Midve sva šli na pot 32kms z kolesom!

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Translation of the title for my non-slovene speaking readers: We went 32kms by bike on the path!

Yesterday, being a little too cloudy for another hitch-hiking adventure, me and my roommate Honorine decided it was time to bike the path that goes all the way around the city of Ljubljana. The path, 32kms long, was the surrounding line during World War 2, and as far as I have understood where a barb-wire fence lay for 3 years turning the entire city into somewhat of a concentration camp. The entire path has been made into a living memorial space, with trees planted the entire length along both sides and pillars of rememberance with dates and place names. (For a bit more information you can read a CaseStudy)

Definitly, this was one of the best things I've done in Ljubljana yet. The entire day was filled with discovering entirely new parts of Ljubljana - places in the city you don't see as a tourist, or exchange student. It was a bit strange because I set out at the beginning of the day expecting to "discover Ljubljana", but almost with it in my head that we would be seeing the same old sights but from different angles. This proved thankfully entirely untrue, as the path passes around the back of everything - the back of the army base, the backside of castle hill, the back alleys of river-front houses - that we didn't see the actual sights but rather what lies behind, the sometimes beautiful, sometimes dirty, but always intriguing places that are kept out of sight of the everyday tourist. I think only once I looked up and saw the castle! Definitly, something I'd advise anyone to do while in Ljubljana!

The only difficult part of the path we came on was the part that goes up the back of castle hill. It wouldn't have been so difficult really, except that we had to haul our heavy bikes up the steep paths. Once at the top, we hoped we would have a nice ride down, but soon discovered our aging bikes are a little to fragile to scream down steep, bumpy, winding trails! We decided next time to take the road way around the castle hill...

About 27 kms into our ride, the path led us to to the backside of Tivoli Park, which is characterized by wide open fields, beautiful forrest, and a small pond, perfect to stop at and eat the rest of our lunch on while enjoying the swearing of afternoon walkers and joggers slipping in the winter mud on the path behind us. Haha, no really it was super peaceful, and a great way to close the ride, since we only had 5 more kms to go.

So, there you go. Another reason Ljubljana is such a great city, and another thing to do for all you travellers!

Love you all,

Mel.

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Photos

Honorine!
You can tell its the beginning of our ride and we still have energy

Fuzine Castle
Now the Architecture museum...

View of the Pot
...and small mountain ahead that we would climb bikes and all!

Am I still in London??
Strange things you see along back roads!

Reaching the 0km mark!
We started out around the 11km mark, went to 32, then 0, and back to 11!

Comments

[mom]

classic shot
I love the classic shot! Espcially the tree branches over head. It is now my background on my computer at work. Actually, they are all great photos. They make me want to come there even more than I already do. Love Mumsy.

[Sharon]

a picture
Hi Mel. May I send "Hono walks through the forest" to my picture file? Can you imagine going along that path in the spring? the summer? the fall? It's beautiful! I like the sepia photo of "Me and my mocs..." as well. May I copy?