A visit to the Radol’ca area isn’t complete without a visit to the Lipnica valley, home to, among others, the former ironworking villages of Kropa and Kamna Gorica.

The former – the larger of the two and formerly the most active – is home to the Iron Forging Museum and a wealth of technical heritage.

Even after living in Radovljica for nearly 17 years (gosh, how time flies!), there are still things to be seen, places to be discovered and people to meet … providing you have a curious mind, of course.

And so it was that last week I discovered an exhibition that I didn’t know existed. The Mozaic Exhibition Gallery, which is tucked away in a house among Kropa’s narrow streets.

It’s a bit higgledy-piggledy and the exhibits aren’t displayed as one would expect in a gallery, but perhaps that’s what makes it all the more interesting, as it’s a real labour of love for the owners Stane Pavlovič and his wife, Bojana.

It’s fun trying to identify well-known buildings and people. Can you see anyone, or anything, you recognise?

Everywhere you look something catches your eye.

In addition to making mosaics, the couple also have an extensive library and even a greenhouse attached to the rear of the house. Who would have thought that cacti can be found growing in Kropa of all places, which during winter barely sees the sun?

Entrance to the exhibition is free of charge, though voluntary contributions are, of course, always welcome. To arrange a visit contact Stane on 040 349 472 or send an email to stane.pavlovic@gmail.com

While in Kropa, in addition to the aforementioned Iron Forging Museum and Mozaic Exhibition Gallery, you can also visit (upon prior arrangement) the Fovšaritnica Museum House and the Vigenjc vice nail forge, or hike up to the Vodiška planina mountain pasture on the Jelovica plateau, where you can enjoy some typical mountain food at the Partisanski dom mountain hut.

We had the first snowfall of the year in the valley last week, so I’ll leave you with a ‘snowy’ picture I took on a bitterly cold morning earlier this week. Today, thankfully, it’s been almost spring-like.

© Adele in Slovenia