Here comes Arba Kenner!  Our friend from Frankfort,Kentucky came to see the sights of Slovenia.

On Monday, March 26 Arba and Nancy went to the U.S. Embassy for a short visit.  They then met Courtney, her dad, and brother for lunch at the Gostilna Lovec on Presernova Cesta.  Courtney has been an intern at the American Embassy since early February.  Her father and brother were here to see her and also to tour Slovenia and the neighboring countries.   The loaves of bread actually are containers for soup . The  top is cut and the interior removed.  Everyone had mushroom soup rather than the other specialty, onion soup.  In front of Arba is an individual small pizza with ham,pepperoni and sour cream . The rest of us would receive something similar.  Courtney is from St.Louis and attends Georgetown University.   This was Arba's easy day of touring Ljubljana, with just shopping and riding the city bus. She needed a rest after her long day of airports.

Our friend Biljana agreed to pose with Henry , so we could place her in our chronicle.  She works in "the Trubadur," a sweets and coffee shop.  Anup Mahimkar treated us to a piece of cake here in early March.  It is near Susan's law school, so Nancy tries to meet her here whenever possible.  We introduced Nan and Bob Flachskam to the Trubadur too.

A long awaited event  happened on March 29, 2001.  Nancy and Henry met U.S. Ambassador to Slovenia, Nancy Ely-Raphael at the Ambassador's Residence.  Our friend Arba Kenner also attended  the reception and met her.

Our host in Slovenia, Dr. Marjeta Sentjurc was also a guest of the ambassador.  She is a member of the Biophysics Department at Jozef Stefan Institute.

Henry, Nancy, Ambassador Ely-Raphael, Marjeta, Dr. Boris Blukher, Lukerija Gabrielcic, and Dr.Mladen Franko.  Dr.Blukher is from Indiana State University. Lukerija is from the Ukraine and is translating a book into English with him.  Dr.Franco hosts Boris at the Polytechnica  in Nova Gorica.

Arba also had her picture taken  with the friendly Ambassador.

Interestingly,  the entertainment at the ambassador's home was provided by the nephew of Dr.Uros Stanic, Ziga Stanic.  Dr. Stanic was the host of Dr. Bob Jaeger, a Fulbright  Fellow from Washington D.C.

Dr. Marjeta Sentjurc speaking with  Ambassador Ely-Raphael.

After the ambassador's reception, we were invited to Marjeta's flat.  She then treated us to cheese from France (obtained on her skiing expedition earlier in March) and wine.   Arba and Marjeta are talking about a side trip we should take on the way to Piran.

This church surrounded by stone walls is near the small town of Hrastovlje in the way to the seacoast. It is one of the oldest churches in Slovenia.

A street in Hrastovlje where Nancy and Arba were looking for house #33 where they would find the key to the church. However, they took a  circuitous trip through yards and around fences to find the house.

Arba and Nancy found this water trough or spill way for run off water.  It could be water storage for animals.

The house was nestled in between two stone buildings.

This is the woman who opened the church.  She did not speak any English, and Arba and Nancy nearly left the area because they didn't realize she did have the key and had to walk to the church.  It was an uphill climb.

This is the altar of the church that was originally built in 1100's.  There are frescos on all the walls of the church.

The moral of this fresco, known as the dance of death, shows that no one  escapes from death. The young, wounded, rich, and old are shown suffering the same fate.

This picture is special to Nancy.  A woman who spoke no English made  a face that is universal in meaning -"a picture and my hair isn't fixed." Arba understood as well and that added to their smiles. They had a common feeling about cameras and pictures.

After going to Hrastovlje and Koper,, Nancy and Arba went to Piran.  They climbed to the church that can be seen from  the plaza-St. Georges.  Unfortunately it was closed, but this picture shows the view from there.  The Adriatic Sea in the background.

The fort on the opposite hill from the church.

The church with  the clouds and the old town in the background.

Arba is looking across the Adriatic sea . To her right is the harbor of Koper and on the other side of that land is Trieste, Italy.   Soon after this picture they had to find some hot coffee.  Both of them were chilled. On the way home to Ljubljana it was raining very hard .

We are in the town of Idrijia.  It is known for  mercury mining and lace preparation.  Now the mine is not working except as a tourist spot, but the lace making is still being taught and practiced and sold as a Slovenian product.  The lace is made using bobbins..  Demonstrations can be seen on the web.  There are groups in America practicing this art.

These sisters, Tina and Tanja Koder,  help Mom with the lace shop on the weekends.  They told Nancy they began lace-making at the age of 6 with lessons which continued until they were 15.  Not all of the girls continue to make bobbin lace, but many make it even after they obtain their university degrees. It just takes them longer to finish a piece.

We tried to get a picture of some of the baby pieces.

The girls laid out this beautiful set for us to see..  Fortunately for us, the girls didn't know the prices and  Mom was unavailable.  The road into Idrijia  is similar to roads in Eastern Kentucky, Penna. or West Virginia, narrow and curvy..  Even so, Nancy may have to return to Idrijia,  just to look at the lace.!!!

After Idrijia, we took Arba to see Tolmin and to lunch at Pri Kranjcu.  We contacted Dusan Jesensek, a student of Henry's at Nova Gorica and found that he was home that afternoon. We were able to  meet his wife Barbara and the kids, Gaspar and Sara.  Henry was thrilled because he got to see the fish hatchery that Dusan has in another part of his house.

Dusan was showing us the trout hatchling tank. Under all the right hand tops are many babies. Behind Arba are large round 4ft. deep tubs with older fish that are being prepared to be released into the rivers.

Dusan in his office with his marble trout.  He is a veterinarian who now works with the water ministry to provide fish to repopulate the streams of western Slovenia.

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