More Slovenia. :)

 Francesca and Matthew looking at pictures. She was amazing by the iPad!

Tanja, who showed us around Metlika.

 

 

Who wouldn't want to live here??

 The Winery

This was our favorite sign we saw driving in Slovenia. We assume it means "Warning space men, your droids wont work up ahead". 

Anton, Tanja and Matthew looking through genealogy.

 

This isnt the most flattering picture, but its the only proof we have of all the laundry that I did in the sinks of Europe!

Handsome hit the big 3-0 today!

I consider myself lucky. Matthew is as wonderful in real life as he was the day I met him.  He has proven over time, to be all of the silly things I wanted in a husband I was too young to know better and still everything my prudent mother wished her daughter would find in a companion. He works hard - at everything. When he is passionate about something it glows in him. I love being married to someone who is that driven and focused. It is nice to know that in our relationship Matthew is both my friend and leader. When a wife has a good husband, it is easily seen in her face – and I am definitely a very lucky women.

Love you!

Slovenia was a true highlight of our trip – and one of the main reasons we decided to go. Generations ago Matthew Great-great grandfather left his family in Austria and came to the United States. His last name was changed from Jakljevic to Yack and eventually his family ended up in Roosevelt Utah raising honey bees. Not much was known about the family that he left behind until the early 80’s when a couple, descendants of another Jakljevic brother (whose name was changed to Yok when he came to America) made a trip to present day Slovenia to find out what happed to the rest of their family. They were found living on a family farm, raising sheep and running a winery. In the last several months this has brought together a whole new side of Matthew’s family. We had a “reunion” of sorts in March, where everyone from the different Yok and Yacks and others got together and shared genealogy, storied of their line of the once Jakljevic family.This really solidified out desire to see Europe. And so away we went!

When we arrived in Ljubljana from Venice we rented a car to drive the hour and a half to Jakljevic farm in Metlika. This was one big massive hairy adventure. Lets just say that 4 ½ hours later we were relieved to make it to the farm. :)

It was late and dark by the time we made it and we were well past exhaustion, so we went straight to bed. We woke up the next morning to the most beautiful scenery I think I’ve ever seen. The Jakljevic farm and country side was like a dream. Trust me when I tell you that these pictures do it no justice.  The older generation on the farm (equivalent to our grandparents) Joze and Franscesca speak no English and have lived on the farm their entire lives. They have lived morning to night their entire lives, raising sheep, caring for the farm and making wine.

The next generation is equivalent to our parents’ generation. Anton and Tanja. They run the farm now. They speak very little English, but understand a little more. They hearts are no doubt the size of Slovenia. They work the farm from sunrise to sunset, and beyond.  They not only work the farm, but they also cater group parties and weddings at their banquet room overlooking the farm.   They work extremely hard. Tanja could speak to us enough to explain that no one there spoke English, but that at some point their niece (also named Tanja) would come to the farm to translate for us. Until then we could do anything we would like, and they would continue to work.

So, in short we wandered the farm. My portion of heaven is going to look a LOT like this.

I was walking the farm our last full day there when Tanja came up and said “come!” So I followed! This is where we ended up. Picking wild strawberries! (Don’t ask me whats going on with my hair.) This is one of my favorite moments of our trip

 Later we left the farm and drove the country side, but that's just going to have to wait. More tomorrow!

From Venice we caught a bus that was to take us to Villach, Austria. I just have to say that the rides between countries were one of my very favorite things about this whole trip.

This ride took us through the Alps. Just a small section of some of the smaller mountains, but the Alps none the less. Here are a couple of pictures and a little video clip. (I wanted to take SO many more, but we got busy as you will see.)

While we were riding, a man came up to us and starting chatting in English. His name was Stephen and he is Austrian. (Austrian meaning Sound of Music, not Australian meaning Kangaroos and Hugh Jackman) Stephen and everyone else on our bus level were coming back from a cruise sponsored by their work. We spent the next 3 hours talking about the differences between our countries, the history of Austria and Germany, and anything else you can think of. They spoke English very well, even with their strong accents. I loved the sound of it and they really enjoyed practicing their English with us.

When we told him that we would eventually be visiting Vienna and Salzburg the whole bus erupted in German! Before we could say anything else they were planning our trip for us, they shuffled a paper around and everyone excitedly wrote down their favorite things to eat, see and do in both Vienna and Salzburg.  They gave us bus routes, restaurants to look up, desserts to try, phone numbers to call in case we had trouble. We were suddenly part of a big, Austrian Family! They argued back and forth in part English part German about what places were the best for us and what places should serve as our second choices, if we liked cake we should go to such and such, if we wanted to shop then we had to see this and that. There was was a fun park we could see - but on second thought, America is full of fun parks, so we shouldn't bother with it.... and on and on. It makes my heart happy to think about. They were so wonderful! We are excited to keep in contact with Stephen.

Here they are – our big, loud, excited Austrian family.

When bus pulled in to Villach and we said out good byes and caught a train that would take us to Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Most of the trains we rode were old like this one. This was a long train ride, but it gave us time to write some thoughts down about our trip thus far and look out the window at the country going by.