Boat Rental Agreement This Agreement Is Made And Entered Into This Day Of , 200 , Be: Fill & Download for Free

I met the man who would be my husband when I was 18 years old. I suffered from undiagnosed narcolepsy and this contributed to the reasons why I stayed.These incidents are not in chronological order. No accounting of abuse is complete without including the abuse directed toward the narcissist’s own children. The significant others of the Narcissist are only one of many of the victims. The only truth he ever told me, was that no one else would love me the way he did.I have spent countless hours trying to figure out how my ex-husband has managed to do the things he has done, and exactly what he actually did in these situations. If anyone has an inkling into exactly what he has pulled off, please enlighten me.Those who have been involved with a narcissist know that the toughest abuse to explain is the chronic abuse that has plausible deniability built in. It is also the most damaging.The gas-lighting was a constant. He still is the most convincing liar I’ve ever known. He would be telling me something that I knew was not true, but the absolute sincerity and certainty I would see in his eyes made me doubt my own reality.My husband expected absolute loyalty. While I am loyal, I reserve the right to reject something that I feel is morally wrong. He insisted that I was supposed to back him regardless. This was always an issue between us, especially when it came to the ostracization of people who my husband was targeting. He had targeted his best friend because the guy failed to mow our lawn when he said he would. Because I refused to participate in the bad mouthing of this guy, I was in the hot seat. I simply could not go along with this type of petty meanness and this repeatedly got me into hot water.He believed that he should be able to do as he pleased. I was fine with that, but the rules did not go both ways. The Gander was free range, but the goose was always getting cooked.Of course, there was the favorite tool used by every narcissist…the silent treatment. The first few years it had the desired effect. As the years went by I began to look forward to the silent treatment. Despite the fact that you could cut the tension in the air with a knife, the silent treatment meant that for however long it lasted, I would not have to deal with the subtle and insulting innuendos. I would not have to recite the timeline of my days. I would not have to defend myself for buying the new sheets on the bed, or for purchasing a toy for our children. The silent treatment became a time of quiet silence from his unrelenting harassment.I was working at a record store when we first met. He gave me a list of items he wanted me to get him at my discount (he didn't give me any money). I later found out these were gifts he gave to different girlfriends. That year I received the only Christmas gift I would receive in the entire 14 years we were together. A professional photograph portrait of himself.I was the epitome of the perfect Biker wife. I was easy going beyond belief. My husband ruled the roost. I created the perfect home life.We were on our”honeymoon” in Puerto Vallarta Mexico. A group of our friends was meeting us in our hotel room. My new husband starts chopping up a pile of cocaine for snorting lines. Shocked and alarmed, I asked, “Did you bring that into this Country?” He responded, “No, you did. I put it inside your purse and YOU brought it into the Country”.After the birth of our first child, he insisted I obtain paternity test to prove he was the father. I remember dialing the doctors' office and asking about paternity tests. Suddenly I stopped mid-sentence and looked at the phone like it was something alien. I could not believe I was actually asking what I was asking! Then I said “Never mind”, and hung up the phone. There were times when I had brief moments of clarity.He became jealous of the time I spent with our children. I was not spending as much time with him. He forbade me to buy things for the children. This rule turned me into a liar. Eventually, he forbade me to put the kids in any kind of sports, because that too took my time away from him.He gave me the nickname”Dummy”. An accurate name since I stayed with him for 14 years.During the seventh year together, I received anonymously, a book in the mail titled “Men That Hate Women and the Women That Love Them”. This was the first validation I had that something was not right in our relationship.Early in the relationship, we reached the agreement that my earnings would be used to pay for our family living expenses and his earnings for saving and investment. There was no savings account with both of our names. There was just a pile of cash hidden somewhere.Whenever we had an argument, he would say, “You keep your things and I will keep mine”. Naturally, all the investments were in his name and the monthly payables and debts in my name.Investments ended up being motorcycles, muscle cars, boats, airplanes, or anything else my husband looked cool driving.He always made a show of discussing purchases with me, but it didn't matter what my opinions were, or how adamant I was that I didn't want to make a certain investment, in the end, my husband would buy it anyway.In 83 we purchased a rental property. The payment was $500 monthly at no interest. We rented the house for $600 per month.In 86 we purchased a property that had two commercial storefronts (for each of our businesses) and a house on the same lot. We placed $150,000 cash for a down payment and took out a $100,000 mortgage. The monthly payment was $1,200. I finally had something to show for all the years I supported the family.It was our routine that my husband took the children to the babysitter or to school in the morning, and I picked them up in the afternoon. There were occasions where I arrived at the school, waiting for the children to come out to be picked up, but there was no sign of our children. I would be frantic and go to the office only to find out that he picked them up early. Over time I realized he was doing this on days when he was angry with me. Once, I caught him at the park across the street from the school, watching me as I frantically searched for the children. Cruel.Throughout the marriage, my husband accused me of having secret bank accounts. I did not have extra money to put into a secret account. Cleaning our bedroom one day I came across documents opening one of his secret bank accounts.In ’86 my sister came to work for me. The plan was to teach her the business so she could open a business of her own. There is a reason for the old saying “Never go into business with family”. No other employee could ever have been capable of the kind of destruction to my business that my sister created. I loved my sister and trusted her completely. My sister embezzled a large amount of money from my business. She quit working for me and moved to Northern California with some of my accounts. Before leaving she went on a shopping spree using my credit cards. I previously allowed her to buy a new car in my name (because her credit was bad) and she stopped making payments. My sister contacted family friends and business associates and began a smear campaign. She also looked up the person running the DMV in Sacramento and to this day I do not know what she told this person, but suddenly I began having difficulty getting license plates for the trucking companies I represented. The IRS was also contacting me saying they had a report of tax fraud on my business. Dealing with the fall out was taking a tremendous amount of time and energy. Eventually, I simply could not take it anymore. I could not deal with the fallout and provide the time-sensitive duties that the business required.Throughout this time, my husband was making remarks that he did not believe my version of what was occurring, and I was desperate to obtain proof.I referred my clients to an old employer of mine and began the process of transferring my clients' files. A few weeks later, I received a letter from this old employer telling me that she had come across a handwritten letter my sister had sent to a client of hers. The Trucker had given my sister money to pay his license and registration fees. My sister had provided him with a fraudulent registration with a note attached to it that said, “Here is a registration to operate on until I get you your permanent registration. If you get caught using it, tell them you got it from Janet at Truck Licensing Services. She lives and works in Glendora CA and she has blond hair”. This evidence became crucial to reversing much of the problems created by my sister. When I showed the letter to my husband he seemed surprised. Any time I would talk to him about what was happening, he would laugh. He seemed to get great pleasure and amusement out of this thing that caused me so much pain.The loss of my business marked the first time in the marriage that my husband was required to pay the families monthly living expenses. My husband was not happy about it. We rented out the building that once housed my business for $1,000 per month, bringing what we had to come up with for the mortgage payment to only $200.He would spend hour upon hour each evening berating me for the loss of my business. I regularly cried myself to sleep each night.I gave our