Death to monopoly!!!

Just returned from extended holidays back home. (Merry christmas BTW). But anyway- I'm pissed. Why? Because of broadband internet. Or the lack of it to be more precise.
OK to make long story short- only few weeks ago the national telecommunications provider (and still de facto monopolist BTW) Telekom Slovenije managed to extend optic fibre network (neccesarry for broadband internet) all the way to my home village. "Great" - you'd say. "Great"- that was what we all said- finally we'll be rid of those squeaky painstakingly slow analog modems. But as always with this situations the milk went sour. Almost to fast. The only internet provider, that started signing in users was SIOL (owned by Telekom BTW). "Great!" - my parents said- they always wanted to have more channels on their TV without the need of expensive satellite dishes - SIOL offers 120 channel digital TV together with their broadband internet. Now, troubles started as soon as I made inquiry. "Sir - SIOL TV only comes together with 1 Mbs broadband internet and IP phone number- only in a package called Paket trio". "But... I only need SIOL TV, and 256 kbps broadband internet. No new phone number.". "Sorry sir, it's either all or nothing". "What about if I take smaller package- can I than upgrade just for TV?". "I'm sorry".
OK, I said, so I'll pay little something more, so my parents can enjoy 120 channel TV, together with all the joys of the broadband internet. When they called me that early wednesday morning, on the 21st December to tell me one of their workers would come to plug us in, I was rid of my doubts- at least they do it fast!!!
So, imagine my surprise when I came home last saturday, and I connected TV to the ADSL modem and there was no picture? "OK." I said. "At least they have 24h support desk". I called, and I managed to talk to someone after just 15 minutes being on queue. "Yes sir. I'll have one of our technicians look into it. No problem.". And some technician obviously did. Because after few hours not only that TV wasn't working- neither was internet. So I called again. No such luck as getting the operator. So- next day- christmas eve I finally managed to get someone. Who told me that it must be problem with infrastracture, and he'd let know someone on Telekom. Needless to say- 4 days later no sign of any technician, and no sign of internet. Serve me right. Next time I won't rush into things. And neither will I pay any bills before someone finally moves their butts. I mean- I know it's holiday season. I know things are bound to go wrong at the start. But I do think, that even f***** monopolists should show some basic friendliness together with a true will to help. Or am I just simply to naive?

The christmas mood (or the lack of it)

What's summer without sun, or winter without snow? Well, while we are still quite fortunate with summers, winters suck lately. Last week it was 15 C during the day. 15 in December... We just might end up like British or Irish- seeing snow as rarity like tornadoes or 15 days without rain. And while global warming is already causing havoc on our fragile world, some smart scientists (being paid by oil companies) declare there's no direct link between global warming and the rate of pollution. Right. For all you who haven't seen All Gore's film An Inconvenient Truth - I suggest you do. It's very good and it'll show you where this all is leading...

Winter fairy tale- 29th January 2005

There was a LOT of snow that week

Anyway, wandered off a bit. I miss old ways of celebrating winter holidays. When we put up Christmas tree only few days before Christmas. And streets, and shops weren't decorated in Christmas fashion three days after Halloween. It's crazy what commercialism is doing to us- we are being brainwashed by decorations, commercials, even with songs we listen on the radio every day. It all leads to one thing- shop, shop, shop!!! And when Christmas finally comes, you've been brainwashed to the point where it's not by far as special as it used to be...
But anyway... Not everything is bad. Like Christmas decorations on the streets of Ljubljana. Or skating ring and mulled wine stalls...

Wintery Ljubljana by night

Ice skating pose

Neighbours doing their own fireworks on New Year eve

London

If life would be fair, I'd never have to write the previous post, and there would already be a bigger and merrier post about my weekend in London. But anyway... Life has to go on, no matter of personal tragedies.
OK... The story of London is as follows. My Wizzair flight to London was late. But I didn't care- once you're on vacation this things happen right. Than we had to wait in fully boarded plane because of bad weather at Luton. Than the passport control queue at Luton was stretching virtually from arrival gates. But well- I was on vacation right? Than the bus to London was full so I had to wait for the next one. And than the bus driver was Sikh with thick accent, and I wasn't quite used even to English accent at that stage, so when he shouted something similar to (Bewly stree) I said to myself- "No, that can't be it", so when bus went from the station and I saw a picture of Sherlock Holmes on one of the buildings it was already to late. Anyway- to shorten the story I was at hostel at 11 pm, but still happy to have a weekend off.

