How far would you go? by vrba

How far would

you

go?

How far

would 2

you

for your

roots? Geography Globeflowers on the slopes of Koro{ka.

She never liked the greyness of hotel mornings - she wanted to spend the day before the start of the conference away from the capital city, to discover it a little bit at a time. But where should she go? Maybe to where her ancestors came from. To the margins, the sea and the fringe of the Karst. She knew that the Burja blows there, an unusual wind unknown on the east coast of her American homeland. The hotel receptionist hands her the keys to a car, advising her where she had to stop on the way to the coast; at 10, wrapped up in a warm blanket, she entered the fairy-tale world of underground stalagmites and stalactites that is Postojna Jama; at 12 she saw before her the magical world of the Secovlje saltpans and realised that there are places that have escaped the tourist swarms; at 1:30, she allowed herself a glass of wine in a Piran inn that reminded her of holidays in Italy; at 3, driving along the road through the picturesque Karst landscape, she reached the conservation village of Ĺ tanjel, continuing her route towards the vinecovered hilly landscape and winter-sports centre at Bovec. At 5:30, she dropped down from the highest Slovenian mountain pass VrĹĄic, still marked by winter, towards Kranjska Gora, sitting in the middle of the highlands before drinking her last coffee of the day at 6:30 on the terrace of a cafe by Lake Bled, with an island and a small church in the middle. As she returned to Ljubljana and her hotel, she decided to return next summer. But this time not alone, but with her family, proud of the beauties of the land of her forefathers.

(Diana Oblak is an anatomist from Cleveland, a child of Slovene parents.)

How did Slovenia become Slovenia? The names Slovani, Slovini or Slovenci derive from the root "slovo" (word) and mean people of the same word, i.e. those who understand each

other; thus like the predecessors of today's Slovenes, who first settled this territory in the 6th century and a century later founded the first Slovenian state - the duchy of Karantanija, mute

Geography in numbers * 20,273 km2 is the surface area of the Republic of Slovenia * 1,370 km of borders * 46,6 km of coastline * 2,008,516 population (30 june 3006) * 99.1 population density per km2 * Nationalities: Slovenes 87.8%, Croats: 2.8%, Serbs 2.4%, Muslims 1.4%, Hungarians 0.4%, Italians 0.4%, others 5% * 50.1% urban population.

Slovenia as paradise on earth Foreign visitors are rarely unmoved by the natural beauties of Slovenia - the landscapes, peace, attractive towns and villages and the like. But for me, more important attractions are hidden in its social characteristics: how people live alongside one another. I imagined some indicator of the spirit of a society - I notice whether people you meet on Golovec wish you a good morning, whether pedestrians also have rights and so on. In the towns and villages, Slovenia ranks high, something I've only rarely experienced. Slovenia compares well with other countries I've lived in. I've lived in 13 countries - rich and poor, Christian and Muslim, democratic and autocratic. None of them (except Australia, which is now our home) come close to the combination of attractive features we found in Slovenia. Don Hindle, Australian, professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of NSW) witness to which is the stone Duke's throne on Gosposvetsko Polje (in what today is Austria), on which the Karantanci crowned their dukes. In 745, Karantanija became part of the

Frankish state, the Slavs adopted Christianity and gradually lost their independence. The Freising manuscripts also date from this period (the 10th century); they are the oldest

How far

would 8

you

reach for

knowledge?

Society The National and University Library in Ljubljana

Primo` Trubar (1508-1586)

