AN EVIL EYED WITCH FROM VALVASOR'S COLLECTION
A TRIPLE SETTEE BEHIND THE TABLE IS THE BRIDE AND GROOM FIVE MINUTE WAITING CHAIR
LOOK CAREFULLY TO SEE ELYSEE SHEEPISHLY PEEKING FROM BEHIND THE BUSHES
Excerpt from my book, OUR SUMMER IN SLOVENIA, AMAZON.COM
While at Bogensperk Castle we were introduced to the Slovenian custom of the five-minute waiting period just before the marriage takes place. The bride and groom are seated, surrounded by their immediate family, and five minutes of silence ensues. During this period the bride and groom are to think separately and silently about their marriage and either can have a change of mind at this point and cancel the entire proceedings. We were told by our guide that on only one occasion did the bride change her mind, but in her case she would not even come into the castle and no one knew where on the grounds she was hiding. That marriage never occurred.
Leaving Bogensperk Castle behind we drove on to Celje (chel-yea), an important town of about 42,000 people that was originally a Roman center of activity and in the 15th century the home of the Counts of Celje, the last holdouts before the Habsburgs united all Slovenia under their rule. It was here that Elysee and I made an important discovery; the historic icon of a McDonalds
restaurant. I know what you are thinking, how tacky! But do you realize we had not had a single hamburger since we left the USA almost two months ago? They are not on any menu, and are unavailable in Bled. Without a single moment of guilt we plunged our faces into french fries and double cheeseburgers and were awash in Coke. Two mad and crazed Americans, ketchup dripping from the corners of their mouths, greedily protecting their plastic trays from preying pigeons. The fries, to our amazement, were identical in flavor to those in the states. After a walkabout in town and examining the remains of Roman walls, we headed a few miles west to a roadside “Gostisce,” the Slovenian equivalent of a B&B where we spent the night in a large guest room, including breakfast, for the equivalent of $30. One could move to Slovenia and stay in guest houses all the time; forget mortgage payments. Think about it! $900 a month with breakfast; and you won’t have to make the bed.
