Ljubljana - Tuesday

Last day, sigh.  Unfortunately, it looks like the Lufthansa pilots are only striking today, so our plane will be taking off tomorrow--probably fully loaded and delayed.

Here's our "favorites" list:
Best city:  Ljubljana
Best town:  Piran
Best lake:  Bohinj!  (Not Bled)
Best festival:  Cows Ball at Lake Bohinj
Best cave:  Skocjan
Best castle:  Predjama
Best museum:  Franja Partisan Hospital
Best hike:  to Kozjak waterfall by Kobarid
Worst hike:  back to Kobarid from the church
Best something-without-a-category: Velika Planina
Best restaurant:  Gostlina Ribic in Ptuj
Best dessert:  apple strudel
Best accommodation -G:  Kobarid
Best accommodation -L:  Ljubljana (either one)
Best beer:  dark Lasko
Favorite Slovenian:  Sonya! (&Alma & Vlad & Ana)

Top photo:  kittens at the farm on walk to Franja Hospital
Middle photo:  G before he's had his morning coffee.
Bottom photo:  Ljubljana taken from our room in Guesthouse Macek.

Ljubljana -Monday

Lufthansa pilots are going on strike tomorrow, Tuesday.  All Lufthansa flights from Frankfurt to the US are cancelled for Tuesday only.  We are supposed to fly out on Wednesday but who knows?  G made sure Lufthansa has our Slovenian phone number so they can text us if our flight is cancelled.  I'm hoping the strike lasts longer and we can stay on a few days.

Here's a picture of our room.  It's strange but cool.  The closet has a bed on top of it.  Part of the wood floor is light color and part is dark.  The dark wood extends up the wall and also up the head of the bed.  Also on the bathroom wall.

The streets of Ljubljana are lined with sidewalk cafés, especially here in old town.  Lonely Planet travel book listed Ljubljana as #2 on their list of places to go in 2014.  Good choice.

Piran to Ljubljana - Sunday

Sailboats dotted the Adriatic Sea off Piran's shore today.   We watched them from the park while waiting for the bus.  I hear George Clooney was over across the sea in Venice getting married yesterday.

There were lots of tourists in Piran for the day.  Time to leave.

The bus ride to Ljubljana was through forests and valleys with small farms.  Found out the average farm in Slovenia is only 20 acres.  Most of the farmers have a second job.  More than half of Slovenia is covered with trees, and most of those are owned by farmers.  The farms with cattle only have about a half dozen--mostly milk cows.  That's all I know about Slovene farms.  But they sure are pretty--so very green.

We've spent most of the month in small towns.  It was a change to get back to Ljubljana and see how cosmopolitan it is in comparison.  Our room is in the heart of old town with a view of the river.  Nice!

We had supper just around the corner at a sidewalk cafe.  G had goulash--his favorite meal here.  It was served in a copper pot hanging from an iron stand.  I had a noodle dish with pumpkin seeds in it. I could have done without the pumpkin seeds.  One other day the waitress proudly pointed out the pumpkin seeds in the bread.  I think they're the latest craze here.

Top photo:  sailboats on the Adriatic Sea
Bottom photo:  G checking out the bell in the Bell Tower.  There are a LOT of bells in this country.

Piran -Saturday

Just a quiet day at the seaside resort of Piran.  There were a lot more booths set up in Tartini Square today--being Saturday, I suppose.  Most of the new ones were selling antiques.  Their quality of antiques is much higher than in the US.

We didn't do anything exciting--just enjoyed the sun and the sea.  We shopped a bit--bought some salt  (whoopee!).  There are salt flats south of town but we decided not to visit.

Top photo:  every wall in our many-hundred-year-old apartment is crooked.  Some, like this kitchen wall, are off by 10 inches.  It must be a challenge to remodel these old buildings.

Bottom photo:  lots of activity today on Tartini Square.

Piran -Friday

We had breakfast in our crooked-y old apartment--cereal from the Mercator store and fruit from the outdoor market just the other side of the square.  After breakfast we headed out for a walk.  We met Ana on the stairs so I murdered some Deutsch again.

