isonzo Front

[Wickham30]

Sorry, here's another attempt to post atleast one attachment: the Kluze Fort (it's getting late here!)

Rich

[bob lembke]

Thanks for both your replies to my original message.

Yes, we went up in the “Vogel ski lift” to the ski hotel. At the bottom there was a v.small display of WW1 memorabilia (see first attachment photo). We hiked mainly around the L.Bohinj area, but one day took an organised trip further around the Julian Mountains. Here, we saw the Kluze Fort, which I understand (despite built in 1880s) was used as the Aus-Hungarian HQ during WW1.

Rich

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Rich, did you do any climbing? A nice feature is that the area is a lot lower than, say, Switzerland, sort of like it is displaced almost a mile lower than, say, Zermatt. So it is a lot easier on the lungs. My first (moderately) serious climbing was there, Triglav ("three hats"), once thought to be a three-headed pagan god. Climbed it twice with the sister of an old friend, a professor of physical education, then went to Zermatt for five summers to climb with a Slovene guide.

A nice WW I visit is the fairly new museum at Kobarid, Slovenija, which I had driven through a number of times over about 30 years before I realized it was Caparetto, which I had assumed was further west in Italy. If you were at the Russian chapel you saw the road built by the Russian POWs up from there about 5000 feet to Vrsic Pass, then down the other side to Kobarid. Even the casual traveler sees pillboxes, etc. along the road. The drive itself up the pass road is quite an experience.

Further south (very further south, hundreds of miles) is another amazing road built during WW I, the one up from Boka Kotorska (the Bay of Kotor) up into Montenegro, also switching back incessantly to rise almost vertically thousands of feet.

"Ex-Jugoslavija" is a land with, possibly too much history. I was in a group of American and Jugoslav graduate students being shown about Beograd (Belgrade) by two Serbian professors, who almost came to blows arguing whether Beograd had been destroyed by invading armies 40 times or 80 times. There is a very good military museum in the Kalamagen fortress in Beograd; the Celtic fort on the site was 700 years old, I understand, when the Romans got there. So the fort, in various forms, is at least 2500 years old. The museum has a Skoda 30.5 cm howitzer from WW I on display; can't be a lot of them left. (My grand-father used them in Belgium and in Russia; 1914 and 1915.)

I was in Beograd last year, but it was a bit unpleasant, despite my speaking Serbo-Croatian; I would not necessarily recommend it for a touristic visit. But Slovenija could be the great site for a mixed WW I/mountain/nature visit; safe, friendly (and multi-lingual; my first Slovene friend, at 17, spoke seven languages), and inexpensive, with a little effort. I've been to "ex-Jugoslavija" about 20 times, and would be happy to help anyone plan a visit, and even hook one up with a mountain guide or other local aid. A friend of 34 years in Ljubljana has been in the tourist field all that time, and has placed me privately with friends of hers in a lovely, inexpensive apartment (Lake Bled).

Bob Lembke

[Wickham30]

Bob,

Thanks again for this info. I guess we haven’t any immediate plans to return to Slovenia as yet, but would certainly like to. You said:

If you were at the Russian chapel you saw the road built by the Russian POWs up from there about 5000 feet to Vrsic Pass, then down the other side to Kobarid. Even the casual traveler sees pillboxes, etc. along the road. The drive itself up the pass road is quite an experience.

Yes, we saw this (via a coach + driver), but the chapel was unfortunately closed for maintenance. This was during a one-day trip around the mountains, and we had a very knowledgeable young Slovene guide. I know also that many Russian POWs with Austrian guards were killed in a catastrophic avalanche during the construction of the road. As the weather was disappointing that day, he arranged for us to briefly visit the “new museum” on the other side of the Vrsic pass – and I’m sure this was at Trenta. Anyway, this museum has been converted from a former Italian military barracks built during the 1920s/30s. I’ve attached a photo of a similar barracks taken from the museum entrance on that day. After this, our route went to Bovec, and then returned via the Predel Pass (via a brief detour “into Italy”). I can’t remember anything about Kobarid on this day unfortunately.

We are not mountaineers, but really hill walkers. Atleast, I will attempt the odd scramble to reach a mountain top on occasions. During this trip our walking excursions were mainly around Lake Bohinj, and my greatest achievement this time round was a walk from the Hotel Zlattarog to the summit of Prsivec & return (immediately N. above L.Bohinj). I envy your conquest of Triglav. I would recommend hiring guides as you say, but became quite keen about the new “Cicerone walkers’ guide” of the area, which includes several historical walks centred around Kobarid.

Rich

Old Italian barracks at Trenta:

[toofatfortakeoff]

The journey draws near thanks for the info esp on the Russian Rds and all the pics-these are eally fantastic-I have a few brake blocks-inner tubes and other bits for this killer trip-it will start in the heady Heights of Oostende in the first week of February-I shall take all this stuff with me for the latter parts as I travel down the Western Front- Thanks for all the time you all spared since my last visit-I shall get back to you re the further information offered

best wishes

Seanio

[bob lembke]

Seanio;

Have a great trip. It sounds fantastic and quite ambitious. I used to bike-race as a Junior (14-17) with some success many centuries ago (hint-I had a spill in a sprint on a cinder running track and was slightly injured; the official who advised me on treatment had a dark smudge on his forehead from a spill of his in a race on a cinder track in 1905). But I have not ridden in many years, but should.

Why don't you keep us Forumites posted occasionally on the progress of your trip, sites, etc?

Last time I was in Slovenija I was in Mariabor (in the east) changing money and lunching and just popped into the local university and used a remarkably cheap "Internet cafe without coffee" aimed at the students. I have even stayed in student dorms in past years. Along the road you will see a sign saying, "sobe" or "soba" (rooms or room in Slovene and Serbo-Croatian, and often "Zimmer" and "camara" (room in German and Italian, latter probably spelled wrong.) However, many people don't have their room available off-season. Also, tourist agencies sometimes shut down their network of rooms off-season. The Internet might find you a room.

Or maybe I am off base and you will be staying at the posh joints.

Please do not be bashful if you are there and want some advice, contacts, etc., to e-mail me or PM me. I think my Forum profile has an e-mail link. I am not as close to the scene as when I went there every year or so, but I think I still could be useful.

Again, have a wonderful time.

Bob Lembke