Alright, where to next? I just mentioned how our last destination, Croatia, was a lesser known country to most North Americans, well the next one we went to is likely one of the least known countries in all Europe, Slovenia. Family ties brought my sister and myself here as my mother was born and raised in Maribor and Koper, Slovenia.

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Map of Slovenia with our route in red (lines aren’t actually the path we followed…)

With quality family time with our generous distant cousins we took a trip from Maribor to Bled (gorgeous castle on a cliff and church on the lake) to the coastal towns of Koper and nearby Salt Flats of Sečovlje. And finally, our last stop was Postojna to visit the Predjama Castle a 16th century medieval castle build on a cliff in the mouth of a cave, one of many castles in Slovenia) and the spectacular underground Postojnska Cave systems.

Slovenia Europe Lake Bled Castle Swam Lake Church Cliff Travel Culture Adventure
Bled Castle (background) and Swan in Bled, Slovenia
Slovenia Europe Lake Bled Castle Swam Lake Church Cliff Travel Culture Adventure
Nadine and I at Bled Castle with Church on the Lake in Background – Bled, Slovenia
Slovenia Europe Koper Eastern Travel Culture Adventure Fountain
Fountain in Koper, Slovenia

You can check out my sister’s video Castle on a Cloud of our travels around Slovenia. Of course, being a geologist and “rock-nerd” I am going to have to focus on the caves here for this blog post and enlighten there incredible formation for you, as well as a rather unique resident of the caves…

Predjama Medieval Castle Cave in Postojna Slovenia Europe Cliff Travel Culture Adventure
The Medieval Predjama Castle in a Cave(!) in Postojna, Slovenia
Predjama Medieval Castle Cave in Postojna Slovenia Europe Cliff Travel Culture Adventure
Myself in front of the Medieval Predjama Castle in a Cave(!) in Postojna, Slovenia

Cave formation and human fish

Exploring the caves via train and walking through the winding passages is a surreal experience. With over 21 kilometers of winding passages you can’t even begin to grasp the actual size of these cave systems.

Slovenia Postojna Caves Cave in Postojna Europe example Travel Culture Adventure Karst Limestone Calcite stalagmites stalactites geology underground formation
Postojnska Cave in Postojna, Slovenia

The reason for such extensive tunneling again relates to the rocks. The rock type is vastly limestone, with lesser dolostone. The cave formed over 2 million years ago by an underground river (called Pivka) carving its way through the soft surrounding limestone bedrock. Not until about 100,000 years ago did the eye-catching pillars of stalactites (top-down) and stalagmites (bottom-up) form. This was through the extremely slow (between 0.1-0.3 mm/year) process of water percolating down from the ceiling and depositing calcite that was dissolved within the H2O.

Slovenia Postojna Caves Cave in Postojna Europe example Travel Culture Adventure Karst Limestone Calcite stalagmites stalactites geology underground formation
Postojnska Cave in Postojna, Slovenia
Slovenia Postojna Caves Cave in Postojna Europe example Travel Culture Adventure Karst Limestone Calcite stalagmites stalactites geology underground formation
Stalactites in Postojnska Cave in Postojna, Slovenia

Finally, I cannot end this post without mentioning the human fish! So a little biology (and ecology I guess?) for you. The Proteus or ‘human fish’ is one of the largest cave-dwelling animals, and is an amphibian in the same order (Caudata) of salamanders and newts. It is a living, text-book example of adaptation of a species to it environment overtime (+1 for Darwin). With atrophied eyes, no dark protective skin pigments, and a highly developed sense of smell, tough, taste, and hearing (it can even detect weak electrical fields, like bats!) it has become completely immersed and consummated with its dark and damp cave environment, so well that it can even survive several years without food and live up to a hundred years!

Slovenia Postojna Caves Cave in Postojna Europe Travel Culture Adventure Karst Limestone Calcite stalagmites stalactites geology underground formation human fish biology adaptation to environment example proteus
Proteus or ‘Human Fish’ in the Postojnska Caves in Postojna, Slovenia

Final thoughts

As one of the greenest countries in Europe, Slovenia has a deep sense of natural beauty. I loved my family time in this lesser known and lesser touched country. Filled with friendly locals and enduring culture, Slovenia holds boundless surprises!

-Stephanie

Cousins Family Slovenia Travel Europe
My Cousin and I from our time in Maribor, Slovenia
Maribor Slovenia Europe Culture Building Statue Eastern Travel Adventure Black Plague Monument
Black Plague Monument in Maribor, Slovenia
Slovenia Europe Lake Bled Castle Swam Lake Church Cliff Travel Culture Adventure Family
Our lovely distant family from Slovenia at Bled Castle, Slovenia
Predjama Medieval Castle Cave in Postojna Slovenia Europe Cliff Travel Culture Adventure
Cave Hole from Predjama Castle in Postojna, Slovenia

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