Adria Airways In-Flight Magazine October, November 2007 by Adria Airways

VAŠ BREZPLAČNI IZVOD - YOUR PERSONAL COPY

Adria Airways In-Flight Magazine oktober, november - October, November 2007

Idrija Srečko Janša • Bavarska državna opera • Pariz • Twitching • Pragozdovi • Landarska jama • Slovensko mladinsko gledališče • Maroko Srečko Janša • Bavarian State Opera • Paris • Twitching • Primeval Forests • Landar Cave • Slovene Youth Theatre • Morocco

Vs e bi n a – C on t e n t s

Srečko Janša – direktor javnega podjetja Kontrola zračnega prometa Slovenije Srečko Janša - CEO of Slovenia Control (Slovenian Air Navigation Services) Ltd

44 J. Pukšič

Adrijana Šelj, Barbara M. Bukovec

Operni utrip bavarske prestolnice The Operatic Pulse of the Bavarian Capital Vladimir Frantar Pariz / Paris

Trebuhi v srcu Pariza The Bellies in the Heart of Paris Zoja Skušek

Idrija

Kdo je ubil šipo pri Golitu? Who Smashed the Windows at Goli’s?

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Iztok Bončina

Adria Airways In-flight Magazine Revija Adria Airways In-flight Magazine je namenjena potnikom na poletih z Adrio Airways. Adria In-flight Magazine is complimentary on Adria Airways flights. Izdajatelj / Published by: Adria Airways Slovenski letalski prevoznik, d.d. Adria Airways The Airline of Slovenia tel.: 00386 1 3691 000 Uredništvo / Editorial: Področje trženje in prodaja / Sales and Marketing - Barbara Mihevc Bukovec Urednica / Edited by: Meta Krese Oblikovanje in AD / Design and AD: LUKS Studio Prevod / Translated by: Amidas Lektorja / Language editing: Vera Samohod, Steve Diskin Fotoliti / Lithography: Schwarz d.o.o. Tisk / Printed by: Schwarz d.o.o. Oglaševanje / Advertising: Alenka Dvoršak, Adria Airways, Kuzmičeva 7, Ljubljana, E-mail: alenka.dvorsak@adria.si

Idrijska čipka – iz tradicije v sodobnost? Idrija Lace – from Tradition to Modernity Tina Koder

Žlikrofi

Žlikrofi – Stuffed Dumplings Dušan Moravec

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Brezplačen izvod / Your personal copy

“Twitching” the Slovenian Way Tomaž Mihelič

Pragozdna izkušnja Primeval Forest Experience Hrvoje T. Oršanič

Beneška Slovenija / Slavia Veneta

Skrivnostna Landarska jama The Mysterious Landar Cave

ISSN 1318-0789 Mnenja, izražena v tej publikaciji, so zgolj mnenja avtorjev ali intervjuvancev in ne odsevajo nujno stališč Adrie Airways. Razmnoževanje brez pisnega dovoljenja je prepovedano. Izdajatelj ne prevzema nikakršne odgovornosti za nenaročeno gradivo. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors or persons interviewed only and do not necessarily reflect the views of Adria Airways. Reproduction without written permission is prohibited. The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited material.

»Twitching« po slovensko

Poljanka Dolhar

Gledališka nuja – Slovensko mladinsko gledališče The Theatrical Necessity of the Slovene Youth Theatre

Ana Duša

Zgodbe iz Maroka Stories from Morocco Primož Čučnik

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{ Adria Airways }

Ko v letalu zadiši Besedilo: Liza Primožič

Fotografije: Jaka Vinšek

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estavni del vsakega našega leta je ponudba hrane in pijače. Kako bo potnik na letalu postrežen, je odvisno od mnogih dejavnikov, kot npr. od časa letenja, načel ekonomičnosti, prostorskih omejitev letalskih kuhinj, varnostnih predpisov, predvsem pa od tega, ali leti potnik v poslovnem ali pa v ekonomskem razredu. Novejša letala dosegajo vse večje hitrosti in s tem se čas letenja krajša. Servis obrokov lahko poteka samo tedaj, ko letalo doseže višino križarjenja, oz. le tedaj, ko je napis »Privežite se« ugasnjen. To znatno skrajša čas, ki je namenjen potniški hrani in pijači, saj morajo biti ob vzletanju in pristajanju kuhinja in vsa oprema v njej zavarovane. Če potnik ob nakupu karte izve, da je njegov let dolg npr. 45 minut, lahko ob prijaznih/ugodnih vremenskih pogojih pričakuje le servis, dolg kakih 25 minut – v preostalem času se namreč letalo dviguje ali spušča. Načelu ekonomičnosti najlaže zadostimo z oskrbo hrane na domačem, ljubljanskem letališču, kjer poleg ugodnosti zaradi celotne nabave na eni točki najlaže izvajamo kontrolo kvalitete in vplivamo na izbor menujev. Sami poskrbimo za nabavo pijač in potrošnega materiala, ki se uporablja na letalih, in pri tem stremimo k povezovanju z domačimi, slovenskimi proizvajalci. Na izbor določene vrste cateringa pa vplivajo tudi prostorske omejiteve letalskih kuhinj. Te kuhinje so namreč zelo majhne, saj je pomembnejša potniška kabina in njeno udobje. V kuhinjah je samo grelec vode in pečica na kroženje toplega zraka, ostali prostor zavzemajo le miniaturna delovna površina in shrambe. Obroke, pijačo, kozarce in vse ostalo, kar stevardese potrebujejo za izvedbo servisa na letalu,

Iz Ljubljane v Pariz Vse pristojbine razen stroškov rezervacije so vključene v ceno. Pogoji na www.adria.si.

EUR

192

pripravimo na zemlji in s transportnimi vozički ter kovinskimi kontejnerji prenesemo v letalsko kuhinjo. Vsak let zase je majhen matematični izziv, saj je načrt polnjenja prostora v kuhinji enačba z več neznankami: število potnikov, velikost pladnjev z obroki in čas letenja so faktorji, ki skupaj s kroničnim pomanjkanjem prostora oblikujejo potniški servis na letalu. V letu 2006 smo v Adrii prepeljali več kot milijon potnikov. Število obrokov, ki smo jih priskrbeli zanje, je celo za kakih 15% večje od števila potnikov, in to zaradi no-show pojava (razlike med številom najavljenih in dejanskih potnikov

Iz Ljubljane v Sarajevo Vse pristojbine razen stroškov rezervacije so vključene v ceno. Pogoji na www.adria.si.