bills to my husband to write checks out. He wrote the checks and about a month later I began to receive late notices from our creditors. I went to my husband and asked if he sent the payments out late. That’s when he told me he had not mailed the payments at all.We had our normal monthly bills and the property taxes were also due. He kept me up all night arguing. He wanted to just pay the property taxes and I wanted to pay the bills and get a loan to pay the tax bill. Finally, I begged for him to allow me to sleep awhile and we could finish the discussion when I woke. When I woke up and went into my office, my secretary informed me that she got the taxes in the mail as my husband told her to.I had begun seeing a therapist. Each office visit I would go in and spend the entire time crying. I decided to write out the past year of what had gone on in my life. By the time I was finished, I was seriously pissed off at my husband and I was ready to leave. When I left the marriage I believed that the worst was over. How naive I was. The final time we spoke to each other he told me “He was going to teach me poverty”. I responded, “Given the choice of living with him or living with poverty, I would opt for poverty.I moved out of the house with the children because my husbands business was on the same property. The unpaid past due bills were in my name so I had to move in with a friend who already had utilities in their name. My Ex-allowed me to collect the monthly rental of my old business building as child support. I took out a $5,000 loan, which allowed me to pay some of the delinquent debts and I was able to get utilities in my name again. There was enough left over to place 1st and last on a house to rent.One day my attorney office called to tell me there was an emergency hearing that was being held the next day and I was required to appear. Upon my arrival, I was handed a copy of an Order to Show Cause and a declaration submitted by my husbands' attorney. My husband told a story of my children living in a crack house. He said I was shooting up drugs in front of the children, having group sex and orgies in the children's presence, and that the children had witnessed a fight between two of my boyfriends and been so frightened that they crawled out of their bedroom window at 2 o’clock in the morning. The children were removed from my custody that afternoon pending investigation.I drove home in a state of shock. When I pulled into the driveway a police cruiser pulled in behind me. I was taken into custody on a warrant. The warrant was actually a body attachment from an old case in which I failed to appear as a witness in a spousal abuse case against my husband. It was a Friday night so the court would not sort it out until Monday. To this day my rap sheet erroneously shows this case as me who had assaulted my husband.I was only allowed to visit my children with supervision, and I was not allowed to talk with them about the allegations. Finally, a hearing was held and the boys were questioned. My youngest son was asked if he ever saw his mother using a needle. He responded, “Yes. She sews sometimes”. A Judge spoke to the children in chambers and when the judge returned to the court my ex-husband was reprimanded and told never to lie to the court again. My attorney said custody was being awarded to my husband. I said, “Do you have any idea what this man is really about?” I was told if I objected to his custody, the children would be placed in foster care and it would be years to get them out.I was questioned by my state-appointed representation about my drug use. I admitted that I used amphetamine daily. I was asked why, and I told them “Because I can’t wake up”. I used amphetamine since the age of 15. I began having sleep issues around the age of 12, and by my freshman year of High School, I was failing all of my classes. One day I took some of my brother’s Ritalin and went to school. My grades went from “F” to “A” overnight. I have used amphetamine ever since. My husband was my supplier for the last 14 years. I thought that by telling the courts the truth, that someone would help me discover the reason why I could not wake up. That's not what happened.Without my children, I no longer had a reason to strive. I let the rented house go and rented a couch to sleep on from a friend. My husbands smear campaign had new fuel and the entire town was stoking the flames.My attorney suffered a nervous breakdown during these proceedings. The last thing he filed was a request for an order for my ex-husband to pay the payments on the second mortgage I had taken out to pay the old utility bills.The divorce case was now a complicated mess and I could not find an attorney to take the case without a $5,000 retainer. The case was stagnating from 1990 to 1993. I found a lawyer who agreed to take the case in 1993 for $3,000 retainer.In 1993 I went to a real estate agent to obtain the current market values on the properties we owned. That was when I learned that I no longer owned the property called the “family home” by the courts. The house had been foreclosed on by the second mortgage holder. All notices were sent to the address where my ex was living with our sons. My share of the property was sold at auction to my mother in laws best friend.When we were together, my husband had kept the seedier side of the Biker Community segregated to the area of his repair shop. The children and I rarely interacted with people in the gangs. When the children went to live with him all of that changed. The various Clubs were a part of my children’s lives now. They also became a thorn in my side. I was constantly harassed any time I was seen in public. Eventually, it got so bad I moved 500 miles away, making it more difficult to see my children.I learned that my Ex had our sons take out life insurance policies on each other. They were required to pay the premiums with their own money. I suspect he did this knowing that if one of the boys died, the insurance company would hand him the check, not our minor child.My Ex took my son’s to an attorney’s office when they were still kids to have them sign papers “so they could receive an inheritance from him upon his death”. My son’s simply signed whatever papers their father put in front of them. I suspect the signatures were needed for some nefarious purpose. I also suspect the Ex husbands living trust is a vehicle to obtain life insurance on all of the family members.I managed to save enough for a used car, and six months later the car was stolen on the same night that the Club my Ex was involved with was spotted at the local pub.The divorce began in 1989 and was not final until 1997. I was the only party to bring in the documentation of our debts and assets.It’s commonplace to award a fraction of the married couples community property assets to a spouse who admitted the regular use of an illicit drug. The Judges would see the imbalance of monetary awards as a form of equity and reparation to the innocent spouse (in this case, my narcissistic psychopath Ex-husband).The final settlement in the divorce was a joke. I was stuck with all of the community debt. I received none of the family home equity.I received enough money to pay my attorney fees which totaled $50,000 and cash to me was $10,000.I received nothing for the Motor Cycle repair business I helped him build.I also was forced to remain partners with my narcissist in the rental property, but I never received any portion of the rents received over the years.I was awarded our 5th wheel camping trailer, but he was awarded the truck that hauled it.I was awarded a $20,000 drag racing motorcycle and my narcissist handed it to me in a milk crate. When I objected to this as unacceptable, the Judge yelled at me to just take it.The final settlement stated that the court was giving my ex-husband as much time as he needed to make the equalizing payment.In 1999 I went back into Court because my ex-husband was not providing our children with basic human needs. He had not taken them for basic healthcare checkups. He was not providing personal hygiene needs like shampoo, soap, etc. The children did not have clothing and my youngest son’s feet had become misshapen from wearing shoes that were too small. The Court accepted a note from my exhusbands mother, that said the boys were regularly seen by doctors and my concerns were dismissed. California Statutes require that Child Protective Services investigate any allegation of neglect or abuse, yet the Court ignored the LAW for the narcissist.There was one point I was arguing and the Judge was forced to rule against the narcissist. The Judge turned to my ex-husband and said, “I’m sorry, but she is within her rights on this”.I was ordered to pay child support, even though my ex-husband had been collecting the $1,000 monthly rent on the building that was once my office, and was previously considered child support when I had the children.The Court's bias toward my drug use cost me everything I worked so hard for all of those years that I was functioning at a fairly high level. Eventually, it also cost me my freedom.In 2001, before turning myself in to do my prison time, I signed my interest in the rental property over to my two sons. I knew that once I was in prison my narcissist would swindle me out of the property. I prayed about it, and the answer I received was to