17005

Slovenia: Quiet Trails and Good Times

Today, we chose the area known as Za Šijo for our walk, completing a pleasant 4-kilometre loop through the peaceful countryside - Garmin Connect. In the evening, we headed to the annual closing event of Športno Društvo Podljubelj. The gathering brought together members and friends of the club to celebrate another successful year of activities. The highlight of the evening was the awards ceremony, where we were pleased to collect a few prizes.

Exploring the quieter trails, far from the usual crowds.

 

Bronco's day was made the moment he found a bone worth carrying home.

A well-earned celebration after a year filled with sports, adventures, and community spirit.

#hiking #mountains #Karawanks #CatahoulaLeopardDog

17002

Slovenia: A Visit to the Tržič Museum

December 3rd is a special day for museums in Slovenia. On this date, many museums and galleries offer free admission in honour of France Prešeren, Slovenia's greatest poet, who was born on December 3, 1800.

Since it had been many years since I last visited my hometown museum in Tržič, Nada and I decided to take advantage of the occasion and spend a couple of hours exploring it.

Housed in the historic Pollak Manor, the Tržič Museum showcases the trades and industries that shaped the town's development over the centuries. The permanent exhibition, The Wealth of Trades, presents the rich heritage of shoemaking, leatherworking, textile production, indigo dyeing, blacksmithing, wheelwrighting, and several other crafts that once provided a livelihood for much of the town's population.

One of the highlights is the extensive shoemaking exhibition. Tržič has long been synonymous with shoemaking, and the museum tells the story of the craft from small family workshops to the rise of the famous Peko factory. Original tools, machinery, photographs, and hundreds of shoes offer a fascinating glimpse into a trade that left a lasting mark on the town.

The museum is also home to the Slovenian Ski Museum, which presents the history of skiing from its earliest beginnings to modern competitive sport. As one of the cradles of Slovenian skiing, Tržič naturally receives special attention, with exhibitions dedicated to local champions such as Bojan Križaj, Mateja Svet, Žan Košir and also my aunt Lojzka Meglič.

 

Ski and medals, some from my aunt.

My aunt in the middle.

 

A reminder of the golden days of skiing in Tržič, with historic skis and a chairlift seat from the legendary Zelenica ski resort, where generations of skiers rode the chairlift between 1965 and 2012.

 

Shoemaking required patience, precision, and good lighting. The cobbler's lamp ensured that every stitch and every detail could be clearly seen.

 

A Hauschulz Berolina piano from Berlin-Neukölln stands beside dental instruments, a reminder that tooth extraction was once part of a barber's trade.

#museum

17000

Slovenia: The First Day of Merry December

December has begun, bringing with it the festive season that we in Slovenia like to call "Merry December." To start the month, Bronco and I headed out for a somewhat longer walk beneath the slopes of Košuta - Garmin Connect.

After returning home, we took some time to relax before continuing with the afternoon's plans. We spent a few hours at the Wellness Centre in Bled, enjoying some well-deserved rest and relaxation. To finish the day, we did something we had not done in quite a while and paid a visit to Mexican restaurant in Lesce. Good food, a relaxed atmosphere, and great company provided the perfect ending to the day.

 

A taste of Mexico in Lesce after a relaxing day in Bled.

#hiking #mountains #Karawanks #CatahoulaLeopardDog #food

16999

Slovenia: Happy Birthday Nada

Yesterday's pre-birthday celebration, known locally as an "ofiranje," left a few traces on how we felt this morning. The state of the apartment upon our return confirmed that our friends had thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Streamers, decorations, giant "40" signs, and various other surprises were waiting for us, although none of it came as a particular shock.

To start the day, Nada and I did a bit of cleaning at home before heading to the scene of yesterday's crime: the sledding hut at Ljubelj. There was still some tidying up to do there as well, so we spent part of the afternoon cleaning and putting everything back in order. Bronco joined the effort too, although his contribution was mostly limited to supervision and occasional inspections - Garmin Connect.

The day ended on a quieter note. Back at home, Nada began working on a puzzle that had been prepared by the participants of yesterday's celebration. It quickly became clear that they had not made it easy for her. What initially looked like a simple challenge turned out to require quite a bit of thinking, and her mission is apparently far from over.

 

Cleaning duties, puzzle solving, and birthday celebrations all rolled into one day.

40 and getting younger every year.

A short walk with Bronco while the cleanup operation continued at the hut.

The sheep knew the answer. Nada didn't.

#hiking #mountains #Karawanks #birthday #CatahoulaLeopardDog

16998

Slovenia: Hike & Fly: Hudičev Boršt & "Ofiranje"

Today, Nada, Bronco, and I took a pleasant morning walk to Zavetišče v Hudičevem borštu. The weather was beautiful, so I brought my paraglider along and launched from the top, enjoying a wonderful flight down to Lake Črnava in Preddvor, where I waited for them to arrive - Garmin Connect.

