Old News from Piran, Slovenia...But Still Interesting

I was reading about Slovenia again tonight.  The more I read about this little nation, the more I would like to come and see it for myself.  And I read one little tidbit that really interested me: The election of Piran's mayor.  It turns out that Doctor Peter Bossman, elected mayor in October 2010, is the first Black mayor of that city, but also the first Black mayor in Eastern Europe.  Dr. Bossman was a citizen of Ghana.  He made his way to Slovenia in the late 1970's.

Another interesting bit of trivia is that the only recorded naval battle fought in the waters near Slovenia occurred off the coast of Piran in 1812, during the Napoleonic wars.  The French had suffered several recent defeats at sea, and had commissioned the ship Rivoli to augment its declining fleet.  The British ship HMS Victorious engaged the Rivoli in a five hour battle near Piran.  The Rivoli was ultimately defeated, and the battle, merely a minor incident in the bigger war, faded into a dimly lit corner of naval history.

Piran is located on the Adriatic coast, which of course makes it a high priority tourist destination in my book, as well as for a lot of European and Asian tourists.  I am already making the trip in my mind.  Not only do I have beach destinations in mind, but also a tour of the local architecture.  Remnants of the Roman Empire can be seen, as well as samples from subsequent eras such as the Byzantine period, and classic Mediterranean styles.

Incidentally, Piran is a sister city to Indianapolis, Indiana.

So I have placed Slovenia on my "go see someday" list.  My lovely bride also wants to make the European tour someday, so we are storing by our spare dollars.  Unfortunately, at my rate of savings, I may well be a vital statistic before I get there.  But Slovenia is definitely on our go-to list.  So, my friends in Slovenia, I give you fair warning, I may just jet over there someday.  You will recognize me in my old, worn out, and ill-fitting T-shirt that just says "Texas" on the front.  That is not a brag, just a testimony to my state of mind.