Summer, na svidenje! (Aurélie, France)

It's already the end of August, which means that one of my favourite seasons is about to end -maybe not according to the dates but we can already feel the autumnal changes coming at night... Until now, summer has been, for me, synonymous with holidays, hot sun, hours on sandy beaches, busyness and enjoyment. Unfortunately, here, I couldn't spend time on Slovenia's beaches but I enjoyed the various lakes the country has! I usually really like spending time under the hot sun but when you're working with +30°, the excitment is a bit lower 😅💦. 

However, August gave us some long weekends and we spent them visiting the country and Jarenina. Helenka already shared about the Jarenina *Tractor Race*. I would have never imagined attending this kind of event, but I really liked it! It was uncommon and joyful! Everyone was cheering to the * professional* drivers.

​​With Julia, we also went to Ptuj, exploring its castle and museum and discovering what they had hidden ​😶‍🌫️

​Kurentovanje. It's the name of a festival/carnival organized in February on the streets of Ptuj. This event celebrates the end of winter -some characters chase away evil, while others invite better times into the country. In short, they 'banish' the cold season and everything bad while welcoming a warm spring, hoping for a good harvest in the coming year and bringing fortune and happiness. The protagonists are numerous, but the most famous figures are the Kurent, whose impact is the strongest.

​​The men wear costumes from head to toe: a really big mask with horns, the skin of a sheep, and bells around the waist. Each mask is different, and each has significant importance and a role during the carnival and in its history​ -it's said that this kind of event goes back to the pagan period, so before Christianity. 
But in February, it’s a celebration month in Ptuj: everyone enjoys the carnival and what it will bring for the year. The men prepare themselves for days in order to dance and jump with more than 30kg on their shoulders -and waist- all day, waiting for the 'approval' of a dance with the women through the gift of a tissue.​

In the castle, you can find a lot of different rooms -some creepier than others ​😅. From historical ones to a musical and instrumental display area or even one full of weapons. By itself, the castle is already grandiose and full of history and I can only recommend it! :)

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I just wanted to close this post with another picture from the Mother Nature Card Deck that brings me peace and motivation. Even though it looks like we're alone 'against' the powerful forces of Nature, in the end, we will find our place and be one once again ​🩵