He wanted to catch up with the times in which he lived and move beyond a Europe that believed in the permanence of a system in which the earth was the centre of the universe; he wanted to reform the Slovenian Church and to teach the people the lessons of the gospels, and he wanted to reorganise the Slovenian education system and lay the foundations for the development of Slovenian literature. Because he was a man of a changing world, he had to flee. To N端rnberg, Rothenburg, T端bingen. Once there, he didn't renounce thoughts of spreading his views; he wrote for his countrymen and had his first book printed in T端bingen for security under the nickname "Illyrian patriot", just as the printer Morhart hid behind the name Jernei Skuryaniz from Sedmogra邸ka. The work of the Slovenian protestant reformer, founder and first superintendent of the protestant Church in Slovenia, including several catechisms and translations of individual parts of the Bible, were placed in 1596 on the Vatican's list of banned books and were later largely destroyed. Two pamphlets from 1550 also escaped fire and oblivion. Trubar's Catechism and Primer are today considered the first printed Slovenian books. Primoz Trubar (1508-1586), central figure of Slovene Protestantism and founder of the Slovenian literary language. He fled to Germany in the face of persecution from the Catholic Church in 1547.

preserved texts in the Slovenian language. In later centuries, the Slovenian lands became part of first the Habsburg and then the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. The mid-15th century saw the

Sunday morning in Ljubljana flea market...

Internet More than one-quarter of the population use the Internet and electronic mail, ranking Slovenia among the European average. Due to the increasing e-literacy of the population, a government programme has enabled the construction of 246 Public Internet Access Points, and the government has also adopted an e-business programme (e-government), which should remove the last administrative barriers and allow more citizen-friendly operations. short period of the Principality of Celje, the last political entity based on Slovenian territory. The Reformation established the foundations of the Slovenian literary language, bringing Slovenes

Education in numbers * 447 elementary schools attended by around 170,000 pupils * 98% of elementary school pupils continue at one of 141 secondary schools * 89 tertiary education institutions are attended by around 90,403 students with around 15,000 students graduating each year * more than 20% of graduates continue with postgraduate studies * Ljubljana open market

The Main Square of Maribor

A typical fairground scene

Left> A hammersmith Right> Tartiniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s statue in Piran

Sitting out near the Ljubljanica river

Behaviour When Slovenes enter a lift, they say hello, and when they leave, they say goodbye. This is a friendly custom, one that I accepted much quicker than the Slovenian way of driving. In fact it says a lot about Slovenes, but it would be extremely inappropriate for instance in Manhattan, Hong Kong or Sao Paulo. I've been living in Slovenia for so long that every time I return to New York, I must stop myself from greeting everyone who enters the lift, because saying hello on every floor in such an environment would sound very strange (and saying goodbye would come across as a provocation). Michael Benson, American film-maker and publicist their first printed book in Slovene in 1550 and in 1584 a Slovene translation of the Bible. During the period of the Illyrian provinces (1809-13, half of Slovenia was part of the French Empire),

Slovenian national consciousness began to strengthen, reaching a peak in the year of revolutions (1848) with the demand for the unification of all Slovenes in a single kingdom within the

How far

would 14

you

beauty?

Art and culture Countryside of northern Slovenia

Previous page: Detail of the church on Jo{t

29 January 1944. A day like any other that winter: unpleasantly chilly. The reading room of the new Ljubljana library is cold. It is closed to the public because of the frost. Staff members are huddled together in a single room with a lit stove. The hours pass slowly in the dead silence of the large building. The clock strikes ten, eleven â&#x20AC;Ś suddenly a roar. The building, distinguished by its squares of red brick and stone worked in various forms shudders. The glass shatters, the doors of the reading room are blown off, thick smoke and the smell of petrol waft into the room. Fire, heat and dust. The arrival of the fire-fighters reveals that an Italian postal plane in German service has crashed into the reading room. The cause of the accident: a fault in the flaps. The pilot of the plane and a library worker lose their lives in the flames. 60,000 books also burn with them. After the war, the reading room is completely renovated, and the library is renamed the National and University Library. Critics today believe that the building is one of the most important creations of the world-renowned Slovenian architect Joze Plecnik in his homeland. (Joze Plecnik (Ljubljana, 1872-1957), Slovenian architect who worked in Vienna, Prague and Ljubljana) Austrian Empire (the unification of Slovenia programme). After the First World War, the failed attempts at trialism (division of the Habsburg monarchy into Austrian, Hungarian and

The interior of Ple~nikâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National and University Library in Ljubljana

