THURSDAY 7 AUGUST
Here we go again… climbing mountains. Right after breakfast, we left for our morning walk, except this time it was more of a climb, with the promise of fresh cow’s cheese and soured milk at the end.
We took off at a leisurely pace, passing several Stans, cows grazing to their morning orchestra, and eventually ended up on the highest point of Velika Planina, Mount Gradišče – at 1666 metres or 5466 feet. At the summit, we could see all around, and as it was a beautifully clear day, the views were stunning. What’s so special at the top you ask?
At 1666 metres -the very top of Velika Planina. Photo by Lojze Kalinsek
There is a marker, and next to the marker is a table with directional markings of places. So I placed my small Grenada flag in a south-southwest direction and photos were taken. For 10 seconds, I claimed Gradišče for Grenada! There is a DIY stamp setup there as well, so we stamps our hands to prove we made it to the top!
A really great source about Velika Planina and its history can be found here http://www.razvoj.si/UserFiles/File/Po{7be53c347edc93dd53d32315dd5e13accfceff0591d7e48b64940a69993424f5}20planinskih{7be53c347edc93dd53d32315dd5e13accfceff0591d7e48b64940a69993424f5}20poteh-ang-web.pdf.
By the way, a “tropinar” is the heavy bell laced around the neck of the leading cow. That’s the source of the cow music.
A Tropinar or cow bell
While we were marveling at the view, a call came that the 20 artists we were expecting, had finally arrived at the hotel. Great news! But first, we had an appointment with soured milk and fresh cheese. Breakfast had been unusually thin (bread and jam and butter), and we were starving. We took the long way round, passing the cable car station and meeting up with a local man in historical herdsman clothing: maple wood clogs, big wide hat, coat made from linden bark strips, a cow horn, and a walking stick or shepherd’s crook.
Local in historic herdsman dress. Photo by Lojze Kalinsek
We kept our appointment with the cheese and milk, and it was a refreshing stop. This is a one man business, and we five could barely fit into his tiny, but incredibly neat and well-appointed kitchen. That did not matter – everyone ate outside on benches and tables in the fresh air! In his cheese house, an even smaller room, I bought half a round of cheese, which will keep me very happy, for as long as it lasts!
Most of the artists at the 8th Edition of the Mednarodni Likovni Biennale are Slovenian, with one from Bosnia, three from Croatia and me, the sole Caribbean representative. The majority of the artists who arrived today are ‘pensioners’ as they call themselves – elder artists who have made their mark, and paint now for the love of it. They are members of various Slovenian art groups, and they gather every two years at Velika Planina for a few days of socialising and painting. We had supper at the mountain lodge across the way, and I left soon after. All of this fresh mountain air and exercise, means I need an early night!
I did get some painting done… I am inspired by all the cow pats! I can’t wait to see what the elder artists do tomorrow… and what I can learn!
Me and my cowpat painting. Photo by Ana Divkovic