Thu 22.Apr.2010
Ptuj, Slovenia
The former second-oldest city in Yugoslavia
is now the oldest city in Slovenia. Smaller pond, bigger frog.
It took two transfers to get here from Zagreb, Croatia. The second
allowed me enough time to enjoy brunch with some locals at the station
in a small rail junction called Pragersko. At left is the view from one
of the tables.
Spring is just beginning to bust out up here in the inland. We are on
the Drava river, about thirty miles from where it emerges from the
Alps. The plain here is agriculture and whistle-stop towns.
The next major river to the east used to form the border with Hungary.
The modern Slovenian province beyond it is still full of Hungarian
strangers in a strange land. They are said to have a local autonomy
arrangement that the rest of the Balkans would do well to learn from.
Ask where to find either rooms or the Tourist Office. Go in the direction pointed. Ask again. Repeat as needed.
This time it took four iterations. My last pointer was actually to a hotel. Not expensive. Our son will give you a good deal. He might have if I hadn't passed the honest-to-goodness tourist office just before.
The nice young man there set me up with cheap digs in a great location
on a vine-covered hill behind the castle. (Of course there is a castle)
About 600 m of dirt road between vinyards and apple orchards. An easy
walk, and a lovely one on nice days, which are still a bit spotty this
early in the season. There is even a foot-path down to the river, for
walking into town along the bank.
No signs of Venetian rule here. Roman, yes, but what you mostly see here is Austro-Hungarian heritage. Austro-Hungarian is kind of a mouthful, so it is usually abbreviated to Habsburg, after their ruling family.
You get the idea.
The Hotel Mitra, which the nice old flower-vendor couple had recommended to me when I arrived.
Mitra was apparently a pre-christian
god who figured large locally. If I understood right, his clientele was
people in trouble or powerless. I should check my book from the
tourist office.
Contents Copyright 2012 Jeff Bulf