Hey everyone…back from nearly 3 weeks on the road, mostly in Slovenia. As I mentioned before leaving, I was concerned about the recurrence of a health problem I thought I had put behind me before I committed to this trip. I am very happy to report that I got by with only one really bad day this whole time…huge relief. I had some work to do over there, but I also managed to get a lot of fun time mixed in there. Here are a few observations about Slovenia for anyone interested:

- Slovenia is a NICE place. It was my first time there (and I think my 35th country visited in the last 25 years) and I was impressed. Maybe it is a clich to call someplace a “crossroads”, but it does apply here. This is where Mediterranean, Germanic, Balkan and the wider Slavic Europe meet. The Romans knew it was an important spot, building some significant settlements here. There is still a tiny bit of Roman “Emona” to be seen in the modern capitial, Ljubljana.

- The economy is headed in the right direction, but probably a year or so behind the US. Like anywhere else, there is a wide disparity of economic conditions. In the formerly industrial region around Maribor, where I was based, there are an alarming number of younger people leaving for Austria and Germany.

- Before my visit I had the feeling that the differences in language and culture between the former Yugoslav republics had been exaggerated a bit for political reasons over the last two decades. I am now convinced that this is absolutely not the case.

- Even so, there is some nostalgia for certain aspects of the united Yugoslavia. I was on a road trip with a colleague, and he pointed out that all of the equipment we saw doing road work that day was German made. In his youth Yugoslavia industry was able to meet all of those types of needs.

- The standard of English in Ljubljana is remarkable. It is like the Netherlands in that it’s almost insulting to ask people in the service industry if they speak English. Outside of the capital is a different story, but I don’t think I ran into anyone who didn’t have a decent level of German there. Part of this is down to the mentality of living in a small country. Slovenes are taught from the 3rd grade that they are going to need at least one additional language. I also credit the fact that foreign TV programs are subtitled, not dubbed.

- While Slovenes can be anxious to differentiate themselves from their former Yugoslav brethren in some ways, this fortunately doesn’t extend to restaurants. I enjoyed more meals than I would care to admit here of პvapčići or pljeskavica…much meaty goodness!

I love getting to new places, but I would totally go back. There is nothing here that qualifies so much as an absolute must see for casual European travelers (with the possible exception of Lake Bled) it is a friendly, fun and affordable place to travel…and on the Euro too. It is certainly a simple side trip from Venice or Austria.