Before leaving Croatia we had a traditional lunch :The Grill". They spit roast lamb, chicken & baby pork. We had the pork and it was succulent, just delicious. It's all cooked curb side over open flames in a barbeque type oven. It is found all over Croatia and also Greece. From Croatia we came into Slovenia. Lipica is where the Lipazaner stud is. We spent three hours inside the property. It is beautifully presented. The foals are born black and turn grey at between 3 - 5 years old. They are not ridden until 4 years old and die a natural death at 25 - 30 years old. Only the stallions are used for advanced dressage work and only the very best horses are left as stallions. The geldings and mares are used in the riding schools and mares for breeding. At this stud 30 foals are born each year. There are several stud farms through Europe, Austria & Spain. So pleased we came to see them.

The scenery in this country is a real feast for the eyes. Very high mountains, lush green forest, lakes & rivers. We drove over a mountain pass 1650 meters high, still some snow on the top, and a very steep zig zagging road. Betsy never got out of 2nd gear!!! The road was quite narrow in places and road works were evident where mountain sides have eroded. Quite scary at times. Slovinia is a place we'd both come back to in a heart beat.

We've changed our plans a little, we are heading for Venice, in Italy, now, then going north to Austria, Lichtenstein & Switzerland, then back to the Med.. Our tans will no doubt fade and we will have to start all over again with them. Oh dear what a shame!!!