The following two days were much better. On saturday I met with my friends Nat and Dan, the Slovene-Canadian/English couple who are going to be married next October. Haven't seen them in 4 years, so I was really glad to meet them. Little did I know that we'd see each other in less than a week again (but that is a story of previous post). Anyway. We did a boat trip on Thames, and the best pub crawl ever.

Natalija and Dan

London by boat

Getting home after hard night out

Next day I went to do some sightseeing. I probably don't have to mention I was a bit dehidrated and all, right? ;-) Did some normal touristy stuff + went to few bookshops.

Diana's fountain at Kensington Gardens

Royal coat of arms at Buchingham palace

British museum

Monday was day to go home, so I only did a bit of shopping, and loads of travelling. My best experience of this prolonged weekend has to be meeting Natalija and Daniel and just not doing anything remotely useful. You know- just let your brains go, and enjoy yourself. It worked...

In memoriam...

To great man, person who showed us, that it's possible to be honest, hard working and kind. Person who did what he believed, and believed in what he did. Who was a great role model and friend for me, my family, neighbours and everyone who knew him. A man who could make you laugh to tears, but never insulted anyone. Our lives will be emptier without him. It hurts just to think about the loss, and my thoughts are with his family. If there is a heaven I know of no better person to deserve it.
Čača, may you rest in peace. A person like you cannot be forgotten....

The healing process

It's official. I survived first flu outbreak of the season. Still have sore throat and voice like Elvis, but with some luck I should be OK soon. My tip for those feeling they caught flu virus- drink a lot of fluids, and make sure your beer is not to warm. No, seriously. ;-)
Anyways, I'm getting my first and only day off this december on (next) monday. Reason - I'm going to London (or as Joey from Friends would say- London baby!!!). I love London. It's something completely different than sleepy, provincial Ljubljana. I mean don't get me wrong- if I was living in London I'd yearn for living in Ljubljana. But London fascinates me- so many people of all colours and languages. And it feels big.
I really need a weekend off from everything. Doing some sightseeing, meeting some people, and generally trying to have a good time.
To put some colour to The Neverland Times, here's a pair of the week. They are certain man's niece and nephew. As his brother said once: "We really make good looking children in our family". No comment needed, right? ;-)

And for the other picture this week- here's one of most special places for me. Not that much as a spiritual place, but more as a place of serenity...

Getting sick

Another monday, and I feel my throat is burning, and stomack start complaining. Ah, what can you do- we all get autumn cold from time to time. So, until further notice The Neverland Times is officially quarantined. Keep your fingers crossed and antibiotics ready... ;-)

The Dreamtime...

There is time in every person's life when you feel like turning the volume up on those blues songs. Howlin' Wolf, B.B.King, Muddy Waters- they seem like expressing those feelings that bubble up in you, and make you feel alone. The base line, guitar, and the soothing deep voices.
Tonight is one of those blues nights. Don't ask me why, and why today. Just put one of those blues records in your CD player, and listen to the songs. There's a good chance they'll be singing about my kind of blues...
The Australian Aborigines call the creation of the universe the Dreamtime. I always thought that is a nice, good way of looking at religion and universe as a whole. We, all people tend to find reasons about our living, the wonders of nature in so many different religions. Why putting God / different deities in our -already so complex world? I guess we need something to make our fragile lives not so much fragile. Aborigines believe that at the beginning of time the "heroes"/"heroines" - some kind of deities travelled across formless lands, creating sacred sites, mountains, seas, and all life which populates the world. They say the creation looked and felt like a dream. What would quantum physicists say about the concept of basic building blocks of everything as pieces of one big dream? And God as a dreamer. With all the tragedies, and inhumanity in this world, I'd say He/She would have very Homo Sapiens kind of dreams. Capable of incredibly violent, but also incredibly good deeds. Wherever the truth is- let's hope that if God is indeed a dreamer- may he have peacefull dream and may he not wake in any near future.
Enough of a Dreamtime. I hope you don't get the blues as often as I do lately. But just in case - keep those records handy....

