MISC. FUN STUFF IN SLOVENIA-PHOTOS: documentary film festival

It’s so weird having so much free time, called retirement.  I’m able to pick things that interest me, whether it’s visiting museums, biking, or proposing new ideas for active tourism here in Skofja Loka.  When I was working, I was lucky to go to one movie during Film Festivals in Portland.  Ljubljana had a documentary film festival,   I picked 10 movies, 2 alternates  to see, Natasa could only find 2 (different ones).  Some things are frustrating.
The many Islamic groups like Boko Haram, ISIS, ISIL, Al-Shabaab, Taliban, al-Qaeda  & Saudi Arabia all treat women like 2nd class citizens.  Banning education, no driving, arranged marriages, the male power structure is morally wrong.  I’ve used my tax refund to buy school supply kits for girls in Afghanistan.  Whenever I have extra money I support groups that offer education opportunities for oppressed people.  So when I read about the movie Sonita, I knew I had to see it.  It was GREAT,  I happily cried all the way through it.  It actually puts America in a positive light.  Anyway go see it.

Some other movies I liked:
1.  How to Save the World is the story about the formation of Greenpeace, contains original film footage from the 70’s and interviews with the original members today, inspirational.
2.  NOAM CHOMSKY in “Requiem for an American Dream.”talks politics, what’s interesting it was the only “sold out” movie.
3.  Chuck Norris vs Communism  How American movies are thought to have influenced the over throw of the government  Romania.  Who’s leaders were eventually executed.
4.  Among the Believers, exposes the Red Mosques in Afghanistan and the reprisals.
5.  Fog of Srebrenica  Inside look at the war in Bosnia.

I’m trying to bring Sonita to Skofja Loka’s movie theater, KinoSora.  I offered to pay to bring it to town, I hope they take me up on the offer.

I attended the “Home Show” in Ljubljana, I’m was looking for a patio awning.  I found 2 things I like, tiny houses and electric bikes. The electric bike by Spring. was awesome.   The tiny solar house had everything you need, quiet the bomb.

During the film festival, I went to Ljubljana nearly everyday. Some days I had hours in between movies.   I had never really visited the Castle in Ljubljana, so I took 3 hours & the audio guide and went corner to corner in the castle.  There was a historical exhibition about the transportation history in Ljubljana. Bikes were and are still;popular options for getting around town.   I love the bike share except when there’s no bikes left.  I ran up as the last bike was being checked out, I walked.

The tourist office in Ljubljana suggested I visit the Botanical Garden.  I rode a bike share bike there and walked to the garden.  It was still kinda winter, so there wasn’t a lot to see.  I went inside the greenhouse, that was great.  There were bananas, flowers, I felt like I took a 20 minute vacation in SE Asia.  The only think missing were jungle sounds, I suggested they put in some speakers and turn it up.  I  waited a month and revisited the botanical garden, it’s in bloom now.

Even during the winter,  Skofja Loka has a lot going on.   There was a eating healthy local foods festival.  I bought the pear brandy that has a pear inside.  They tie a bottle up in the tree, with a pear allowed to grow inside.  The famous Skofja Loka bicycle gang visited the festival too.  The local bike shop had e-bike testing for 5 days. I took Dan on the Super 8 ride.  I called him and told him to take his girlfriend, he told me “I already did”-she liked it.  There was the suicide fire last year, they finally finished the roof and “topped” it off by adding a copper tower.  Why? I have no idea.

We drove by the Postojna Caves last fall, but Natasa  wouldn’t pay the $25 to go in.  So I took the bus there by myself.  It was great.  Everyone says it’s a big tourist trap with the train and all.  But that was the awesome part (besides the caves themselves), it allowed families with kids and the elderly to experience the caves.  The train goes underground for 7 minutes, your in there way deep.  It takes the stalagmites a 100 years to grow 1 cm (less than 1/2 an inch).  There were formations that were 500,000  years old.  The walkways had railings and slip proof walkways through out.  Definitely a great day trip thing to do in Slovenia.

My phone camera isn’t the best  inside the cave.  Here’more  professional pictures

Here’s some misc photos that I want to share. Signs, Art, Sports, Nature, Celebrations, Logging, Farming, Bee Door. There are many small dairy operations here, some with just a few cows. I caught a small producer bringing his milk to the Cheese Plant, by car. There was a National Geographic photo exhibition in Tivoli Park.  There were photos of Triglav National Park on one side and photos of National parks of America on the other side.  I took a couple photos of the photos.

Slovenia  celebrates it’s writers and poets with numerous holidays, statues and monuments.  Public art exhibit in Ljubljana had a quote by Ivan Canker from a book called My Life, 1914.

“AT THIS SCHOOL WE WERE BARE-HEADED AND BARE ARMED AND WE ROLLED OUR TROUSERS RIGHT UP ON OUR THINGS.  ONCE IN THE HEAT OF MY LONGING FOR FURTHER WISDOM, I WENT AJUST A LITTLE TOO DEEP IN THE WATER.
SUDDENLY I FELT AS THOUGH I WERE RIDING A HUGE GREEN HORSE, STRAIGHT TOWARDS THE SPLENDID SUN.
INCOMPARABLE BLISS SWEPT OVER ME & I FELT LIKE AN EMPEROR.  AT THE MOMENT A PITILESS GRABBED ME BY THE HAIR & FLUNG ME HARSHLY ON THE PEBBLES.  
THERE I SHUDDERED & BURST INTO TEARS WITHOUT KNOWING WHY.  IT WAS JURCA’S FARM-HAND WHO PULLED ME OUT OF THE WATER.
IF ANYONE HAS ANY OBJECTION TO ANYTHING I HAVE DONE LATER IN LIFE, HE SHOULD TAKE IT UP WITH THAT FARM-HAND, NOT WITH ME.”

Ljubljana is the Green Capital of Europe 2016, I try to visit the special monthly exhibits.  There was a  water exhibit that I really wanted to visit. Droughts in Thailand, India, Syria, Vietnam are effecting both people and the economy.   They say the next (or current) wars are going to be over water. A Documentary movie by Slovenian’s, Tomo Križnar and Maja Weiss, 2008 called “Darfur- War for Water” was on a poster.  It’s a 7 part series in 15 minute segments. Little Slovenia was trying to help broker a peace deal, kinda makes me proud to be here.  This is part one:

I’ve been working on the Go Skofja Loka business plan for promoting arts & crafts tourism.  Most of the pieces are already in place.  Trying to get everyone on the same page by working together, that’s the real task at hand.  Skofja Loka has all 3 attractions that make an Adventure Travel Destination: : physical activity, natural environment and cultural immersion.  The biking, hiking, fishing, swimming, arts & crafts, traditional food and farming make Skofja Loka a perfect un-crowded traveler/tourist destination.  Here’s 150 things to do in Skofja Loka.

I hope this blog post finds you  coming back in the future.  Living in a new country away from America, has been eye opening.  I feel lucky this month that I was able to donate, to my favorite charities. ROOM TO READ,   SOLAR LIGHTS IN AFRICA,   AVAAZ,  350.ORG

 

Till next time
Jeff

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