Piran is very small--probably 20 minute walk from one end to the other.  Our apartment is just one street off the main square so everything is nearby.  We walked to the old town walls and climbed up the Bell Tower by St George's Parish Church for a good view of the town.  The Bell Tower is a replica of St Mark's Campanile in Venice.  Piran is very much an Italian style town.  Seems like I hear more Itslian spoken here than Slovene.  Also went to the Maritime Museum where G was in his glory.  Figure in time for lunch and an afternoon ice cream break, and the day was almost over.

After a short rest we went to the restaurant Pri Mari for supper.  It's very popular and I can see why.  Excellent meal!  Our sea bass for two was perfect.

Top picture:  view of the Bell Tower from Tartini Square.

Bottom picture:  view of Piran from top of Bell Tower.  The streets are so narrow you can't see them from above.  I think I could shake hands with the person living across the street from us.

Postojna to Piran - Thursday

Ana, our host in Piran, doesn't speak English.  I dragged out my 50-year-old Deutsch and we managed somehow.  Ana met us at the main office and then guided us through the maze of streets to our apartment.  She explained (in German) how everything worked, etc.  I did pretty well understanding her, but my responses in German were pathetic.  She was sweet, though and didn't laugh.

Piran is located on the tip of a long tapering peninsula that sticks out like a tail into the Adriatic Sea.  It has a medieval look to it and is a tangle of arched alleys and tightly packed houses.  Cars aren't allowed in the old part where we're staying so it's really fun to wander around.

We had supper outside by the sea-- at the Pavel Restaurant.  G had scampi and I had mussels.  Good meal--not top notch.  The setting, however, was a 10.

Top photo:  one of the narrow streets of Piran--similar to the street where our apartment is located.
Bottom photo:  Main shopping and hotel area of Piran

Postojna - Wednesday

The server was down in our guesthouse last night so I'm late posting this.

We visited the Skocjan Caves today and both agreed they win the "cave war" in our opinion.  Both the Postojna and Skocjan caves were magnificent so it's silly to even choose.  They both had great dripstones but the Skocjan cave was more intimate.  You walked right among the formations with fewer lights so you felt like you were exploring.  It also had a tremendous cavern where the Reka River flowed through.  It was unlike anything we'd seen in a cave before.  We walked, mostly in the dark, along a narrow ledge carved into the limestone rock, towards the scary 150 ft high bridge flowing over a roaring Reka River--all this inside a cave.  It was the most fantastic sight imaginable.

All photography was forbidden in the Skocjan cave so I can't show you how beautiful it was.  Actually, that was part of the attraction--people weren't stopping every few feet to take a picture.

We walked 3 kilometers in the cave, mostly uphill and then had a strenuous 2 kilometer climb back to the reception area.  I was pooped at the end of the day--but it was worth it.


The translation of Reka is "river."  So their river was named River River.

At the caves G talked with a young Scot, and asked him what he thought about the recent vote.  He said about 60% of the young people in Scotland voted for independence from England, while about 60% of the older people voted against it.  He feels that it will inevitably happen as the old duffers die off (my words).

We had a good lunch at the cave restaurant.  Goulash for G and spaghetti for me.  Plus Gibanica for dessert.  It's a traditional Slovene dessert--pastry filled with apples, cheese and poppy seeds baked in cream.

Top photo:  entry to Skocjan cave.

Bottom photo:  A garden in Divaca, the village near Skocjan Cave.  Pretty green for end of September.  There were small gardens in most back yards.  This one might be a community garden.

Postojna - Tuesday

Yesterday when we arrived in Postojna our host showed us our room and muttered something about changing rooms if we want.  But why change?  It's a beautiful room with a nice big patio looking across at a big church with two bell towers.  What could be a quieter neighbor than a church?  What indeed!  The chimes we heard every fifteen minutes all day, continued all night--and sounded as though the huge bells were right out on our patio.  We'd barely get to sleep and 15 minutes later be woken up by the infernal bells!  It was a long night.

But this morning we found enough energy to walk down to the Postojna Caves--one of the biggest tourist attractions in Slovenia.  We had heard about the "cave wars," and need to judge for ourselves.  Some cave aficionados say the Postojna caves are best and some say the Skocjan caves are .  We'll see the Skocjan caves tomorrow.  Then we'll tell you.

