At The Zagreb Crossroads Waiting For A New Radiator

Packed, suited up, and ready to go after my club to the Ljubljana castle, I wait for the owner of my apartment. He shows up with a colleague who wrestles a pair of crutches before climbing out of the car. We climb the stairs to the apartment, but his colleague struggled. His left leg was […]

Building Bridges Where Dragons Watch Over: Ljubljana The Secret City

Even though I’ve been exploring Slovenian back roads and far off the beaten track in Bela Krajina, I’m only about one hundred kilometers from Ljubljana Slovenia’s capital. I ride through scenic Metlika, get caught up in traffic in Novo Mesto, and in less than two hours, I’m in the capital. But something is wrong with […]

Fighting Fires, Fantastic Food, And Wonderful Wine—Just Another Day In Bela Krajina

Check Out Allan Karl WorldRider On His Appearance On The Top-Rated Slovenian Travel Show About His Experience in Slovenia and Bela Krajina at the end of this article. After over two months on the road, I find Bela Krajina the perfect place to slow my pace and take in nature and enjoy the fruits, food, […]

Slovenia: Off The Beaten Track. Uncovering Gems, Tradition, and History

I open the sliding door of my house here at Big Berry and grab the basket sitting on my patio. Filled with fresh eggs, juice, yogurt, cheese, and homemade bread, I prepare a breakfast plate and take a sit on that patio. It’s early, and a gentle mist hovers above the grass and wafts down […]

Taking The Back Roads to Bela Krajina Slovenia and Big Berry Resort

There is much more to explore in Slovenia, so I plan to spend a few more days before heading to Serbia. With each mile I ride, glass of wine I taste, and the people I meet, I’m fascinated by the diversity of Slovenia, such a small country only about the size of New Jersey in […]

What’s For Lunch At One of The Best Restaurants In The World? And The Wine?

Hiša Franko one of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and Featured on the Celebrated Netflix Series “Chef’s Table” confess—I don’t do lunch that much. Whether I’m traveling or home, I prefer to save my appetite and my calories for dinner. I eat a light breakfast, but lunch? When I do eat lunch, it’s a lunch meeting, […]

The History & Magic Behind Hiša Franko And Its Rise to Become One of The Best Restaurants In The World

I stop by Movia one more time before I leave Goriska Brda and head north—Vesna had asked me to bring a few bottles of wine to Valter at Hiša Franko. About this time, I hear from Demo who offered to pick up the new swingarm bearings from BMW in Ljubljana and bring them to Kobarid. […]

Three Generations At Edi Simčič Wines—Gracefully Aging Whites & Power Packed Reds

arrive at Edi Simčič Winery a few minutes early for my appointment. It’s quiet, and twilight colors the sky. I’m looking for winemaker Aleks Simčič, Edi’s son. Rolling down the concrete driveway, I park my bike between two buildings. I see a tractor, several empty grape bins, and a dog.  After a few minutes, an […]

Podcast #32 From Slovenia—Riding the Balkans 2018: A Live Update

When I set off on this 2018 Eastern European Tour, I had no real plan except to search for the best stories in food, wine, and culture. I wanted to discover the truth about the region. Like me, most North Americans do not understand what is happening over here—my aim was to find out. Now […]

Movia — Wine Made Without Compromise & A Crash ‘Course’ In The Vineyard

My timing for visiting Goriska Brda, the Slovenian wine region deserving much more worldwide recognition, is both good and bad. The good part is that the place is busy and bustling because it’s harvest time. And the bad part? The place is busy and bustling. My goal here is to gain a better understanding of […]