MyWestworld

Balkan Surprise

Posted on 19. Feb, 2009 by Kerry Banks in International

There are countries in the world that never enter the average North American’s mind unless they happen to surface in the news because of some political upheaval, outbreak of violence or a natural tragedy. Slovenia and Croatia are two of those places. Some may recall that these young republics were caught up in the series of ethnic conflicts that swept through the Balkan region in the 1990s after the dissolution of Yugoslavia. Others with a bent for historical trivia my be aware that the famous Lipizzaner horses originated in Slovenia, or that Marco Polo, the noted traveller and trader, was born on the Croatian island of Korcula. But I suspect that few people could actually pinpoint Slovenia (population: 2 million) or Croatia (population 4.5 million) on a map, or describe anything of their customs or systems of government. Even the landscape of these places remains hazy.

Globe-trotting B.C. journalist Andrew Findlay suffered from some of this same ignorance before his recent trip to Slovenia and Croatia. But the time he spent there opened his eyes. In a feature article in the latest issue of Westworld magazine, Findlay describes the charm and beauty he found in this unfamiliar land. He agreed to respond to some questions to shed more light on his travels in the Balkans.     

Many people hear the words Slovenia and Croatia and immediately think of the recent wars in the Balkans. Did you find much visual evidence of the conflict during your travels?

It’s true, just mentioning these countries to the average Canadian conjures up images of civil war. Slovenia declared independence early in the conflict and escaped the worst of the fighting. Croatia wasn’t so lucky. In Dubrovnik and other coastal cities, if you know where to look you can still see evidence of war–shelled buildings that were never repaired, bullet and mortar holes in the stone walls of ancient buildings. More compelling, however, are the emotional scars that are still healing among people who lived through these troubling times.
 
You begin your article with an account of a group ascent of Triglav, a 2,864-metre peak in Slovenia. How did this climb compare to others you have done in the past.
 
For me it wasn’t too hard, but I have a lot of mountaineering experience. That said, without the via ferrata, basically steel pegs strung with cable that are fixed on the more exposed and tricky sections, the climb would be much more difficult. This safety feature makes the mountain climbable by pretty much anybody with a reasonable level of fitness.

You mention the unusual Karst limestone formations that are found in Slovenia. What exactly did they look like?

Water does incredible things to limestone rock because of its solubility. Karst landscapes are characterized by vast cave systems, underground rivers, streams that seem to disappear and reappear magically from the earth, and sinkholes–strange-looking depressions that are almost like natural amphitheatres.

Can you give me a sense of what the people looked like in these places? How they dressed? Their character?

Slovenians strike me as a stoic people who pride themselves on hard work and athletic pursuits. It’s not uncommon to see groups of school kids out tramping around in the mountains on trails that back in Canada would have lawyers circling and school administrators fretting about litigation and liability. For such a small country, Slovenia produces a high number of world class skiers, mountaineers, rowers and now even hockey players. On the Dalmatian Coast, the ancient and modern co-exist. On the island of Sipan, I saw an elderly Croatian widow dressed in black and carrying a bundle of firewood on her back back. In Korcula Town I met a young, black-haired beauty strolling the promenade who could have stepped right off the fashion catwalk of Paris.

Did you see any Dalmatians on the Dalmatian Coast?

I looked, but not a one.

What sort of potential for future tourism do these places have? Do they have the infrastructure to support more tourism?

Slovenia is a compact country ideal for an active vacation, whether it’s easy walking or paragliding. Distances between destinations are short, it’s easy to get around and the country is well serviced by four-season mountain resorts. The only way to truly experience the Dalmatian Coast is island-hopping by boat. The history of the region has been defined by seafaring traders and adventurers like the Venetians and Romans who have left their mark on this long coastline. Since well before the war that saw the dismantling of Yugoslavia, tourism has been an important part of the economy here, but some of the islands have a deserted feel to them, as though they are still awaiting discovery.

How smooth has the transition from state-run socialism to a free-market economy been in this part of the world?

My impression is that Yugoslavia was never behind the Iron Curtain and under the rigid authority of the former Soviet Union in the same way that East European countries were. Under Tito’s rule, Yugoslavia maintained a degree of autonomy that allowed it to identify more closely with the west and its nearby neighbours of Austria and Italy. It hasn’t been perfect, and the experience varies greatly between Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia and Montenegro, and I’d say the transition to a so-called free market is still underway. Interestingly, many people I talked to who are old enough to remember life under Communist rule, lament some things of the past; few people were rich, but most people had work, health care and education.

Slovenia and Croatia are not exactly bosom buddies. They have an ongoing border dispute and recently Slovenian nationalists tried to block Croatia’s admission to NATO. Did you see any signs of this hostility?

Indeed. Slovenia determinedly clings to its 40 kilometres of Adriatic coastline between Italy and Croatia, while Croatia would prefer to see its northern neighbour landlocked. I heard more than one Slovenian suggest that Croatians resent Slovenians for not having suffered during the civil war the same way Croatia did. Of course this is a gross generalization and there are people in all of the former Yugoslavian republics with mixed heritage, however there is definitely residual animosity between Slovenia and Croatia that surfaces every once in a while.

What did you find most surprising about Slovenia and Croatia?

I guess the sheer physical beauty of the landscape and for somebody like myself who loves outdoor sports–skiing, climbing, biking–it struck me as this paradise poorly known by us Canadians. However, I was also intrigued by the enduring impacts of a civil war that ended nearly 15 years ago. I met an awesome guy working on a boat on the Dalmatian Coast who said he was part of a lost generation of Croatians who were young 20-somethings during the war, with no hope, no future. He told me harrowing tales of drug dealing and other nefarious pursuits just to stay alive. Thankfully these are different and much more hopeful times for Croatians.

Photo Credits:

 #1: coronn.com

#2: firstclass.com.au

#3: klek.info

Tags: Croatia, Slovenia, Westworld writers