EUR

215

{ Adria Airways } na letih). Samo v Ljubljani smo za potnike kupili več kot 875.000 sendvičev in sladkih prigrizkov, za pripravo toplih in hladnih obrokov pa je Airest d.o.o., ki nas v Ljubljani oskrbuje z obroki, porabil več kot 10 ton kruha, 48 ton različnega sadja, 16 ton zelenjave, več kot 3 tone govedine in teletine, nad 8 ton piščančjih in puranjih filejev, tono svinjine in slabo tono rakov, postrvi, lososa in tunine. Potnikom smo kot dih tanko narezali skoraj pet ton pršuta in različnih vrst gnjati (“šunke”) ter skoraj šest ton sira. Na žalost se vedno najde kakšen potnik, ki mu obrok ni všeč. Njihove pripombe in morebitne predloge poskušamo vedno upoštevati po naših najboljših močeh, zato smo prepričani, da bomo sčasoma in z vztrajnim trudom zadovoljili večino želja. Poleg običajnih obrokov, ki jih nudimo potnikom glede na vrste letov, imamo v naši ponudbi tudi dodatne storitve, ki jih imenujemo v letalski industriji »posebni obroki«. Ti so na voljo potnikom s posebnimi zdravstvenimi, verskimi ali prehrambnimi potrebami in jih omogočamo vsem potnikom na vseh svojih letih; takšno ugodnost boste med prevozniki vse redkeje srečali, saj pomeni zagotavljanje posebnih obrokov dodatne stroške in jih ostale družbe rade omejujejo bodisi z dolžino letov ali s potovanjem v economy razredih. Več informacij o posebnih obrokih lahko preberete na naših spletnih straneh www.adria.si. V prihodnosti želimo izkoristiti še več možnosti, ki jih ponuja tehnologija, in se z njeno pomočjo približati svojim potnikom. Radi bi vsem tistim, ki bodo opravili nakup letalske vozovnice preko interneta, ponudili možnost, da si bodo lahko sestavili obrok po svojem okusu. To bi bila plačljiva usluga, lahko pa tudi brezpačna za vse tiste potnike, ki jih želi Adria nagraditi za njihovo zvestobo.

When a pleasant aroma fills the cabin...

vital part of any our flight is the food and drink service. How passengers are served on the aircraft depends on many factors, such as the flying time, the principle of value-for-money, the spatial limitations of aircraft galleys, security regulations, and above all whether the passengers are flying business class or economy class. Newer aircraft are flying faster and faster, reducing flying time. Meal service can only be provided during level flight, when the seatbelt signs are switched off. This significantly reduces the time allowed for food and drink services, as the galleys and all equipment in them must be secured during take-off and landing. Passengers who find out when buying their tickets that flying time is 45 minutes can expect service for just 25 minutes, given favourable weather conditions; the remaining time the aircraft is ascending or descending. The principle of value-for-money is easiest to satisfy by supplying food at our home airport of Ljubljana, where in addition to the benefits of supplying at a single point, it is easy to carry out quality controls and shape the menu choice. We supply our own drinks and non-durables used on the aircraft, striving to work with Slovenian producers. By no means the least factor in the choice of a specific type of catering is the limited space in aircraft galleys. They are very small, as the passenger cabin and passenger comfort are of greater importance, and have to meet the security requirements. Adria aircraft are equipped with convection ovens. The only other equipment is a water heater: the rest of the galley consists of a miniature work surface and storage capacity. The meals, drinks, glasses and everything else that the cabin crew need for in-flight service are prepared on the ground, and ferried to the galley on transporters in metal containers. Each flight is a mathematical challenge, the plan for the use of

From Brussels to Ljubljana Fare with all charges excluding reservation fee. More info www.adria-airways.com.

EUR

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space in the galley being an equation with several unknowns: the number of passengers, the size of the meal trays, and the flying time are all factors that together with the chronic lack of space shape the in-flight service for passengers. Adria carried more than one million passengers in 2006. The number of meals supplied actually exceeds the passenger numbers by 15%, as a result of no-shows, the difference between the number of bookings and the number of actual passengers on the flight. At Ljubljana alone we bought more than 875,000 sandwiches and sweet snacks for passengers, while our meal supplier Airest d.o.o. used more than 10 tonnes of bread, 48 tonnes of fruit of various kinds, 16 tonnes of vegetables, more than 3 tonnes of beef and veal, over 8 tonnes of chicken and turkey fillets, 1 tonne of pork and just under 1 tonne of crustaceans, trout, salmon and tuna. And more than 5 tonnes of prosciutto and ham and almost 6 tonnes of cheese were cut into thin, delectable slices for our passengers. Unfortunately, there will always be the occasional passenger who does not enjoy our meals. We try our very best to take on board their comments and criticisms, and we truly believe that given time and sustained effort we will satisfy the majority of their wishes. Alongside the usual meals offered to passengers, depending on the type of flight, we also offer additional services known as “special meals” in the air industry. These meals are designed for passengers with special health, religious or nutritional requirements, and are available to all passengers on all our flights, something that is becoming rarer these days, as providing special meals means extra costs, and other companies prefer to restrict them either by the length of flight or travelling in an economy class. For more information on special meals, see our website at www.adria-airways.com. In the future we also aim to make use of more of the possibilities offered by technology to accommodate our passengers. We would like to offer passengers buying tickets online the chance to compose a meal to their own taste. There would be a fee, but the service could be offered free of charge to all those passengers that Adria wants to reward for their loyalty.

V naši družbi načrtujemo, da bi razširili krog storitev na letalu tudi z majhnimi pogostitvami ali pozornostjo – naročil jo bo lahko kdorkoli za svojo ljubljeno osebo, ki potuje (npr. torto za rojstni dan, cvet in čestitko/voščilnico, šaljivo darilo za »devičnika« – to je za tistega, ki potuje prvič). Our plans for the full complement of services on the aircraft also extend to little details and treats that anyone can order for a loved one on board, such as birthday cakes, flowers, cards, and a fun gift for “virgins”, those making their first flight.

From Barcelona to Ljubljana Fare with all charges excluding reservation fee. More info www.adria-airways.com.