After seeing the caves, we took a taxi to the Predjama Castle.  (Have you noticed how almost every word in Slovene has the letter J in it?)  I wasn't excited about going because I've seen a lot of castles and often find them a bit boring--too many old portraits of guys with double chins and a lot of old china and weapons.  Well, this castle got a 9 from me.  A labyrinth of  spooky rooms, a torture chamber, holes to pour boiling oil down on the enemy, and a great story behind it.

The castle was started in the 1100's but was expanded through the centuries.  One owner, Erazem, a robber baron in the 1400's, made the emperor mad so was besieged in his castle for over a year.  Erazem wasn't fazed.  He sent down gifts of roast bullock and cherries to his besiegers.  Turns out he had a secret exit through the mountain his castle was built into.  That's how he kept supplied in cherries.  But the emperor won in the end.  Erazem's servant betrayed him and showed the enemy the room where his lord had gone "where even the sultan must go alone" and Erazem was hit with a deadly missile while his pants were down.

Top picture:  from the Postojna cave

Bottom picture:  In front of Predjama Castle

Lake Bohinj to Postojna - Monday

Travel day.  We hate to leave this beautiful lake but we only have 8 days left and things to see.

We planned to take the train to Postojna because it's more comfortable than the bus.  We usually have 4 seats to ourselves on the train -- sometimes with a table between.  But when we got to the train station there was a sign (in English, thank goodness) that the train wasn't running to Postojna and we had to take a bus.  Déjà vu etc.

When we got to Postojna we noticed the trees looked sick.  They were all twisted and bare, and many had fallen.  It was like a war zone.  The woman at the information center said they had a really bad sleet storm in February that did terrible damage.  They were without electricity for 8 days!  And that's why the (electric) train isn't running.  They are still repairing the lines.  We're going to stick to the bus from now on.

We got our room, had a good supper at Cuk Pizzeria and got wet walking home in the rain because for the first time in Slovenia, we went out without an umbrella.  Not smart.

Top picture:  Vila Park Inn where we stayed at Lake Bohinj.  We had a room on third floor with a good view.

Bottom picture: Two fellows from the parade--hanging around the Lasko booth.

Lake Bohinj - Sunday

Today was the Kravji Bal, or Cows Ball here in Bohinj.  It's a festival to celebrate the return of the cattle from the summer alpine pastures.  We usually get lost, so we asked our host at breakfast where to go for the "ball."  She laughed--turned out it was happening 10 meters from our guesthouse.

There were booths with hand-made goods, wood choppers, fancy axes, cherry liqueur, lots of food, and of course, beer.  The hand-made articles were mostly knitted stocking caps, scarves, baby booties, lap robes, sewn adult clothing protectors (Yikes! the Clement Center Sewing Group was here!). It was kind of like the Fessenden Fair and Taste of Denver rolled into one.  There was a bandstand with lots of accordion music, traditional dancing, and a very loud MC.

And then there were the cows, lovely cows.  The cows didn't show up until 1:00.  They weren't decorated as much as I had expected--just garlands around their necks.  Barriers were set up to keep the crowds away from the cows (and vice versa) and they came stampeding past us.  Well, not stampeding-- but they weren't strolling.  I don't think they were very happy.  I saw one of them looking longingly back at her quiet summer alpine pasture where there weren't any loud tourists who'd had too many Laskos.

We met a friendly librarian from New York City at the Ball.  Adria (named for the Adriatic) is wandering around Slovenia much like we are so we compared adventures.  It was great to have someone to speak English with!  We've been here 18 days and she's just the second American we've met.

After the Ball we took the cable car to the top of the mountain to the south.  Great views even though the clouds were coming in.

Top photo:  a cow
Bottom photo:  G and L on top of mountain overlooking Lake Bohinj (sorry, the lake is hidden behind the shrubs)

L

Most na Soci to Lake Bohinj - Saturday

We spent two nights at Guesthouse Pri Stefanu in Most.  It's a mom, pop, and son B & B, with the son handling the English speaking guests.  He's a warm, friendly young man--and always available when we had questions about our excursions   The Guesthouse was right across from the train station so we hopped on the train for Lake Bohinj this morning.  The train took us deeper into the Julian Alps.

