It is 2 AM in Ljubljana as I write this. All in all I would rather be there at the moment rather than in Boston (awaiting snow tonight). The Carnival parade kicks off at 11 AM. The center of town will be packed with people. Parking will be even more of a nightmare than it usually is.
The celebration is held the Saturday before Ash Wednesday (which is in five days). It is a delightful exhibit of folk customs, some music, and many groups of children parading in costume. When I was there two years ago I was out for about 5 hours shooting. Perfect weather that was cool but not cold, brilliantly sunny, and no wind. It would take very little for me to shout yes were my superiors to suggest that I go back. Wouldn't even be a matter of obedience, just a screaming yes, I'll go pack right now.
The guys with the whips were fascinating. When cracked the whips sounded like gunfire. When the men began a demonstration the crowd gave them very wide berth.
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The skill is being transmitted to younger men as well.
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Kurenti. The bells around their waists are cacaphonous. The men were heading to the parade start. Headdresses being carried. They are meant to keep evil spirits away.
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Another group. Headdresses off. Doing a kind of circle dance in front of the Franciscan Church.
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Most importantly and like Twix, Carnival is for kids . . . . .
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. . . and more kids . . . .
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. . . and still more kids, dressed mostly in coordinated costumes.
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Two street artists performing. This is a combination I can't imagine seeing in the U.S. The accordion is still relevant in Slovenia. As is polka.
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Krof. Were I a poet I would include an ode to the powder sugar covered pastry. Good ones (and these were as Fr. Damjan knows where to buy krof) are light as air. These were filled with apricot preserve. Do not eat while wearing black.
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Heaven for a man with a camera! Look forward to seeing some of your sights.
Good set. THanks for taking us there.
fergmark wrote:
Heaven for a man with a camera! Look forward to seeing some of your sights.
Can't say enough about Slovenia with a camera. LJ is magnificent and quirky. I spent eleven months two blocks from the road to the castle and about six minutes walk to the heart of the city, Presernov Trg. Glorious city with good food and very good beer. Slovenia is only the size of Massachusetts. I've lived or work on every continent in the world except Antarctica. Slovenia is the most beautiful place I've been. May or may not get there this summer but definitely next summer.
RichardTaylor wrote:
Good set. THanks for taking us there.
Thanks for looking. A magnificent place with friendly people. I think just about everyone under 50 speaks English somewhere between fair and extremely well. As Slovenian is unique to Slovenia the natives are polyglots by necessity.
I can tell from your prose and your photos that your heart is in Slovenia. and especially Ljubljana. I still remember images you have posted from your previous stay...could have it been 2 years ago? Appears to be a fun time at this carnival, and especially for children--which is as it should be!
carlysue wrote:
I can tell from your prose and your photos that your heart is in Slovenia. and especially Ljubljana. I still remember images you have posted from your previous stay...could have it been 2 years ago? Appears to be a fun time at this carnival, and especially for children--which is as it should be!
Thanks for looking. Good diagnosis. That is where it is. It was two years ago (Sept 2016 to July 2017). got back for a few days last summer after some work in Italy. My ideal mission would be six months a year in Central and Eastern Europe with a camera and six months in the U.S. showing the photos and convincing people to visit. Based, of course, in LJ.
Paczki! Never found them with apricot. Likely would be my favorite.
AlanD wrote:
Paczki! Never found them with apricot. Likely would be my favorite.
Being a Polish boy I was expecting prune which is how paczki were filled back home. The apricot was a revelation. Thanks for commenting.
frjack wrote:
It is 2 AM in Ljubljana as I write this. All in all I would rather be there at the moment rather than in Boston (awaiting snow tonight). The Carnival parade kicks off at 11 AM. The center of town will be packed with people. Parking will be even more of a nightmare than it usually is.
The celebration is held the Saturday before Ash Wednesday (which is in five days). It is a delightful exhibit of folk customs, some music, and many groups of children parading in costume. When I was there two years ago I was out for about 5 hours shooting. Perfect weather that was cool but not cold, brilliantly sunny, and no wind. It would take very little for me to shout yes were my superiors to suggest that I go back. Wouldn't even be a matter of obedience, just a screaming yes, I'll go pack right now.
It is 2 AM in Ljubljana as I write this. All in a... (
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Nice pictures. How do know about this place? I have never heard of it.
traderjohn wrote:
Nice pictures. How do know about this place? I have never heard of it.
Thanks for commenting. Ljubjana (LJ) is the capital of Slovenia which declared independence from Yugoslavia twenty-six years ago. Slovenia is about the size of Massachusetts but with a population of only 2 million. LJ, with a population of 330,000 or so is the largest city, Maribor the second with 100,000 plus change is second. The country is bounded by Austria to the north, Hungary to the east, Croatia to the south, Italy to the west and very small bit of the Adriatic to the northwest. Trieste, Italy is the border town on the coast.
I met a Slovenian Jesuit priest in 2007 when he moved into our community at Georgetown University where I was teaching at the medical school. We quickly became friends. When he returned home after finishing his PhD he was named superior of his community in LJ. He wanted a native English-speaking Jesuit to fill-in for six months (Many Slovenians speak English ranging from fair to excellent). After a quick visit in January 2016 where I fell in love fast and hard within thirty-six hours, I returned to Boston, was given permission by the superior, and made arrangements to return. Arrived in September and remained until July. Our community was located a short walk from the center of LJ which allowed me to shoot photos on an almost daily and nightly basis. For a guy who spent nine years living in D.C. the ability to walk alone on the streets of LJ as late as midnight and as early at 5 AM while carrying camera equipment was a luxury. No fear or anxiety on the streets ever. I returned to the U.S. reluctantly after a close Jesuit friend asked me to help with a new project he was instituting.
Slovenia is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been after fifty plus years of international travel. Highly recommended as a photography destination.
Father Jack, your images make me wish I were there, too, to see this celebration for myself.
Had to look up the word: cacaphonous. Learned something. Thanks. And your pictures are great as usual.
Interesting and colorful series, FrJack. Thanks for sharing it.
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