EUR

247

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{ Idrija }

Kdo je ubil šipo pri Golitu? Besedilo in fotografije: Iztok Bonãina

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o drugi svetovni vojni je v Idriji živel kšeftar, ki se je pisal Goli. Imel je prodajalno v samem središču mesta in bles de je bil med prvimi, ki jo je opremil z velikimi izložbenimi stekli. Verjetno je nekoč ta slavni ausloh nekdo razbil, kajti dogodek se je tako močno zasidral med Idrijčane, da še dandanes, desetletja pozneje, stari knapi zafrkavajo otroke, ki jim gredo na živce: “Aha, ksindl, te ži paznam. Ti si tist, ki je pr Golitu šipa ubeu.” Nekoliko samosvoj in dokaj obešenjaški humor se je v mnogih letih v Idriji skoraj gvišnu oblikoval in obrusil v zatohlih globinah rudniških rovov. Starejši knapi so mlade novince uštat napluozal, da muhasti jamski škrat Berkmandlc v zameno za varnost in bogato rudo pričakuje daritev v obliki do-

bre malice in steklenice geruša. Prefrigani “škrati” so nastavljene darove seveda z veseljem pahlaptal. Idrijčani smo danes pestra mešanica različnih fremderjev iz mnogih evropskih dežel, ki so od odkritja živega srebra dalje hodili gurbat v rudnik. Mesto je postalo nekakšen “talilni lonec”, kjer so se stapljali različni narodi in narodnosti. Čeprav je Idrija geografsko eno najbolj zaprtih mest v Sloveniji, je bila po drugi strani vedno med najbolj odprtimi, svetovljanskimi. Slovenci, Nemci, Čehi, Francozi, Rusi, Poljaki, Italijani in Bosanci ali pa Makedonci so si skozi zgodovino podajali krampe in lopate, si tu zgradili domove, okoli svojih hišic prekopali lihe in ziunke in sčasoma vsi postali Idrijčani. Gataude pa tu niso živeli

Draga Urbas Keravica

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Franc Lapajne - »Nebiški uoãe«

{ Idrija } ( 58 )

in delali samo preprosti rudarji. Živo srebro s svojimi nenavadnimi lastnostmi, tehnologija rudarjenja, način življenja, pa tudi bogat rastlinski in živalski svet v okolici so privabili marsikaterega vrhunskega strokovnjaka tistega časa. Prišli so npr. italijanski zdravnik in naravoslovec Giovanni Antonio Scopoli, vsestranski znanstvenik Balthasar Hacquet, politehnik Franc Anton Steinberg, geolog Marko Vincenc Lipold in drugi. Prišleki z vseh vetrov so okraševali tudi idrijsko narečje, ki je danes med najbolj nerazumljivimi, bogatimi in kumštnimi v Sloveniji. Ne samo vsakdanje besede, celo pri osebnih imenih v Idriji nismo dali nak in smo jih nadomestili z bolj “domačimi” vzdevki, npr. Ic, Guc, Pepš, Ihc, Lejčk, Fiš, Fefk, Buni, Lude … Čeprav je bil prektošn v idrijskih družinah pogosto prazen, vrle Idrijčanke niso kaj dosti jamrale, ampak so pagruntale, da lahko svojim zgaranim možem pomagajo s čudovito rokodelsko veščino – klekljanjem. Rodila se je idrijska špica, ki je še danes najbolj prepoznavna “blagovna znamka” mesta. In kje še drugje po svetu so se revni, zmatrani rudarji po prihodu iz prašnega in temačnega podzemlja usedli za domačo mizo, žene pa so jim padmitnco, smukavc, acvirkavca ali kafje postregle na snežno belih, z elegantno čipko obrobljenih prtih?! Marbet je prav težaven in pogosto nezdrav način življenja rudarjev botroval temu, da se je kot protiutež v tej odmaknjeni, težko dostopni kotlini med strmimi gavci porajalo bogato, vsestransko kulturno življenje. Viri pripovedujejo o številnih glasbenih, pevskih in gledaliških skupinah. Rudarska pleh muska ima eno najdaljših tradicij v evropskem prostoru in zagotovo je igrala tudi leta 1769 ob otvoritvi najstarejše gledališke stavbe na Slovenskem. O tem, da je izobraževanje te-

Zofija Bogataj - Zofi

sno sledilo kulturi in umetnosti kraja, priča tudi prva slovenska realka, ustanovljena leta 1901. Možgani, duša in srce so bili v Idriji vedno u španovi s pridnimi, žuljavimi rokami, tako moškimi kot ženskimi. Kar se kaže tudi v sodobnem času, ko lahko mesto ponosno pokaže na marsikaterega izjemno uspešnega meščana, bodisi na športnem, kulturnem, znanstvenem, umetnostnem ali gospodarskem področju. Zato moramo pri spoznavanju prave mestne podobe in utripa upoštevati prav vse Idrijčane. Tako upokojene rudarje, ki so v rovih žrtvovali svojo mladost in še vedo, kaj pomeni pozdrav “srečno”, zdolgočaseno gospodinjo, ki skrivaj pogleduje mimoidoče na ulici in upa, da bo lahko sosedi nesla na nos zadnje plaudre, večnega pijančka, ki že dopoldne dela obhod po mestnih gostilnah in si povsod privošči kozarec kavsne, kot tudi nasmejano klekljarico, ki je na svoji buli pravkar zategnila zadnji mežu.

Jože Rupnik

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Darko Lampe - Fridi

acvirkavca – ocvirkova potica

kumštno – zapleteno, pomembno

ausloh – izložbeno okno

liha – njiva

bles de – menda, verjetno

marbet – morebiti, mogoče

bula – blazina za klekljanje

mežu – vozel

dali nak – dali mir

napluozat – nalagati

fremder – tujec, priseljenec

padmitnca – koruzni močnik

gataude – seveda

pagruntat – dognati, ugotoviti

gavci – hribi

pahlaptat – hitro jesti

geruš – tradicionalna alkoholna pijača,

plaudra – govorica (običajno neresnična)

narejena iz pelina

prefrigan – pameten, iznajdljiv

gvišnu – zagotovo

prektošn – denarnica

gurbat – delati

smukavc – vrsta juhe

jamrat – stokati, tarnati

špica – čipka

kafje – kava

pleh muska – godba na pihala

kavsna – vino, alkohol

u španovi – skupaj, v sodelovanju

knap – rudar

uštat – pogosto

ksindl – otrok

ziunk – zelenjavni vrt

kšeftar – trgovec, mešetar

zmatran – utrujen

{ Idrija }

Who Smashed the Windows at Goli’s? Text and photography: Iztok Bonãina

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n the period following the Second World War a kšeftar (shopkeeper) by the name of Goli lived in Idrija. He had a shop in the very centre of the town and was apparently one of the first shopkeepers to fit his shop with large window displays. It seems that one day someone smashed this famous display window, an event so firmly rooted in the memory of the people of Idrija that even today, decades later, old knapi (miners) use it to tease children who get on their nerves: “Aha, ksindl, I know you. You’re the one who smashed Goli’s window.” This unique and rather black form of humour was presumably perfected and polished over many years in the deep and airless tunnels of Idrija’s mines. The older knapi often advised young miners to make an offering to the capricious cave goblin Berkmandlc in the form of a good bite to eat and a bottle of geruš (absinthe) in exchange for safety and a rich seam of ore. The ingenious “goblins” were

