Slovenian Ramblings

Hello, just a post on a few observations before I go on my Vienna-Budapest cycling ride in a few days....

Television
The latest miracle product to hit the TV screens is a cream you rub on your belly and after 30 minutes you are one size smaller. What diet woks after 30 minutes? Truly a miracle. Imagine how much you would lose if you had it on all day.
There's a reality TV programme here that involves rescuing pitbull dogs (who would have thought?). Apparently, to be a dedicated pitbull owner you need lots of tatoos and maybe items of jewellery piercing various parts of your body.

World Cup Round Up
Here are my observations of the recently concluded World Soccer Cup in Russia (for all it's worth):

• Hairstyles. Players certainly think it's important to look good as their hairstyles were always well maintained (and sometimes changed during the tournament). It appears an essential requirement for most teams was a team hairdresser. The Costa Ricans seemed to go one step further: they all looked the same, sporting exactly the same haircut as if it was a part of their team uniform. One Iranian had the highest hair I have seen on a soccer player in recent times (Colombians in the past usually liked big hair). I don't know how he could head the ball with any sort of control. One Croatian player used the old technique of having a pony tail, using his remaining hair, to hide the fact that he didn't have much left.
• Tattoos. Many players really like their tattoos. But to me some of them looked more like members of gangs rather than professional soccer players. Maybe they do both?
• Drama. A few of the players seemed to have been former actors or have been taking acting lessons. Apart from the usual rolling around as if they had been tasered, protests against decisions by the referee were equally dramatic. The Portuguese protested every decision that didn't go their may, regardless of its importance to the game, with such emotion you would have thought the other side had committed murder. One Iranian player decided to exhibit his acrobatic skills by doing a somersault before he threw the ball in. It didn't really help with the throw and he then retook it in the conventional way.
• Coaches. Most coaches wear a suit or a team track suit. But there were some personalities. The German coach just had a plain t-shirt on. I don't know whether he couldn't find a sponsor that wouldn't meet his financial demands or what. Then there was the English coach who wore a waist coat. Not sure whether he likes his snooker or what. Incredibly, the sales of waste coats at one major store in the UK doubled.
• IQ. I was a bit concerned about the intelligence of some players. Why you would stick your hand up in the air when the ball was going across you and give away a penalty as a result and think you would get away with it? And why you need to grab another player in a headlock to stop them is another puzzle. May be it's just acceptable behaviour in their domestic leagues?
• National Anthems. These are sung by the players and fans at the start of the game. Some of them, however, appear very aggressive (e.g. the South American ones). So much so that they were shouted rather than sung. One fan I saw was taking a selfie of himself singing the national anthem. I don't know whether he could sing.
• Insects. They seemed to have an insect problem in Russia. In one game a myriad of little insects were buzzing around players' heads. In another game, the French goalkeeper almost swallowed a grasshopper or a very large mosquito. Whatever, it was, it looked very scary.
• Names. One of the annoyances for me was that some players had different names on their shirts compared to what the commentators were calling them. There should be a rule requiring their surnames to be on their shorts, not nicknames or their shortest name. One English player's surname was Loftus-Cheek. I have nothing against hyphenated names but in this case was it necessary to inflict such a name on a child?
• The Final. It was a good game with plenty of goals. I was concerned about the health of the referee though towards the end of the game, he was taking a lot of big breaths. I don't think he would have lasted into extra time. During the presentation ceremony after the game there was a torrential downpour but only Putin's men were prepared with an umbrella. The other officials got soaked before umbrellas could be found.

Interesting Sights
In my travels I have come across a number of personalities recently. There was the head scratcher, who unfortunately I was walking behind, who appeared to have things falling out of his hair as he was scratching it furiously. Dandruff? Lice? Bits of decaying flesh?
I saw a runner who was taking a selfie while running. A remarkable skill.
As I have said Piran seems to be the home of backwards hat wearing grannies and I saw another on the bus the other day. Taking about buses, according to the signs displayed apparently you aren't allowed to smoke or eat hamburgers on board.
One of the things that caught me by surprise, when I was walking in the hills through the village of Pacug (not far from Piran) was a geriatric dog followed by a shepherd (with crook) and a flock of about a dozen very focussed and well behaved sheep coming up the road. It's the last thing I expected to see near the coast
What is more common is the tourists cooking themselves in the sun next to the sea. Some of them have no shame. Older men are particularly bad; seems the bigger the belly you have, the smaller size bathers you need. Do not try to picture this.

Cycling 
Yes, this subject again. I have been doing a bit of cycling in preparation for my Danube trip. A number of times, cyclists approaching me have been riding two abreast - giving me little or no room. There was a particular pattern, as invariably they were Italian cyclists. I am not sure whether Italians can't stand to ride their bikes without talking to each other or they just can't follow rules. A group of cyclists (nationality unknown) that I was behind decided when they got to the top of the hill (at the end of a old railway tunnel) to stop in the middle of the path - despite my not subtle protestations, they seemed to be confused as to what I was on about. I think that says it all.

Slovenian Drivers
After the nightmare of Bari (see previous blog post), I still find it remarkable that 90% of the time they give way to me at pedestrian crossings (whether I am on foot or bike), even when I just approach the crossing. I am not sure whether they are being courteous, are scared of the legal consequences of hitting someone, or just don't want to risk damaging their cars.

And, finally, a few pictures from around the local area...