Two hours into the journey we go back onto the motorway which has truck after truck after truck after truck. I know I saw a lot of trucks in Bhutan but this is crazy! Traffic is moving at snail’s pace; definitely can't see us getting to Ljubljana in 30 minutes. Sigh.
3 hours after leaving Piran we arrive into Ljubljana, given the traffic I'm surprised we are only 30 minutes late. I walk to Cacao Rooms to collect my suitcase then make my way to the meeting point to meet Borja who is going to take me to my Airbnb apartment.
I'm left to my own devices after he has shown me the apartment. Thankfully he'll bring towels as the two face towels aren't going to cut the mustard! No idea how Nina, the owner, believes that would work!! Given I've been out every night since being in Slovenia I decide to find a supermarket to pick up a few thinks then have a night in.
I wander the streets like a local! Well that's until I can't find the supermarket and need to ask someone for directions! Am pointed in the right direction and given specific instructions.
Supermarket located; it's not like the others I've been in so struggle to find anything. In the end I give up and walk out with nothing. I'll go somewhere for a drink then decide what next!
I decide to walk closer to my apartment and out of the busy part of the old town. Place located, which I'd walked by on the hunt for the supermarket so don't need to see a menu, aperol spritz thank you. It's peaceful sitting here surrounded by tables chit chatting in what I believe is Slovenia while people watching. Although the wind picks up which makes it cold.....doesn't help that my arms got colour today when walking around Piran.
I manage to find a pizzeria close to the apartment - bingo.
On return to the apartment I notice Boraj has been and dropped of 3 hand towels. Yeah no, I don't think so!! I send him a message saying that won't work for me and ask him to bring over normal towels.
I have issues opening the washing machine door; honestly this has not been smooth sailing at all! After a call with Nina it finally opens and out comes soooo much water. Bloody hell. The 3 small hand towels are immediately thrown on the ground to mop up the water. I'm not impressed!!!!
More calls to Nina.....in between I start to look for a hotel for the next 3 nights and send Airbnb a message.
Nina sends one of her friends around to help, she's very chatty and keeps pushing me to "just stay here tonight, it's late". No thanks! I want my wet washing to spin then I'll be off. In her defense she does manage to get the washing machine to spin, then carries my suitcase down the stairs.
I had been nervous about walking to the hotel as it's now dark; there was no need as there were sooo many people around!
Check-in is painless. I'm feeling so tired but need to deal with the wet washing. My tiny (and I meet tiny!) hotel room is going to be like a Chinese laundry for a day or two. I'm still so wired from the past couple of hours, sleep is needed but it won't happen :(
Friday 30 June, wow the last day of June, I wake feeling like I've hardly slept at all. Thankfully last night is now behind me! I drag myself out for a walk; I had seen the hotel is close to Tivoli Park so head off there. There aren’t a huge amount of people around which is lovely.
I take my time at breakfast, love not rushing!
After a work call it's time to go out exploring Ljubljana again. I decide on a place for coffee close to the triple bridges; on reviewing the menu I notice an espresso is €1.90 - I don't think so! Up I get :)
On Friday's, during the summer, there is Open Kitchen, which consists of small stalls with a lot of the local restaurants selling their menus. I'd read it's a great opportunity to try a lot of restaurants in one go. So I decide to wander towards the market for coffee.
It's lovely sitting here relaxing with the sights and sounds of day to day life around me.
Time to move on, nice and close to the Cathedral, also known as the Church of St Nicolas. There has been a Church on this site since the 13th century, but a number of rebuilds has occurred since then. On entering it’s a heavy push to open the amazing bronze doors then WOW! The frescoes have me staring at the ceiling. Before exiting I light a candle for G&P, Anne and Kat’s Dad Brian.
I meander around the market; the fresh fruit and vege looks amazing!
It's a steep but shortish climb to the top of the hill where Ljubljana Castle is perched overlooking the city.
After wandering around the grounds I head inside to the Watchtower to watch the video on the history of the Castle. I miss the 12.30pm movie so decide to head up to the watchtower / viewing tower first. Walking up the circular staircase is freaky as there's two (wrought-iron red) staircases - one for going up and one for going down. Makes such good sense otherwise it would be a bit of a tight squeeze when passing people!
The view from the top is amazing, you can see for miles and miles. A tad windy today though!
I wander back down to the market then onto the open market where I do a full loop around all the stalls before deciding what to eat. Far too many options!! I decide on a local hot dog, which is tasty, and enjoy the people watching.
Mid-afternoon I make my way to Franciscan Church of the Annunciation which has featured in a lot of my photos already! The outside if painted salmon-pink.
I'm starting to fade, and 4pm is too early to start drinking for me today (otherwise I'll be asleep by 7pm!!).
As I wander towards the Town Hall I notice a few people eating ice cream and others exiting the ice cream shop. I think what the heck and enter. Sooo many choices; white chocolate and ginger wins my selection which I enjoy while sitting outside the Town Hall.
The Town Hall, which is the seat of the city government, was built in the late 15th century then rebuilt in 1718. I wander into the gothic courtyard enjoying looking at the arcaded on three levels.
I continue my wandering up to Gornji Trg (square) where there are some houses which have narrow side passages where rubbish was thrown so it could be washed down the river.
I start to wander back along the river to the open market.....well that's until aperol spritz flags and umbrellas grab my attention. I'm so easily swayed :) Thanks but I'll be going over there - now to find a bridge to get across the river.
The waiter informs me there is an aperol spritz event here tonight and that "it will be fun". Yes I'm sure it will be! One aperol Spritz for me thanks.
My good??? sense takes over, I pay my bill then wander to the Oopata Kuhna (open market). One of the things I'd noticed since being in Slovenia is the great signs outside restaurants / cafes / bars. I decide I have nothing to lose by taking photos (see other blog post).
