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Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Maribor, Slovenia.
Portoroz, Slovenia.
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My wife and I (pictured above) having some fun in the sun. [source]
Our summer vacation was a bit different this year. For one thing, we took a scattershot approach. Instead of staying in one place for a week, we went on a ten-day rampage through Vienna, Piran, Celje, Štanjel and for the coup de grâce: Olimije. The other difference is that we also took our first vacation alone (so, without children) for the weekend. Here are some quick impressions:
Vienna: Best. Zoo. Ever. Some zoos in this part of Europe are more like concentration camps for animals, but Schönbrunn is loaded with healthy, beautiful animals in comfortable surroundings. A++++. Would gawk there again!!!!1!!
Piran: It’s beautiful, of course, but what really blew my mind was when I found a ticket on my car — and it was only a warning. I feel warm and fuzzy just thinking about that beautiful moment. Unlike other cities in Slovenia, where your car gets towed the second you turn off the ignition, regardless of whether you parked illegally or not, here’s a place that has the friendliness to just warn you. Everyone in Piran for president!!
Celje: Slovenes universally underestimate Celje. I’ve always liked it, but now it seems to be booming more than a boombox that transforms into a giant robot. Celje for capital of Slovenia!
Štanjel: A very pleasant, dilapidated town in what is invariably referred to as “the mysterious Karst.” The biggest mystery, I think, is why everyone keeps calling it “mysterious”.
Olimije: Awesome. They don’t have a magic fish spa yet, but otherwise they’ve got it all. This is the first place in Slovenia that struck me as really, really having its shit together, at least when it comes to tourism. Instead of the old technique of: “Dear dumb turist, please to make spend much forreign denominations of your currencies here; in the meantime we will quietly grimace at you,” I really got the sense that authorities are thinking of the big picture and trying to provide as much as they possibly can. And they do. They’ve even got cows, for chrissakes. What more do you need?
And that was my awesome summer vacation. How was yours?
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Welcome home, Michael. We’ve missed you!
Welcome back, Michael! I can’t believe we all made it this long without your biting wit.
I’ll be there in a few days, hopefully someone can an explain this “summer vacation” business to me over a cold Laško. The concept doesn’t seem to have made it stateside.
Piran rules, indeed! Primorska has something… so far I like everything I know coming from there.
Welcome back, commander.
So summer’s over and Michael’s back
You seem to have chosen some really nice places to go.
I would love to stretch my vacation some more. The Great Outdoors seems to agree with me very, very, erm: very well.
Looks like someone is trying to compete with “Monday Morning Meat”
When it comes to municipal authorities in Piran, they first give you a ticket and some hours later you might have friendly souvenirs attached to your wheels. That’s the way I’ve seen it in Portorož, which is the same “občina”. The comments of locals were however interesting. Comment 1: “throw the ticket away and ignore it”. Comment 2: “Leave it where it is, so they won’t give you another one”.
Hey, hey, HEY! Waddayoumean “Celje for Capital of Slovenia”?!?!?!
pauses to think. On the other hand… Does that mean that Maribor would start blaming Celje for its troubles?
Great article (almost as good as the picture)!
Just for a reminder - it’s written Olimije.
Nice pair of moobs you got yourself there!
Oh, Poulette, I don’t want to be too pedantic, but these are not moobs, this is one proper bodybuilding CHEST. But you are right: VERY NICE, though a bit worrying cause Michael doesn’t seem to have any neck left. (Is that all new, neckless wonder Michael?) I bet the pic was taken in Celje, what with all them palm tress at the back. Was it? Was it?
It’s definitely a Chest with a capital C, and I’ll have you all know that it took A LOT OF WORK to be able to afford enough steroids to make it look so good.
And I wouldn’t be surprised if Celje does get a ton of palm trees in the next few years. I get the feeling there’s nothing they can’t do — even if that means turning their city into a tropical paradise.
(Fixed Olimije! — thanks Sil!)
Welcome back!
My vacation was also awesome - first Morroco, then Krakow and finally Rhodes … best vacation ever!
Welcome back, Michael. It’s been awfully quiet without you. We’ll be following in some of your footsteps in just a few short weeks…okay, about six but the anticipation makes it seem like tomorrow for us. We need some more detail on the places you visited. Olimije isn’t even listed on the Slovenian Tourist Board’s web site! And I need a little more dish on Celje, too…it’s on our list but what are the Celjean Do’s and Don’ts?
And the girl in the picture…I think I know her. Doesn’t she work for the WSJ Online!?
WHAT? You didn’t throw carrots into my cage when you were in Vienna? Shame on you!
Kevin: I used to work for the WSJ Online, but I have to say I don’t remember anyone like that.. and I would remember. As for Olimije: It’s fantastic. If you want to try the Slovenian spa experience, that’s the place to go.
novala: I believe you were in Sarajevo at the time, where you were NOT securing some baklava for your greatest admirer in Maribor. But we’ve decided to start going to Vienna more often. Like obsessively. So I hope we’ll meet up one time.
Hey Michael, good to have you back. Finally! Glad to see you had a great time… I second you on Olimije… hey, how could I not, they have their own Chocolate factory
(capitalisation intentional)
On a different note… care to share your fitness routine? And the drugs of choice, for that matter
I didn’t go on vacation this summer. Again.
We’re too busy over here trying to maintain our high production rates. Who’s got time for relaxation?
good to have you back. Vacation comming up. interrail: rome-sicily-athens-ankara-istanbul-sofia-prague and then straight back for exam at the embassy… student life is not bad.
Michael, Sil, Dr Filomena: Where is Olimije?
You also get world class Baklava in Vienna. I mean - this is the westernmost capital of the Balkans.
Ehm. Olimje is actually the correct way to spell it. And the spa is called Terme Olimija. Maybe that’s what confuses people.