I thought Zagreb was amazing, but this city is like Zagreb with a zen-like make-over. It is a peaceful collection of fascinating food places, restaurants, and interesting stores -- I know, I know... there really is no such thing in my mind most of the time, but they sell stuff that is not the normal tourist crap that is sold in many of the places we have visited over the years.
We spent the morning walking around the city and taking pictures (we will try to post some later) of the interesting architecture, beautiful river, and mountains that surround Ljubljana. We also got a bird's eye view of the city as we ventured up to Castle Ljubljana -- quite an interesting mix of old and new world. They have taken a medieval castle and turned it into a combination museum and cultural center, but it is also used for an events location, including weddings and concerts. The views from the highest spire are simply breathtaking, and even Jenny despite her fear of heights was able to enjoy herself. We ate lunch in the castle courtyard, and I was expecting the terrible food you would normally find in a tourist site like this, but this food was actually good by any standards. Jenny and I decided to walk down instead of taking the tram ride we took up because the weather has been delightful here. I am happy to report no one broke any bones.
Well, I am typing this in a youth hostel while doing laundry, and several other people are chomping at the bit to get this computer so that is all for now. Take care everyone.
Friday, June 22, 2012
sLOVEnia!
Wow - as much as we loved Zagreb, and were in awe of Dubrovnik, we really, really, love Slovenia! Currently, we are in the capital city, Ljubljana, and it is just amazing. The town center is a bit more concentrated than Zagreb, so the pedestrain zone is lined with interesting architecture and tons of cafes. The cafes along this area serve a variety of cuisines, so we were able to enjoy an ice tea at a Japanese tea house. There is even a sushi bar, which we think we will try for dinner. In Croatia, it was challenging, although possible, to find a restaurant that didn't have the same menu of pizza, spaghetti, or fried fish. Here, as in Croatia, most people speak English, so we haven't had much trouble communicating. Rigth now, we are doing laundry, so we have some time to blog.
Yesterday was what I affectionately (sarcasm) refer to as an "Amazing Race" day. We traveled 11 hours to get from Dubrovnik (flight to Zagreb, then train) to Ljubljana, schlepping luggage up and down stairs in the hot, hot sun. There were some adventures with various buses, and always up hill walks to get to where we needed to get in the heatwave ("It's NEVER this hot in June!") We pack as light as possible, fitting everything into large backpacks, but I still curse every ounce when we're in the middle of one of these days. (Did I really need that extra pair of socks?) :)
At the train station, we met a lovely Croatian lady, 27 years old, who spoke perfect English. We had a great conversation with her, and it reminded me of what I love most about traveling, meeting other people and hearing their stories. On the train, we met a yound man from Russia and enjoyed talking with him as well.
When we arrived last night, it was after 9pm and we were exhausted, so we checked into our hotel, walked to a corner stand that sells kebop (similar to a gyro but made with a bread that resembles thin panini-type bread and different sauces) and then crashed out. We enjoyed a leisurely morning, and then set off to explore Ljubljana. We spent the majority of the day at the castle, which I think Eric is writing about right now. We loved it - the views were amazing. I forgot to mention the Ljub is surrounded by very large mountains, some still covered with snow. Some of these are part of the Julian Alps. We also had lunch at the castle, and tried local Slovinian cuisine. I had an interesting vegetable soup, which was made with lots of different types of mushrooms and had a very earthy, yet sweet flavor. Eric had some chicken and potatoes which were delicious. We walked down from the castle through a pretty forest and ended up at the tea house. And that's been our day! Hope you are all doing great!
Yesterday was what I affectionately (sarcasm) refer to as an "Amazing Race" day. We traveled 11 hours to get from Dubrovnik (flight to Zagreb, then train) to Ljubljana, schlepping luggage up and down stairs in the hot, hot sun. There were some adventures with various buses, and always up hill walks to get to where we needed to get in the heatwave ("It's NEVER this hot in June!") We pack as light as possible, fitting everything into large backpacks, but I still curse every ounce when we're in the middle of one of these days. (Did I really need that extra pair of socks?) :)
At the train station, we met a lovely Croatian lady, 27 years old, who spoke perfect English. We had a great conversation with her, and it reminded me of what I love most about traveling, meeting other people and hearing their stories. On the train, we met a yound man from Russia and enjoyed talking with him as well.
When we arrived last night, it was after 9pm and we were exhausted, so we checked into our hotel, walked to a corner stand that sells kebop (similar to a gyro but made with a bread that resembles thin panini-type bread and different sauces) and then crashed out. We enjoyed a leisurely morning, and then set off to explore Ljubljana. We spent the majority of the day at the castle, which I think Eric is writing about right now. We loved it - the views were amazing. I forgot to mention the Ljub is surrounded by very large mountains, some still covered with snow. Some of these are part of the Julian Alps. We also had lunch at the castle, and tried local Slovinian cuisine. I had an interesting vegetable soup, which was made with lots of different types of mushrooms and had a very earthy, yet sweet flavor. Eric had some chicken and potatoes which were delicious. We walked down from the castle through a pretty forest and ended up at the tea house. And that's been our day! Hope you are all doing great!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
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