Signs of the times

It's time to mention a couple of things that caught my attention in Ljubljana this Easter.

Firstly, what substance is it that some planners of urban art are on? I mean, I'm a big fan of artwork in public spaces. It adds to the atmosphere in a manner that it is difficult to imagine anything else achieving. But the statue (by France Kralj) in the fountain in front of the university ... seems to be ... well ... pretty obvious bestial cunnilingus. And while that may be fun for some, and may even add to the number of hits I get on my blog, I don't quite get how it is representative, as it claims, of 'Evropa'. Nor do I know if it's a compliment to us blokes or not.

The castle planners, on the other hand, were obviously smart chaps. While exploring other castles around and about, I've become used to squeezing through crowds of people who are pushing their way up badly lit spiral turret-steps while I'm in a state of near-claustrophobia, trying to get down in one piece. But in Ljubljana, it's a double-spiral, which means that the up and down routes are vertically separated. Luxury! Until, of course, some idiot tourist goes up through the wrong entrance.

So top marks for Slovenian castle architects. But a quizzical raised eyebrow at the university art buyers.