Three months ago I went on a shopping spree to London. I hailed a cab outside Heathrow Airport and excitedly squeezed myself into the back seat right between my two most treasured Samsonite travel bags. The cab driver was a chatty man. I couldn't figure out his accent, but I was sure about one thing: he was definitely hooked on my Samsonites because he kept eyeing the bags in his rear view mirror... or...perhaps... was it my lipstick that he liked? Anyway, the guy wasn't pleased with silence, so a little conversation seemed to be the only option.
'Where are you from?' he asked.
'Slovenia,' I replied.
'Oh, nice. I've been to Bratislava. Good beer, pretty women.'
'Um, thanks.'
If me and the driver had been shooting a movie with that particular script, then the next scene would have featured me secretly rolling my eyes in the backseat and calling the poor cabbie nasty names in my mind. But since the guy probably isn't the only geographically confused gentleman around, I really shouldn't mind. Back in 1999, George Bush had the same problem.
So let me explain one thing to you: The two countries don't share borders. They never did and probably never will. And there are thousands of Slovenes out there who have never been to Slovakia - like me. Also please bear in mind that I won't discuss the differences and similarities between Slovenia and Slovakia here; this brief article is about Slovenia only.
Slovenia lies in Central Europe and borders Italy, Austria, Hungary, Croatia and the Adriatic Sea. It's tiny and unique, with just over 2 million people. Legend says that Slovenia was created purely by accident; when God was creating the world, he was left with an area under the sunny side of the Alps that he hadn't formed yet. He decided to create a country where many natural wonders of the world would keep each other company in one single tiny place. That's how Slovenia was created. Its crystal clear rivers, interesting castles and manors, thermal spas, charming coastline, beautiful valleys and flatland, the world-famous Karst caves, the magnificent Alps, and the mysterious plain beyond the Mura River are all perfect holiday destinations.
Now that you know that Bratislava is not in Slovenia, you might be a bit curious about the capital city of this pint-sized country. The charming little capital with a hilltop castle is called Ljubljana, and throughout its history, it has been influenced by its geographic position at the crossroads of the Slavic world with the Germanic and Latin cultures. It is a tiny capital indeed, but it offers a wealth of culture, sights, activities, and beautiful green parks. Everything is within such easy reach- most sights that Ljubljana has to offer are a mere stroll or cycle away. Just take the funicular up to Ljubljana Castle and enjoy the view. I guarantee that you won't be disappointed. If you still don't believe me, go ask the world-famous novelist Paulo Coelho, who chose Ljubljana as the perfect location for his international bestseller Veronika Decides to Die.
Slovenia is divided into many regions. The historical attachment of these regions to its neighbouring countries produced an array of different dialects and customs that can still be found throughout Slovenia today. For example, the inhabitants of the coastal region are very different from the inhabitants of formerly Hungarian Eastern Slovenia. But that's a bit logical, isn't it? All these regions offer you a lot of exciting fun and pampering experiences. If you are an ardent wine lover you can knock yourself out in our numerous wineries. Vino (wine) has been made in our territory since ancient times and is of a very high quality indeed. We aren't very generous when it comes to exporting it- we prefer to drink most of it by ourselves. Not kidding there...
If wellness is your thing, you can visit one of our numerous spa resorts. The town of Radenci is a well-known spa town and boasts the outstanding mineral water Radenska, which has been bottled here since 1869. Those of you who love horses have probably heard about the world-famous Spanish Riding School in Vienna. I bet you've been admiring the beautiful snow-white horses they use. Guess what? They aren't theirs but ours! The Lipizzaners are not white when they are born. Their imperial white does not come about until they are between 5 and 10 years old, when their skin loses its pigment. You can visit them in the Lipica stud farm in the Karst village of Lipica.
Slovenia has an excellent system of trails; you can go hiking or walking, cycling or mountain biking in almost every region. Skiing is the most popular form of recreation in Slovenia, and, if you think that the French, Swiss or Italian Alpine resorts are over-priced, you can visit ours. They are smaller, but they do offer lower prices, easy access and cosiness. The beautiful Triglav National park with the highest Slovene summit Mount Triglav (2864 m) at its centre, is perfect for mountain climbers, but almost everyone who is in good physical shape can make the climb. In summer months Slovenes like to do 2 things: in the morning they drive to their country houses in the hills or mountains, and in the afternoon they drive down to the sea for an evening swim. The drive from the capital to the Slovene seaside will take you no more than an hour. How cool is that?
I could go on and on with the sightseeing list, but then again you can do a bit of googling on your own. What I'd like to mention before I finish are two things that Slovenia has that other countries don't have. The first one comes in the form of wildlife and the second one in the form of desserts. Let's start with wildlife. Two species unique to Slovenia are the marbled trout from the Soaaa River and Proteus anguinus, a blind salamander that lives in karst cave pools and is the only exclusively cave-dwelling vertebrate in the world. The salamander really is an interesting creature: it has no eyes and becomes sexually active at 14 years old.
Now, lets continue with food, or more precisely, with fabulous Slovene desserts. Our cuisine boasts several yummy desserts. Potica, a nut roll made with sweet or savoury fillings, is the queen, and is usually baked at Christmas and Easter. Then there is Prekmurska gibanica from the mysterious plain beyond the Mura River. This rich pastry is a combination of poppy seeds, walnuts, apples, sultanas, cheese and cream. Finally, there is the famous Bled cream cake, which is a layer of vanilla custard topped with whipped cream and sandwiched between two layers of flaky pastry. If you want to eat it, then you have to visit Bled, known for the glacial Lake Blead, which is a major tourist destination.
Slovenia obviously is a dream destination and, if you ask me, also a good place to live. Slovenes, well -educated and sophisticated, are a friendly people. Almost everyone here speaks some English, German or Italian. We, as Slovenes, are not often geographically-confused because we are a small nation driven by knowledge, and knowledge itself has helped us survive thousands and thousands of years under foreign rule. You will make us very happy if you visit us... and... leave heaps of well-spent money behind. Our economy will love it and we shall love you in return. And if you want to make us love you to death, then remember that Bratislava is not in Slovenia, and that Slovenia is not the same as Slovakia. For that, Slovaks will love you too. Welcome.