naturally happy to make short work of these offerings. Today the people of Idrija are a varied mixture of fremderji (foreigners, immigrants) from many European countries. They originally came here to work in the mine following the discovery of mercury in the area. The town became a kind of melting pot where various nationalities and ethnicities blended together. Although in geographical terms Idrija is one of the most isolated towns in Slovenia, it has on the other hand always been one of the most open and cosmopolitan. Over the course of history Slovenes, Germans, Czechs, French, Russians, Poles, Italians, Bosnians and Macedonians have wielded picks and spades, built themselves a home here, dug fields and vegetable gardens around their little houses and over time become Idrijans. But of course it was not only simple miners who lived and worked here. The unusual properties of mercury, mining technology, the local way of life and the rich flora and fauna of the surrounding area attracted many leading experts of the day. These included the Italian doctor and naturalist Giovanni Antonio Scopoli, the scientist Balthasar Hacquet, the polymath Franc Anton Steinberg, the geologist Marko Vincenc Lipold and others. Immigrants from the four corners of the earth also helped shape the Idrijan dialect, which is today one of the richest, most complex and most incomprehensible in Slovenia. Everyday expressions and even personal names were transformed, the latter being replaced by more “local” nicknames such as Ic, Guc, Pepš, Ihc, Lejčk, Fiš, Fefk, Buni, Lude… Although the prektošn (purse) was frequently empty in Idrijan families, the good women of Idrija did not waste time complaining.

Beno Pahor

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Ludvik âibej

Instead, they discovered that they could help their overworked husbands with their wonderful skill at bobbin-work. And thus Idrija špica (lace) was born. Even today, it remains the town’s most recognisable “trademark”. Where else in the world could poor, weary miners, on returning from the dark and dusty underworld, sit at tables covered with snow-white tablecloths edged with elegant lace while their wives served them padmitnca (hasty pudding), smukavc (a kind of soup), acvirkavca (lardy cake) or kafje (coffee). Perhaps the difficult and often unhealthy way of life of the miners was the reason that a rich, many-sided cultural life came into being as

a kind of counterweight in this remote, inaccessible basin surrounded by steep hills. Historical sources mention numerous musical, choral and theatrical groups. The miners’ pleh muska (wind band) has one of the longest traditions in Europe, and certainly played in 1769 at the opening of the oldest theatre in Slovenia. The first secondary modern school in Slovenia, founded in 1901, is evidence that education closely followed culture and art in the town. In Idrija, brains, soul and heart have always gone together with hardworking, calloused hands, both male and female. This is still evident today, when the town can point proudly at its many sons and daughters who have enjoyed success in the fields of sport, culture, science, art and business. And thus if we really wish to get to know the true spirit of the town, we have to take into account all Idrijans without exception: the retired miners who sacrificed their youth in the pits and still know the true meaning of the greeting srečno (literally, “good luck”), the bored housewife who watches passers-by from behind the curtain in the hopes that she will be able to pass on the latest gossip to her neighbour, the perpetual drunk, who begins his round of the town’s pubs in the morning and treats himself to a glass in each one, and the laughing lacemaker who has just pulled tight the final knot on her lacemaker’s pillow.

Anton Munh

{ Idrija }

Idrijska čipka – iz tradicije v sodobnost Besedilo: Tina Koder

O ( 62 )

Fotografije: Iztok Bonãina

b vsem spoštovanju bogastva dediščine se je že pred časom pokazala potreba po tem, da bi se ročno klekljani idrijski čipki z njeno bogato paleto vzorcev in oblik ter prefinjenosti dalo tudi sodobno obliko. Ta premik je po eni strani narekoval trg – kdo pa danes še nosi npr. bele čipkaste ovratnike? – po drugi strani pa ga je omogočilo tudi obujeno zanimanje novih generacij oblikovalcev in likovnikov za stare tekstilne tehnike. Ti so idrijsko čipko privzeli kot medij za svoje ustvarjanje unikatnih, avtorsko zasnovanih uporabnih predmetov, kot so oblačila, nakit in modni dodatki, ali pa celo samostojnih tekstilnih umetniških objektov. Snovanje avtorske čipke je kompleksen proces, ki zahteva od avtorja združevanje znanja s področja oblikovanja in poznavanje samih čipkarskih tehnik, zelo koristno pa je vsekakor tudi poznavanje čipkarske tradicije ter vloge in pomenov, ki jih je imela čipka v preteklosti. V tem kontekstu čipka ni več obravnavana zgolj kot dekorativni element, njena govorica postane mnogo močnejša, bolj avtonomna in bogata. Pogosto se pri tem presegajo nepisana pravila, ki so nekoč veljala za čipko – belino zamenjujejo barve, ploskovitost poigravanje s tretjo dimenzijo, naravne materiale, kot sta lan in bombaž, pa sodobni sukanci najrazličnejših struktur in otipa. Gre za izjemno kreativno dogajanje, v katerem postanejo klekljarske tehnike, ki so se oblikovale dolga stoletja, sredstvo avtorjevega individualnega likovnega izraza. Na tej točki vse bolj izginja meja med rokodelstvom in oblikovanjem oz. umetnostjo,

med koordinatama, ki že od vsega začetka določata klekljano čipko. Seveda pa ni nujno, da oblikovalec čipko sam tudi izdela. Avtorska čipka vse pogosteje nastaja v tesnem sodelovanju med oblikovalcem kot avtorjem idejne zasnove oz. skice, risarjem vzorca, ki oblikovalsko idejo prevede v čipkarski jezik, in čipkarico kot izdelovalko čipke. Ali celo v neposrednem sodelovanju med oblikovalcem in čipkarico, ki čipko izdela zgolj na osnovi oblikovalske skice. V tem primeru je njena vloga zelo drugačna od tiste, ki jo je imela v minulih stoletjih. Ni več le mojstrska izdelovalka čipke na osnovi vzorca, dorečenega do najmanjše podrobnosti. Njeno delo postane kreativno, saj je odločitev, s katero tehniko in s kakšnim mešanjem barv bo dosegla s klekljanjem po predlogi viden učinek, prepuščena njej sami. V Idriji je tak način dela že dodobra uveljavljen, zlasti ko gre za sodelovanje med študentkami oblikovanja tekstilij in oblačil in Društvom klekljaric idrijske čipke. Društvo združuje v sebi najboljše klekljarice iz mesta in bližnje okolice, ki svoje znanje neprestano dopolnjujejo in širijo, pomemben segment njihovega dela pa predstavlja prav ustvarjanje čipk v sodelovanju z oblikovalci. Za vzpostavitev tega sodelovanja, ki se danes zdi že kar nekako samoumevno, je bilo v začetku potrebne veliko komunikacije, odprtosti in dobre volje na obeh straneh. Šlo je namreč za premikanje meja v glavi, preseganje stoletnih nenapisanih pravil o tem, kaj se pri čipki sme in kaj ne. Sama se še dobro spominjam zgražanja starejših čipkaric nad oblikovalskimi »kracami« in barvnimi kombinacijami, ki so drastično odstopale od pravilnih, jasnih tradicionalnih vzorcev. Na drugi strani pa tudi mnogih nerealnih pričakovanj oblikovalcev, ki čipki niso posvetili toliko pozornosti, da bi dojeli njeno logiko in zakonitosti, in so bili nato nad končnim izdelkom razočarani. Pa tudi mnogih tistih, ki so se, vedoč, da je ročno izdelana čipka zdaj pač »in«, zadovoljili s prvim kosom čipke, ki jim je prišel pod roke. In potem smo na svečanih večernih oblačilih videvali enake kose čipke kot na prtih, zavesah in posteljnini – za nameček ponavadi še prav ponesrečeno uporabljene. Danes je drugače. Kot bi kar tekmovali, kaj vse je mogoče še doseči v oblikovanju čipke. V Idriji boste, ko gre za čipko, vedno našli kaj novega in drugačnega. Kreativnost ne spi.