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry by the architects Sadar-Vuga Southern Slav parts) and the disintegration of Austro-Hungary, the Slovenian ethnic territory was divided among four states; within the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (the

Like other small centralEuropean nations, the artistic creativity of Slovenes during the time of national rebirth was linked to the lack of their own state and political leadership. The Slovenian language, which for centuries preserved the national identity, has now become its greatest bastion, while other art forms made decisive contributions to recognition of the nation in subsequent years. 18 Although Slovenes were involved in all areas of art, the recognition of Slovenian culture and creativity in the last decade has been mainly marked by achievements in literature, theatre, music and architecture.

Art and culture in numbers * Around 4,400 new book titles in 2005 * 7,384,000 items in 61 public, 138 specialist and 54 higher-education libraries with a total of 19 milion loans a year * 12 professional drama theatres 2 opera-ballet companies * 7 professional orchestras * more than 750,000 theatre visitors per season * 136 galleries and exhibition grounds * 121 museums * 90 cinemas * 1,700 amateur cultural societes *

Robbaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fountain in Ljubljana

Traditional mask of Laufer (runner), Cerkno Carnival Traditional interior: a â&#x20AC;&#x153;blackâ&#x20AC;? kitchen

Previous page: The monument to France Pre{eren, the greatest Slovenian poet

Kingdom of Yugoslavia), the Slovenian territory was first divided into two administrative units (the Ljubljana and the Maribor) before being united in the Drava banovina. Prekmurje

joined the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in 1919. Slovenes only got their own republic within the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia after the end of the Second World War

How far

would 20

you fly

among

the stars? Science and social science Evening sky over the hills of Notranjska (central Slovenia)

86513282306647093844 Science in numbers 3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693993751058209749445923078164062862089986280348253421170679821480

Life covered with a veil of secrecy and a whiff of romance, due to the battles won and wars lost on battlefields on the Rhine, Fort Louis, Mannheim and Mainz; due to enthusiasm for astronomy and ballistics, roguishness which meant that everyone who discovered a mistake in logarithmic tables would receive a gold coin as a reward; due to a gift for negotiation that often exceeded the diplomatic abilities of generals; calm and composure during military campaigns against the Turks, the French and the Prussians, and the disappearance and mysterious death in the waves of the autumn-cold Danube. The first known Slovenian military expert who achieved shining success in war through practical application of his theoretical inventions, a natural scientist and mathematician who gained world fame (and a hereditary baronial title) as the author of logarithmic tables that led to him becoming a member of several European academies. In his theoretical writings he reached for the stars, although he couldn't touch them at the time. Today he can, Jurij Vega is the only Slovene commemorated twice in the heavens - through the name of a crater on the moon and a planetoid that orbits the Sun.

* 1693 foundation of the Academia Operosorum Labacensium * 1938 foundation of the Slovenian Academy of Science and Art today 375 research organisations * 5,253 full-time researchers *

Slavoj @i`ek (photo: Denis Sarki})

(Jurij Vega (17541802), author of logarithmic tables. Having calculated Î to 140 decimal places, he was for many years the world record holder.)

Slovenian euro coins.

The giant of Ljubljana Zizek is a bundle of unlikely elements. He's arguably the brightest and most significant star in Europe's philosophical cosmos, throwing out light by way of an infectious plundering of popular culture and an interest in the tabloid domain of Viagra and virtual pets. Crucially, he is a theorist of the whole when the perceived wisdom is that grand philosophical theory is now nether credible nor possible. ... An American critic famously described Zizek as "the giant of Ljubljana". That charmed city, untouched by the wars of former Yugoslavia, remains his home. It is dominated by a hill topped by a castle and looped by bridges - the central feature in a redesign by the proto-postmodernist architect Joze Plecnik. His grandly eccentric parliament was never built on the hill, but his incongruous monument to Napoleon is visible among the medley of styles down below. The perspective reminds me of the bird's-eye view of the town in Hitchcock's The Birds - one of Zizek's favourite references. The philosopher's home is just east of the centre as it reaches towards a kind of Slovenian Shoreditch of warehouses. Guy Mannes-Abbott, The Independent

on 29 November 1945; two years later, based on the Paris peace treaty, the bulk of Primorska was reunited with Slovenia. 1990 marks the beginning of the last period of Slovenian history;

after the first democratic elections in April 1990 and the plebiscite in December the same year for a sovereign and independent state (88.5% of registered voters voted in

