Where did the sun go?

What's going on Jezersko? We came here for summer.

A walk around the town

First day

A welcome gift when we arrived.

Our home for the next few weeks.

View from our window.

We have arrived

First we stop off for some lunch/dinner then home for a shower and bed.

Dubai

Filling in 5 hours in Dubai

Off we go

All packed and ready to go again

Idrija

We have spent the last 4 days wandering this very old town listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. The mercury mine was the second largest mercury mine in the world. A tub maker soaking his tub discovered  a shimmery substance back in 1490. The spot where the mercury was found is now the site of a church. Working for nearly 500 years  the mine closed in 1995 when the use of mercury was banned across the world. We visited the smelter where they extracted the mercury from the rock by means of vapour then solidified it. Interesting fact mercury stays liquid until temperature drops to -40.

  We visited the Gewerkenegg Casle (in German means mining castle) which was about the only castle that did not house aristocrats. Building started in 1493 and was added to over the years by the mine owners. It was used for the accommodation of the mine administration and storing of mercury and wheat. It now houses the museum  showcasing the mercury,  war, earlier life in Idrija and the lace. We also visited a miners hut, the biggest wooden waterwheel built in 1800, the smelter and went down in the mine. 

I was in lace heaven here. The lace in Idrija is very famous and unique. All of the women and girls made lace to help with the family finances. Girls and some boys would learn from a very young age. So a lace making school was set up. Even now many school age girls spend hours after school learning how to make lace. Nev and I participated in a lace class, Nev made a bracelet and I started a fish but fumbled through it. It was a very different feel as I am used to working with smaller bobbins on a flat surface. In my excitement I forgot to take photos of my work. We sampled some zlikrofi...... a potato stuffed dumpling made by the miners wives. Traditionally served with a lamb or cheese or mushroom sauce and made in a characteristic  shape. There is also a special cake with lace on top found only in Idrija.

We found a vending machine selling eggs!

The temperature was unusually hot..around 33-35 deg. The town was very quiet for summer holidays. We went for ride out to the wild lake where we found a lot of people cooling off. I recommend people take the free bus out as the road is very winding and narrow. Many a car had to reverse and pull off the road to let the bus through.