give it away. It was much less painful to lose this last asset when I was able to choose who I lost it to. I executed a quit claim to my sons and gave it to their father, telling him to teach them about real estate.It was not until after my release from prison in 2003, that my youngest son turned 18 and came to live with me again. He had been living with me for just a few weeks when with dawning horror, I came to realize he was suffering the same symptoms that I suffered from the age of 12. I sat my son down and told him my experience with excessive daytime sleepiness and I promised him I was going to get to the bottom of what was going on with us. I went to Parole and told them my history. I hoped they would know what it was since they had vast experience with people using amphetamine. Parole gave me the run around for the next 18 months. Frustrated, I began using our symptoms as search criteria on Google. Narcolepsy kept being returned. Long story short, both my son and I underwent sleep studies and were diagnosed with Narcolepsy.From the moment I was diagnosed, there have been people in law enforcement who have created problems in my ability to obtain treatment for the disease. The Drug Enforcement Administration writes letters to my doctors. Apparently, my file has been flagged and I’ve been labeled a drug seeker. When I was denied Medi-Cal, I was informed at a hearing that a panel of doctors deemed my narcolepsy to be “insignificant” and “the disorder had no major effect on my ability to function in life”. Flabbergasted, I turned to the Judge and said, “No doctor, not one, ever attempted to speak to me to ask me what the effects were from having narcolepsy. I went to PRISON behind this thing, and believe me when I tell you that my experience in prison was not insignificant to me. As a teen, I went from failing all of my classes in school, to a student at the top of my class, after finding amphetamine. Medication for me is the difference between utter failure and shining success. The difference between the two could not be described as “insignificant”. The Judge granted me the Medi-Cal, but the victory was moot because I still could not find a doctor to treat me. It was six years since the diagnosis when a sympathetic doctor confided that he doubted I will ever find ANY doctor willing to treat me. The DEA has a definite “chilling effect”.I discovered in 2004 that my narcissist had never given our sons the quit claim I executed in 2001. The property was now entirely in my Narcissist’s living trust.My narcissist wanted to sell the rental property and told our sons they would each get $5,000. Their actual share of the property was $50,000 each. For some reason, my signature was needed, despite me already releasing interest in 2001. There was a court hearing and the Court required that I execute another quit claim in 2006.For some reason, escrow was still requiring that I sign documents for the sale. The thing was, the documents they wanted me to sign always had “Narcissist Living Trust” typed above or below the place where they wanted me to sign. After months of duress, I finally signed the documents on the condition that each of my sons would receive $50,000 and I would receive $25,000.I was not allowed to see any of the escrow documents for the sale of this property. My youngest son has managed to come across a few documents. He found one document that shows me as a borrower on the rental property.The proceeds for the sale of the rental came from a company that handles 1031 exchanges. The check was made payable to my Ex husband and my oldest son. My youngest sons name was not on the check. My Ex-husband took my youngest son to a small business bank and had him open an account in the names of our two sons.During this time I experienced an adverse reaction to a new narcolepsy medication called Xyrem. In short, I experienced a prolonged psychosis. I moved out to the desert and my son moved back in with his father.I did not know if I was going to survive the psychosis and I decided to leave all of my worldly belongings with my son. He was working a job that took him out of town during the week, and he only returned on the weekends. Upon his return one weekend, he found that his father had moved my things to his vacation home and had given away the rest.My Ex moved a new girlfriend into his home. His girlfriend suffers from OCD and cannot tolerate the movement of any item in the household. She will become hysterical if an item is moved even a few inches from its original place. Unfortunately, my son is a whirling tornado of movement in the environment. Friction between the two ensued. My son told me his father’s girlfriend had thrown bleach into the washer with his dark clothes. The girlfriend set off fumigation bug bombs in the house, leaving my son inside sleeping. My son owned a truck and a motorcycle. If he took his truck anywhere when he would return there would be damage to his motorcycle. When he took the motorcycle, there would be damage to the truck. My son was placing the blame for these incidents entirely upon the girlfriend, but I believe he doesn’t want to entertain the idea that his father is either putting the girlfriend up to these things or the sole person responsible. I believe he was the person doing these things and framing her.My youngest son began looking for property to purchase. He found one he liked for $210k. It had two houses on the lot. My son put his $50k and I put in 20k for the down payment. The real estate agent put him in touch with a loan broker who said she could arrange a mortgage with an $800 monthly paymentBy the time escrow closed the payment was $1500 monthly. After moving in we discovered the houses were severely termite damaged and the County assessor estimated the property value at land value of $75k.We attempted to litigate the issues and we were informed we had no standing.Meanwhile, the property went into foreclosure and was sold at auction to a Michael Jackson. I ran a search for other addresses affiliated with this person and a P.O. box came back. I ran a search on the P.O. box, and the address that was once my office was returned. The man who purchased the property used to rent my office from my ex-husband. A coincidence?I believe that somehow, my ex-husband became the lender for the property my son purchased. He then used predatory lending practices on his own son, driving the monthly payment double what my son agreed upon. Keep in mind that this is also the son who has narcolepsy.My son almost lost control of his motorcycle, after having left the motorcycle at his father’s home for a few days. Anytime he reached speeds over 20 mph, the steering became uncontrollable. He drove the MC to his father’s repair shop and asked him to take a test drive because he felt like he was going to die driving. His father refused, and told him “Bring the bike back in two days”. He didn’t say, “Leave the bike here and I’ll give you a ride home”, he just watched him leave on the bike. The following day my son put the MC on blocks so he could examine what was causing the problem. He noticed that there was road dirt on the spokes, but in spots, the road dirt was smudged clean. That’s when he realized that all of the spokes on the front wheel had been loosened. He took the bike to a different repair shop and was told someone had to deliberately do that to the spokes.6 months before that incident, my son was involved in a motorcycle accident, but cannot remember the accident itself. He was not able to examine the wreckage because his father sold the bike and shipped it overseas before he was able to get out of bed. There is very little left of a motorcycle after it is involved in an accident. This makes it nearly impossible for forensics to determine the cause of an accident. His father is well aware of these facts. Even if there was evidence of tampering that was detectable by the Police, the investigation would only point to his fathers' girlfriend as the person who wished harm to my son.I did not find out about the following incident until 2010 when my son finally told me of it. One night, my Ex husbands motorcycle shop was broken into and a couple of motorcycles stolen. To get the bikes back, their father decided to do a home invasion on the suspect's house. My two sons and their father dress up in black and gather together the guns they will take. Both of my son's are wearing Kevlar vests (bullet proof). Keep in mind that their father has enough inventory in the shop to build at least twenty bikes just like the ones stolen. At this point, the home invasion doesn't have anything to do with the vehicles and has everything to do with their fathers' ego. Right before the three of them are going to storm The door, their father turns to the youngest boy and asks if he can borrow his Kevlar vest. In silence, my son handed his vest to his father. His father placed the vest on himself, and the three of them entered the house. They were able to get one of the bikes back. My son, his brother, nor their father, ever spoke of the vest again. It was seven years before I learned of the incident. My youngest son kept that painful experience bottled up inside of him. To speak of it meant having to acknowledge that his father deemed him to have the least value.During the same time period, several friends of my son mentioned to him that