How far

would 24

you

drop down the slopes? Economy The Church on Jo{t

Success stories always have an unusual beginning. One example is the unique race in the last year of the war, January 1945. Competitors tested the first pairs of massive wooden skis hand-made to the design of the ski jumper Rudi Finzgar, which because of their side arches were surprisingly similar to today's skis for carving. Between the wooden skis and the later sales hit there was a whole series of improvements by local experts, including innovations on a global level. They support the rapid development of the only Slovenian company that produces skis which, following a crisis in the ski market in the 1990s, today has a new marketing strategy and new designs. As the 26 manufacturer of the most technologically advanced skis and boards, the company from Begunje in Gorenjska is linked to leading international designers and produces skis with excellent features, with fashionable and exciting designs and an optimal balance between skiing properties and price for all categories of users. Elan is therefore a word that means something. It represents a respected company and embodies the concept of success, a fact that is confirmed by its sale of 15 million pairs of skis all over the world. (Elan d. d. is one of the most profitable manufacturers of winter-sports equipment in the world. It produces more than 400,000 pairs of skis annually, 80% of which are exported).

Some macroeconomic indicators for Slovenia for 2006: GDP pro capita: EUR 14,808 * Growth in GDP: 5.2% * Inflation: 2.5% * Export of goods and services: EUR 20.5 billion * Imports of goods and services: EUR 20.7 billion * Unemployement: 6.0% (surveyed unemployement level according to ILO standards) * The largest Slovenian exporters: Revoz, Gorenje, Krka, Lek, Impol, Sava Tyres, Cimos, Prevent Global, Adria Mobil

Channel and Elan: special edition skis as shown in the magazine Wallpaper*

Joining the EU There is another, much larger circle in Slovenia - its border. A circle that will open like never before. Yes, invasions, politics and wars from outside have formed the history of the country, and it is a miracle that the heart of Slovenia still beats and that its soul remains largely untouched within its borders. But now, with the invasion of its current and future European neighbours, Slovenia is becoming part of a larger world. Many will experience its abundant beauties and fruits. Equally, Slovenes will become citizens of Europe and will step out of the circle to share the wealth of the outside world. Cultural DNA will be mixed, and new identities will be forged from the genetic material of history and memory. Slovenia, don't take too quickly from other countries, but allow a new passion to emerge about the treasures and possibilities of this country, and help establish high standards for management in education and culture to allow the European lifestyle to advance. The circle should open in this way. Steve Diskin, American, architect, visiting professor at ALU

favour), Slovenia declared independence on 25 June 1991. The Slovenian Parliament adopted the new Slovenian constitution at the end of the year. On 29 March 2004 Slovenia became

a NATO member and on 1 May 2004 it joined the European Union. On 1 January 2007 Slovenia also became a member of the Eurozone.