The open market seems busier than it was a couple of hours ago - the weekend has well and truly begun for a lot of people. I stop at the first stall I notice selling wine and order a glass of white wine that I've had before. The man goes to open a bottle of red, I inform him of this but am told no no this is the right stuff. Really?! I don't think so. And what do you know he pours a little bit into the lid and you guessed it, red wine comes out. Next bottle he opens is correct.
I was expecting 0.10 ml as that's what I've received every other time. Not this time Dorothy, I get a full glass for EUR 2. Bargain.
I've seen a lot today which has been great. I love just wandering around a place and taking it all in. Tomorrow I may, repeat may, do a spot of shopping.....but let’s see! Ljubljana is definitely a great place to come for a 3 day weekend, that's if you live in Europe.
A couple comes and sits on the other side of the small table; after a while we get chatting. They are both locals who live and work here. We have about an hour and a half chatting before moving onto another bar. As we are walking there the rain drops begin so a decision is made to go to a bar closer.
On my walk / run back to the hotel the rain has got heavier. I try to go close to the buildings but that still doesn't seem to help. In the enter I take shelter in a bank where another family is doing the same. One of the sons starts chatting with me and introduces me to his whole family. After a while we all head off.
Saturday 1 July I wake to my alarm, crazy I know to have an alarm on holiday but as much as I do need to relax I don't want to be wasting a morning! I force myself out for a run which helps to wake me up.
The number of people around when I finally leave the hotel (just after 11am) is amazing! I walk towards the market and decide to have coffee in the same place I had yesterday.
Feeling caffeinated I walk around the market then into the covered market. The selection of cheese, meat (cooked and uncooked), bread is amazing! Time to escape before I spend my annual salary.
As soon as I start to walk downstairs I can smell the seafood; typically it doesn't bother me but this is strong so I'm not sure how long I'll manage down here. Walking through the doors the smell actually disappears, or perhaps I've just got used to it??!
There is a wide variety of fish, some I've never seen before. The fishmongers are all nice and friendly and say hello as I walk by.
I still can't get over the number of people around! Soo many big groups as well.
I again wander the streets with no fixed abode, enjoying the beautiful sunshine and my surroundings.
I notice someone enter Church of St James so decide to head in. When I tried yesterday to go in it was closed. There are people outside setting up which looks like a tent. On entering there are bunches of pinkish roses everywhere and a choir (I'm guessing) practicing so I'm assuming there is going to be a wedding. Aah now that I think there was a table next to me at dinner on Thursday night who said they were getting married today, perhaps it's their wedding.
I continue wandering the streets until hunger starts to kick in; I'd read about a tapas place so go off in search of that.
After looking in two shops I head back to my room to collect my book then wander to the central market to buy some cherries. Seems I've arrived at the right time as there are only a few stalls open.
The cherries are warm and juicy and super tasty.
I'd noticed book corners throughout the city over the past couple of days so decided to go off in search of one. The first one I came across was in between a few bars.....I'm not quite ready for that yet so head off to Park Zvezda.
I had expected to find a park bench in the shade (I've seen enough sun today), but instead notice a book corner so head over there and park myself under a shady tree. This is the life!
Well that's until music is blared out from the stage next to the park. Goodbye park silence and book reading!
I decide to wander to the opposite side of the bars and restaurants that I've been too recently and found a spot on the river for a drink.....no prizes for guessing which one I selected!
As the sun starts to set it gets very hot - time to move on.
I decide to return to the bar I was in last night as they serve chips with their drinks and one needs to eat!! I take my time walking there, enjoying the Ljubljana atmosphere.
I really have no idea where to go for dinner so decide to wander along the river towards the triple bridge to see what either takes my fancy or there is a spare seat outside.
Pop’s place works as there is a spare table outside – burger and wine takes my fancy.
Sunday 2 July, my last full day in Europe - am soooo not ready to return home, especially as I continue to get thunder storm warnings from the HK observatory! I wake at 5.40am and decide that's too early to get up, thankfully I manage to doze for another hour plus.
I head out for a run earlier than yesterday; and thank goodness for that as its already warm.
I pack the majority of my things then head out for a walk around the old town, this time going the opposite direction I've been the previous mornings. The ladies I met on Friday night (Ana and Jamina) told me about the flea market that's on so I wander in that direction. There are already a lot of people around, and especially at the flea market.
Definitely past coffee time, I select a place that I'd been told about on my walk on Tuesday - more for drinks but I see coffee cups so I'm in. A number of places I'd walked by this morning had people drinking (red and white wine, beer and cocktails) already, no thank you! With this heat I'd need a nap in an hour :)
There seems to be some kind of dance audition going on under the trees next to where I'm sitting. Then superman bikes past. Definitely no shortage of things to look at!!
After checking out of my room I wander to one of the squares that I hadn’t seen before only to realize I had. I have clearly seen more of this amazing city than I thought.
I still have 30 minutes to I meet the Ana and Jasmina from Friday night so decide to wander the streets.
I hear a bicycle bell so step more to the right, thinking that's odd as I'm already to the right. The bicycle then stops right next to me, heart rate increasing! I realize it's Ana so all is good :) They are meeting at flea market so I continue my wandering, arranging to meet at the restaurant as planned.
I hear party music and notice a feel people standing at the bridge looking over, I wander over to have a look and what do you know it's the ladies I'd seen earlier (practicing their dance moves) who are on the boat dancing away.
We meet at the restaurant just after 1pm, I had eaten here on Tuesday night so clearly I picked well :)
We say goodbye on Dragon's bridge. I do a last wander through the old town back to the hotel.
Slovenia you have been awesome!! You all need to drop what you are doing and book a flight here.
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