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{ Idrija }

Idrija Lace – from Tradition to Modernity Text: Tina Koder

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Photography: Iztok Bonãina

espite the great respect for its rich heritage, it has for some time been clear that handmade Idrija lace, with its refinement and its wealth of patterns and forms, also needs a modern form. This shift has been dictated on the one hand by the market – who today still wears, for example, white lacy collars? On the other hand it has been made possible by a fresh interest in old textile techniques among the new generations of designers and artists. These designers and artists have adopted Idrija lace as a medium for the creation of one-off, original items such as clothes, jewellery and fashion accessories, or even stand-alone textile works of art.

Creating designer lace is a complex process that requires the designer to combine knowledge from the field of design with a thorough knowledge of lacemaking techniques. Knowledge of the lacemaking tradition, and the roles and importance that lace has had in the past is also very useful. In this context, lace is no longer treated merely as a decorative element. Its language becomes much more powerful, more autonomous and richer. Frequently there is a transgression of the unwritten rules that once applied to lace – whiteness is replaced by colours, flatness by a flirtation with a third dimension, natural materials such as flax and cotton by modern yarns of very different structures and textures. It is an extremely creative process in which lacemaking techniques developed over centuries become the means for the designers’ individual artistic expression. At this point the boundary between handicrafts and design or art, the two coordinates that have defined bobbin lace since the very beginning, is becoming increasingly blurred. Of course, designers do not necessarily make the lace themselves. Designer lace is increasingly frequently created in close collaboration between the designer as the author of the outline concept or sketch, the pattern drawer, who translates the designer’s idea into lacemaking language, and the lacemaker who actually makes the lace. Direct collaboration between the designer and the lacemaker, who makes the lace on the basis of the designer’s sketch is a possibility. In this case the lacemaker’s role is very different from the traditional role that lacemakers have had for centuries. She is no longer merely making lace on the basis of a pattern that is complete down to the smallest detail. Her work becomes creative, since the decision on what technique and what mixture of colours to use in order

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{ Idrija } ( 66 ) to achieve the effect shown in the sketch is left to her. In Idrija this method of work is already well established, especially in the case of collaboration between students of textile and clothing design and the Society of Idrija Lacemakers. The Society’s members include the best lacemakers from the town and its surrounding area, who are constantly complementing and widening their knowledge. The creation of lace in collaboration with designers represents an important segment of their work. In order to establish this collaboration, which has already begun to seem an almost obvious development, a great deal of communication, openness and goodwill was needed on both sides. This is because it was a question of shifting mental boundaries and transgressing centuries-old unwritten rules on what may and may not be done with lace. Personally, I have a very clear memory of the older lacemakers’ indignation at the designers “scribbles” and combinations of colours that deviated drastically from the regular, clear, traditional patterns. On the other hand, I also remember many unrealistic expectations from designers, who had not devoted enough attention to lace to comprehend its logic and rules, and were, therefore, disappointed with the finished product. Not to mention the many designers who, aware that handmade lace is “in” at the moment, contented themselves with the first piece of lace they could get their hands on. And then we saw the same pieces of lace used in tablecloths, curtains and bed linen appearing on formal evening wear – often quite infelicitously. Today it is different. As though there were a competition to see just what is possible to achieve in lace design. In Idrija, where lace is concerned, you will always find something new and different. Creativity never sleeps..

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V Idriji,

glavnem slovenskem čipkarskem centru, si ob sodelovanju z različnimi institucijami – občinami, čipkarskimi šolami, mestnim muzejem – že več let načrtno prizadevajo za dvig oblikovalskega nivoja ročno klekljane čipke in za njeno promocijo v javnosti. Pri tem projektno sodelujejo tudi z Oddelkom za oblikovanje tekstilij in oblačil NTF Univerze v Ljubljani, letos pa je bil ustanovljen krovni Center idrijske čipke, ki bo v bodoče koordiniral in vodil večino aktivnosti v zvezi s čipko s posebnim poudarkom na njenem razvoju v smeri sodobnega oblikovanja. Hkrati se kreativno doje-

In Idrija,

Slovenia’s main lacemaking centre, deliberate efforts have been made over the last few years, via the collaboration of various institutions such as the municipality, the lacemaking school and the town museum, to raise the level of design of handmade lace and to promote it among the public. The Textile and Clothing Design Department at the University of Ljubljana Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering is involved in the project, while this year has seen the opening of the Idrija Lace Centre, which in the future will coordinate and guide the majority of activities relating to lace, with a special emphasis on its development in the direction of contemporary design. At the same time a

manje čipke spodbuja tudi pri najmlajših, saj je idrijska Čipkarska šola, ki nepretrgoma deluje že vse od leta 1876, v svoj predmetnik pred kratkim uvrstila tudi učni predmet risanje vzorcev, pri katerem otroci ustvarjajo svoje vzorce za čipke in jih kasneje tudi sami izdelajo. Tako otroci že v najzgodnejših letih dojamejo klekljanje kot kreativen in zabaven proces, pustolovščino, pri kateri se ideje spreminjajo v resničnost. Na ta način je seveda tudi njihova motivacija za učenje klekljanja večja, kar je zagotovilo za ohranjanje klekljarskega znanja in za njegovo prenašanje iz generacije v generacijo.

creative understanding of lace is also being encouraged among the very young, since the Idrija Lacemaking School, which has been teaching lacemaking without interruption since 1876, has recently introduced the subject of Pattern Drawing to its curriculum. Pattern Drawing lessons give children the chance to create their own lace patterns and then use them to make their own lace. Thus at a very early stage children begin to understand lacemaking as a creative and fun process, an adventure in which ideas become reality. In this way, of course, their motivation to learn lacemaking increases, which is a guarantee for the conservation of lacemaking knowledge and its transmission from generation to generation.

