 |
| On the Parenzana route |
Journal of three days of visiting Slovenian youth centres Dom Burja and Dom Jurcek. Journey started at 1st and will end at 11th July
DOM BURJA
At the Dom Burja we had an excellent biking trip on Tuesday with younsters. Day was sunny and hot so a lot of water and "pit stops" were needed. We cyckled via
Parenzana route from Dom Burja to old fishing town
Izola. Someone told that the route is about ten kilometres one way. After cyckling I thought the route is mainly downhill, to the both directions!! I would so much like to have those kind of biking roads in Finland also. Tear down all the railroads - let´s bike!! On the picture above we are entering the longest tunnel at the Parenzana route - more than 500 metres of cool air in the hot mediterranian day.
I should thank the teachers and younsters for nice day in the beautiful scenery, for good conversations and the sun for boiled lobster coloured skin!
 |
| Izola beach, younsters on the sea |
We spend few hours cooling ourselves in the sea (which was +28C, cooling?), laying under the shadow of the trees and behind the ice cream kiosk... I had four....
 |
| Mathias, Lily, Igor, Miran & Monika (hope I got your names right!) |
 |
| Back to Burja |
 |
| Canoeing instructions by Mathias |
On Wednesday morning whole group with three instructors and me went to a canoeing trip to the sea. Original plan was to canoe whole day. Weather forecast promised again extremely hot day, so change of plans; half a day canoeing and half a day swimming and handicrafts.
 |
| Clams under, birds above |
 |
| Baby clams |
Slovenia has only 46,6 kilometres sea shore, but all the kilometres have been used well and still you have a feeling of space. Dom Burja is located on an protected peninsula. On the one corner there is beach for swimming, on the other corner are the saltpans. Even though less than 20% of costal area is pristine you dont see the industry or tourism but feel the breath of original life.
We saw during the canoeing trip a clam crowing area on the sea. We also were lucky enough to meet local fish farmers on their work. Leon told that they are growing sea bass in organic way on the sea; the food for fish food is from Iceland (organic), nets were treated without chemicals and quntity of fish produced was in balance with other sea life.
We also canoed a short trip on the Dragon river at Dragonja Delta.
 |
| At the Dragonja Delta |
 |
| Handicrafts |
Good bye Dom Burja and THANK YOU for everything!!
 |
| The disappearing Cerknica Lake |
In the afternoon on the way from Dom Burja to Dom Jurcek the organizer of my trip, Irena Kokalj, showed one of the wonders of the world -the disappearing lake,
lake Cerknica. The lake fills during spring and rainy periods and now during try period lake was disappearing....
DOM JURCEK
On the morning on 5th of July I got to know 43 children aged 7-11 who had already been in Dom Jurcek from previous Sunday doing many activities, like biking and canoeing. We packed ourselves after breakfast to the bus and headed to a local organic farm. Lady of the house presented animals to the us and let children to get to know to the farm life in their own pace.
In both of these youth centres - Doms- children are setting and cleaning the tables for themselves for all meals. In Jurcek you could tell that the summer camp had been rolling already few days because the children worked in the kitchen and dining room like clockwork.
 |
| Chickling |
 |
| Treasures |
 |
| Friendship |
 |
On the bordes of Slovenia and Croatia, on the Kolpa Rivesr
Croatia is on the other side of the river |
After farm visit we were cooling ourselves at the
river Kolpa next to Dom Fara.
 |
| Pseudopus apodus? |
  |
| Butterflies |
During the two days we found with children the joy of exploring, touching and wondering the nature... Thanks to the help of teacher Jure and his passion for nature and passing his knowledge to the others.
 |
| Snail |
Evening after farm visit was spend in the forest learning how to make fire and preparing bread & apples on the fire for the snack.
 |
| Jure teaching how to make a fire |
 |
| Preparing bread by the fire set by children |
Jure and Tilan told that at the same area we were with group they had an encounter with young brown bear. They were having a snack with the group when a bear appeared and had its own snack at the same time with the group about half an hour less than hundred meters away from the group. Jure and Tilan
managed to video the encounter and downloaded it to the youtube....
Dom Jurcek is situated in
Kocevje municipality where is a lot of forests where even big animals like bears and wolves still have room to live.
 |
| Do you know the answer? |
 |
| jama medvedek |
Childen had been finding keys every day during their summer camp. On the Friday morning, last day of the camp, started the final program. Path on the forest with questions. After finishing the path group got letters and they had to find out where to go next by making a word out of letters.Word was Jama Medvedek.
 |
| On to the Bear Cave we went |
 |
| And found a treasure trunk!! |
With the help of the keys found during the week treasure was exposed... but I dont tell you what it was.You have to find out it yourself.
My journey continued after lunch to Dom Radneci. THANK YOU Dom Jurcek. New journeys are behind the conrner. Outdoor education life with childern throughout the World is so, so, so rewarding!