We're staying at the Vila Park Inn at the west end of Lake Bohinj.  We both agree this is the prettiest lake we've ever seen.  Really tall mountains surround it.  I'll show you a picture tomorrow.

Top photo:  the kindly Slovenian gentleman who gave us a ride from the Franja Partisan Hospital yesterday.

Bottom photo:  a kindly American gentleman having a Lasko.

Most na Soci and Franja Partisan Hospital

Fast forward to WWII.  Slovenia was partitioned between Germany and Italy.  In response, resistance groups in Slovenia, and all around Yugoslavia, took up arms against the Nazis.   Clandestine hospitals were a particularity of the Slovenian resistance movement.  They were built in barely accessible forests, deep gorges and underground caves.  One of these, perhaps the most famous, was the Franja Partisan Hospital, built in the barely accessible Pasice gorge north of Cerkno, Slovenia.  G and I headed there this morning.

We had to catch the 8:00 bus to Cerkno.  We had heard there was no public transportation going from there to the site but couldn't believe some enterprising young Slovenian hadn't started a shuttle service.  Nope, we had to walk.  Some said 4 kilometers, one said 7.  We made it, with the help of a young woman who showed us a shortcut (quite steep, but picturesque).

The 14 wooden cabins in the complex, including an operating room,  recovery rooms, etc etc, are located deep up a spectacular gorge hemmed in by overhanging boulders.  To keep it secret the wounded were blindfolded before being carried to the site.  It's a fascinating story of much bravery and self sacrifice.

We spent so much time there we didn't know if we'd make it back to town in time to catch the bus!  We hurried down the steep path (with only one short detour down the wrong trail) and were charging down the road to town when a nice fellow stopped and gave us a ride!  We were so surprised.  He couldn't speak much English but he said "4 kilometers enough"

A very very special day.

Top photo:  G climbing the safe, comfortable trail to the hospital.  During the war, there were no marked trails, no steps, no handrails to help the bearers carry 500 wounded soldiers up to the hospital.

Bottom photo:  Franja Partisan Hospital, named for a woman, Franja Bojc-Bidovec, its chief physician.

Kobarid to Most na Soci - Thursday

We took today off.  I spent most of the day listening to Hemingway's Farewell to Arms  (I have an audiobook on my Iphone.). Hemingway drove an ambulance for the Italian army in WWI.  The novel describes the gruesome battle between the Italians and the Austrians near Kobarid.  Some consider it the best American novel to emerge out of WWI.

Hemingway is certainly remembered in Kobarid.  The WWI museum has a huge picture of him. (See below)  The Hemingway Apartments are located in downtown Kobarid.  Remember, the Italians were the enemy--the Slovenians fought in the Austrian army.  And yet they honor him.  My impression is that the Slovenians were conquered and oppressed by so many different nations that the only enemy they hate now is war itself.

We've moved on to Most na Soci--mostly because it's more conveniently located to our next two adventures.

Kobarid - Wednesday

We shopped for a jacket for G today.  The young girl in the tourists info place told us there are only two small shops that carry jackets in Kobarid.  G ended up with a sweatshirt instead.  It will do--it's not cold here.

We walked the Kobarid Historical Walk today.  It was much easier than the climb yesterday.  The walk supposedly follows the Italian line of defense on the Soca Front but we saw little evidence of it. Hard to believe this peaceful walk through the woods was the site of some of the most savage fighting in the history of mountain warfare. The trail ended at the beautiful Kozjak waterfall which is secluded in a dreamy cave-like hall carved out of the surrounding rock. The path leading to the waterfall was a bit scary where there were narrow bridges crossing the river--most without hand rails!  G says it probably would not have been allowed in the US.

Had a good meal at the Topli Val Restaurant in Hvala Hotel.  We had the fish platter.  A good meal, not great.

Top photo:  Slap (waterfall) Kozjak
Bottom photo:  L balancing on scary trail to waterfall

Kobarid - Tuesday

We spent the morning at the Kobarid Museum,  It has three floors dedicated to just one battlefield--the area around Kobarid on the Soca River.  There were 12 offensives here over two years--all fought in this one valley. Finally in the 12th offensive, the Austrian/German army defeated the Italians, driving them back to Venice.  The Slovenians were ruled by Austria at the time so they fought in the Austrian army.  It is utterly inconceivable, but over one million people (including women and children) were killed in this one military engagement.  The event is superbly documented in this gripping museum.  Very emotional.

