An Edible Dormouse

Posted in: History, Travel | 6

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Two weeks ago, I would have had trouble pointing to Slovenia on a map.  Today, I rank it high on the list of places I want to return to.



We had less than a full day to explore the little country south of Austria, north of Croatia, east of Italy and west of Hungary, not far from Bosnia-Herzegovina. At every turn there was another wonder. 



In Dobršnik, I did my usual dead-end-on-a-narrow-street driving routine and was forced to make a U-turn in a tight spot.  As I was wiggling the Toyota back and forth between a fence and a stone wall, two elderly gentlemen approached, arm-in-arm.  One went to either end of the vehicle and guided me out of the predicament.  No words were exchanged, but their graciousness and good humour was evident.  Kind-heartedness seems to be a national pastime in Slovenia.


The history of the region predates written records, by centuries.  The oldest known wheel, and a Late Pleistocene musical instrument have been found in Slovenia.


There is one characteristic of Slovenians that takes some getting used to.  They have an appetite for Edible Dormice. 


Dormice forage all summer and are fat this time of year, ready for the long hibernation.  Slovenians trap the animals by the hundreds every fall and hold an annual dormouse fiesta; Jednega puha u dvi fete kruha(literally; One dormouse between two slices of bread”).


We came across this group of buildings while on a hike up to a waterfall.  There was a woman behind one of the sheds with a box.  It took my entire reserve of discretion not to take her photo, but I will describe her.

The woman was a hunched elderly person, wearing a long skirt, rubber boots, and a babushka. She was standing behind the shed on the left, with what looked like a wooden trap under her arm.  I can’t say for sure, but it appeared to me that she was intent on catching…

an Edible Dormouse.



6 Responses

  1. Lesley Patterson

    I think you may have seen Baba Yaga by that shed. I recall an illustration much like your description in a kids book.
    Slovenia sounds wonderful! I was taking travel notes while watching Amazing Race last winter, LOL, and had put an asterisk beside Slovenia!

  2. Judy

    You continue to be the gift that keeps on giving in the driving department! It sounds like you are giving the locals some stories to tell their friends later on. You will be legendary before you know it.

  3. GG

    This is timely, we seem to undergoing a mouse invasion between the bedroom walls. Maybe with this intelligence we now have a new pantry!

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