If Piran is a lot like Venice, then Eastern Slovenia is a lot like Tuscany.
Imagine if you can, the feeling of walking down “The Wine Roads” through valleys and vineyards, touching family farms that have been there for over a two thousand years. The beautiful vineyards of Ljutomer-Ormoz have been producing great wines for more than 2,400 years where the conditions for white wine are absolutely perfect. This explains why these Slovenian wines have been awarded so many international prizes. Yet, I can’t stop thinking of the lives lived, the laughter, the passion, the love and lives of those who dwelled in these lands so many years ago.
Some of this is lost on me, I don’t drink wine. While I do like it, it doesn’t like me and I prefer to stand by and just hang out with my drunken friends instead. After all, someone has to drive. Right?
The wines may be the reason so many vineyards exist; they are not the reason I am here. I prefer to BE with my camera and enjoy the landscape, the meals and the exercise as we walk up and down the hilly roads exploring the nuances of each little road. As beautiful as this region is during the day, the best times for me are when the sun is setting on the vines, promising to come back tomorrow, with more yummy sunshine.
Here, in this far-away place are the simple pleasures of life. A beautiful sunset, a good walk in the country, some excellent wine and wonderful food. The setting sun signals that it’s time to start heading in from the fields and getting ready for the evening’s festivities.
Personally, I think this place is more beautiful and more accessible than Tuscany because of the beautiful wine terraces constructed throughout the hills. One other lovely feature is the tiny family church, with room for just a few, to thank our higher power for the bounties of this land.
To discover more about this region of Slovenia, click HERE.
The images in this post were made with my Sony A7rII and my Sony/Zeiss 16-35mm zoom. The Black and White image above was made with the Sony/Zeiss FE 24-240 on my Sony A7r body.
Wait a minute! Don’t go just yet, don’t you want a little landscape goodness gracing your inbox from time to time?
See below, you know what to do. Go ahead, you know you want to 🙂