{ Idrija }

Žlikrofi

Besedilo: Dušan Moravec

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Fotografije: Jani Peternelj

b nedeljah in praznikih se luči v Idriji prižgejo se tem vloženim krofkom reče kugelce. Idrijčanke prav v njih denejo zgodaj zjutraj. Gospodinje ponavadi vstanejo še v trdi temi vse svoje kuharsko znanje, ljubezen in hrepenenje. Dobro uspeli žliin poleg lončka za kavo pristavijo še velik lonec, v katerega krofi poravnajo družinske spore, dajo praznikom poudarek, ponudijo dajo kuhat krompir. No, vsaj včasih je bilo tako, ko je bilo treba do odhajajočim in vrnivšim pozdrav, proslavijo rojstvo, god in svatbo ter kosila pripraviti nekaj sto ali več žlikrofov. Zamrzovalne skrinje so vse utešijo bolečine v primeru smrti.« to spremenile in olajšale delo, toda način priprave je ostal bolj ali manj Poleg tega najdemo v zapisu tudi to, da je bila v Idriji včasih ena sama nespremenjen. Žlikrofi, tradicionalna idrijska jed iz krompirja in testa, gostilničarka, ki jih je znala pripraviti za vsak okus. To je bila gostilničarso poceni hrana, ki pa s svojo obliko in okusom ponuja nekaj več. ka Harmel v Gasi. Nadalje lahko preberemo, da so jih v večjih družinah, Obstaja seveda bojazen, da si mlade Idrijčanke ne bodo več dale ki so štele od pet do osem članov, naredili tudi do 700. Zato ni bilo prav opravka s to ne ravno najbolj preprosto specialiteto. Tako kot čipke nič čudno, če so jih začeli pripravljati »z andohtjo« že dva dni prej. tudi ta jed zahteva dosti časa, spretnosti in potrpežljivosti. Zanimivo je, da žlikrofi niti nimajo tako dolge tradicije. Ljudje, Preden pa preidemo k zgodovini nastanka žlikrofov, še pomemben rojeni okoli leta 1840 in 1850, so namreč pripovedovali, da so surove nasvet, kako jih je treba jesti. Glede na to, da je način uživanja star javno prodajali in jih delali tudi po naročilu. Iz tega lahko sklepamo, skoraj toliko kot sami žlikrofi, nam da njihova priprava po domovih ni seveda ne preostane nič drugega, kot bila tako razširjena kot danes. Že da se ga držimo. Torej skrivnost je prej omenjena Harmel je vedela poTorej skrivnost je taka: enega imamo v taka: enega imamo v ustih, drugi je vedati, da je njihov izvor na ogrskem ustih, drugi je naboden na vilicah in ga naboden na vilicah in ga držimo tik Sedmograškem in da so prišli od držimo tik pred nosom, tretjega pa gledamo pred nosom, tretjega pa gledamo na tam. S seboj naj bi jih bila prinesla na krožniku kot naslednjega izbranega. krožniku kot naslednjega izbranega. stara rudarska rodbina Wernberger, Takoj ko je tisti iz ust na poti proti katere rod je izumrl leta1922. želodcu, je že na vrsti oni pod noZadnji potomec te rodbine, rojen som, v naslednjem trenutku pa imamo novega nasajenega na vilicah leta 1866, se je dobro spominjal družinskega pogovora iz svoje mladoin tako ponavljamo vse dotlej, dokler krožnik ni prazen. Treba jih je sti, med katerim je njegov stari oče Franc Wernberger, ki je živel med jesti vroče; mrzel žlikrof ni več pravi žlikrof, je pravilo. Zatorej se ne letoma 1810 in 1880, povedal, da je žlikrofe sem zares zanesla njegova ustrašite, če boste v Idriji v gostilni za sosednjo mizo videli jedca, ki si rodbina. Tako naj bi se bil po njegovi pripovedi Ivan Wernberger, rojih bo dobesedno metal v usta. Bo že vedel, kaj počne! jen v Oravici na Ogrskem, leta 1811 poročil s tamkajšnjo domačinko, S pomočjo Darka Vilerja iz Mestnega muzeja Idrija smo se dokopali nato pa naj bi bil leta 1814 premeščen v Idrijo. Takrat naj bi bili prvi do enega redkih, vsekakor pa zanimivih in za mnoge najboljših besežlikrofi, seveda še ne povsem taki kot današnji, prestopili reko Idrijco. dil o žlikrofih. Zapisano je treba vzeti s precejšnjim pridržkom, kajti Krivka pa je bila seveda njegova neimenovana žena. Trajalo je kar neše posebno v Idriji so pri vsaki stvari kaj hitro možna in skoraj nujna kaj časa, da so jih domačini sprejeli. Zapiskov o tem, da bi kdo zaradi odstopanja. Zapis je nastal okoli leta 1950, avtor je Karl Bezeg, človek, čezmernega uživanja žlikrofov umrl, kakor se je dogajalo pri drugi ki se je ukvarjal z raziskovanjem navad in običajev teh krajev. Takole posebnosti Idrije, alkoholni pijači geruš, ni. Pelin, ki je osnova geruša, pravi: »Najbolj priljubljena in daleč naokoli najbolj znana idrijska jed je krasil marsikateri grob kot opozorilo ljubiteljem tega opoja; da bi so žlikrofi. Podobni so dunajskim Schlikkrapfertin, majhnim testekomu na grobu pustili žlikrof, pa ni znano. nim zavitkom z vloženimi krofki, toda s posebno vsebino. In prav ta Žlikrofi so vsekakor del idrijske tradicije in kulture. Čeprav počasi vsebina je največja skrivnost in umetnost pravih žlikrofov. Po idrijsko izgubljajo pomen, ki so ga imeli včasih, v starem rudarskem mestu

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{ Idrija } ( 70 )

brez njih ni pravega slavja. Okusi se sicer spreminjajo, dodajajo se nove sestavine, in če boste v Idriji povabljeni na kosilo, lahko pričakujete, da vam bodo postregli z njimi. Večina vam bo zatrdila, da so najboljši prav tisti, ki jih jeste pri njih, in lahko jim verjamete. Pomembno pa je tudi, kaj se ponudi zraven. Nekateri prisegajo na bakalco iz koštrunovega mesa, drugi spet pravijo, da ni pravih žlikrofov brez zajca (v Idriji je bilo in je še zmeraj precej zajčnikov), nekateri jih jedo samo polite s pečenkino omako ali mogoče z golažem. Novi časi so prinesli nove okuse in posebno med mladimi so priljubljeni žlikrofi z gorgonzolo. Nekakšna ustaljena porcija šteje 40 kosov, vse pa je odvisno od jedca. Marsikdo jih pospravi tudi 100. Zaradi tradicionalnega postopka izdelave in tradicionalnega recepta je Ministrstvo za kmetijstvo, gozdarstvo in prehrano RS leta 2002 uradno zaščitilo tradicionalni ugled idrijskih žlikrofov in recept za njihovo izdelavo lahko najdete tudi v Uradnem listu RS.

