Dr. Filomena

As part of the End Hunger: Walk the World 2008 campaign, the Movement for Justice and Development is organizing the Walk through Ljubljana on Sunday, 1 June 2008.

Programme Basics:

10.00 – 11.00:  Meeting at Stari trg (Herkulov vodnjak – Hercule’s fountain)

 -Music group “Sto prašičkov poje” (lit.: a hundred piglets sing)

11.00 – 12.00:   Walk for Food Ljubljana ’08

Route: Stari trg (Herkulov vodnjak) – Mestni trg – Stritarjeva ulica – Tromostovje – Wolfova ulica – Kongresni trg – podhod pod Slovensko cesto – Plečnikov trg – preko Šubičeve ulice – Beethovnova ulica – Cankarjeva cesta – pod Tivolsko cesto – Jakopičevo sprehajališče – park Tivoli – pod Tivolsko cesto – Erjavčeva cesta – ploščad Maximarketa – ulica Josipine Turnograjske – Plečnikov trg – pod Slovensko cesto – Kongresni trg – Gosposka ulica – Kratka steza – Hribarjevo nabrežje – Čevljarski most – Gallusovo nabrežje – Stari trg (Herkulov vodnjak)

12.00 – 13.00:   End of the Walk and a music programme featuring:

– rapper Nikolovski
– Joseph Rakotorahalahy, musician from Madagascar
– Tomo Križnar, human rights activist

Join in for a fun Sunday walk through the beautiful Ljubljana, at the same time helping raise money (and awareness) for a good purpose.

We’re ready to roll!

Come join us tonight in Bericevo (Kmetski dom) for the day of youth celebration.
Featuring:
Patrons
Ninurta
and last but not least
Slon in Sadez

(image source)

The core team of the company (shameless plug: GBD Nepremičnine d.d.) decided a while ago to donate blood ‘together’ and went through with it today. It’s only natural that people hate needles so it really does help if you have somebody there as support. It turned out that the three of us cover the three basic blood groups, namely 0, A and B, which is kind of cool.

Please, donate blood!

It doesn’t take that long and you’re helping save lives! Not to mention the great breakfast they serve you afterwards. The fact that your (hint: and your partner’s) blood is checked for all sorts of transmittable diseases is an added bonus.

Wondering where you can donate blood in Slovenia? You can participate in a blood drive or you can give blood at one of the locations below at any time that suits you best. More information in Slovenian at the Blood Transfucion Centre of Slovenia website.

Zavod Republike Slovenije za transfuzijsko medicino
Šlajmerjeva 6, 1000 Ljubljana, Tel.: (01) 543 81 00
Vsak delovni dan: 7.00-15.00
Četrtek: 7.00-17.00

Center za transfuzijsko medicino UKC Maribor
UKC Maribor, Ljubljanska 5, 2000 Maribor, Tel.: (02) 321 22 75
Torek: 7.00-17.30
Četrtek: 7.00-11.00

Oddelek za transfuzijsko medicino Celje
Splošna bolnišnica Celje, Oblakova 5, 3000 Celje, Tel.: (03) 423 35 92
Ponedeljek: 7.30-10.30
Torek: 7.30-10.30
Sreda: 7.30-10.30

Oddelek za transfuzijsko medicino Izola
Splošna bolnišnica Izola, Polje 35, 6310 Izola, Tel.: (05) 660 62 30
Torek: 7.30-12.00
Četrtek: 7.30-11.00 in 13.00-16.30
Petek: 7.30-12.00

Oddelek za transfuzijsko medicino Jesenice
Splošna bolnišnica Jesenice, Titova 112, 4270 Jesenice, Tel.: (04) 586 83 08
Torek: 7.00-12.00

Oddelek za transfuzijsko medicino Murska Sobota
Splošna bolnišnica Murska Sobota, Rakičan, Ulica dr. Vrbnjaka 6, 9000 Murska Sobota, Tel.: (02) 512 31 00
Ponedeljek: 7.00-11.30
Četrtek: 7.00-11.30

Oddelek za transfuzijsko medicino Nova Gorica
Splošna bolnišnica Nova Gorica, Ulica padlih borcev 13, 5290 Šempeter pri Novi Gorici,
Tel.: (05) 330 11 76
Torek: 8.00-12.00 in 14.00-16.00
Petek: 8.00-12.00

Oddelek za transfuzijsko medicino Novo mesto
Splošna bolnišnica Novo mesto, Šmihelska 1, 8000 Novo mesto, Tel.: (07) 391 65 74
Torek : 7.00-10.30
Četrtek: 7.00-10.30

Oddelek za transfuzijsko medicino Ptuj
Splošna bolnišnica dr. Jožeta Potrča, Potrčeva 23-25, 2250 Ptuj, Tel.: (02) 749 14 37
Ponedeljek: 7.00-11.00
Četrtek: 7.00-11.00

Oddelek za transfuzijsko medicino Slovenj Gradec
Splošna bolnišnica Slovenj Gradec, Gosposvetska 3, 2380 Slovenj Gradec, Tel.: (02) 882 34 82
Torek: 7.00-9.00
Četrtek: 7.00-9.00

Oddelek za transfuzijsko medicino Trbovlje
Splošna bolnišnica Trbovlje, Rudarska 9, 1420 Trbovlje, Tel.: (03) 565 25 89
Četrtek: 6.00-9.30

Took some time to cook at home. On a Monday, mind you. Sheer decadence!