How

far... 28

to paradise? 29

Tourism Trenta in the Julian Alps

A legend tells that - after creating the world and carefully sharing beauty among the countries of the world, sparingly and cautiously - God had a handful of pure beauty which he scattered across the country known today as Slovenia. Although to foreigners it may seem no larger than a flowerpot, it does represent Europe in miniature with its natural beauty and landscape diversity; here the Mediterranean temperament meets the Pannonian melancholy, the apparent coldness of the Alpine world meets the joie de vivre of the Karst, the urban bustle meets the sleepy gentleness of the hills. They say that Slovenia is a pleasant country that calms the soul and invigorates the body, because of its unspoilt nature, mild continental climate, the hospitality of its people and the numerous springs of healthy water. The secret of the health-giving properties of the waters was discovered long ago. The rich culture of thermal spas in Slovenia is shown by excavations of remains from the Roman empire and written documents about thermal waters from the 12th century, and particularly the foundation 30 and expansion of existing health centres during the period of the rebirth of central European spas; thermal and climatic spas in Bled, Laško, Dobrna and Rogaška Slatina have - for more than a century and a half - intensively developed spa tourism, which has developed into one of the more important branches of Slovenia tourism. Due to the ever-more hectic pace of modern life, today it depends on the increasingly popular wellness programmes - offered not just by fifteen spas but also by all modern hotels and independent wellness centres - that in the heart of untouched nature combine sporting activities with an active approach to life. The wealth of untouched nature, the combination of experience, wisdom and the features of the country with the friendliness of the hosts ranks Slovenia not just as a country of growing interest for guests seeking what they really want and need in Slovenia's mosaic of health and wellness, but also as a country in great demand for organising various meetings and top-level conferences.

Photo: Golf Bled archive

The colourful landscapes of Bled...

32 Local port of Piran

Oil rape field with beehives

Slovenia invigorates with natural beauty Slovenia is roughly the same size as one of the four Japanese islands, Shikoku, but nature here is incredibly rich and diverse. In this small area you can find everything: mountains, lakes, hills, plains and even the sea. A true paradise on earth. Particularly recently, I've travelled a lot around Europe, I've also visited other countries around the world, and I can say with certainty that nobody else has such wealth. Takashi Tokuhisa, Japanese, karate teacher and art lover

Almost 58% of the country is covered by forests

The canyon of the Tolminka River

Vineyards of the [tajerska region

Food

The [kocjan Caves

Of course foreigners quickly notice the food, about which it cannot be said that it involves small differences, because there's nothing small about Slovenian food. If Slovenes have ever heard of nouvelle cuisine, they've politely listened and stuck to their old rule that a guest must never leave hungry. If Slovenian inns have large plates, it's not because they want to arrange the meal artistically, but because they want enough room for mountains of meat, sauce and potatoes. There's nothing wrong with the quantity, and as for quality - yum! I'll probably come back to 34 Slovenia for Prekmurska gibanica if not for anything else. But also for evenings in the ice-cream garden by the Ljubljanica or stuffed calamari and seafood platters in Piran, or ...

Special attractions:

Christian Moe, Norwegian in Ljubljana

Pr{ut drying in the Karst The oldest Slovenian wine cellar in Ptuj

Famous Potica

* Underground caves: In Slovenia there are around 8,100 underground caves, 25 of them have been arranged for sightseeing; the Škocjan Caves are famous for their extraordinary beauty - since l986, they have been included among UNESCO's World Heritage Sites, the most beautiful of them is the Postojna Cave, so far it has been visited by more than 30 million admirers. * Cerknica Lake: The largest intermittent lake in Slovenia, and one of the largest in Europe, its surface can reach up to 38 km2. Its mysterious disappearing and reappearing has inspired many folk tales. On the basis of the research work into the intermittent Cerknica Lake, the polymath J. V. Valvasor (1641-1693) in 1687 became a member of the Royal Society in London. * Fauna: The best-known representatives of the rich natural treasure of Slovenia are the Proteus anguinus or "human fish" - the largest known inhabitant of the Karst caves - and the Lipizzaner, a native breed of horse; the stud farm in Lipica - over 400 years old - is home to around 200, while there are only 2,500 in the world. * Kraški Teran: A speciality among Slovenian wines is Kraški Teran, a dark red wine from the Refošk vine that grows in the Karst. The red Karst earth (terra rossa) - a speciality among wine-growing soils - gives it its unique aroma.

