Drejc Kokošar, Author at Rudarske hiše

30. 06. 2022by Drejc KokošarUncategorized

Up to Kanomlja We Go!

The breezy and foggy morning of the 24^th of June did not prevent the volunteers from heading to Šturmajce, a centuries-old farmhouse in Kanomlja, a village just a few minutes drive from Idrija. While the roads leading to this place were full of twists and turns, the view was simply breathtaking. It is in the forests and mountains that the beauty of Slovenia is uniquely revealed!

The activity started with a short introduction about Šturmajce no less than by the custodians themselves comprised of a couple living just next to it, and a local association of women dedicating their time and effort to preserve its customs. With Matevž Šlabnik serving as the group’s translator, the volunteers learned some interesting facts about Šturmajce, namely:

1. That it used to house 70 people, from which only one person is left looking after it to this day.
2. That the establishment of the house dates back hundreds of years ago during the reign of the Habsburgs.
3. That the religious artworks on the farmhouse’s façade are also century-old, and that they served as signs for pilgrims to pause and pray. With the landscape already a price for the eyes in itself, the volunteers were in for more treats inside.

Welcoming guests the Slovenian way, the volunteers were given shots of alcohol by the host. A sumptuous breakfast of locally-produced food was served, much to the delight of everyone. Afterwards, the volunteers were taught to bake bread, heat the stone oven, and make the traditional Idrijski žlikrofi: a Slovenian traditional cuisine that, as the name suggests, originated from Idrija. The day ended with a visit to Kanomeljske Klavže, a man-made dam that the miners built to transport logs through the river to Idrija. The logs were then used for various purposes in the mine and even at home. The trip was one-of-a-kind as it brought the volunteers closer to the authentic “Idrija experience.”