In the afternoon we hiked to the Church of St Anthony on the hill above town.  That was enough of a hike for me, but someone who shall be nameless said, let's see what's up this path...  Three grueling hours later we limped back to town.  Or rather I did.  G left his jacket on some rock so he went back to look for it but no luck.

We were too pooped to go out and eat so made supper at home.  We are finding excellent produce in the stores and good bread in the bakeries.  After my initial rhapsodizing about the great restaurants in Ptuj, we have been a bit disappointed in the Slovenian food so have been eating in our apartment the last couple days.  They say there are excellent restaurants in Kobarid so we'll try one tomorrow night.

I REFUSE to climb another mountain tomorrow!

Here's G looking down on Kobarid from the church.  Still had his jacket....

G eating lunch outside our apartment--amidst our laundry!  It dried in just a couple hours.

Kamnik to Kobarid - Monday

When we told Alma, our 25 year old taxi driver, about Sonya's comment that she missed the days under the Communists, Alma said that is common among the elderly but not the young people.  She said it's true that under the Communists everybody had a job--one day you graduated and the next you had a job.  But life was so hard.  There were shortages of everything.  Laundry soap was rationed so people would cheat to get more.  Forget about buying a car or a TV.  There just weren't any.  Alma said the young people like everything American--music, movies, McDonalds, etc.  But she admits unemployment is high.  Probably why she's driving a taxi.  She's a French and Sociology major but hasn't graduated yet.  She worries she won't find work in her field.

We took a bus to Kobarid today.  Beautiful drive in the forests and mountains.  The road was narrow and winding so glad we weren't driving ourselves.  Our apartment in Kobarid is great!  It even has (are you sitting down?) a washing machine!  Actually, we'd rather have a drier, but our host said we can put the drying rack on our patio.  We are on the western edge of Slovenia only 5 miles from Italy and that hot Italian sun is out in full force today!

Photos from the Costume Festival in Kamnik last night.  We missed the parade but there were still a few people in their traditional garb at the outdoor dance.  Fun party!

Kamnik - Sunday

We called Alma, our taxi driver, after breakfast and she took us 11km north of town to the cable car that goes part way up to Velika Planina, the Great Highlands.  It's a broad alpine plateau in the Kamnik Alps, dotted with small settlements distinguished by dozens of silvery-grey wooden huts with unique conical roofs that look like witches hats--extending almost to ground level.  And there are lots of cute cows, many with bells.  It's an otherworldly place.

We didn't want to leave the Highlands but the Costume Parade was about to start down in Kamnik at 3 and Alma was going to pick us up for that.  But on the way down the mountain we met a sprightly old lady who was very friendly and fun to talk to.  She lives in one of the unique round witches hat cottages in the woods and she invited us in for tea and cookies.   Her small, round cottage was filled with quaint, lovely things and she had many stories to tell.  She introduced us to the carpenters who were putting a new roof on the neighbor's cottage and also to another neighbor, Mia, who showed us her cottage, too.

So we missed most of the parade in Kamnik but our visit with Sonya and Mia was more fun.  Sonya is 84 but hikes up and down the mountain like a mountain goat.  Her English was great--she learned it living in Egypt for 7 years.  Her husband was in WWII and was in the fierce fighting in western Slovenia.   She misses Tito and the old Yugoslavia.  She is still very  bitter about Churchill giving away Trieste to Italy.  She disliked Bush but is a fan of Obama.

Top photo:  cows in Kamnik Alps
Bottom photo:  Sonya (and her dog, Bor) standing in front of her Velika Planina cottage

Kamnik - Saturday

We are staying at the Pri Cesarju in Kamnik, named thus because Emperor Franz Jozef allegedly stayed here in 1883, visiting from Vienna, I guess.  Franz Jozef, as you may recall, was the uncle of Franz Ferdinand whose death by the Serbian fellow started WWI.  FJ did not have a happy life--first his brother was executed, then his son committed suicide (after killing his girlfriend), then nephew FF was assassinated, then his wife was assassinated.  He didn't seem all that bothered by his nephew's death, though.  They had never got on so after FF was killed, FJ said it was a relief because he was sure things would get better without him.  This was in 1914.......

