Tourism
-
Ljubljana Postman in the town centre
-
Postman at the Prešeren's Square
Ljubljana Postman
A Postman at Your Service
11.07.2007
Stop! Why don't you check and see one more time for me, you gotta wait a minute, Mister Postman, look and see… if there is another tell-it-all free newspaper in your bag for me!The Slovenia Times and the Ljubljana Tourist Board present a brand new, old-fashioned way of delivering newspapers right into your hands, free of charge. Ready to board a time machine that will take you 150 years back? Look no further than the streets of the Ljubljana Old Town, where a curious postman with a top hat, riding an even more curious old-fashioned tricycle will act like a mobile tourist information point, delighting both young and old by handing out Slovenian Tourist Board information brochures and free copies of The Slovenia Times. The double summer editions (one in July and one in August) will be accompanied by our very special Summer Guide, which will cater to the needs of the many wanderers, wayfarers, ramblers, travellers and plain old tourists like you, offering lots of useful tourist information, hints and tips for getting around the country, what to see, what to do, what to avoid and what to indulge.
Man, I Talked to a Friendly Local!
Why the postman, you ask; why not a baker, a butcher or a greengrocer? Well, for one, this traditional figure brings news and information to people, and we reckoned this is what most tourists need when they come to a foreign country. The friendly postman will be at your service for advice regarding places to see in Slovenia’s capital and as such, he offers an instant opportunity to talk to a friendly local – isn’t that what every tourist likes to brag about back home: chatting with the locals? In addition, getting information on the street is rather different from getting it inside a tourist information office, where information has to be provided in a quick, professional way that leaves little, if any, time for conversation. Many times a few reassuring friendly words with a local is exactly what a bewildered traveller needs to feel at ease in a foreign country. This is, of course, not to say that you can kidnap our postman for the whole day (musn't bee too selfish!), but he will gladly take a few minutes to prove that we Slovenes indeed do not bite, and that we can be chatty, friendly and gregarious. After the ice has been broken, we recommend trying out your sociable skills with other locals; just remember to be nice to the ladies, m’kay?
Confessions of a Postman
Although the postman is modelled on a traditional postman from 1860, he represents one of the latest addition to Ljubljana’s tourist services. He will wear a dark blue and orange uniform, inspired by a standard Austro-Hungarian uniform. Needless to say, the outfil was quite a challenge for the costume maker to sew, because it has to be light, compact and, above all, suitable for the scorching summer heat. Let’s ask last year’s postmen what it was like to play this role.
"Well, I sure was the centre of attention on that tricycle, as both the Slovenes and the foreigners were asking what I represented. They found my costume and my top hat quite amusing. The men were very curious how old the tricycle was, they noticed the carbide light and then went on to inspect how the rest of it was made. However, nice as it looks, it sure wasn’t easy to drive and going uphill was a drag, I had to use both hands to get somewhere. Most of the experiences I had with people were positive and pleasant; you get to talk to people from different countries, which was very interesting. Sometimes you get a person who is a bit lonely and wants you to keep him company, other times you get an unexpected history lecture... I was rarely really bugged by anyone; mostly it was the locals who'd looked into their glass a tad too deeply that evening. The majority of tourists wanted me to strike a pose with them for a photo, that was the inevitable request," reports Peter Kogovšek, one of the two postmen.
His partner in, erm, in postman ship, Boris Črne, agrees: "I noticed that middle-aged people were the happiest to talk to me, they were bemused by role. The evenings in the centre were packed, so many people strolling around it was difficult for me to get through with my tricycle. No surprise, because there was live music on every corner, the smell of grilled corn wafting through the warm summer air… Once there was a stag party at the Prešernov trg square, it was hilarious, and I suddenly heard some strange language spoken behind my back. I asked the people where they were from, and they were from Uruguay - now that is far, eh! I translated what was going on for them, it was great fun. Many tourists said Slovenia is a really hot tourist destination now, because it's so beautiful and different. I agree, of course! Funny thing, I thought that by the end of the summer, people would be bored with me, but no, every day was a new day with new curious people, and this really lifted my spirits in that summer heat... It was a very satisfying job, I have to say."