Here’s how to duplicate the above.

Preheat oven to 170°C.

Take chicken breasts.

Mix minced garlic cloves, olive oil, salt, chicken seasoning and I added some hot chilli seeds. Spread over the chicken breasts and sprinkle with some wine vinegar. Works well to put the breasts in a plastic bag, add the above, seal and turn all around with gusto.

Put in a cake pan with some olive oil on the bottom in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Slice up fresh mushrooms. I used champignons. Also slice up green onions. I didn’t have any green onions and used the extra fresh white (flatish?) ones. Came out more than ok.

Take the chicken out of the oven, place sliced up mushrooms and onions on top, spoon the oil from the bottom of the cake pan on top, add a bit more more oil if needed and again sprinkle with red wine vinegar.

Bake for another 20 minutes.

In the meantime, slice some good cheese or use the toast cheese.

Remove the chicken from the oven, place strips of sheets of cheese on top and return to the oven for a minute or two until it’s melted.

You can use a number of side dishes. Veggies, rice, potatoes, pasta. I opted for chestnuts and a couple of Brussels sprouts. Hey, why not.

Serve with a (smile and a) glass of good wine. We went for red 😉

Dober tek!

Just a few impressions from Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic.

The Dominican Republic is a representative democracy with a presidential system much like the one in the US. The President is elected by popular vote in elections held every four years, always on 16 May. The latest elections took place two days ago and the main candidates running for office were the incumbent Leonel Fernandez Reyna (Dominican Liberation Party/ Partido de la Liberación Dominicana; the “violet party”), Miguel Vargas Maldonado (Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) / Partido Revolucionario Dominicano; the “white party”) and Amable Aristy Castro (Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC) / Partido Reformista Social Cristiano; the “red party”). (See more at the end of this post.)

I was lucky enough to have spent some time in this beautiful country of breathtaking nature, great music and cheerful people who let me bug them about their views of politics and the presidential candidates. Here are a few photos that may not be as sexy as the palm-adorned sandy beaches or perfectly cut grass of spectacular golf fields to most, but I needed some contact with real life.

One thing is certain, though… the people of Santo Domingo know how to parteeeeeeee!

Not everyone can afford a home, but none of the homeless freeze to death. Or die of hunger, I was told.

The less-frequently visited hoods of the city.

What gives?

One of the most famous streets of Santo Domingo: Calle Las Damas.

The Prez’s ride and escort in front of the Presidential Palace.

Two days ago, the incumbent Leonel Fernandez won the elections in the first round, securing about 53% of the vote. During both his previous terms, the country has done well and much progress has been made. Watching this lawyer on TV, I was impressed with the way he addressed complex legal and political issues in such a colourful and simple manner, that even I with my poor command of Spanish could follow his line of reasoning. For example, he debated the various types of judicial systems with regard to the role of the Constitutional or Supreme court and went as far as to explain his view of regional autonomy on the case of Kosovo.

For the sake of Jose Miguel and his friends I hope the old new President keeps the country on track to the prosperity that the entire island (yes, the entire island) and its people deserve.

Oooook so here comes one of the more typical Dominican photos just for you, my friends:

Punta Espada, a signature golf course of Jack Nicklaus at Cap Cana, where the first PGA tournament (Champions Tour) in the Dominican Republic took place in April 2008.

An original way to advertise the Moon Festival taking place on 7 and 8 June.

Just a photo from last Sunday and a hint at where the next post is presumably coming from.

As Luka quite rightly pointed out, the green ring around Ljubljana is still called the “Path of Remembrance and Comradeship” (Pot spominov in tovarištva). It is a well-maintained gravel-paved recreational footpath running around the entire city through urban areas and the surrounding meadows and forests, along the course of the barb wire fence which surrounded Ljubljana during World War II (from 1942 onwards), when the Italian and later German occupying forces tried to prevent contacts between the city and its hinterland. The barb wire fence was guarded by around 1,300 soldiers and 400 policemen, who checked the identity papers of those travelling to and from the city.

Source and more info: Ljubljana City Website

Every year on 9 May or the Saturday closest thereto, numerous people of Ljubljana walk at least one of the stretches of the 35km hike around the city to celebrate the liberation of the city in 1945. Just as traditional is the race of teams of three runners. They have to run together and cross the finish line together. This marks the team spirit that helped the people of Ljubljana and the resistance forces outside the barb-wire ring make it through the toughest times.

Here are some random photos from the hike and race of 2008.

Today, over lunch, my favourite New Yorker claimed I posted far too few photos from the Dominican Republic. So let me try to make it up to you guys. For starters, this is Jose who kindly introduced me to the “really” fresh coconuts… one to drink from and another to enjoy the delicious taste of the… fruit? Yumm… Thanks, Jose!

(blackberries may not be the best cameras  one can use)

Here comes the medal from “the POT” – (Pot okoli Ljubljane – Pot ob žici). Btw, Pengovsky’s Liberation Day Hike posts from the first ever Slovenian “live blogging event” can be found (starting) here: http://www.pengovsky.com/2007/05/12/liberation-day-hike-1/