When Zmajoljupci call, we ride. The summons arrived on Friday: Žuža and Žare, ever faithful disciples of those lying meteorologists, chose to believe the forecast – and by Saturday morning we were already in the car, reasonably well stocked with kites, pointing ourselves towards the Croatian capital. The day turned out splendidly. Spring at her … Read more
This is from Nomina Defunctorum, the Book of the Dead Benefactors who donated property to the Chapter of Aquileia (now in the Diocesan Archive of Udine): Nomina defunctorum is a simple list of the dates on which this or that benefactor died (so their souls could be duly prayed for on the correct day), and … Read more
There was nothing. There was no ‘there’ there. A hundred and fifty square kilometers of void. To be fair, only one species of animal thought that; millions of others were quite happily enjoying this purported “void,” thank you very much. And even the detractors once lived smack in the middle of it, back when it … Read more
No way! Yes, way … This year has been decidedly odd (and the weather has, for the most part, shown a marked aversion to kites). It’s March already, and we have managed exactly one (1) kite aerial photography session and this single, blissfully relaxed kite-flying outing – our grand total for the year so far. … Read more
The aromatic smoke of the last beedee rises and swirls, the first warm sunbeams playing with it like mischievous kittens. The dark, cold January is well behind us: the first flowers are just about to bloom, the birds are singing their hearts out … We try to look forward, to smell the spring on a … Read more
“I don’t know how to January!”– Marczin So … when it became clear that after so many years we’d have to spend the great holiday of Uttarayan not in India, but in Slovenia – and not just Uttarayan, the whole bloody January! – we promptly went through all six stages of grief. Denial, anger, bargaining, … Read more
Beeches be trippin’ … Few people realize that among plants, beeches are the ultimate party animals. They’re cool, they drink a lot (of course), and they’re dressed to impress – those striking silver trunks and vibrant green leaves that sway seductively in the gentle breeze … When conditions are warm and wet, beeches truly thrive; … Read more
The Gods of Winds can be generous around the Old year / New year transition, so we are usually able to head down to Cerknica and take some more kite aerial photos of this exceptional place. Because it’s never enough. And it’s never the same. So we honoured the tradition – and the first published … Read more
And thus yet another year of kites comes to a close. And what a year it was! The sheer numbers are well above our expectations laid out at the end of 2024 … We helped kids make over 1.500 kites! We were at 12 kite festivals all over the world, we had 23 kite aerial … Read more
Duality, that’s the word. The most vulgar tourism one can imagine (drunken stag parties of entitled overgrown children everywhere all the time) – and the most peaceful travelling through emerald rice terraces. Out.of-place “sport pubs” and neon-polluted “night clubs” – and the most intricately built temples. Four star concrete “all-inclusive” resorts with swimming pools and … Read more