his father was spreading strange rumors. One friend who had not seen him for a while was surprised to find my son looking physically fit and presentable. He told my son that my Ex was telling people that my son was a Hype (injecting drugs intravenously). My Ex knows a great number of people, so this rumor was carried far.My son found correspondence from the Internal Revenue Service, in regards to an irrevocable trust, with my son's name on it. My son has never created an irrevocable trust.My daughter in law was visiting me when she asked me about the Narcissists living trust. She indicated the Narcissist had included her in the trust “so she could collect an inheritance upon his death”. I told her that I believed the trust was a vehicle to obtain life insurance. Six months later, my 32-year-old daughter in law died unexpectedly, leaving three children without a mother.After the foreclosure, I went to live with my recently widowed eldest son, and three of his four daughters. I was filling the role that their mother left vacant. I was taxiing kids, taking them to doctors, cleaning the house, cooking meals, doing yard work, you name it, I was doing it.After the foreclosure, my youngest son moved into the old “family home”. My ex-husband purchased a home in an exclusive neighborhood several years earlier. The ex attempted to turn the family home into a “gentleman's club”, which is a fancy way of saying brothel. The house even had a strippers pole. When that didn’t work out he took to renting out rooms in the now seven bedroom house. All the bedrooms were rented when my son arrived, so he slept in the hallway for a while. He eventually got one of the rooms, but three months later his father told him that all of the tenants had to move because he was renting out the entire house (except for one large room that was rented by a business) to one person.My son moved into a temporary place for three months and then became homeless. He and his girlfriend were camping out in the San Gabriel Valley mountains. He told me he found a motor home that he wanted to buy, so I gave him $300 to buy the vehicle and have a roof over his head.I was spending a great deal of time investigating (as much as possible when you have no funds) the various situations created by the narcissist that made absolutely no sense. My oldest son was getting aggravated because I was not handling as much of the work as I previously had. I was also feeling very guilty that I was living in a nice home, while my youngest son was homeless and struggling. My oldest son was very angry when I told him I was leaving to be homeless with his brother.My oldest son has taken on many of his father's narcissistic traits. He is the designated Golden Child and believes it is proper for him to receive special treatment. During my stay with the GC, he sold my car and kept all of the money. Never once did he offer to pay me for my time spent doing chores for him. During the three years, I lived with him and took care of his children the only thing I asked for was food for my cat. He also paid for me to buy some makeup and a bra. He treated me like I was his maid. My oldest son thinks that it is okay for him to take his brother's property. He is constantly stealing things from his brother. His father has taken his weaknesses and compounded them.The family dynamic the narcissist has created destroyed the once close relationship between my sons. It is heartbreaking.I am sure you have discerned by now that my youngest son is the designated scapegoat. This son has been the target of his father's narcissistic bullying since he was eight years old. As a child, he was someone blessed with a purity of soul, and a propensity towards honesty. It was always apparent to me that he was older than anyone else in the family. He has a strength of character that defies the ugly family dynamic.I moved into the old, gutted, motorhome with my son and his girlfriend. My son had parked the motorhome on the property that was the “family home”. The people that were planning on renting the house gave the narcissist $20k to remodel the house but never moved in. They were afraid of the other tenants. The Narcissists Motorcycle repair shop and the tattoo parlor on the property tend to attract some tough looking people.One day my son had his daughter for the weekend. All four of us were in the motorhome when it began to rain. The motorhome was leaking like a sieve. It was coming down real hard. I thought about the house sitting empty and thought, screw this. I broke into the house and made my granddaughter a dry bed to sleep in. That is how we ended up living inside the house.I find myself getting increasingly depressed living here in the house that I RAN away from thirty years ago. My Exhusband never put any money that he gained from renting the structures on the property, back into the property for maintenance. The exterior has not seen a drop of paint. The house was infested with roaches and rats. The septic tank has not been pumped since we purchased the property in 1986. Consequently, raw sewage backs up into the crawl space on a regular basis. The moisture in the crawl space has created mold issues. During a recent rain, my son pointed out that in places where water was puddling in the yard, each puddle was squirming with larva of some kind. My ex-husband took what was once a beautiful property, and turned it into a toxic waste site.

Where is Slovenia and where is Russia ? Slovenia has never been a part of Russia ,Note. Slovenia used to be a republic in Yugoslavia.this article is about the former part of Yugoslavia.Slovenia (Slovenian: Slovenija) is a country in Central Europe that lies in the eastern Alps at the northern end of the Adriatic Sea, with Austria to the north, Italy to the southwest, Hungary to the northeast and Croatia to the south. Despite its small size, Slovenia has a surprising variety of terrain, ranging from the beaches of the Mediterranean to the peaks of the Julian Alps, to the rolling hills of the south. Slovenia was already more economically advanced than other nations behind the iron curtain prior to European integration and the powerhouse of Tito's Yugoslavia. Contrary to the popular misconception, Slovenia was not a part of the Eastern bloc (not after the Yugoslavian notorious split with the Soviet Union in 1948). Added the fact that Slovenia is also home to some of the finest scenery in the "New Europe", the transition from socialism to the European common market economy has gone well and serves as a model for other nations on the same track to follow.Regions[edit]Regions, cities and other destinations in SloveniaCoast and KarstThe southwestern corner of Slovenia with rolling hills, awe-inspiring caves and the country's 47 km of coastline.Julian AlpsThe mountainous northwest with hiking, rafting, postcard pretty lakes and Mt Triglav, the symbolic heart of Slovenia.Central SloveniaThe urban part with capital Ljubljana and the surrounding region.Southeastern SloveniaThe region around the Krka and lower Sava Rivers.Pohorje-SavinjskaMountains in the north and the Savinja river valley.Eastern SloveniaThe region around the Drava and Mura Rivers, with plenty of vineyards and a Hungarian influence in the east.Cities[edit]Celje1 Ljubljana - the picturesque capital2 Bled - romantic mountain lake complete with its own castle and island3 Celje - one of Slovenia's oldest cities4 Koper/Capodistria - lovely Venetian city, largest on Slovenian coastline5 Maribor - Slovenia's second largest city6 Nova Gorica - the city on the border with Italy7 Piran/Pirano - gorgeous Venetian port8 Postojna - Site of the gigantic Postojna caves9 Ptuj - one of Slovenia's oldest citiesOther destinations[edit]1 Škocjan Caves — Less commercial than Postojna but similarly impressive, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.2 Triglav National Park — Home to national symbol Mt. Triglav and mythical golden chamois Zlatorog.3 Soča Valley — Soča river is with its emerald colour one of the most beautiful European Alpine rivers.Understand[edit]CapitalLjubljanaCurrencyeuro (EUR)Population2 million (2018)Electricity230 volt / 50 hertz (Europlug, Schuko)Country code+386Time zoneUTC+01:00Emergencies112, 113 (police)Driving siderightedit on WikidataHistory[edit]Tartinijev trg/Piazza Tartini in Piran/Pirano.Slavic ancestors of Slovenians came from eastern parts of Europe and inhabited territory north of present Slovenian territory in the 6th century AD. They established a state called Caranthania (Karantanija in Slovene), which was an early example of parliamentary democracy in Europe. The ruler (knez in Slovene) was elected by popular vote. The Caranthanians were later defeated by Bavarians and Franks, who subjugated them. They were Christianized, but they preserved many rituals of their pagan religion, and above all, they preserved their native language. The Slovene lands were part of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria under the Habsburg dynasty until 1918, when the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming a new south-Slavic state ruled by Serbian Karađorđević dynasty called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians ("Kraljevina Srbov, Hrvatov in Slovencev" in Slovene), renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. In WWII, Slovenia was invaded and occupied by Germans, Italians