Slovenia is rapidly evolving into a modern European country, embracing Western lifestyles, industries, farming practices, and architecture. Yet, there are still areas where old villages, traditional houses, and people preserving age-old values and crafts remain. I’ve explored regions like Prekmurje, Prlekija, and Kozjansko before. Now, I’m turning my attention to the Kolpa River valley and its small villages. Here, I’ll share two stories from Ribjek and Mirtoviči.
I traveled to the area in early summer with my friends Amadeja and Dan. Our plan was to explore the viewpoints above the Kolpa River and capture the sunset. However, with the weather not cooperating for landscape photography, we decided to explore the river for scenic spots. Instead, we ended up photographing Ribjek village, where Nada warmly invited us into her home for coffee and a shot of homemade sadjevec (fruit brandy).
Ribjek Village
This little village caught our eye as we drove through, especially a small church with a wooden roof that made us stop. While walking around, we met Nada and started a conversation. She told us her family name is Klepec and pointed to a house with a mural of Peter Klepec, a folk hero from Bela Krajina whose fairytale I loved as a child. Nada warmly invited us into her historic home and gave us a tour. Over coffee and sadjevec, she shared stories about her family, her divorce, and how she now lives in the house with her brother. She proudly showed us photos of her daughter and son, who had their graduation portraits taken at the famous Demšar photo studio in Ljubljana. Nada and her brother, Stane, still make žganje (brandy) in the traditional way, and every year they take part in Koline, when they slaughter a pig and make meat products for their home.
We then went to the garden, where Stane arrived, herding chickens and ducks into the barn. At first, he was hesitant to be photographed, but after talking for a bit, he proudly showed us his Opel Kadett, a beautifully preserved old-timer. As we said our goodbyes, Stane invited us to return in the autumn when he would be distilling sadjevec again.
Mirtoviči Village
While exploring the Kolpa River (Kupa River in Croatian) Valley, we spotted a lady sitting in front of her home with three cats. She waved, and we stopped. What followed was an hour-long conversation where she shared her life story and showed us around.
Božica is originally from Croatia, just a few hundred meters across the river. From her homestead in Mitroviči village, she can see her old village, Sedalce. Now widowed, she lives in her late husband’s house, where he grew up as one of nine children. The previous generation had eleven children, all raised in this 200-year-old house.
Božica trained as a cook in Opatija and spent most of her career in Germany, cooking for the management at Mercedes-Benz. Her two children still live in Germany, while her only other relatives are her two brothers and two sisters, who live in their home village across the river.
She told us they once had horses, cows, chickens, rabbits, goats, and pigs. The property was filled with potatoes, wheat, vegetables, and fruit trees. She is proud of their pear trees and mentioned her husband always distilled sadjevec. Now, she only keeps a goat, a rabbit, and a few chickens.
When we asked to see her house, she smiled and said, “No, but let me show you my animals!” Such a wonderful lady, full of life at over 80 years old!
Kolpa River Villages – Conclusion
It’s not often that you hear two beautiful stories like this in the same day! For me, it was a day to remember. I’m glad I was able to capture these moments with my photos for this blog. I hope you enjoyed the stories as much as I did. If you’re visiting Slovenia, consider extending your trip to the Kolpa River. It’s a stunning area, and Croatia is just across the river!