Starcevacka tamburica...

Just came back from 2 day trip to Serbia, where our tamburica group - Viniski tamburasi performed at tamburica festival "Starčevačka tamburica 2006".
More on that with pictures later- just let me say here we had a great time, did a quality performance, and heard and talked/played with many terrific tamburica bands. There were groups from all the countries of former Yugoslavia + two bands from Hungary/Romania.
All in all- great craic, great people, and I definitively want to come back...

The autumn morning by Kolpa

It was one cold monday morning at the end of October, and I had a day off work before holidays. As sun was just starting to lift fog around my place I had a strong desire to take a walk. A LONG walk. And since there was my brother around, I asked him to take me to Radenci, a small village some 15 km from Vinica just before Kolpa enters a canyon.

Kolpa is a river- for those of you, who didn't know. It starts in Croatia, than joins the border with Slovenia just above Osilnica. It makes a border all the way to Metlika, where it winds back to Croatia until it finally joins with Sava near Sisak. It is one of best kept secrets of both countries. Even in summer, when many tourists flock to its warm waters for swimming and canoeing, there are many places where it feels like you are standing at the last frontier. Thanks to the remoteness of the region where Kolpa flows for most of the time- rugged mountains covered with ancient forests, with only few narrow roads winding along the way- its miles away from the urban troubles we live in.

Almost all the way to the place where I live - Vinica in Bela krajina, Slovenia- Kolpa is flowing in a narrow canyon, only occasionally the valley opens a bit. One of these places is a village Radenci, where the Radenci-Damelj walkway starts. It is a path in the canyon just next to the river. It is easy walking - going down to the river. For most hikers it takes some 3 hours with normal pace.

This was not my first time taking this walkway. But thanks to the autumn colours of forests, mist just rising from the river- this all meant this time was even more special.
You start the walk on alluvial plain next to the village of Spodnji Radenci. The fog was just beginning to lift, and sun rays were already penetrating through clouds...

In few hundred meters the path joins the river. Since it wasn't raining for quite a while the water levels were low. Kolpa was cristal clear- mists were dancing above the river, slowly drifting as wind was carrying them down the river.
The path is usually winding just a meter from the river. With the autumn coloured trees, and perfect stillness around it looked like a scene from a fairy tale.

The steep canyon walls are rising above the river. As the path leads to the east I had sun almost directly infront of me for most of the way. If I was going later during the day it would be hidden behind these steep hills.
There used to be water mills virtually every few kilometers on Kolpa at the start of 20th century. Dams made out of stone were diverting power of the river to the mill. Nowadays most of these mills and dams stay in ruins. One of these is also next to the carst cave Kobiljaca.
There are few other attractions you see on this walkway- water springs, caves, ruins of buildings constructed with only stone... What impresses me most every time I take this path is the peace you encounter there. There is a good chance you won't see a soul all the way to Damelj. Only singing of birds and occasionaly fish jumping out of the water might accompany the sound of your footsteps....

Anyways.... In case any of you feel like experiencing this path. Kolpa and its canyon is most beautifull in late spring and mid-autumn when leaves change color. These are times when you might see only occasional hiker for all the length of the path.

My journey that monday finished just before noon in village Damelj. I recharged my batteries. And so can you....

Inauguration speach

Hear, hear!!!

In honour of publishing first article of The Neverland Times, I declare the 1 week celebration in all the Neverland. We shall from now on call it "Oktoberfest", and we'll start a law suit against any organization/person who'd dare to use this name without my expressive permission.

That being said, and to put that topic aside, let me just publish a list of stuff I like (and which I'll probably write. a lot):

• tamburice
• Kolpa river
• Andrea Corr (damn she's hot)
  
• leprechauns (what??!!)
• Mongolian grill in London, ON
• people who dare(d) to daydream
• more stuff which I can't remember right now

OK. Nothing more to be said for the first post, but welcome to my blog, and I hope I hear from you. And you. And you. Oh, and you to. Ah,.....