and Hungarians, leading to a parallel civil war between pro-communist liberation forces (Partizani) and axis-sponsored anti-communist reactionary factions ("Belogardisti" and Domobranci). The victory of the Allies and consequently the Partizans resulted in a violent mass exodus of those who had fought with the occupying forces, including most of the native German and Italian minorities. After World War II, Slovenia became a republic in the reestablished Yugoslavia, which although Communist, distanced itself from the Soviet bloc and small territorial gains were made from Italy. Dissatisfied with the exercise of power in Belgrade, the Slovenes succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991 with minimal bloodshed. In 2004, Slovenia joined the European Union and NATO. Most recently, Slovenia adopted the euro in 2007, completing a quick and efficient accession to Europe and the EU.Culture[edit]Totalitarian discoWe are no ordinary type of groupWe are no humble pop musiciansWe don't seduce with melodiesAnd we're not here to please youWe have no answers to your questionsYet we can question your demandsWithout a doubt Slovenia's most misunderstood export, industrial band Laibach (also the German name of Ljubljana) and their Neue Slowenische Kunst (NSK) collective emerged from the coal mining town of Trbovlje to smash their first sledgehammer in 1980 and, despite the best efforts of the state they skewered, went on to outlast Yugoslavia and are still going strong. Using totalitarian imagery stretched to the limit, with band members decked out in military uniforms, memorable moments include reworking Queen's starry-eyed "One Nation" into a Wagnerian march (sung in German, of course) that would make a Teuton blanch. Keep an eye on the NSK website and try to catch a concert when in town.Slovenia lies at the tripoint of the Germanic, Latin, and Slavic cultures, and Slovenes are fiercely proud of their culture. Two names you will run into over and over again are national poet France Prešeren (1800-1849), who penned (among other things) the Slovenian national anthem, and the architect Jože Plečnik (1872-1957), credited with Ljubljana's iconic Tromostovje bridges and, seemingly, half the modern buildings in the country. It was the monks of the Catholic Church that kept Slovene alive over the centuries of relentless Germanization from the north. As a result Slovene survived in its unique form different than Serbo-Croatian to the south. Part of both the countryside and city architecture in Julian Alps shares a lot in common with neighboring Austria, including countless roadside shrines and pretty baroque steeples, giving the interior of the nation a truly alpine flavor. One could easily mistake parts of mountainous Slovenia for Tyrol, Salzburg or Bavaria. In modern times, industrial band Laibach (see box) has served to put Slovenia on the map. In the decades before them, Slavko Avsenik and his Oberkrainer (as known in German) did the same.Climate[edit]Mediterranean climate on the coast, mountain climate in Alps with mild summers and freezing winters and continental climate with hot summers and freezing winters in the plateaus and valleys to the east.Terrain[edit]Predjama Castle in KarstA short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an Alpine mountain region adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountain and valleys with numerous rivers to the east and Pannonian Basin in northeast. Central Ljubljana valley with Ljubljana marshes in the southern part. In the southwest there is the Karst (Kras in Slovene, Carso in Italian) (where the name for karst topography as a whole actually comes from). The Karst region is a barren but beautiful limestone region directly north of the Italian city of Trieste.Natural hazardsflooding and earthquakeshighest pointTriglav 2,864 mlowest pointAdriatic sea 0 mGet in[edit]Entry requirements[edit]Slovenia is a member of the Schengen Agreement.There are normally no border controls between countries that have signed and implemented the treaty. This includes most of the European Union and a few other countries.There are usually identity checks before boarding international flights or boats. Sometimes there are temporary border controls at land borders.Likewise, a visa granted for any Schengen member is valid in all other countries that have signed and implemented the treaty.Please see Travelling around the Schengen Area for more information on how the scheme works, which countries are members and what the requirements are for your nationality.Citizens of the above countries are permitted to work in Slovenia without the need to obtain a visa or any further authorisation for the period of their 90 day visa-free stay. However, this ability to work visa-free does not necessarily extend to other Schengen countries.By bus[edit]See also: Bus travel in former YugoslaviaLjubljana's train and bus stationThe Ljubljana Bus Station (Avtobusna Postaja Ljubljana) provides composite information about international and airport bus services. Phone: 090 93 42 30 (inland only)Connections between the Italian city of Trieste and nearby Koper and Piran are frequent on weekdays. There's also a daily bus between Trieste and Ljubljana. In addition, services between Gorizia (Italy) and its twin town of Nova Gorica (Slovenia) are at least hourly throughout the day although the journey is easily walkable. This offers an ideal connection between the Italian and Slovene railway networks or an alternative entry point from Trieste's Ronchi Airport or the city of Venice.By plane[edit]1 Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport. is Slovenia's primary international airport and the hub of national carrier Adria Airways, which flies to a number of European cities and offers connections to Southeast Europe. The cheapest ways into the city, though, are via wizzAir's (or easyJet's) daily flight from London. editMaribor has Slovenia's second busiest airport, but that isn't saying much with less than 10,000 passengers in 2016. There are a few other options worth exploring. Ryanair also runs flights from Dublin to Pula across the border in Croatia. Another convenient gateway, especially to western Slovenia, is via Italy's Trieste airport, which is but an hour's drive from Ljubljana via super highway. Klagenfurt, in Austria, is also an option, though with next to no flights. Although further away, the Italian airports in Venice and Treviso (called "Venice Treviso") offer other entry points to Slovenia or good day trips to/from Slovenia. Note that railway connections between Slovenia and Italy are rather poor, though (see below).By train[edit]Slovenia is well connected to Austria, Croatia and Hungary by train. The most popular routes connect from Vienna or Villach in Austria (in good weather, this journey past the Julian Alps is spectacular), from Budapest in Hungary and from Zagreb in Croatia. All lines converge on the capital Ljubljana.Italian Railways have slashed the only remaining cross-border service. To get around this poor connection, one can take a train to Nova Gorica (Slovenia) and then walk or take a bus to its neighboring town of Gorizia (Italy) from where there are frequent trains to Trieste, Udine, Venice and further afield. For trips to Trieste, it may be more advisable to take a train to Sežana and then take a taxi on to Trieste (about 10km, €10) or a connecting bus (3 times a day, weekdays only, €1).Slovenia Railways is the national railway company. There are many international routes, and special offers exist for some destinations, so you should consider informing yourself about that in advance. There are destinations, which have tickets on contingency basis, meaning that they could run out fast, but are usually a lot cheaper, such as Ljubljana - Prague line (cooperation between SŽ and Czech railways), €58 for a return ticket (compared to a normal price of €200). For return trips originating in Slovenia, "City Star" tickets, which are open-dated, but usually require a weekend stay, are often the cheapest choice[1] . Also, be aware that you also receive a discount with the Euro<26 youth card [2] on most international lines (of course the discount does not stack up if you already have a special deal). The same card also applies for all domestic lines, with a 30% discount.The quality and comfort of the trains on international routes varies significantly. The unwritten rule is that everything heading up north from Ljubljana has a pretty good standard. The trains usually have restaurants on board, with clean and modern toilets. The same can not be guaranteed for the lines heading south (such as Belgrade, Sofia, Skopje or Thessaloniki), so be sure to carry a supply of food and beverages on board (water and coffee is available in every sleeping compartment), when heading to or from Ljubljana from the Balkans, with the train. However, the express services which run to Zagreb (usually starting in Munich, Germany) are very high quality - but the price shows this.By car[edit]Motorway A2 in Jesenice, near the Austrian borderSlovenia has an excellent highway network connected to neighboring countries. Slovenia demands that all vehicles with a permissible weight of up to 3.5 tons buy a vignette (road tax) before using motorways or expressways. For passenger vehicles, the vignette costs €15.00 for a week, €30.00 for a month, or €95.00 for a year. For motorcyclists, this costs €7.50 per week, €25.00 for 6 months and €47.50 for a year.