January 2 :Slovenia

Our 2nd day in Slovenia and it has yet to really impress me. Celje looked tired. The countryside, although understandably not that verdant due to it being winter is still green is pretty enough but nothing you would go out of your way for. Still, we knew we needed to do some exploring before making judgments.

Our first destination was Olimije Monastery near Podcetrkek. It was originally a castle dating back to the 1200s and converted to a monastery in mid-1600s for the use of the Pauline friars who were especially interested in healing and apothecary work. There is still a beautifully painted apothecary dating from 1780 with pictures of ancient healers as well as biblical references to healing. The murals have been wonderfully restored given that after the friars were evicted in 1782, the building was used to store grain for the next 200 years! The monastery has been re-established and the new set of monks continue to grow herbs and generate herbal tinctures and package herbal teas for the surrounding countryside. There was quite a regular clientele coming and going while we were there with the friar behind the counter kept reasonably busy. Two other interesting points: 1) despite its couple of centuries of disuse, it still had the most ornate gilded alters in all of Slovenia, the outside appearance is very pretty compared to the usual stark grey stone walls of such structures, and 3) although on the ‘must-see’ list provided by the Slovene Tourist office, it is very lay-back in its attitude to visitors. As a visitor, we showed ourselves around by just checking to see if a door was locked and then going through it if it wasn’t although we were courteous and did not proceed when one door seemed to lead straight into the living quarters for the monks.

This was quite different from the next monastery we went to, Sticna. At this monastery we were confronted by an entrance archway in an outer wall complete with closed and locked large wrought iron gates. Lyndell thought it was all locked up but a sign outside said that groups were accepted by appointment and that individuals may be guided through the monastery at the set hours of 10 and 2 pm. Well it was 2:10 so I thought I would give it a go and tried the small door in the side of the archway. It was unlocked and inside this dim recess was an elderly monk that did not speak any English. He rang someone who spoke English and I was able to put in my request to be admitted to have a look. Surprisingly, the answer was just wait and someone would be down shortly. The old monk indicated on a calculator that I should pay 9€ which I did then he push a button unlocking the huge wrought iron gates. We went in and then they were locked behind us leaving us waiting in this large stark outer courtyard. Eventually a middle aged layman appeared who spoke fair-good English and he proceeded to give us a personal guided tour of the whole monastery including the museum and the church and some of the common rooms of the monks. I was amazed as he led us through the complex unlocking doors with a large bundle of keys and then locking the doors behind us – very much a feeling of being shown through a private house which I suppose we were. We felt too self-conscious to take any photos although the cloisters were painted an interesting mix of colours that were quite interesting. I was a bit dismayed by watching him handle books dating back to the 1800s with little concern about the effect of his hands on the old paper (apparently most of the ancient manuscripts were confiscated by the Austrians in the 19th century and they never returned most of them).

(I have to add here that all day I was freezing. I just could not get warm. When we got to this monastery I was not in the right mood to see it and when it looked all locked up I thought…great back to the car. However, it was a pleasant surprise and I enjoyed it immensely. However, I did not get any warmer, in fact the churches and the buildings inside the monastery were even colder than those on the outside, so my breath was coming out in lots of icy gasps. I was really cold…even though I had Marc’s gloves on and I was rugged up, I just could not get warm. Not a good feeling.)

It is the oldest monastery in Slovenia dating back 900years. In its time, it was huge and controlled as feudal lords large amounts of land. However, the Hapsburgs threw the Cistercian monks out in the late 1800s to claim their landholdings as well as take some of their wealth. The monks did not return for 130yrs. I asked what the maximum number of monks were that lived in the monastery and the Gide said that between the World Wars there were up to 70 but now there are only 14 – fourteen monks occupying, albeit a vastly decreased sized monastery without its medieval fortifications and most of its lands, what is still a large complex of buildings.
We also stopped briefly at Bogansperk Castle that was also on the Slovene tourist office ‘must-see’ list but it was closed for the winter. ( I think I was quite happy as I was even colder by now)

What was memorable also about today was being guided by the GPS over some very narrow and dubious roads trying to get from A to B. In the end, after being on some particularly narrow roads, we gave up and headed off to the larger roads and Lyndell guided us on ‘larger’ main roads although one of these was only one lane to cover both directions. However, we did get a good look at parts of Slovenia that the usual tourist probably does not see. We saw some of the farming regions of Slovenia plus an interesting site – we came over a hill and saw a large field covered in solar panels and looking down from a hill above, the ruins of a castle – interesting contrast.
( roads….he called these roads..I think at times they were a lane…and called a highway. I was trying to find names on the map. I was looking for some of the places we were being led to, but nothing showing up in the map. When I finally found a name and discovered where we were..we had not gone very far at all from the original destination….and we had been travelling quite awhile. ) While scenery is one thing.. small country lanes in a country we did not know was not conducive to my state of mind. However we got there and it was good to know we had booked our accommodation for the night since with all our meanderings through the countryside had used up some hours.

Night time took us into Ljubljana ..the capital of Slovenia …where we were greeted by a world of beautiful lights. It was a lovely sight and so we wandered through the mains square and adjacent streets ….and settled on dinner at a lovely Slovenic restaurant ( you can get macdonalds here too in Ljubljana ) and the host was a scream. Trying to get us to eat various things,,,and showing us pictures of the food etc…but it was a great meal and we ate far too much before heading back to our hotel for an early night after out busy day of meanderings.

By the way….our hotel is called Ahotel.
Go figure.

Tell me….Have you ever tried to ask a taxi driver in English to take you to AHotel???