as the next up for selection. As soon as the one in your mouth heads off towards your stomach, the one in front of your nose is ready to come in, and in the next instant there is a new one planted on your fork, and thus the procedure is repeated until the plate is clean. They must be eaten hot, for the rule is that a cold dumpling is no longer a proper stuffed dumpling. So do not be alarmed if you’re at an Idrija eatery and the diner at the next table is literally chucking them into his mouth. He knows what he’s doing! With the assistance of Darko Viler of the Idrija Municipal Museum we unearthed one of the rare yet fascinating and for many the best texts on stuffed dumplings. This needs to be taken with some caution, for specifically and especially here in Idrija variances are immediately possible and almost essential in everything. This text was created around 1950, and was written by Karl Bezeg, a man who was involved in researching the habits and customs of this area. He writes: “The most popular and far and wide the best known dish of Idrija is that of stuffed dumplings. They are similar to the Viennese Schlikkrapfertin, small dough wraps with a doughnut stuffing, but with their own special content. And it is this content that is the biggest secret and art in true stuffed dumplings. The Idrija folk call these stuffed doughnuts little balls. The women of Idrija put absolutely all their culinary skill, love and longing into them. Properly enjoyed stuffed dumplings can settle family disputes, provide emphasis for holidays, offer a salutation to those departing and returning, celebrate births, name days and weddings, and provide solace in bereavement.” Text: Dušan Moravec Photography: Jani Peternelj Moreover, we may also read in this record that at one time in Idrija there was just one sole cook who knew how to prepare them for each and every taste. This woman went by the name of Harmel from Gasa. n Sundays and holidays the lights in Idrija Further on, the text reveals that in large families numbering five to come on early in the morning. Usually in pitch blackness, eight members, as many as 700 of them would be prepared. It was housewives get up and alongside their coffee pot they put therefore no surprise at all that they started preparing them with “due on a big pot to boil potatoes. Well, at least that’s how it used to be, diligence” even two days in advance. when several hundred or more stuffed dumplings had to be prepared It is interesting that stuffed dumplings do not even have a very long by lunchtime. Freezer chests have changed all this and made the work tradition. People born around 1840 and 1850 would recount how easier, but the method of preparation has remained more or less unthey were sold raw in public, and were also made to order. We may changed. These stuffed dumplings, known properly by their local and therefore conclude that their preparation in private homes was not as largely untranslatable name of žlikrofi, are the traditional Idrija dish of widespread as it is today. The aforementioned Harmel was wont to say potato and dough, and constitute a that they originated in the Hungarcheap food, although their form and ian part of Transylvania, that they So here is the secret: you have one in your came from “over there”. They were flavour offer something more. There is of course a fear that the supposedly brought over by the old mouth, another is impaled on your fork young women of Idrija will no longer and held just in front of your nose, while mining family of Wernberger, which have anything to do with this not died out in 1922. a third is observed on the plate as the the simplest of specialities. Like lace, The last member of that family, next up for selection. this dish requires considerable time, born in 1866, remembered well a skill and patience. family conversation from his early Yet before we get into the history days, in which his grandfather Franc of how these stuffed dumplings came about, an important word of Wernberger, who lived between 1810 and 1880, said that his family advice about how they should be eaten. Given that the method of had indeed brought over the stuffed dumplings. As he recounted it, consumption is almost as old as the actual dumplings themselves, we Ivan Wernberger, born in Oravicza in Hungary, married a local girl in really have little choice other than to stick to it. So here is the secret: 1811, and then moved to Idrija in 1814. At that time the first stuffed you have one in your mouth, another is impaled on your fork and dumplings, of course not quite like they are today, supposedly crossed held just in front of your nose, while a third is observed on the plate the Idrijca River. The culprit was of course his nameless wife. It took

Žlikrofi - Stuffed Dumplings

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Žlikrofi so slovenska specialiteta, narejena iz rezančnega testa in polnjena z nadevom iz kuhanega krompirja, čebule, začimb, jajc in zaseke ali slanine.

Žlikrofi are a Slovene culinary speciality consisting of pasta parcels stuffed with potato, onion, spices, egg and minced lard or bacon.

quite a while for the local people to accept them. There are no records of anyone dying from excessive consumption of stuffed dumplings, as there are regarding another speciality of Idrija, the alcoholic absinthe drink geruš. Wormwood, the basic ingredient of geruš, adorned many graves as a warning to those who were given to this form of intoxication; no one is ever known to have left a stuffed dumpling on a grave. In any event, stuffed dumplings are a part of Idrija’s tradition and culture. Although they are slowly losing the importance they once had, however, there is no proper celebration without them in this old mining town. Tastes change of course, and new ingredients are added, and if you are invited to lunch in Idrija, you can expect to be served them. Most people will affirm that the best ones are those you are eating there at their homes, and you can believe them. It is also important what they offer alongside. Some swear by mutton stew,

while others say that there are no true stuffed dumplings without rabbit (in Idrija there were and still are plenty of rabbit hutches), and some eat them simply doused in gravy or perhaps with goulash. New times have brought new tastes, and especially among the younger folk they are popular with gorgonzola. A kind of now-traditional portion is 40 dumplings, but everything depends on the eater. Many people can pack away as many as 100. Owing to the traditional process of preparation and the traditional recipe, in 2002 the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food officially protected the traditional standing of Idrija stuffed dumplings, and the recipe for their preparation can also be found in Slovenia’s Official Gazette ..

Besedilo in fotografije: Tomaž Miheliã

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V zaãetku leta 2005 je bilo moã opazovati na stotine Slovencev, ki so se odpravili v majhno vasico Manga pod Bohorjem. Seveda je bilo v Mangi kaj videti. Vsak veãer se je k poãitku zbralo na tisoãe pinož. Ptice je bilo nemogoãe prešteti in še ocene tistih najbolj zadržanih so se gibale okrog milijona, veãina pa se je strinjala, da ob Mangi prenoãuje veã pinož, kot je Slovencev. Že v naslednjem letu so zamudniki dobili novo

priložnost, saj se je pri Postojni ustavila skupina klavžarjev. Kljub deževnemu vremenu jih je na športnem letališãu vsak dan »stražila« veãja skupina radovednežev. Klavžarji so bili seveda vajeni ljudi, saj to vrsto ptic po izumrtju s pomoãjo umetne vzreje in ultralahkih letal, s katerimi jih uãijo selitvenih poti, ponovno naseljujejo v Evropo. To je bil tudi razlog, da so se ustavili na letali‰ãu in ãakali na svojo veliko »mamo«.

