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Published: June 29th 2007
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Wow, Slovenia is a very interesting country. I've learnt a lot in a few days and I can contribute it to my hot guide Yann when I did the walking tour! Amazing what looks can do to my interest levels. I think more and more people are taking an interest in this country. Its still nowhere near as overrun with tourists as Italy but I did run into quite a few foreigners.
So heres a bit os a history lesson....Slovenia became an independent country from the former Yugoslavia in 1991 and have an interesting history. They have basically been plundered by any of the large empires in Europe at saome stage or another so have many different influences. They thankfully started using the Euro this year, a fact which I only realised just before getting here. Thank goodness they do too...all the prices are still in SIT as well as Euro and there are at least 200 SIT to the euro so it would have been very confusing dealing with some random currency for 3 days! Slovenia held a referendum to become independent and almost 90% of the population voted in favour of it. Its hardly surprising when you
hear the figure of 10% of Yugoslavia (Slovenia) was producing 40% of the entire countrie's output!
I based myself in the capital Ljublijana for 3 days and stayed at the very hip Hostel Celica. The hostel used to be a former prison and housed the now Prime Minister for a week. I wonder what he did! (missed the guided tour). It's a pretty posh prison, no dungeons unfortunately but you can stay in a cell. I missed out on one but got a bed in a 5 person mixed dorm which was actually small but really nice. The problem was the noise. Its actually next to a commune and I was lucky to be there on Thurs & Friday nights. The locals decided to have concerts both nights - one night it was Slovenian punk, the other metal, followed by a dude singing until 6.30am. Crikey!! I know its budget but I do like my sleep. Met some other people who got bed bugs too so not going back there in a hurry....
The night I arrived from Zagregb it was pouring and I made the executive decision to go to the movies. I have been seeing posters
What does this sign mean??
I think it means 'hang on to your children' but am open to suggestion! for Oceans 13 all over European countries in different languages so took myself off to see it in Ljublijana. Thankfully it was in English with Slovenian subtitles. I enjoyed the movie and the eye candy immensely! I also had some time to kill beforehand and discovered there is H&M in Slovenia (yipee!).
The next day I took a bus out to Bled which is a village about an hour out of Ljublijana nestled in the Julian Alps. It is famous for extreme sports and for the caslte on the hill and the church on an island in the middle of the lake. It's really beautiful and would be spectacular when the surrounding mountains are covered in snow. I climbed to the top of the mountain to see the castle and was a little disappointed! It was quite funny to hear Aussie & Kiwi accents all around tho - you never know where we will turn up!
When I came down from the castle it was pouring so I found the only internet cafe in Bled and took refuge from the rain. It cleared in a couple of hours and I had enough time to fang around the edge
Sunflowers at last!
In the Ljublijana markets of the lake before the next bus. I made it just in time for the trip back. You can also catch a gondola into the centre of the lake to visit the island, or even swim like I saw some crazy people doing!!
When I got back to Ljublijana I went for my first real walk around the city. The previous night it had been raining & miserable and everything seemed to be shut. In the sunshine Ljublijana is a happening city and there are many bars & cafes along the river so its really nice on a warm summer evening! It also happens to ber the Ljublijana festival at the moment so I took in some random street performances!
I had a great goulash + dumplings at a restaurant called Sokol which I think it popular with tourists with its themeed interior and dressed up waiters! Intererstingly Slovenia doesn't have any typical food as there are so many influences and different areas eg Alpine to Mediterranean in the same country.
I then met up with the lovely Jann for the evening walk around Ljublijana.He told us about the dragons and why it is a symbol of
Ljublijana. Apparently the dragon originated here and made its way up to Wales & Scotland where its final resting place is. I really love the Dragon Bridge. I'm disappointed to find out there is no Dracula history here tho - I think I may have it confused with Slovakia. I thought surely Lake Bled would be associated???
The next day I got the brand new funicular up to the top of the castle to check it out. I paid to climb to the top of the belfry without realising it was a spiral staircase that you could see all the way down to the bottom through!! I think I may be slowly overcoming my fear of heights because I was able to climb it with minimal trauma. The funicular was also no problem but I was right next to a lady who was terrified so I sympathised!
It was very hot so I schlepped it back to the hostel for a sleep. I had already made friends with 2 Aussies from Sydney who are on their honeymoon - backpacking for 6 months around Europe! They are brave. They made it back about 5 mins after me for a
Stairwell in the belfry, Ljublijana Castle
I climbed this all by myself without freaking out!! nap and we also met another room mate Rebecca who is over from the US studying. We all had a really long nap, then Rebecca & I headed out for some dinner. The nightlife in Ljublijana is jumping and there are cafes & restaurants all along the river. We had a great pizza & beer & soaked up the atmosphere. I then caught up with Tanya & Ben (guys from Sydney) and another couple they had met from Melbourne and had some more drinks along the river. It was nice talking about home and we realised we are all Amazing Race nuts so they were very impressed to know who won (thanks for the update mum!!).
Afterwards we headed back to the dreaded Celica where the aforementioned punk concert was happening. Thank goodness for sleeping tablets as I got an ok nights sleep. I bade farewell to Ben & Tanya who are heading to Italy for a month, noice.
I´ve taken the train to Salzburg where I´m planning on being a total tourist, soaking up the SOund of Music & Mozart. Off to a Mozart piano concert tonight and soooo excited! More updates soon....
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The Nth Queenslanders
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Travel Journal
Great work Anj. Love your travel diary. I did try to read and share with the boys your travel stories, however, they are only interested in looking at the photos! Happy Travelling.