[3] . Using motorways without a vignette will result in a fine of €300+. Vignettes are sold at the border, please remember to ask (the border agents are supposed to give you a flyer advising you to buy one, but they don't always do that. The posted signs advising you to buy a vignette are in Slovene only).When entering through northern neighbor Austria, you also need a separate vignette to use the Austrian highway network.From Austria[edit]Vienna → Graz → Šentilj → MariborVillach → Karavanke Tunnel → JeseniceVillach → Wurzenpass → Podkoren → Kranjska GoraKlagenfurt → Loiblpass → Ljubelj → KranjFrom Italy[edit]Venice → Trieste → KoperVenice → Gorizia → Nova GoricaTarvisio → Rateče → Kranjska Gora → JeseniceBy boat[edit]There is a fast ferry between Venice and Izola, running with an irregular schedule mainly during the summer season (for the timetable see [4] ). The journey takes 3 hours.Venezialines run one fast ferry per week between Venice and Piran.During the summer months, there is a fast craft service operated by Trieste Lines between Trieste (Italy), Piran (Slovenia), Poreč (Croatia) and Rovinj (Croatia). The portion of the journey between Piran and Trieste lasts 30 minutes, which is pretty much the same as the same journey in a car.Get around[edit]Cyclists tour the region of Upper Carniola.Slovenia is a relatively small country and getting around is generally quick and painless. However, the explosive growth in car ownership has meant tougher times for public transport, and bus schedules in particular have been slashed, so some planning ahead is required. Services are sparse on Saturdays and very limited indeed on Sundays.By train[edit]Timetable decoderD — Mon-FriD+ — Mon-SatN — SundaysNP — Sundays and holidaysPP — Mon-FriSN — Sat-SunŠr — School daysV — DailySlovenia's train network, operated by Slovenske železnice (SŽ) will get you to most destinations in the country, although there are some annoying gaps in the network and routes can be circuitous, so going from anywhere to anywhere usually requires a change at Ljubljana. Trains are, however, some 30% cheaper than buses and return discounts are available on weekends. Buy tickets before you board, as there's a surcharge for any tickets bought from the conductor - except if tickets are not sold at the station. A €1.20 surcharge also applies to any InterCity trains.Quite a bit of money and effort has been put into modernizing the system and the newest trains are as nice as anything you'll find in Western Europe, and although rural stations are often quite basic, most stations are extremely well kept with flowers decorating the platforms throughout summer months. In particular, the name of the station is typically only visible on a single sign on the station building itself, so figuring out where you are means craning your neck a lot. Newer trains do have an voice announcement system that tells you to which station you are approaching. Trains are punctual (except some international ones), so check the expected arrival time and some previous station names to be sure where to get off. For figuring out your next train from a station; electronic signboards are a rarity (outside Ljubljana), but printed schedules are always available: odhod(yellow) means departures, while prihod (white) is arrivals, although this is usually indicated in both English and Slovene.By bus[edit]Buses fill in the gaps, and are usually a better option for some towns not directly served from Ljubljana by train (e.g. Bled, Piran). Some bigger stations have handy electronic search engines for schedules and fares.By car[edit]Slovenia's roads are for the most part well maintained and well signposted, and you won't have a problem if you drive or hire a car. Having a car certainly does add a level of mobility and self-direction that you won't get by train or bus.There are a number of car rental and taxi businesses in Ljubljana. The big international companies are all represented, but if you are on a budget, the local companies have some nice offers if you do not mind using a car which is a few years old.Slovenian railways also offer Motorail on some routes where you can take your car on the train and save the stress of driving.Talk[edit]See also: Slovenian phrasebookSlovenian, the national language, is spoken as the mother tongue by 91% of the population, but there are also small Italian (concentrated on the Primorska coast) and somewhat bigger Hungarian (in Prekmurje to the northeast) minorities. Historically, and prior to the end of WWII there was also a significant German speaking minority. Conversely, Slovenian is spoken in border regions of neighbouring countries.The level of spoken English is very high when compared to most European countries. Many people you come into contact with as a tourist will speak English, and may have some functional knowledge of German, in particular in Eastern Slovenia, and of Italian in the coastal region where Italian is a co-official language. Serbo-Croatian is very closely related to Slovenian and widely understood.The Slovenian school system heavily promotes the teaching of foreign languages from primary school onwards. Children study two foreign languages (most commonly English and German) by the time they get to grammar school. A typical grammar school often teaches an optional third foreign language, Spanish, Italian, or French. Many speak English well with older people speaking German. Some older people may speak Russian as it was a compulsory second language in schools during the communist era, though it has been largely supplanted by English among the younger generation.See[edit]Slovenian cities leave no doubt about historic influence played by Austrian and Italian architecture: Ljubljana is not unlike Prague and Piran could be easily mistaken for a small Italian town. While cities are far from boring, the real Slovenian must-see is its diverse and unspoiled nature.Ljubljana's Triple Bridge at nightVisit the alpine resort of Bled and its romantic lake with an island, but continue towards Srednja vas to see some traditional villages, or hitch a ride to Pokljuka mountain, a good starting point for hikes into Julian Alps.Enjoy the 5.3 km ride through Postojna caves, the longest publicly accessible depth of any cave system in the world, with massive stalactites and stalagmites.After visiting the lively coastal town of Piran, a trip to the serene salt works of nearby Sečovlje will feel like stepping out of this world.Soča river is said to be one of the few rivers in the world to retain their emerald green color throughout its length. The Trenta valley, through which it flows before crossing to Italy, is also well worth seeing.Slovenian pint-size baroque capital Ljubljana is nice in any season but especially popular in December due to its abundant but tasteful decoration.Do[edit]Hiking in Triglavski Narodni ParkThere are many great opportunities for activity holidays in Slovenia: The mountains and rivers of the Julian Alps provide the perfect location for hiking, mountain biking, rafting and kayaking. The southern part of Slovenia is an area of numerous caves. You can enjoy different spa resorts in the eastern part, take a dive in the Adriatic Sea, experience the Slovene cities, go skiing, or enjoy in the countryside tasting Slovene cuisine and local wine. Since Slovenia is a small country, you can discover it in a few days. Therefore you can visit Ljubljana (the capital city), the Julian Alps, Karst region, alpine lakes within several days. A more detailed look at the country, however, requires much more time.Adrenaline adventures in the Posočje area, you can stay in Ljubljana and, in a short distance away, discover the amazing North-Western area of Slovenia called Posočje and Triglav National Park -- canyoning (soteskanje), rafting and para-gliding are available. Because of the relatively new appearance of Slovenia on the national stage of extreme sports, these are much less expensive to participate in than other European countries, such as the UK or Switzerland. These activities are particularly prevalent in Bohinj, Bovec, Kranjska Gora, and other north-western cities.There are more than 8,000 known caves in Slovenia, including the tourist area of Postojna and the UNESCO listed Škocjan Caves.Take advantage of beautiful nature in the Alps and go hiking, cross-country skiing, Nordic walking, or mountain biking, weather permitting.Visit of one many spa resorts in Slovenia.Visit the Slovene seaside and swim in the Adriatic Sea. Try local seafood and visit the towns of Piran and Portorož.Visit one of the golf courses in Slovenia.Skiing in the Julian Alps is popular in the winter. More popular ski resorts are: Kranjska Gora, Krvavec, Vogel, Rogla, Cerkno, Kanin, and Mariborsko Pohorje.Buy[edit]Money[edit]Exchange rates for EurosAs of 11 June 2019:US$1 ≈ €0.88UK£1 ≈ €1.12Australian $1 ≈ €0.61Canadian $1 ≈ €0.67Exchange rates fluctuate. Current rates for these and other currencies are available from XE.comSlovenia uses the euro, like several other European countries. One euro is divided into 100 cents. The official symbol for the euro is €, and its ISO code is EUR. There is no official symbol for the cent.All banknotes and coins of this common currency are legal tender within all the