Since Nada's birthday is tomorrow, we expected our friends to come "ofirat" her, a Slovenian tradition where friends visit and celebrate with the birthday person a day before their actual birthday. To make things easier, we organized the gathering at the Sankaška koča na Ljubelju. Back home, we simply left a note on the door saying that we were not there and that anyone looking for us could find us on Ljubelj.

After quickly preparing the hut, we waited for our friends to arrive. Before long, the place filled with laughter and good company, and a wonderful evening began. We enjoyed catching up with friends, listening to great music, and sharing plenty of good food. It was the perfect way to celebrate Nada's birthday and spend time together before her special day.

Walking up the forest road through the colours of autumn.

 

Nada and Bronco.

It looks like the weather will be perfect for flying.

 

The trail leading into Hudičev Boršt (Devil's Forest).

Fresh water emerging from a spring in Hudičev Boršt.

One quick selfie before we went our separate ways.

Getting the sledding hut ready for the pre-birthday gathering.

Lights out.

Good food, good company, and plenty of laughter.

Friends gathered around the table for an evening to remember.

Plenty of smiles around the table.

 

Laughter echoed through the hut all evening long.

#hiking #paragliding #mountains #Kamnik-Savinja Alps #birthday

16996

Slovenia: Geocaching

Today I had to get from work without a car, which meant taking the train from Ljubljana to Kranj, where then Nada picked me up. To cover the remaining sections of the journey, I hopped on my kick scooter, turning an ordinary commute into a bit of an adventure, Garmin Connect, Garmin Connect.

Of course, I could not resist making a few detours along the way. On the scooter trips, I managed to find and log three geocaches, adding a little treasure hunting to the day's travels.

Trail of Remembrance and Comradeship runs around Ljubljana.

The trip also reminded me that a kick scooter is not exactly the ideal vehicle for gravel roads.

Geocaches found (all received a visit by trackable items "SOURICETTE", TB7FT4A, "Second Angel of peace", TBA8B55 and "Twin Star", TB33TN8):

- Enzo's cache, Multi, GC4TYAP

- KVA KVA!!! / CROAK CROAK!!!, GCB6AJV

- ŽP Kranj, GCAKNZ2

#kickscooter #geocaching

16992

Slovenia: Prelaz Ljubelj

We started the day with a walk straight from home. Bronco and I followed a forest track that brought us to the trail leading from Ljubelj to Prevala Mountain Pasture. From there, we continued through the famous Born tunnels before descending to Ljubelj and making our way back home - Garmin Connect. Waiting for us there was an excellent reward: Nada had prepared some delicious homemade potato chips.

In the afternoon, we met up with our neighbors for the fifth traditional hike marking Rudolf Maister Day. Once again, our destination was Ljubelj Pass, where a generous feast awaited us. Naturally, no proper gathering would be complete without raising a toast together.

Rudolf Maister Day commemorates the events of 23 November 1918, when Rudolf Maister and his troops disarmed the German security forces in Maribor and secured large parts of the Slovene-speaking territory of Styria and Carinthia for what would later become part of modern Slovenia.

It turned out to be one of those perfect autumn days: a pleasant morning walk with Bronco, a warm welcome at home, and an afternoon spent outdoors with neighbors, good food, and good company.

Previous gatherings: 4th - 2024 - 16626, 3rd - 2023 - 16260, 2nd - 2022 - 15896, 1st - 2020 - 14853.

Following a forest track toward the mountain trail.

A view toward home and our beloved Šentanska dolina valley.

Košutica framed by a tunnel window in the Born tunnels.

 

The Born Tunnels were excavated on the orders of Baron Julius Born, who used them to gain easier access to his hunting grounds on the southern slopes of Begunjščica.

Our afternoon destination: Koča na Ljubelju.

Nada's homemade potato chips were the perfect reward after the walk.

Halfway to Ljubelj Pass, the western ridge of Košuta comes into view, crowned by Veliki Vrh.

Looking at the snow-covered slope, we all agreed that bringing a sled would have been the smarter choice.

 

The annual Rudolf Maister Day hike brought the neighbors together once again.

Long shadows and golden light signaled the approaching sunset.

The last stretch before a well-earned stop.

 

Only Žiga was smart enough to bring a sled.

The final sunlight of the day illuminating the Šentanska dolina valley below.

We had made it to the end of the uphill trail.

We quickly occupied the tables and made ourselves comfortable.

A hearty meal after a day outdoors always tastes a little better.

The participants of our 5th traditional Rudolf Maister Day hike - Garmin Connect.

The evening wasn't over yet. On the way home, we found one more place to stop.

#hiking #mountains #Karawanks #Neighbourhood #CatahoulaLeopardDog