To top it all off, Emperor Franz Jozef had to sleep on this rock hard bed at the Pri Cesaru when he visited Kamnik.  We had such good luck on our first three accommodations--well, our luck ended.  Hard bed, small sink (it's like washing your hands in a teacup), noisy traffic outside the window, really annoying American in the next room--we're turning into complaining American tourists.

But we had a wonderful day.  Found a great taxi driver who drove us to the next town to the Volcji Potok Arboretum--slovenia's largest horticultural park dating from 1882.  The bus schedule was described in our travel book as "bizarre, and, quite frankly, useless" and that was right on.  The bus goes out there at 4 pm and returns at 9 am.  But there's no place to stay overnight.  So we hired Alma to take us there in her taxi.  What a find!  She's turned into our private tour guide.  More about her tomorrow.

We got back to Kamnik in time for the accordion extravaganza on the Gravni Trg bandstand.  Wow!!!

On the way home we did our daily stupid thing.  It was raining (again).  We stopped in a store and put our umbrellas in the umbrella stand that sits by the front door of every business in Slovenia.  When we came out, I pulled my umbrella out of the stand and it was full of water and crud.  Water poured out all over the floor.  We had put our umbrellas in the doggy dish!

Top photo:  the French garden at the arboretum
Bottom photo: Accordion band playing during Kamnik's fall festival

Novo Mesto to Kamnik - Friday

Uros insisted on giving us a ride to the train.  Our trip went fairly smoothly.  We've learned to read the train schedules and learned not to sit in first class.  We've learned not to ask the conductor anything because they are old Slavs and don't speak English.  We've learned you get off the train fast (as in really fast) or you end up in Austria.

We managed the transfer in Ljubljana easily and had two double seats facing each other on the train to Kamnik.  Across the aisle was a cute little Slovenian girl (3 year old) singing Twinkle Twinkle perfectly in English.  Her name was Mia and she had a pretty big repertoire including Old McDonald and The alphabet song.  Her mother, who speaks Slovene, Serb, English, Spanish, Italian and who knows what else, is teaching her English.

Most of the young Slovenians speak English and German also --and I don't know how many add Hungarian to that list.  They remind me of the Dutch--a small country surrounded by bigger ones.  Nobody is going to learn their language so they have to learn everybody else's.

The scenery along the route was beautiful.  Slovenia is thickly wooded--and in between forests are small farms--very very green, even though it's September.  There are little villages every few miles, always with a picturesque church with a tall steeple.  Everything is extremely neat and clean.

We came to Kamnik for the fall festival which started this evening in the town square with a band and majorettes twirling lighted batons.  It was raining but they didn't seem to care.  It seemed like a local crowd--families out with their kids.

Top photo:  umbrellas, majorettes and a band!
Bottom photo:  corn field on the way to Kamnik

Novo Mesto - Thursday

We are very comfortable in our room at the Ravbar Apartments.  There are great photos everywhere in the building.  Our host, Uros Ravbar, told us at breakfast they were all taken by his son.  He showed us a book by his son, containing photos from 6 continents.  Fabulous work.

We wandered around the old part of Novo Mesto all day--visiting the cathedral of St Nicholas (containing a Tintoretto above the altar) and a few museums.  We stopped for a long lunch at the Gostilna something something right on the Main Street.  Last night we were at Gostilna Don Bobi.

At lunch we ran into probably the only other American tourists in Novo Mesto.  They are staying at the Ravbar Apts, too.  Turns out they were also guests of Vlad in Ptuj just a few days before we were there. They enjoyed listening to his stories, too.  They (Al and Jane) are searching for Slovenian relatives, alive and dead.  The dead ones seem to be moving around.  Jane had a cemetery address and picture of her grandfather's tombstone but when they got there it was gone--tombstone, grandpa and all.  Turns out his plot was only rented for a certain number of years and then he had to move out.  Seems a bummer.  We'll probably run into them again.  They are in Slovenia for a month also (trying to find Grandpa).

