Guess who’s back?
It was great time to put those lazy and non-occupied weekends to good use. Firstly, we thought of visiting Plitvička jezera in Croatia but then we found out that most of the park is closed during the winter (or this particular time) and we would have a kilometer walk and then need to head back. We needed something more!
Actually, there was another reason (the second main reason?) for us not to choose Plitvička jezera – offer of vegetarian or vegan food in the area is almost non-existent and you need to eat like a king after walking like a peasant, right? Soooo, where do you turn to when you need some beautiful nature and excellent food? You are right – the answer is sLOVEnia!
It is important to be in the storm with the right people (and making selfies, of course)
We quickly leave the ski civilization behind and go deeper into the mist
Four of us started our journey from Zagreb. The drive is around 2 hours (150 km) long and it is mostly on the highway so you won’t have any problems with long and winding roads, not at least until the very end of the car trip. Don’t forget to buy a vinjeta (Slovenian highway pass) which minimal cost is 16 euros for a week of driving along the Slovenian highway. The weather was cloudy and windy, like someone put an iron curtain over the sky. We were hoping for some sun in the afternoon, of course. When we arrived at Rogla, near the now kinda famous „Pot med krošnjami“, the mist was dense.
If you never heard of Jakub Rozalski then this probably won't mean anything to you, but the setting was Scythe-ish all along the way
Catching breath on cool Pohorje bench
The track is circular and it leads towards Lovrenška jezera – a place of great beauty and ecological value. It is not exactly a lake (which is the correct translation of Croatian or Slovenian word „jezero“) – it is more of a collection of ponds, or maybe even better – a moor! Anyway, those Pohorian „lakes“ are something special and if you have a chance, you should visit them.
It is a protected area of untouched nature in which plants and animals thrive like the human factor and impact was minimal. We found a can of Slovenian beer (Laško) at the very lake but guess what? It had a returning fee so it is actually possible that it was a Croat who threw it away there. What to say – every man who throws garbage at such places is a complete stranger to me. Actually, it is an idiot and he/she needs to be shot. Calm down „divji petelin“, we need to practice forgiveness, right? More about that a little bit later.
The winning picture *Divji petelini u polju Nožničavega munca*
The whole path is well marked so the chances to get lost are minimal. You should carry some food (thank you Sanja for absolutely delicious sandwich – it was godly experience to eat it at the Lovrenško watchtower) because the only served food will be at the end of your hiking – Koča na Pesku will offer some much needed and welcome refreshments. Mushroom soup with „ajdova kaša“ (buckwheat porridge) as the main course and then some štrukli with cranberries for the dessert.
Union Isotonic - the king!
Buckwheat was in this combination interesting* (acquired taste maybe) but they absolutely killed it with štrukli so they pass the exam. Also, they reunited me with Union Isotonic drink which I see as a way out of my sometimes raging alcoholism. For those who are not acquainted with the drink: „Union Radler 0.0 Isotonic is a mix of 0.0 beer and a refreshing lemon-flavoured drink with added magnesium, zync and vitamins B.“ The only problem with this drink could be some sugar but it is still better than alcohol. Thank me later!
The wrath of Jezernik
Since my childhood, I felt deep, almost spiritual respect towards nature. I was raised to never throw trash in the nature and people who do it were always „the bad guys“ (thanks to my parents, Captain Planet and Leteći Medvjedići). If you consider yourself as a part of the ecosystem, contaminating nature is like punching yourself in the face. The egotism of yesterday, today and, unfortunately, tomorrow is the biggest obstacle to our harmony with nature. The legend of Jezernik, as told around Pohorje, is not a strange tale at all. Jezernik is an Aquaman who lives in the lake forest, at peace and unbothered by humans or their affairs. The nature here is thriving – animals and plants alike. There comes a peasant who has a greedy wife and she wants him to cut down the trees to sell wood. Cutting down trees widens the human influence on the forest and Jezernik gets worried for the animals, plants and himself. Jezernik then sends his forest elf to help the peasant with some money but they want more and more. The elf says to the Jezernik that humans are idiots whose disease (egoism and greed) is uncureable. Jezernik sends floods and winds to punish the humans. Unfortunately, the mythical big lake of Pohorje is no more and Jezernik doesn’t show himself anymore to humans. So, we kinda repeled an old man from his habitat. We suck. Big time.
Wooden sculpture of Jezernik in the moment he floods the villages of men, after their display of insatiable greed. It is an interesting representation of Jezernik. He is depicted as wearing traditional hunter (or better to say forest warden) clothes, reminding us a little bit of Tolkien's Tom Bombadil.
But still, I will tell you, just because I have to finish this in an optimistic mood: there is maybe some hope for us, the species that is currently plague itself. The state of nature is as it is. Some efforts are being made and there are protected areas like Lovrenška jezera. You can visit them and feel connected with (Mother) Nature. I hope you will and I hope it will shake you down to your core. If it does, there is some hope.
Take a good look in the mirror: you must become the warden. Wake up!
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Photos and general credits: thanks to Ivana and Sanja for some of the amazing photos, food and company.
As always, thanks to Ana – for bringing me back to hiking and thus making me a better and happier person.
About the Author: Borna