The Lipizzaner horses

Tourism in numbers * 55 natural spas and wellness centres * 26 casinos * 5 conference centres and 15 places with congress facilities * 8 golf courses * hotels of all categories, 8 of them of the highest class * 19 youth hotels and Youth Hostels * more than 200 tourist farms * 50 camp sites * 3 marinas with 1,900 moorings * more than 30 wintersports centres with 1,270 ha of ski slopes * more than 7,000 km of marked mountain paths *

Gala dinner, Grand Hotel Union, Ljubljana Casino HIT, Nova Gorica

Habakuk Wellness Centre, Maribor

How far

would 38

you

follow a winner? Sport and recreation Lipizzaners grazing near Lipica

Harmony of mind and body. The tendons snapped into action by the pistol shot. Body in motion. Running. A view of someone who seems to be running for life, for victory. Speed. The hundredth that separates the winner from the losers. Then a moment that stretches into eternity. And memories; of frozen fingers, because even at the start of winter with temperatures around zero she wanted to complete her training schedule; of the running track in her home town, and her first competition; tears of anger in defeat and tears of joy in victory; parents 40 who - when it seemed she could do no more - encouraged her and trainers who believed in her; crowds always demanding new victories and the little boy who wrote to tell her that he was keeping the gift she forgot a few days before on the winner's podium ... Then disillusion. Lasting speed. The final few metres with the shouts of supporters in the background. The finish line, the doorway to a new dimension. Silence reverberating around the arena. A glance at the scoreboard. Sounds return. Unrepeatable feeling of happiness. Hands that could embrace the world. 1:55.82. World record. And alongside it the name - Jolanda Ceplak. (Jolanda Ceplak is the world indoor record holder at 800 m)

Although almost half of the population of Slovenia do not participate in sport (a figure somewhat higher than the European average), Slovenes are still a sporting nation; not just because in the past it strengthened national consciousness, but also because today you could hardly find a Slovenian who could not recite the achievements of Slovenian sports people - in ski flying, downhill skiing, athletics, rowing - as well as those in extreme sports - rafting, canyoning, skiing, snowboarding and climbing.

41 Ice climbing in the Karavanke Mountains

Kayak on the wild waters of the So~a

Sports in numbers * 1689 first written mention of skiing and ski equipment in Slovenia * 1862 first Slovenian sports union founded * 1991 Slovenian Olympic Committee founded * 14 olympic medals * 287 medals in world championships * 6,400 sports societies and clubs with 80,000 members Divja jaga downhill world cup

A group of trekkers on Triglav (2,864 m)

Show jumping

Nature, health As far as local customs go, I noticed something: older people here are still vital and young physically and in spirit. The smiles on their faces and what they radiate supports the old saying that those who know how to live with nature are repaid twice over. This must be learned from the people here. Cleaning the lungs in every way. Ana Ristovic Car, Serb, poet, translator and editor of the Balcanis Magazine

Golf * Jolanda ^eplak, world indoor record holder at 800 m * Slovenian handball team, second in the 2004 European Championship * Davo Krni~ar was the first person in the world to ski down the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest * Alja` Pegan and Mitja Petkov{ek, European champions in gymnastics on the beam and parallel bars. * Luka [pik and Iztok ^op, Olympic gold medallists in coxed pairs * Rajmond Debevec, Olympic shooting gold medallist

How

far on 44

Friday evening?

Leisure and free time Ur{lja Mountain

Friday. A day when schoolbooks sit in a corner, when study materials are left on the benches of lecture theatres, and a day when, for 48 hours, the monotony of offices are enlivened only by the sound of air conditioning and coffee machines. Friday evening. A time for fun and relaxed chats, the clattering of beer steins and wine glasses, a time for snacks and toasts in old town centres, sitting in the summer along the banks of the Ljubljanica and the pedestal of the monument to the Slovenian poet and his muse, and also a time for numerous events, concerts and all-night parties for the most persistent. But there are some Fridays that are particularly important for young people. One such is every performance in the last three years by undoubtedly the most popular Slovenian band, who excite not only teenagers, but also their parents. The only Slovene band ever to appear on MTV or to organise a concert with the Symphony Orchestra of Radio and Television Slovenia was founded in 1995 and the record-holder in the number of records sold in two months. Slovenes are at least united in one thing - Siddharta are the best! (Siddharta, the only Slovenian band to have filled the Central Stadium in Ljubljana at their concert on 13 September 2003)

