Heavy Metal and Slovenien Folk Music...

Crossing the three main northern islands of Croatia I arrived in Istria, the paninsula stretching down from Italy. The temperature was not decreasing, climbing above 40 in the shade. Stopping for lunch I was forced to pack up and get out of there as a forrest fire neared. The hills stretching down the centre of Istria where too much for me in this weather, I was forced to walk up the hills for the remainder of the day. This made a simple 100 km day into a tough battle against myself, consuming 9 litres of water through the day! I arrived in Poreč to meet Lana, the girl who had the graduation party. We swam, ate and then slept by the shore in the crowded but quite beautiful tourist town.
Leaving early I headed for the Slovenien border, arriving about mid day. The weather was not giving up...but nor was I! Climbing a seemingly endless 8 km hill I turned left and headed for the Italien border, crossing only to turn right and cross back out of Italy back into SLovenia, total time in Italy: 15 minutes.
Winding my way through rolling hill country dotted with beautiful vineyards and small villages I began to search for a place to stay. Soon after a man on a bike invited me in for a beer. After sampling first his home made red then white wine I was invited to stay. Our conversation was relatively simple since my German is still basic...
The evening ended with half the village in the square, his son and another man on the accordien and others on the drum and trombone. More home made wine made me feel ill but the traditional folk music and speaking German was enjoyable. My host, by now very drunk swayed back and forth all the way home. I had to encourage him to go to bed so that he would get out of my room...quite funny really!
Leaving early after being given breakfest I headed towards the alps, now amongst 3000 m tops and crystal clear rafting rivers, the last thing I expected was to find 10,000 heavy metal addicts listening wandering the streets of the town of Tolmin. Metal Camp 2006 was just finishing and thousands of revellers where on their way home, still dressed in black, with a tatoo or two and the mandatory boots probably stolen from the army.
The fun continues...