It rained this afternoon but we had our raincoats and rain pants along so we didn't mind.  We stopped for an ice cream after our last museum and then bought some sardines and fruit to eat for supper.  We have a kitchen off our room so can make a nice cup of tea.

Top:  Novo Mesto by the River Krka (at least they dug up one vowel).  Don't know why the river is green--maybe because the sun wasn't shining.
Bottom:  Always lots of pastries to choose from.

Congratulations to Rachel for getting inducted in NHS tonight!

Ptuj to Novo Mesto - Wednesday

The US basketball team really creamed Slovenia last night.  It was a close game in the first half.  I was hoping Slovenia would win.

After another lovely breakfast in the "cellar," we went up to Vlad's office to check out.  He said, "sit down, I tell you stories about this place."  He told how his grandmother had owned the building but the Communists took it away.  After the Communists were kicked out of Slovenia (after 1991) his family somehow got it back--he didn't say how.  He told us he hated the communists and how times were very dangerous then.  He said that the communists killed more people than Hitler.  He and his wife have gone through a lot but they are doing ok now.  And he's proud his B and B is in Rick Steve's travel book!

We took the train (all the way--no bus) to Novo Mesto in central southern Slovenia.  Apparently the railroad bridge collapse was an easy fix (!).  Our train was late which made us miss our first connection, and then we almost missed our second connection because we couldn't figure out where to go.  We've met most of the young students in slovenia--that's who we ask directions from.

Our host in Novo Mesto insisted on meeting us at the train so we wouldn't have to walk.  Nice fellow, nice room, nice supper.  G finally got some lamb chops.  I've gotten burned here on veggies so am turning carnivorous for a month.  I had beef steak (shudder!!).

I didn't take pictures today so will give you a couple from Ptuj.
Top:  patio at our B and B
Bottom:  sidewalk cafe and important looking building on Slovenski Trg.

Ptuj - Tuesday

Another beautiful day today.  It's been around 75 every day in Ptuj.  No rain.

We  spent the entire day just wandering around this beautiful town.  In the morning we walked through a "modern" neighborhood of homes --probably none over 100 years old.  The most striking thing about Slovenia to me is the number of flowers.  There are flower boxes hanging out of almost every window.  And the yards in this neighborhood!  Every inch is packed with roses, hydrangeas, begonias, you name it.  But mostly roses of every color.  The homes are colorful, too.  Most are stucco painted  in pastel colors.  Homes advertised in the real estate office go for around $100 to $200,000.

We had a tasty lunch at an outdoor cafe on Slovenski Trg.  Trg means Square.  I had to ask how to pronounce  "Trg."  Would it be trig or trag or trog?  No, they tell me it's "truck."  (Someone really needs to send them some vowels.). They didn't have an English menu and the waitress didn't speak English so it was a surprise lunch but turned out to be chicken noodle soup and mixed salad.  I asked for a dark beer but couldn't get that across, so I got a Slovenian lager, Lasko, which is my new fav.

After lunch we explored the old town--and old it is.  Ptuj, like Ljubljana, was started by the Romans 2000 years ago.  It also has been ruled by everybody and their uncle but made it through.  The old town is very compact, with narrow cobbled streets, colorful very old buildings in some kind of style I don't know (baroque?) but I find it all charming and of course full of flowers.

We actually have a TV so are collapsed in front of it tonight waiting for the US vs Slovenia basketball game to start.  It some kind of big European tournament.  They are really big on basketball here.  Surprisingly, basketball is their number one spectator sport.

Pictures:  top-old town.  Bottom-typical home and garden

Ptuj - Monday

I forgot to tell you how to pronounce the name of this town.  It's "pi too ee."  Like you're spitting.

We had a great breakfast at our B and B.  Cold cuts, lots of different kinds of fruit, bread, cheeses--and on and on.  We exchanged stories with the other American couple there.

We walked around town in the morning and had lasagna and pizza for lunch.  After lunch we visited the library (formerly the Small Castle) and then climbed the hill to the Ptuj Castle.  There were a variety of exhibits ranging from brass bands to arms, all tended by a woman who took her job seriously.  She let us in to a couple exhibits and then I decided to go sit in the courtyard and rest my feet and G went on alone.  He said she cornered him and demanded, "Vere iss vife?"  G took her outside and pointed down at me.  Then she let him go back in.  Strange.