Moko탑/Water Rail

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{ Twitching }

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tice so bitja, ki povsod po svetu privabljajo največ občudovalcev. Nekatere zaradi letenja, druge zaradi barv ali svojega petja, tretje zaradi številčnosti. Ni je rastline ali živali, za katero bi po planetu stikalo toliko ljudi kot za pticami. In to velikokrat z enim samim namenom. Da bi jo videli! Temu pojavu, ko se ljudje odpravijo po svetu samo zato, da bi videli zanje novo vrsto ptice, pravijo po Evropi »twitching«. Dolgo časa je veljalo prepričanje, da tvičing v Sloveniji ne obstaja in temu pojavu smo se čudili podobno, kot se verjetno na zahodu ali severu čudijo našemu hribolaštvu. Kljub svoji majhnosti se Slovenija odlikuje po izjemni pestrosti; ptice niso nikakršna izjema, tako da lahko naša dežela ponudi na področju ptic zares veliko. Pestrost reliefa in podnebja je pri nas ustvarila pogoje za gnezdenje 220 vrstam ptic, če pa jim prištejemo še tiste, ki tu prezimujejo ali se z njimi srečamo ob njihovi selitvi, bi lahko vsak dan v letu poimenovali po drugi vrsti ptice. Slovenija se je izkazala kot bogata tudi tedaj, ko je pristopala k Evropski uniji. Direktiva, ki članicam nalaga varovanje najpomembnejših območij za ptice, velja kar za četrtino slovenskega površja v obliki 26 območij Nature 2000. Obisk prav vsakega izmed teh območij bo navdušil še tako zahtevnega ptičarja ali pa ljubitelja ptic, in ker večino države prekriva gozd,

Smrdokavra/Hoopoe

Kozaãa/Ural Owl

Pino탑e/Bramblings

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Skalni strnad/Rock Bunting

{ Twitching } Klavžar/Bald Ibis

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je nekako razumljivo, da smo ravno pri gozdnih pticah Slovenci velesila. Slovenijo na primer poznamo po tem, da je v njej vsaj teoretično možno videti vseh 9 v Evropi živečih predstavnikov poddružine žoln, od katerih sta belohrbti in triprsti detel prava ornitološka poslastica. Kozačo na primer najlažje vidimo prav v Sloveniji, čeprav je ta vrsta tipična za gozdove severne tajge. Največja znamenitost pa so neverjetne kombinacije, ki so nastale zaradi pestrega in razgibanega okolja. Tako lahko zjutraj opazujemo belko le malo oddaljeno od skalnega strnada ali pa sočasno poslušamo petje gozdnega jereba in slegurja. Če želite v naravi primerjati podobno oglašanje koconogega čuka in smrdokavre, nimate na izbiro kaj dosti drugega kot Slovenijo. Neverjetnih ptičjih kombinacij je tu zares veliko. Slovenija je ena izmed redkih dežel, kjer se bodo tisti, ki si želijo v čim krajšem času videti čim več vrst, razen na mokrišča odpravili tudi v gozd, na suhe kraške travnike in v Alpe. Obisk npr. Volovje rebri v tem smislu že postaja osnovna želja naravoslovno usmerjenega turista. Le kje v Evropi pa je še moč najti kraj, kjer se sreča toliko velikih in redkih vrst (medved, volk, ris, planinski orel, beloglavi jastreb, kačar in velika uharica) ali pa se redkosti pojavljajo v toliko neverjetnih kombinacijah?

“Twitching”

the Slovenian Way Text and photography: Tomaž Miheliã

arly in 2005 hundreds of Slovenians could be observed setting out for the little village of Manga pod Bohorjem. Naturally, there was something to see in Manga. Every evening thousands of bramblings gathered there to rest. It was impossible to count the birds, and even the most conservative estimates hovered around a million, while the majority agreed that there were more bramblings spending the night in Manga than there were Slovenians. The very next year those who had missed their chance had a new opportunity, with the arrival near Postojna of a group of bald ibises. Despite the wet weather, every day a large group of curious people “stood guard” over the birds at the sports airfield. The bald ibises were of course used to people, for since they became extinct here,

Triprsti detel/Three-toed Woodpecker

Gozdni jereb/Hazel Grouse

with the help of artificial breeding and ultralight aircraft to show them their migratory routes, they have been resettling in Europe. This also explains why they had stopped at the airfield and were waiting for their big “mummy”. Birds are the creatures that attract the largest numbers of admirers all over the world. Some are drawn by their flight, some by their colour or song, and others by their sheer numbers. There is no plant or animal that generates such a desire for contact from people on this planet. And this usually has just one purpose: to see them! This phenomenon, where people head off around the world simply to see what is for them a new species of bird, is called “twitching” in Europe. For a long time it was generally believed that twitching did not exist in Slovenia, and we marvelled at it in rather the same way that people to the west or north of us might have marvelled at our mountain climbing. Despite its small size, Slovenia is distinguished by an extraordinary diversity, and birds are no exception here, so Slovenia can offer truly a great deal in terms of birds. The diversity of relief and climate zones in Slovenia has created conditions suited for the nesting of 220 bird species, and if we include those that winter over here or which we encounter on their migration, we could name each day of the year after a different bird species. Slovenia was also recognised for its wealth when it joined the European Union. The EU directive requiring Member States to protect the most important areas for birds applied to as much as a quarter of Slovenia’s surface area, in the form of 26 Natura 2000 areas. A visit to any one of these areas will delight the most demanding ornithologist, and since the majority of the country is covered in forest, it is quite understandable that Slovenia is something of a superpower in forest birds. For instance, this country is known for the fact that at least in theory you can see all nine of the European-dwelling representatives of the woodpecker sub-family, of which the white-backed woodpecker and the three-toed woodpecker are true ornithological delights. And the Ural owl, for example, can most easily be seen here in Slovenia, even though the species is typical of the forests of the northern taiga. Yet the most extraordinary feature is the incredible combinations that came about owing to the varied and hilly environment. In the morning, for instance, you might observe a ptarmigan just a short hop away from a rock bunting, or at the same time you might hear the song of the hazel grouse and rock thrush. If you want to compare the similar calls of the Tengmalm’s owl and hoopoe in the wild, you have little choice other than Slovenia. There are truly a large number of extraordinary bird combinations here. Slovenia is one of those rare countries where those seeking in the shortest possible time to see the greatest possible number of species, will head off to the forests, the dry karstic meadows and Alps, as well as to the wetlands. A visit to Volovja Reber, for instance, has in this light become the primary desire of any nature-driven tourist. It would indeed be hard to think of anywhere else in Europe where so many large and rare species come together (bear, wolf, lynx, golden eagle, griffon vulture, short-toed eagle and eagle owl), or where such rarities would appear in such amazing combinations.

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