Laibach in concert (photo: Laibach archive)

Leisure in numbers * Ambasada Gavioli (Izola), K4, BOF, Fun Factory (Ljubljana) -clubbing * Metelkova Mesto (Ljubljana), Pekarna (Maribor) - concerts, entertainment and subculture events * Ĺ pas theatre, Theater 55 (Ljubljana) - comedy theater * Cafe Teater (Ljubljana) - variete, cabaret * 90 cinemas *

Music The music scene in Ljubljana is exceptional. The diversity and degree of musicality cannot be measured on the Richter scale. If I had to mention anyone in particular, I'd have to say that, for me, Magnifico is a star of the same mould as Sly Stone, I like the funky Planet Groove and the great people from Kuhinja. I've worked with Siddharta on six songs; we began with an English ver- 47 sion of B-Machine. Supposedly Laibach recorded it a while ago. Shawn Thomson, English, songwriter and teacher

Laibach in concert (photo: Laibach archive)

Siddharta in concert (photo: Ivan Zupi~) Clubbing...

Good to know Holidays 1 and 2 January New Year 8 February Pre{eren Day, Slovenian cultural holiday Easter Sunday and Monday 27 April Day of Uprising Against Occupation 1 and 2 May May-Day Holiday 25 June Statehood Day 15 August Assumption 31 October Reformation Day 1 November All Saints' Day 25 December Christmas 26 December Independence and Unity Day

Banks Since 1st January 2007, Slovenia is a member of the Eurozone, so the official currency is now euro. Visitors to Slovenia can exchange currency and travellers' cheques, open bank accounts, send cash and conduct various types of non-cash transactions in banks. Banks are generally open during the week from 9-12 and 2-5, with duty banks open on Saturdays from 9-12. Money can also be exchanged in exchange offices, at hotel receptions, in tourist agencies, at petrol stations and in larger retail outlets. The daily exchange rates can be found at: www.bsi.si/podatki/tec-bs-en.asp Shops Shops are open without a break; during the week, generally from 8-7 (with some private shops also open until 9 p.m.); on Saturdays from 8-1; some are also open on Sundays and holidays. Payments are made in tolars, but most shops also accept credit cards (American Express, Diners, Mastercard-Eurocard, Visa). Post Post offices are open weekdays from 8-6, and Saturdays from 8-12. In the main towns, the head post office is also open in the evenings and on Saturday afternoons. To use payphones, you'll have to buy phone cards from post offices or newspaper kiosks; www.posta.si International access telephone number is 00. Telephone country code is 386; www.telekom.si Almost the whole country is covered by mobile telephone signals, while operators have signed contracts with major European and global operators. Electricity 220 V, 50 Hz.

with the January average 0째C, but during the summer it can get very hot at the coast, and it can be fairly cold in the hills in winter. We recommend that you find out what sort of weather you can expect before you arrive in Slovenia. Radio programmes Traffic information: on the RDS system after the news on channel 2 from Friday afternoon until Saturday evening in English, German and Italian, and every weekend in July and August. Holiday weather forecasts: July and August, channels 1 and 2 at 7:15 in English, German and Italian. Special information is also added on the weather in the hills and the northern Adriatic. News: international and local news every day on channel 1 at 10:30 p.m. in English and German. Frequencies Channel 1: AM 326.8 (918 KHz); FM 88.5, 90.0, 91.8, 92.0, 92.9, 94.1, 96.4 Channel 2: FM 87.8, 92.4, 93.5, 94.1, 95.3, 96.9, 97.6, 98.9, 99.9 www.rtvslo.si School holidays 29 October 2007 - 2 November 2007 - autumn holidays 24 December 2007 - 2 January 2008 - New Year holidays 18 - 22 February 2008 - winter holidays for Ljubljana and Maribor 25 - 29 February 2008 - winter holidays (except for Ljubljana and Maribor) 28 April - 2 May 2008 - May-Day holidays Important telephone numbers Police 113 Fire brigade 112 Ambulance 112 AMZS (Automobile Association of Slovenia) 1987 General info 090 93 98 81 Where to find additional information about Slovenia? Government Communication Office Gregor~i~eva 25, 1000 Ljubljana Phone: +386 1 478 26 00 Fax: +386 1 251 23 12 www.ukom.gov.si Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pre{ernova 25, 1000 Ljubljana Phone: +386 1 478 20 00 Fax: +386 1 478 23 40 www.mzz.gov.si