We had supper at Amadeus Restaurant.  I had the vegetarian plate and G had pepper steak.  Mine was mainly three big dumplings and some soggy veggies.  Very disappointing.  Then we walked across the Darva River.  It's a huge river.

We found out why we had to transfer to a bus to get to Ptuj.  A railroad bridge had given way--so it was fortunate we were not going over it.

First photo is the breakfast room in our B and B.

Second photo is the library which  was formerly the Small Castle -- built in the  1200's to house the overflow from the big castle up on the hill.  In 2000 it was renovated and is now the town library.  Paul, I'm sure you approve!

Ljubljana to Ptuj -- Sunday

We took the train to Ptuj today -- well, most of the way.  Vladimir, our host in Ptuj had assured us (by email) the train would take us all the way to Ptuj, even though it's Sunday and most trains and buses don't run on Sunday (!) .  The woman at the train station sold us train tickets all the way to Ptuj.  So, we're sitting on the train feeling all smug and happy.  Then the conductor comes by and said (I think) we have to transfer to a bus at Krtzsfghjklmnp--or something like that (they have a shortage of vowels here).  "BUS!" I yell at him.  He says "Bus." again. And I complain we were told the train went all the way.  He ignored me and left me sputtering.  The rest of the train car seemed to find our situation amusing, but G asked around and found someone who spoke a bit of English and she said. "Ya, bus."  But how would we know where this unpronounceable town was and how would we find the bus?  We worried , but it turned out ok.  A cute little old man (who spoke not a word of English) took us under his wing and guided us off at the right time and down through an underpass and to the bus--which took off immediately after we got on.  Paul and Chris--do you empathize?  Paul, I needed you here.  Do you speak Pidgin Slovene?

Our room at Silak Rooms is wonderful.  Vladimir and Valentina are our hosts and I feel like part of their family.  Vlad showed us photos of this 800 year old building before they started to restore it.  He said the Communists had almost ruined it and were going to tear it down.  We have our own balcony overlooking the patio and a real shower!

We had supper at the restaurant Gostlina Ribic--we give it 5 stars.  best meal in Slovenia so far.  I had lobster and shrimp--but it was the sauces that made it really special.  Again., like in iceland and Scotland, we marvel at the great chefs working their art in these small towns.  Supper took us 2 and a half hours!  So it was dark and I took no photos.  I'll give you one from Ljubljana of a little Slavic boy on the main square in Ljubljana and one of G walking down to town from the castle.

Ljubljana - Day 3

It rained today.  Mostly just drizzled, but it was enough to make it a museum and hot chocolate day.

First off, the Ljubljana City Museum.  To go along with the celebration of Ljub's 2000 years, the museum had great exhibits on the Roman times.  We were standing in the dark basement by the excavation of a Roman building on that site when dirty, sweaty people came running through, shouting in Slovene.  It was rather disconcerting until we found out they were in the "Gladiator Race." and had to find their way through the site.  Other bunches followed and we just started pointing to the way out.  Probably not allowed but it was fun.

We stopped for hot chocolate and cheesecake before the next museum--the National Museum.  More Roman stuff there.  We were getting museumed out so went down by the river for lunch.  Rain stopped so we could sit outside.  I had mushroom soup.  G had cold cuts.  Great lunch.  We were sitting by the Cobblers Bridge built in the 1200's.  A wedding party came by to have their pictures taken on the bridge.  Then a bunch of runners showed up and one of them in a kilt mooned everyone. Crazy runners everywhere!

We wandered around old town for awhile and then went home.  G went to the store to get some bananas.  He said an old lady in the store chattered away at him in Slovene.  Took him awhile to figure out he was supposed to put the bananas in a bag and have them weighed before he got to checkout.  We get scolded every once in a while--usually by old ladies.  The young people all know English.  The cleaning lady this morning finally shrugged and turned away (dumb Americanskis!).

First photo is view of Ljubljana from the castle.
Second is a colorful Art Nouveau building.