Koper on the Slovenian Coast

Nova Gorcia has 2 very interesting bridges almost side my side. The first is the oldest arch bridge in the world, the second it's modern day equivalent. 

Nova Gorcia is an interesting university city straddling the Italian border. In the post world war 2 land settlement Gorcia was awarded to the Italians. This enraged the Slovenians, so they set about building a mirror city on the border, a modern day Berlin. As I had read a great deal about this and the fact that you can slip across the square from one country to the next, visiting Italy, without using the official border post. This was a challenge I wanted to  complete. What I didn't know was that now Slovenia and italy are border less, and you move between the two countries seamlessly with the EU signs stating Italy or Republic of Slovenia. The country roads meander back and forth. Crossing slyly into Italy at Gorcia was never going to happen, and after Doris our trusty GPS had us winding around in circles looking for the centre of the city or the square, a sly border dash was definitely never going to happen. I've been to Italy so many times this holiday already, yawn, moving on.

We chose to ignore Doris's directions and follow the road signs to Koper which had us using the old highway, meandering in and out of villages, through the countryside, in and out of the wine areas, sigh, and through the orchids where we purchased copious amounts freshly picked nectarines and peaches so bargain prices of 2 Euros a bag. There are compensations for the country scenic route. We eventually arrived at Sezena and Lipica, the home of the world famous Lipizzano white horses. Having seen the horses at the Spanish Riding School in Austria, visiting the farm was a must do for me. The long drive way, the white fences and the mares grazing in the paddocks, picture post card perfect. Access to the farm is free and communing with the horses in the paddocks over the fences is encouraged. Aunt Phyllis you would have loved it. 

The farm is an interesting complex with a modern method of self funding. There are the usual entry fees and costs for the museum, stables and to watch the riding lessons, however the general public are encouraged to lounge around under the trees and enjoy the other facilities. Casinos seem to be common place in this area, we passed 4 different ones in our arduous travels around the city of Gorcia. You guessed it, not only is there a golf course, a hotel but a casino at the Lipica farm, all within sight of the other.  Seems surreal to me. I however just enjoyed the horses, mares and broad mares with foals, white horses, black foals. You can take the girl out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the