Postcards from the Past: Slovenia

January 26, 2023

Alpine Beauty

When and Where: 09/2022 – Ljubljana, Lake Bled, Predjama Castle

58^th Country Visited; 29^th European Country Visited

Interesting Facts:

· Slovenia is slightly smaller than New Jersey.

· Slovenia is the most prosperous of the former Yugoslav republics.

· Roughly one in twenty citizens are beekeepers.

· Wine is popular in Slovenia. There is roughly one vineyard for every 70 people.

· Ljubljana, the capital, is pronounced “LUBE-LEE-ANA”

The journey to Slovenia was long and daunting. Having just got off a MSC cruise ship in Venice, I had plans to catch a late morning bus to Ljubljana, the Slovenian capital. I was able to find my way to the bus depot with a few minutes to spare. However, I couldn’t find the Flixbus pickup location. I paraded up and down a half mile stretch of the road for over a half hour with no luck finding the bus. I eventually gave up and purchased another online ticket for the next bus to Ljubljana which was leaving from Venice’s Marco Polo International Airport. I rushed to catch a bus to the airport. Upon arrival, I received a text that my first bus, the one I couldn’t find, had been cancelled. Frustrated, I found a Flixbus spokesperson at the airport. He advised me to go back to the bus depot in town for a different bus. Ugh! Weary and agitated, I made my way back into town for an early afternoon bus to Slovenia. Finally, a bus bound for Ljubljana showed up around 2pm. The bus navigated the winding roads along the mountainous north Italian coast through the port town of Trieste, and finally into Slovenia; arriving in Ljubljana just after 6pm. Walking to my hotel, I was drenched by a momentary downpour. Exhausted, I arrived at the hotel, which I discovered was half hotel, half hostel. Either way, I was glad to have arrived safely with overpacked luggage in tow.

After a quick shower and change of clothes, I walked a few blocks to downtown Ljubljana to grab a bite to eat. I stumbled upon an outdoor pub for a burger and a glass of fine Slovenian Cabernet. As I sat and waited for my food and listened to American pop music playing in the background, my eyes gazed upon Ljubljana Castle; a medieval castle overlooking the city which dates back to the eleventh century. I quickly devoured my meal and began to explore Ljubljana. The city is beautiful, safe, clean, walkable and one of my favorite European cities. I wandered around the cobblestone streets, passing by the gothic Ljubljana Cathedral and across the Ljubljanica River. The city views were framed by a flaming sunset as I walked about. A few hours later, I made my way back to the hotel to prepare for the next day’s full day excursion to the Slovenian Alps.

Up early the next morning, I met up with a small tour group of tourists from Australia and Ireland. Together, we traveled to our first stop, Postojna Cave, the second largest cave system in the country. Going deep underground, I saw stalagmites and stalactites. The cool damp climate made the path slippery and made the four-kilometer hike challenging at times. A short distance away from the cave, the tour went to Predjama Castle, a twelfth century castle built in a cave. The views both looking up to the castle and looking down on the Alps from the castle were magnificent. I definitely got my fill of cardio this day. After a brief stop for lunch, the tour made its final stop at the serene Lake Bled, the top tourist attraction in Slovenia. Lake Bled is one of my favorite places in the world. The stunning beauty of the lake against the backdrop of the alps is awe-inspiring. At the shore, our tour group boarded traditional boats called pletna, and headed for Bled Island, a natural Island in the middle of the Lake. Arriving on the island, tourists must climb a lengthy staircase to get to the beautiful Assumption of Maria church at the top. The views from atop Bled Island were stunning. Off in a distance, I could see the regal Bled Castle high atop a rocky cliff. As I strolled around with my camera, I stopped for locally made ice cream and sat on the shoreline immersing myself in the beauty of Bled. After a two-hour ride back to Ljubljana, I again went out at night for dinner and to check out the trendy shops in downtown. Slovenia surely is a hidden gem in the Balkans. I look forward to going back someday.