Jewish Telegraph In Bohinj

26 JEWISH TELEGRAPH Friday October 2, 2009

TRAVEL Where exactly is it, they asked me, writes Paul Harris

I

F you’re planning a trip to Slovenia don’t expect the chance to emulate those world-class ski-jumpers who seem to defy the odds – and gravity – as they fly through the air in seemingly impossible manner.

Even Eddie the Eagle was refused permission to take to those daunting slopes which are reserved for the top pros. Indeed, Slovenians themselves, other than those at the very top of the profession, have to content themselves with alpine skiing, the country’s number one sport. Slovenians can give us mere mortals an inferiority complex. Most look fit and well-toned, probably the result not only of their skiing exploits but the outdoor life which includes cyclin g, hikin g, mushroom picking (every Slovenian is allowed by law to collect 2kg daily) and the more extreme sports like climbing, kayaking and rafting. But today visitors to the country can also enjoy the healthy side with wellness spas at many of the hotels. The Republic of Slovenia isn’t part of Croatia and it was never a member of the Soviet Union. It was actually a constituent of the former Yugoslavia, albeit with very moderate communist ethos. Its inhabitants mostly speak Slovenian, although you will hear some Hungarian and Italian due to its geographical location. The two million Slovenians actually speak 47 dialects. I raise this because so many people seem unaware where Slovenia actually is, what language is spoken and even the fact that it is a member of the European Union. It actually shares borders with Italy, Hungary, Austria and Croatia and as a result enjoys the best of its neighbours’ varied climates and cuisines. Slovenia is a chocolate box country with beautiful alpine views of snow-topped or cloud-kissed mountains and picturesque villages with woodenframed houses. It’s actually the second greenest country in Europe after Finland, and the fourth in the world with 64 per cent afforestation. You feel the cleanness of the air and you can drink water quite literally from source. It’s definitely better than the bottled variety. Thomas Hardy’s novels reflect the everchan gin g moods of Egdon Heath, according to the season. Slovenia is similar with its seasonal landscape changes. Hot summers accord tourists sunbathin g weather, while dramatically snowy winters offer superb skiin g conditions. The country seems to have it all. The great outdoors has an abundance of hostels and other budget accommodation for Hikin g can be as cyclists and hikers. easy or hard as you want and with 10,000 It can cost as little kilometres of marked as eight Euros in a dorroutes, the opportunimitory or 15 Euros for ties are manifold – not a room in what are bad for a country spanknown as huts but ning just 20,000 sq km. what we would describe as refuges. With a backdrop dominated by the There are more than Julian Alps, Kamnik 70 in the Julian Alps and Savinja Alps and alone, the highest at Karavanke Alps, Slove2,500 metres.

SHEEP graze calmly in the foothills of the Julian Alps. Seconds later they surrounded our correspondent

Slovenia’s a country of ever-changing landscapes and moods

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nia is a place of spectacular beauty. It’s the Julian Alps in the north-west though whose sheer magnificence takes the breath away. Set beneath them are Lake Bled, with its own island and castle. In the Julian Alps’ foothills is the fairytale town of Kranjska

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Gora. It seemed quite normal when dozens of inquisitive sheep surrounded me to inspect my camera and rucksack before wandering off to find something more interesting. ■ Continued on next page

Friday October 2, 2009 JEWISH TELEGRAPH 27

Eddie the Eagle was even refused ■ Continued from previous page Slovenia’s just that type of place. There is also the dauntin g world championship ski-jump slope although there are simpler, alpine runs to be enjoyed by the entire family. Try the 1,500 metre toboggan run on a fixed rail. It’s safe, you control your speed with a brake, but it’s still pretty scary as you take steep curves at some speed. The Oca Valley with its waterfalls and ravines brings you to Most na Soci. From there, a unique car train transports you in 30 minutes to Bohinjska Bistrica. You stay in your vehicle and enjoy the passing scenery from the open wagons. There’s also Kranj in the west with its medieval layout and hundreds of metres of Second World War tunnels which are open to the public by appointment. The capital Ljubljana is

THE glorious setting of Lake Bled. Right, an old lady collects grapes for wine-making just outside Maribor. Locals are paid 25 Euros a day plus lunch and two litres of wine

vibrant and combines ancient and modern. The castle with stunning views of the city has its origins as far back as 1220. Restaurants and bars line the banks of the river as young and old enjoy a variety of food and drink. Slovenian wines are surprisingly good but not yet available in this country. Tourists can p articip ate in grape-picking. Locals themselves are paid 25 Euros a day for the privilege with a meal and two litres of wine thrown in. Wellness in Slovenia takes many forms, from the obvious facilities of the hotel spas to the less obvious at, for instance, the Hotel Spik in Gozd Martuljek with its themed treatment rooms which promise “a healthy balance of the mind, body and spirit”. The forest a few metres’ walk from the Bellevue Hotel in Pohorje, near Maribor, boasts special

properties. It is the energy beneath, they say, which promises various cures at differently marked points. Om, for instance, pledges to alleviate “lack of self-confidence, anger and women’s difficulties in partnerships”. Slovenia has just a handful of five star hotels, but the latest, the Bohinj Park in Bohinjska Bistrica is eco-friendly to the ultimate degree. It’s a hotel which offers fine cuisine, excellent standards of accommodation, a massive adjacent aquapark and its own bowling alley. ■ Further information: www.slovenia.info ■ Bradt Travel Guide, Slovenia by Robin and Jenny McKelvie (£13.99) ■ The Rough Guide to Slovenia by Norm Longley (£12.99) ■ Adria Airways flies regularly from London Gatwick