countries, except that low-denomination coins (one and two cent) are phased out in some of them. The banknotes look the same across countries, while coins have a standard common design on one side and a national country-specific design on the other. The latter side is also used for different designs of commemorative coins. The design on the national side does not affect the use of the coin.The euro replaced the Slovenian tolar (SIT).Prices[edit]Prices are high compared to most of Eastern Europe (except Croatia), but lower compared to Italy or Austria. Although prices do vary quite a bit, it really depends on the location. For example, a beer (0,5 litre) in a pub in "Stara Ljubljana" (literally "Old (Town) Ljubljana") would cost you around €3.00, while a beer outside Ljubljana would cost around €1.80. A budget minded traveller can hold his own, if they are smart. For example buying your groceries in a large store (supermarket), such are Mercator, Tuš, Spar, Lidl, Hofer, E.Leclerc etc., will be likely cheaper than buying on the market, or in a small store, etc.A value-added tax (VAT) of 22% (with a reduced rate of 9.5% usually applied to food, including some soft drinks) is charged on most purchases—this is always included in the price displayed. Note that if you are not an EU resident, you are entitled to VAT tax return for purchases over a certain value. Ask the cashier to write down your name on your bill (račun, pronounced rah-CHOON) and show this bill when you leave Slovenia through Jože Pučnik (formerly Brnik) airport.Tipping[edit]Tipping was traditionally not practiced in Slovenia, but the flip side to the near-disappearance of Communist-style "service with a snarl" is that tips for service are now generally expected at sit-down restaurants, with 10% considered standard.Eat[edit]People from Slovenia's northern neighbour Austria come to Slovenia just for the food; with a mixture of Subalpine, Italian, Hungarian and Balkan cuisine, most people will find something to their liking - unless they're strict vegetarians. Many claim that the pizza here is as good or even better as in neighboring Italy.Cuisine[edit]Generally speaking, Slovenian food is heavy, meaty and plain. A typical three-course meal starts with a soup (juha), often just beef (goveja) or chicken (piščančja) broth with egg noodles (rezanci), and then a meat dish served with potatoes (krompir) and a vinegary fresh salad (solata). Fresh bread (kruh) is often served on the side and is uniformly delicious.Common mains include cutlets (zrezek), sausage (klobasa) and goulash (golaž), all usually prepared from pork (svinjina), lamb (jagnjetina) and game (divjačina), but there is a large choice of fish (ribe) and seafood even further away from the coast. Popular Italian imports include all sorts of pasta (testenine), pizza (pica), ravioli (ravioli) and risotto (rižota). A major event in the countryside still today is the slaughtering of a pig from which many various products are made: blood sausage (krvavica), roasts (pečenka), stuffed tripe (polnjeni vampi), smoked sausage (prekajena salama), salami (salama), ham (šunka) and bacon (slanina). Recipes for the preparation of poultry (perutnina), especially turkey (puran), goose (gos), duck (raca) and capon (kopun), have been preserved for many centuries. Chicken (piščanec) is also common. Squid is fairly common and reasonably priced.Uniquely Slovenian dishes are available, but you won't find them on every menu, so here are some to look out for:Kraški pršut - air-dried ham, similar to but not the same as Italian prosciuttoštruklji - dumplings which Slovenians prepare in 70 different ways stuffed with sweet fillings, meat or vegetablesžganci - a type of polenta (ajdovi žganci are made of buckwheat)žlikrofi - potato dumplings similar to gnocchi, specialty of the Idrija regionjota - a type of soup made of beans, sauerkraut, potatoes, bacon, spare ribs, and the main seasoning is garlic.Some Slovenian desserts can also be found:potica - a type of nut roll for holiday occasions also prepared with the widest variety of fillings.prekmurska gibanica - a very heavy cakelike pastry of poppy seeds, walnuts, apples, raisins, cheese etc.Places to eat[edit]A typical gostilna, KamnikAt the top of the food chain is the restavracija (restaurant), which could be a fancy restaurant with waiters and tablecloths or just a typical Chinese restaurant. More common in the countryside are the gostilna and gostišče, rustic inns serving hearty Slovene fare. Lunch sets (dnevno kosilo) cost around €7 for three courses (soup, salad and main) and the large portions are usually well worth the paltry cost.Fast food is, invariably, cheap, greasy and (more often than not) terrible. It's best to steer clear of the local mutation of the hamburger, which is served up in grills and snack bars known as okrepčevalnica. There is no real Slovenian fast food, but Slovenians have adopted greasy Balkan grills like pleskavica (a spiced-up hamburger patty) and čevapčiči (spicy meatballs) are ubiquitous, but one of the more tasty if not healthy options is the Bosnian speciality burek, a large, flaky pastry stuffed with either meat (mesni), cheese (sirni) or apple (jabolčni), often sold for as little as €2. In recent years, many fast food places started making döner kebabs, and they are now among the most popular fast foods in Slovenia. It's very difficult to find a bad kebab in Slovenia, and they are sold in many places nationwide.Dietary restrictions[edit]Slovenia is not the best of destinations for a vegetarian, although even the smokiest inn can usually whip up a decent fresh salad (solata) and fried vegetables on request. Lacto-ovo vegetarians will have it easy in Slovenia, while strict vegans won't find more than a handful of vegan restaurants in the country (most of them in Ljubljana). It is wise to know that even the smallest store has its healthy food shelves with many non-animal alternatives. In the cities the Mediterranean chick-pea staple falafel and its cousin the vegiburger have made some inroads on fast-food menus. Many restaurants offer a "vegetarian plate", which includes potatoes, fresh or boiled vegetables and soya "steak".In coastal cities, there is a paradise for pescetarians and seafood lovers. Local specialities are fish, squids, mussels, and octopus.Drink[edit]Slovenian wineIn proper Slovene style, all bases are covered for drinks and you can get very good Slovenian beers, wines and spirits. Tap water is generally drinkable.Coffee and tea[edit]In Slovenia, coffee (kava) usually means an espresso, and cafes (kavarna) are a common sight with a basic cup costing €1.00-€1.50. One can also order coffee with milk (kava z mlekom) or whipped cream (kava s smetano). Coffee culture is widespread in Slovenia, and one can see Slovenes with friends sitting in the same café for hours. When invited to a cup of coffee at someone's home, expect turkish coffee. Tea (čaj) is nowhere near as popular, and if they do drink it (mostly in the winter), Slovenes prefer all sorts of fruit-flavored and herbal teas over a basic black cup. Tea is served with honey and lemon by request.Beer[edit]Beer (pivo) is the most popular tipple and the main brands are Laško and Union. Adam Ravbar beer is good quality and is usually hard to find anywhere except in their small brewery (located in Domžale, a town about 10 km north of Ljubljana). A bottle or jug will cost you €2.50 in a pub (pivnica). Ask for veliko (large) for 0.5L and malo (small) for 0.3L. Also try "Union Radler Grapefruit", a refreshing mixture of beer and grapefruit juice.Wine[edit]Despite what you might think if you've ever sampled an exported sickly sweet Riesling, Slovenian wine (vino) can be quite good — as in Germany, they keep the best stuff for themselves. Generally, the Goriška brda region produces the best reds and the drier whites (in a more Italian/French style), while the Štajerska region produces the best semi-dry to sweet whites, which cater more to the German/Austrian-type of palate. Other local specialities worth sampling are Teran, a very dry red from the Kras region, and Cviček, a red so dry and light it's almost a rosé. Wine is usually priced and ordered by the decilitre (deci, pronounced "de-tsee"), with a deci around €1 and a normal glass containing about two deci.Spirits[edit]A Slovene brandy known as žganje or (colloquially) šnops, not unlike the Hungarian palinka, can be distilled from almost any fruit. Medeno žganje also known as medicahas been sweetened with honey. Vodka is, as in most of Slavic nations, also very popular, especially among the youger generation.Sleep[edit]Mountain hut at Petrovo BrdoSlovenia has a wide variety of accommodation, ranging from five star hotels to secluded cottages in the mountains.Hostels[edit]There are hostels in all of the tourist destinations in Slovenia. The average price for a basic bed in a dorm is €10-20. Quite a few student dormitories (dijaški dom) are converted into hostels in the summer, but these tend to be poorly located and somewhat dingy.Mountain Huts can be found in Triglav National Park, and they are very warm, welcoming and friendly. Information about these huts can be found at tourist information offices who will also help you plan your walks around the area and phone the hostels to book them for you. The only way to get to the huts is by foot, and expect a fair bit of