A1 discount hotel

Last month I related our experiences in wonderful, small and enchanting Slovenia. I continue my story.

Rosalnice

Another Slovenian "must" is the town of Rosalnice (go over the Vahta Pass to Metlika) with its renowned Tri Fare (Three Parishes) pilgrimage center, where three charming, 15th-century, small Gothic churches stand right beside each other enclosed by a high wall. I was unable to find out why they built three churches so close together.

After you have taken pictures, be sure to drop in for refreshments at the fascinating, old and rustic Gostilna (Restaurant) Pri Treh Farah just opposite.

Postojna

The following day we moved to Postojna, where we stopped at Hotel Jama (Jamska C 28, 6230 Postojna, Slovenia; phone 011/386/67-282-400 or e-mail hoteli-turizem@siol.net), next to the famous cave by the same name.

Our room with balcony was so nice and the price so reasonable at 52 [euro] (near $63) for two, including breakfast, that we decided to stay for six nights, which earned us an additional 10% discount.

Be sure to stay in the main part of the hotel, which has large rooms and bathrooms. Note that only a few rooms have a TV. As the hotel dining room was closed for dinner, we had all our excellent evening meals at hotel Kras in town.

Once we had secured our accommodations, we were free to roam southwest Slovenia and visit a number of extraordinary sites.

* Postojna Cave--You absolutely must see the Postojna Cave. During the 1 1/2-hour visit, a train takes you to Calvary, a 147-foot-high underground hill lying at the junction of three galleries. From there, you have to walk, accompanied by multilingual guides.

After crossing the Russian Bridge--built by Russian prisoners during World War I--you come to immense halls filled with exquisitely formed stalagmites and stalactites. The tour's highlight was the mammoth Concert Hall, which can hold up to 10,000 visitors and where, on occasion, concerts are held.

* Lipica--Another worthwhile visit is pastoral Lipica, where the original stud farm for the famous Lipizzaner horses of the Vienna Spanish Riding School is located in a delightful rural area among an abundance of linden trees (lipica = "little linden" in Slovene). Nowadays, horses for the riding school are bred in Austria.

We reveled in the elegant half-hour performance, during which the horses danced to the accompaniment of Strauss waltzes. We tried to buy a ticket just for the show, as the Lonely Planet guide "Slovenia" indicated that the farm tour was boring. Unfortunately, you can only purchase a combination ticket (farm tour and show) at a cost of 2,500 sit (about $10) per person.

To reach Lipica, take the A1 toll road, direction Koper, and exit at Divaca. Lipica is nine kilometers southwest of Divaca. Two hotels are nearby.

* Predjama Castle--The 20-minute drive from the hotel to Predjama was an event in itself, as it led to the castle past glorious fields covered with yellow and white flowers and blossoming trees. The appearance of this 4-story, 16th-century jewel of a chateau is unforgettable. Situated in a cave in the center of an enormous precipice, it looks awesome and indomitable. We didn't visit the inside, figuring it would be a letdown after seeing the outside.

Idrya

The next day, as it was raining, we took the one-hour drive to Idrya to visit the Anthony Mine Shaft (Anthonijev Rov), where mercury used to be extracted.

The tour, which cost 600 sit ($2.40), started in the "call room," in which a life-size supervisor, sitting on a podium with a ledger in front of him, was positioned to assign miners to the 12-hour shift. Each one received a numbered metal tag, which had to be returned at the end of the working day. Since the laborers had a "union," they earned more than twice the average wage for the area. To denote their lofty status, they each wore a hat instead of a helmet.

Regrettably, many developed mental diseases from mercury poisoning. The mine is no longer in operation but only because of the depressed price of mercury.

After donning a hard hat and a miner's coat, we started the tour and were amazed to see genuine mercury, which the miners used to rub off the wall.

A trail to Bela

For an interesting walk after leaving the mine, drive Highway 104 from Idrija toward Ljubljana and turn off at the sign "Bela, 7 km." Within 325 feet you will see a small parking area with a sign "Krajinski Park Zgornja Idrijca."

Leave the car there and walk for two minutes on the road. At the 40-kph speed-limit sign, cross the river over a wooden bridge, ascend the bank and turn left to follow the delightful, tranquil, wooded trail between the river and a canal. At first paved and used as a jogging trail by the local school, the path continues unpaved all the way to Bela, a pristine nature area.

If you would rather drive, continue along the river toward Bela through the magnificent gorge. You will end up at scenic Krajinski Park, where numerous forest roads beckon you to explore further.

Skofja Loka

The next day we went to Skofja Loka to visit the beautifully preserved historic Old Town, which is protected as a cultural monument. Since no cars are allowed in this part, we parked at the bus station (we were told we would not get a ticket), walked over the footbridge and up the steps to Mestni trg, the center of the Old Town.

At No. 5, the tourist office, we obtained the English brochure "Crngrob-Planica-Krizna Gora," which details the hikes in the area and describes the town center with its eye-catching colorful medieval houses. Signs in English and Slovenian on the houses explain the architecture. The most interesting one is the former Town Hall at No. 35. Inside is a 3-story Gothic courtyard with a plethora of gorgeous flowers spilling over the edges of the balconies.

Tehniski Mujez Slovenije

On the way back, we stopped at the interesting Tehniski Mujez Slovenije (Technical Museum of Slovenia) at Bistra Castle near Vrhnika, 22 kilometers southwest of Ljubljana on the Ljubljana-Koper road.

It exhibits many pre-WWII motor vehicles and bicycles, steam engines (portable and stationary) and water-powered mills. Would you believe that it even housed a model-12-series 15 Packard given to Tito by Stalin in 1945?

PRACTICALITIES

Money

The unit of currency in Slovenia is the tolar (abbreviated sit). In the spring of 2002, one tolar was worth US$0.004. To figure out the cost of an item, multiply the cost in tolars by four and eliminate three zeros (or move the decimal point three places to the left). For instance, 100 tolar x 4 = 400, and move the decimal point three places to the left for $0.40.

Hotels quote prices in euros and tolars; you can pay in either currency. All hotels and restaurants accept credit cards.

Internet site, guidebook and map

For additional information, consult Slovenia's Internet site at www. slovenia-tourism.si and the Lonely Planet guidebook "Slovenia," third edition (August 2001).

For a good road map, go to any bookstore or gas station in Slovenia and buy "Slovenija, a Road Map," published by Terme Catez, which has an ad for "Budget Rent A Car Slovenija" on its front. It lists with an "H" the towns that have hotels.

Weather

Count on daily rain, which, of course, makes the countryside delightfully green. Even if it is sunny in the morning, it will usually rain in the afternoon.

Therefore, it is advisable to start all outdoor sports early in the morning.

Fortunately, it is easy to know what to expect, since the daily morning newspaper Ne Delo has a graphic representation of the weather forecast on its back page.

Supermarket, gasoline and language

The biggest supermarket chain is Mercator.

Gas prices, which are cheaper in Slovenia than in many other European countries, are the same at every pump.

Since many people still speak German and don't know any English, it is helpful to learn a few words of Slovenian.