What I knew about Slovenia before my trip:
- A wallflower patch of land wedged somewhere in Central Europe
- Birther nation of the current Mrs. Trump
- A place I had no interest in visiting
What I knew about Slovenia during my trip:
- The language is near impossible to decipher
- The sausage cevapcici (case in point) and its roasted pepper sauce ajvar are a new obsession
- The landscapes rival Tuscany, except Tuscany isn’t ringed by snow-capped mountains
What I knew about Slovenia after my trip:
- A place I definitely was interested in visiting
As all who saw my Facebook posts know, the trip entailed a week of introduction to the country’s traditions and heritage, both culinary and historical. I was there to vet possible tours for the travel firm Active Gourmet Holidays (activegourmetholidays.com) , and my charming, well-connected ex-pat guide, Andrew, was a fount of efficiency and knowledge. From foodie-tour walks in the capital city Ljubljiana (another indecipherable case in point; fyi: letter j’s are silent), a smaller, bit shabbier Prague; to visits to farmers, including the Slovenian Istrian region’s Slow Food rep; beekeepers (the native Carniola bee is a source of national pride and income)’ and a lesson in making the traditional cake poteca (po-te-tza), I consumed cheeses, cured meats, strudels, and too much schnapps to recall. And this was just in the first two days!
Check back for upcoming commentary on the next four!
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