the crowded sidewalk around the lake remind you that these good people, who have exercised a Jobian patience and resilience in the face of Nazi occupation and the internecine savagery that inflamed the Balkans when Yugoslavia split apart, are happy you came to visit. If you’re so inclined you may go horseback riding, hiking, or take a rowboat to the small island in the middle of the lake and ring the bell at Assumption of Mary Church for good luck. A more laid back idea might be to enter the town of Bled proper and gamble at one of the small casinos or enjoy a fine lunch lakeside at the five-star Grand Toplice Hotel and afterward take a horse and buggy ride or relax in the thermal-spring heated pool. The lake is situated in the northwestern corner of Slovenia forty-five kilometres from both the Italian and the Austrian borders. There are regular bus routes from most central European cities and English is spoken everywhere. Currency in Slovenia has been the Euro since 2007 and prices are very reasonable in comparsion to other European resort areas.

Juror #3/Jim McGarrah :: Click here to view juror photos

Filed under: Eastern Europe, Europe | Tagged: Assumption of Mary Church, Austrian, Balkans, bass, bench, Bled, castle, children, drinking, espresso, Europe, fishing boats, gambling, good luck, Grand Toplice Hotel, Hapsburgs, hiking, Italian, Jim McGarrah, Julian Alps, juror #3, kremna rezina, lake, Lake Bled, mossy stones, motorbikes, New World, pine trees, Slovenia, The New World, thermal springs, tile and stone houses, walking, Yugoslavia | Leave a Comment »

JR: Ljubjana, Slovenia

Posted on August 10, 2010 by Admin of TBJ

Of several legends, the one I prefer has it that Jason and his Argonauts after finding the Golden Fleece broke their boat down into pieces and were carrying it overland on a shortcut back to Greece when they arrived at a huge lake and surrounding marsh formed by the Ljubljanica River. The marsh was home to a mighty dragon and Jason slew the beast, thereby allowing a great city called Ljubljana to be built. Today Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia, a beautiful little country situated in the Julienne Alps and bordered by Italy, Croatia, the Adriatic Sea, and Hungary. Ljubljana has been heavily influenced culturally throughout its history by its conquerors, including the Romans, the Germans, and the Slavs. But, since the collapse of Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union, Slovene independance has given rise to a cosmpolitan city worthy of a visit. The city boasts of a national theater and opera house, a beautiful castle turned museum and home to some great philharmonic concerts, world class restaurants, 104 types of pizza, a major European university, several ancient Roman archaelogical sites, art galleries galore, and shops full of quaint and curious notions. There are roughly 300,000 people in the city and over 30,000 of them are university students. This helps generate a vibrant intellectual and night life, which often intermingle. What do I mean by that? Well, consider one of my favorite spots, Casa de Papa (House of Papa). During WWI, Ernest Hemingway drove an ambulance for the Italian army. He was badly wounded in the Soca Valley just outside Ljubljana and spent time recuperating in the city. Anyone who is aware of the Hemingway mythology knows what that means – drinking, carousing, writing, screwing, drinking, etc. He became quite famous in this central European outpost. Casa de Papa’s is a nightclub dedicated to his memory and full of very rare Hemingway photos and memorabilia. The owner, who invited me there to read poetry, is a man named Arthur. Arthur is a cross between Tom Green and Don Rickles in attitude and Michael Bolton and Michael Jackson in appearance and fashion sense. He acts as emcee to a once-a-week program of poetry and intellectual conversation that runs the gamut from Platonic philospophy to Camus absurdism. There is disco dancing, a fine fusion restaurant upstairs, and a bartender who can mix any drink you care to name. One caveat…if you are a short American male, as I am, be prepared for the urinals in the men’s room. They are built for giant slavs. I had to stand on my tiptoes…

Juror #3, Jim McGarrah

Filed under: Eastern Europe, Europe | Tagged: 104 types of pizza, Adriatic Sea, Argonauts, Camus absurdism, Casa de Papa, castle, European university, Golden Fleece, Hemmingway, Jim McGarrah, juror #3, Ljubjana, Ljubjanica River, museum, nightclub, opera house, philharmonic concerts, Platonic philosophy, poetry, restaurants, short urinals, Slovene Independence, Slovenia, Soca Valley, theater, Yugoslavia | Leave a Comment »

JR: Piran, Slovenia

Posted on July 23, 2010 by Admin of TBJ

One and one-half hours from Venice, Italy by ferry on the southwest coast of Slovenia, the town of Piran adorns the Adriatic Coast. Similar to the coastal resorts of Italy and Croatia, it lacks their hefty tourist prices. However, that’s all it lacks. The carnival atmosphere, the old men mending nets for their multi-colored fishing boats, the roller blade instructors, the white sand, the smell of salt air and the taste of squid in Trieste are all available at a much lower price tag. I recommend the Tri Dove restaurant where you can sit outside and gaze across the bay at Croatia, feed peanuts to the sea birds begging at your feet, and sip Lasko beer all for about the price of a diet coke in the U.S. There’s one three-star hotel called Tarteni, which is moderate to expensive but serves a great breakfast. Three miles away (ten minutes by bus) lies the town of Koper where you can catch a train to any major destination in central Europe. Triglav National Park and Trieste, Italy are within easy driving distance along with Lake Bled, Ljubljana, and several good Slovenian wineries.

Juror #3, Jim McGarrah

Filed under: Eastern Europe, Europe | Tagged: Adriatic Coast, carnival atmosphere, Croatia, Jim McGarrah, juror #3, Koper, Lake Bled, Ljubjana, Piran, Slovenia, Slovenian wineries, Tarteni, Trieste, Triglav National Park | Leave a Comment »

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Maribor, Slovenia

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