walking up hills, as the lowest huts are around 700m up. There are clear signs/information around stating how long it will take to travel to/between all the huts indicated in hours.Tourist farms[edit]Tourist farms can be found around Slovene countryside and usually they offer wide selection of traditional food, local wine, different sport activities etc. They also offer opportunities to experience real traditional countryside life.Camping[edit]Camping is not permitted in the national parks of Slovenia, but there are various designated camping grounds. It's advisable to take a camping mat of some sort, as nice, comfortable grass is a luxury at camp sites and you're much more likely to find pitches consisting of small stones.Learn[edit]Slovenia has four universities, located in Ljubljana, Maribor, Koper, and Nova Gorica as well as several independent colleges (eg BSA Kranj, Bled).The university in Ljubljana is the oldest, largest and most well-respected teaching institution in the country. The University of Ljubljana also contains 3 art academies: Theatre and Film; Music; Fine Arts. Various recognized international charts list the University of Ljubljana in the top 3% of universities worldwide.Work[edit]Citizens of the EU, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland can work without the need to apply for any visa in Slovenia.Citizens of some non-EU countries (see the 'Get in' section above) are permitted to work in Slovenia without the need to obtain a visa or any further authorisation for the period of their 90 day visa-free stay.It's possible for English-speaking graduates to get work in a Slovene school teaching English for around a year in a scheme similar to Japan's JET programme.Stay safe[edit]Mounted police in LjubljanaSlovenia is most likely one of the safest countries to visit, but be aware of your surroundings.The nationwide emergency number is 112. To call police, dial 113. There are emergency telephones interspersed along the main motorways. You can find the closest SOS-phone by the arrows on the reflection posts.People may get a bit aggressive in crowded bars and discothèques, and it is not uncommon to be grabbed or groped.Petty theft is routine in vicinity of Roma settlements in southern parts, especially around Krka river. Don't worry about it, just don't leave your watch on the car seat while you go kayaking.Stay healthy[edit]There are no unusual health concerns in Slovenia. Hygiene standards are high and tap water is potable.While in nature, always use tick repellents, due to the Borreliosis and Meningitis danger. Borreliosis is very widespread in the country.There are two species of venomous adders in the Julian Alps. You are unlikely to be bitten, but if you are, you should seek medical help as antiserums are available (although actually seldom administered). In the forests in the south, you may encounter a bear; Slovenia contains the highest bear population in Europe, but attacks are very rare. Normally, in countries that have been domesticated for several thousand years, the indigenous wild fauna will be either very skittish or very comfortable with humans. It depends on the area you are in, of course, but use your head. If you go camping in the Julian Alps and bring a lot of sausage and bacon, chances are you will attract some unwanted visitors.Respect[edit]Slovenians are generally open and friendly, so don't hesitate to address people as those younger than 50 understand English and will be eager to help you. You will impress them if you try using some basic Slovenian words. Slovenian is rarely spoken by foreigners, so your effort will be appreciated and rewarded.Slovenians will insist when offering something, as "no" doesn't always mean "no," they just think it's polite for you to refuse, and polite for them to insist. Don't worry unnecessarily, but still you should take some normal precautions to study your host first.Slovenians are proud for having preserved their national identity (especially the language) in spite of the pressures from neighboring nations in past centuries. Due to their economic success as well as historical and contemporary cultural bonds to Central Europe, they usually don't like their country to be described as part of "Eastern Europe". While Slovenian is closely related to Serbian and Croatian, it is not the same language. Another common misconception is that Slovenia was part of the Soviet Bloc, while it was in fact the northernmost country of Yugoslavia. You can, however, freely discuss these topics; just be aware that you can hear contrasting sides of the story, depending on who you talk to and his/her political affinity. There is still a strong division among leftists and rightists. Be careful if entering a discussion on open territorial issues with Croatia or on the Slovenian civil war during WWII and its aftermath. Consider these controversial topics a taboo.There is an active lesbian and gay scene in Slovenia. As elsewhere in this part of Europe, homosexuals are generally safe, although there have been a few reported attacks in the past. Be cautious in the evening and during the night, especially in cities. Women/girls holding hands are considered normal and a sign of friendship.Practical advice:If you are invited to dinner at someone's home, bring a bottle of good wine. It's expected to give a compliment to a cook. Do it before you are asked if you liked the meal!Slovenians generally wear slippers at home, so take your shoes off when you enter. They will offer you slippers or insist you keep the shoes on. They'll normally be very gracious, knowing that you are a visitor and don't know all of their customs, but try not to be ignorantly callous.It's normal to shake hands when introduced to someone. Don't try to make a kiss when introduced, though in the younger generation, kissing and hugging is not uncommon between friends.The Slovenian Alps (especially the highest peak Triglav, named after a Slavic god) are a national symbol. Slovenia is the only country to have its highest peak on the national flag.It's common to greet people with Dober dan (Good day) when you meet in the mountains, and to say Srečno (Good luck) when you depart. There is a strong spirit of camaraderie in the mountains.It is also polite to say Dober dan to people passing by in small towns and villages.Try to avoid using the phrase, "May you be kicked by a horse!", as it is considered an insult.Connect[edit]Internet cafe in LjubljanaTelephone[edit]The international calling code for Slovenia is 386, and the prefix for international calls is 00; the area code prefix is 0. Some number blocks are reserved for special use: 080 are toll-free numbers and 090 are commercial services, which are usually expensive.Mobile networks use the common European frequencies (900 and 1800 MHz for GSM/LTE and 2100 MHz for 3G; 800 MHz is planned for LTE). Two major Slovenian mobile companies, Mobitel and Simobil, provide an excellent coverage in GSM and 3G, but 3G can be unavailable in mountainous regions. Roaming between European phone companies is becoming cheaper due to the EU regulation setting a maximum of 0.29€ per minute for calls made and 0.09€ for calls received, while calls to or from non-EU providers remain expensive. Slovenian pre-paid SIM cards are also available in supermarkets and gas stations.Telekom Slovenije operates around 3500 phone booths. They unfortunately do not accept coins but require the use of cards costing 3-15€.Internet[edit]Slovenia is generally well covered by inexpensive broadband internet due to fierce competition between multiple companies. Internet cafes are thus common in cities and internet access is offered by most hotels and hostels.A free wireless internet network is also being set up in some cities by volunteers (Ljubljana, Maribor, Nova Gorica). You can use it if you have a computer or a WiFi enabled phone.Postal Services[edit]The offices of Pošta Slovenije are ubiquitous. Look for French horn-like signs on dark yellow background. Delivery takes one day within Slovenia, a few days within Europe and (usually) less than two weeks worldwide. DHL is also available.Postal rates[edit]Postage for an inland postcard is €0.40 (value of the "B" stamp); for an inland letter (up to 20g) it is €0.34 (value of the "A" stamp).Postage for an international postcard is €0.56; for an international letter (up to 20g) it is €0.60 (value of the "C" stamp).Postage for an international airmail postcard is €1.25, for an international airmail letter (up to 20g) it is €1.29.Newsagents or shops selling postcards usually sell stamps, too. If this is not the case, you can always buy them at the Post Office.For airmail, you will have to go to the Post Office and ask for prednostno. You can pay directly at the counter or attach proper stamps.Rates correct as of August 2014.This country travel guide to Slovenia is an outline and may need more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. If there are Cities and Other destinations listed, they may not all be at usable status or there may not be a valid regional structure and a "Get in" section describing all of the typical ways to get here. Please plunge forward and help it grow!Navigation menuNot logged inTalkContributionsCreate accountLog inPageDiscussionReadEditView historySearchMain pageTravel destinationsStar articlesWhat's Nearby?Tourist officeRandom pageGet involved