Water Water supplies are safe to drink throughout the country.

Office for European Affairs Gregor~i~eva 25, 1000 Ljubljana Phone: +386 1 478 24 50 Fax: +386 1 478 25 00 www.svez.gov.si

Weather Due to the different climate zones - Mediterranean at the coast, Alpine in the Alps and the Karavanke, and Pannonian in the north-east of the country - you should bring clothes appropriate to the season. Average July temperatures are above 20째C,

Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia Dimi~eva ulica 13, 1504 Ljubljana Phone: +386 1 589 80 00 Fax: +386 1 589 81 00 www.gzs.si

Spomenik svetovne dedi{~ine - UNESCO UNESCO world heritage site

Regijski park Regional park

Triglavski narodni park Triglav National Park

Toplice Spa

Igralnica Casino

Mednarodno letali{~e International airport

Konferen~ne zmogljivosti Conference venues

Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia Vo`arski pot 12, 1000 Ljubljana Phone: +386 1 241 51 00 Fax: +386 1 241 53 44 www.stat.si Slovenian Tourist Board Dunajska cesta 156 1000 Ljubljana Phone: +386 1 589 18 40 Fax: +386 1 589 18 41 www.slovenia.info Ljubljana Tourist Board Gregor~i~eva 7 1000 Ljubljana Phone: +386 1 426 71 11 Fax: +386 1 425 33 58 www.ljubljana-tourism.si Cultural Centres in Slovenia British Council Center Tivoli, Tivolska cesta 30 1000 Ljubljana Phone: +386 1 300 20 30 Fax: +386 1 300 20 44 info@britishcouncil.si www.britishcouncil.si French Institute Charles Nodier Breg 22 1000 Ljubljana Phone: +386 1 200 05 00 Fax: +386 1 200 05 12 biblio@institutfrance.si www.institutfrance.si Goethe Institut Tivoli Center, Tivolska cesta 30 1000 Ljubljana Phone: +386 1 300 03 10 Fax: +386 1 300 03 19 info@ljubljana.goethe.org www.goethe.de Italian Cultural Institute Kongresni trg 13 1000 Ljubljana Phone: +386 1 241 56 40 Fax: +386 1 241 56 43 iiclubiana@esteri.it www.italcult.slo.it.tt

Not far! HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO? NOT FAR! 3rd edition

Publishers: Government Communicaton Office (Director An`e Logar, MA) and Slovenian Tourist Board (Director Dimitrij Piciga) Production: Nuit d.o.o. Author of the text: Miha Trefalt The quotations from abroad were published in the daily Delo in the series "Views of Slovenia", in 2003 Photographs: Tomo Jeseni~nik, Lorenka Stropnik, Branko Cvetkovi~, Government Communication Office of the Republic of Slovenia, Slovenian Tourist Board Archives, Getty images Print: Mond Grafika d.o.o. Ljubljana, July 2007 CIP - Katalo`ni zapis o publikaciji Narodna in univerzitetna knji`nica, Ljubljana 308(497.4) 908(497.4) TREFALT, Miha How far would you go? / [author of the text Miha Trefalt ; photographs Tomo Jeseni~nik ... et al.]. - 3rd ed. - Ljubljana : Government Communication Office : Slovenian Tourist Board, 2007 ISBN 978-961-6435-41-3 (Government Communication Office) 1. Gl. stv. nasl. 233951232