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| Q: |
Is the national airport far from Ljubljana? |
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Ljubljana Airport is only a half hour drive from Ljubljana and about 35 min from Bled. It is in a very good central position and thus is close to all tourist destinations.
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| Q: |
How did life change after entering European Union? |
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The market opened for us. More foreign companies are coming into the country and thus there are more job openings. On the other hand we don’t need a work permit for the following EU countries: UK, Ireland and Sweden. There is more interaction and cooperation with neighbouring countries and other countries of the European Union. Some products became cheaper; prices of eating and drinking out went up and are still climbing. But cappuccino in Slovenia is still the cheapest in European Union.
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| Q: |
Is Democracy better for you? |
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The answer is yes, even though many people feel nostalgic about the past. Democracy has brought us many changes: Slovenes are now free to vote, there is freedom of expression and business initiative. Above all, human rights are protected.
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| Q: |
Why don’t Slovenes think of themselves as Eastern Europeans? |
| A: |
The question is related to our recent history. Slovenia was part of Yugoslavia, a country ruled by Tito who opposed Stalin in 1948. Yugoslavia opened its borders towards the West in early 1950's, therefore Slovenians and other Yugoslavs were able to travel freely and trade. Socialism in Yugoslavia was flirting with the free enterprise economy. Many Slovenian companies did business with Germany, Italy, and Austria and also Slovenes went shopping for bananas, washing powder, coffee and chocolate to the nearby cities of Trieste and Graz. We were quite well acquainted with the western style of life. Also in schools children were taught English and not Russian.
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| Q: |
What is your lifestyle like? |
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We have a high quality of life, one of the highest in Europe. We are lucky that we live in a country of diverse landscape and we also have the nature within our reach. More than 50 per cent of Slovenian land is covered in forests, which contribute to considerably clean and refreshing air. We still have quite clean drinking water. We work on average 8-9 hours per day. We live in touch with nature and do lots of sports and recreation. On a daily basis we do a lot of walking, jogging, biking and roller-blading.
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| Q: |
What are your national sports? |
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As a nation we are keen on sport. Our national sports are skiing and mountaineering. And some would consider mushroom and blueberry picking to be sports here! One of the first skis in the world was invented here four centuries ago. Davo Krnicar, a Slovenian, was the first person in the world to ski from the top of Mount Everest. For a country of two million people we have lots of sports champions in both winter and summer sports: alpine skiers, ski jumpers, alpinists, rowers, handball teams, athletics and others, who make us proud at every World Championship and Olympic Games
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| Q: |
Which plants and animals can be found in Slovenia? |
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The country is home to 2900 plant species and many are unique to Slovenia. Triglav National Park is especially rich in endemic flowering plants.
Common European animals are abundant in Slovenia, including deer, boar, chamois, bear, and lynx (all of which are hunted), and it's also home to rarer beasts such as the moor tortoise, cave hedgehog, scarab beetle and various dormice. Proteus anguinus, the 'human fish', is unique to Slovenia's karst caves, and is one of the world's most mysterious creatures.
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| Q: |
What is a Gostilna? |
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The gostilna is at the heart of Slovenian cuisine. Beside drinks, gostilnas usually offer at least three dishes, which are typical of the environment or region. Gostilnas are often owned by families and usually maintain a traditional atmosphere., The food is homemade, using fresh local ingredients, supplemented by excellent Slovenian wines (especially in the wine growing regions). Gostilnas are famous for homeliness and genuine hospitality - that is one of the reasons why guests return again and again.
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| Q: |
Why is Slovenia so green? |
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Slovenia is a heavily wooded country with protected forests and areas of primeval forest. Throughout Slovenia, there are forest reserves, and primeval forests are still to be found in in several places around the country. Individual protected trees are also natural assets that create unique landscape views with their magnificence. Protected forests, trees, and the indigenous flora and fauna are often a part of the landscape parks that preserve the heritage of individual areas. In Slovenia, there are dozens of such parks, from coastal Strunjan with its protected flysch landscape and steep coastal cliff and the Sečovlje salt flats with its reserve for migrating and shore birds, to Bela krajina's Lahinja Park with its marshy botanical treasures or the glacial Logarska dolina valley in the Savinjske Alps. Many of Slovenia's natural sites are included in theme trails, forest education trails, and various local excursion programs.
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| Q: |
Where do Lipizzaners come from? |
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Close to the Slovene-Italian border, lying deep in the heart of the karst countryside under the blue Mediterranean sky, is the Lipica Stud Farm, the cradle of the white Lipizzaner horse. Founded in 1580, the stud farm ranks among the most important cultural and historical monuments in Slovenia. Through the centuries, the stud farm has maintained the tradition of breeding and selecting the best purebred Lipizzaner horses. In the last forty years, Lipica has also cultivated the equestrian arts, and its achievements are presented at various international riding events. Present-day Lipica is a well-equipped tourist resort with a touch of tradition. It offers a range of modern facilities such as hotels, an indoor swimming pool, a sauna, a fitness center, conference rooms, a casino, a golf course, and tennis courts. Guests can spend a delightful holiday learning or improving riding skills, taking carriage rides, or simply enjoying the unspoiled natural surroundings. Children can ride ponies or amuse themselves in the children's playground. A performance of the classical riding school, which takes place in a covered arena, is an unforgettable experience, as is a visit to the stud farm and to the art gallery with its exhibition of paintings by Avgust Černigoj.
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| Q: |
What is a kozolec? |
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The kozolec is a vertical rack for drying hay and other field crops. They can be seen in fields all over Slovenia, and they are almost an unofficial national symbol. It is said that if you show a picture of snow-covered kozolec to a Slovene living abroad, a tear will come to their eye.
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| Q: |
What is a Kurent? |
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The Slovenian rite of spring and fertility is called Kurentovanje. This event is celebrated for 10 days. During this extravagant celebration, Kurent, the god of unrestrained pleasure and hedonism, comes to life. Groups of Kurents (kurenti) dress in sheepskins with cowbells hanging from their belts. They wear furry caps decorated with horns, streamers, feathers and sticks. Their face masks, which are made of leather, have eyeholes outlined in red. Trunk-like noses jut out from the masks, and huge tongues dangle down to their chests.
The Kurents travel throughout the town, moving from house to house to scare off evil spirits with bells and wooden clubs that are topped with hedgehog spines. A devil acts as the leader of the procession. He is covered in a net to catch souls. The Kurents are presented with the handkerchiefs of young girls. These gifts are attached to their belts. The people of the town smash clay pots at the feet of the Kurents for good luck and good health.
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