Ljubljana --Day 2

We had a great day exploring Ljubljana today.  Weather was perfect--75 and mostly sunny.
After a good breakfast at a place down the street, we took the funicular up to the castle on the hill overlooking the town.  The view was spectacular but the castle was not.  Perfect location but too many owners remodeling throughout the centuries. We happily took the trail down through the woods back to town and stopped at the immense outdoor market to buy some food.  Gorgeous veggies and fruit!  I've never seen such a large market!

Ljubljana is celebrating their 2000th anniversary this year.  The original town, built by the Romans, was called Emona.  Some of the original wall around the city remains.  Just think, it was started in the year 14--when Jesus was just an unruly teenager and Augustus was emperor of the Roman Empire.  Didn't his wife poison him?  Good thing he got Ljubljana started before she did him in!

In the afternoon we joined a walking and boat tour --led by Simone, a guide with such perfect English I was sure she was an American.  But she said she learned her English watching Scooby Doo on TV as a child in Ljubljana.  She filled us in on the history, architecture, food, etc.  Slovenia has been ruled by the Romans,  French, Ottoman Turks, Hapsburgs, Italians, Germans, and finally the Communists.  After a 10 day war in 1991 they (finally!) became independent and are now a member of the EU and NATO.

The old town of Ljubljana was severely damaged by an earthquake in 1895 which gave Joze Plecnik, an architect extraordinaire, a chance to work his magic and redo the city in an exciting Art Nouveau style.  He is revered in Ljubljana--it's like he's their Elvis Presley.  And rightly so!  The beautiful, colorful buildings, the bridges, the fountains, the churches-- he was responsible for it all!  We are both in love with this city of Plecnik's.  Meanwhile he lived a spartan life.  Didn't even heat his home (where--not surprisingly--he lived alone).

We asked Simone for a recommendation for the best fish restaurant in town and man, did she deliver!  We had the fish platter with 8 kinds of fish.  Yum.  Then home to bed.

The photos:  a close up of one of our land lady's (Emi Vega) pictures hanging in our apartment.
Also a shot of the Triple Bridge taken during our boat tour.  It's Joze Plecnik's most famous bridge, styled after the Rialto Bridge in Venice.