Day 32: Goodbye Adriatic, Hello Alps (Rijeka to Ljubljana)

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Day 32: otherwise known as the day we went from the Adriatic to the Alps, or better yet, the day we went from 100 degrees to 80!!!



Today I realized I have not watched a TV show since I left the USA (not counting a couple of World Cup soccer games), and I haven’t had a diet coke in 10 days!!! These are good things.



Our ferry ride was our last of the trip. I really do like this Croatian ferry line Jardolina, clean, always on time, reasonably priced, decently restaurant, comfortable beds. AC is questionable though… we didn’t have much in our cabin and it was hot and stuffy.



We got up at 5:45 am and went to breakfast at 6. We had a full breakfast of ham, cheese, scrambled eggs, bread, cereal and two white coffees! From the restaurant we watched the landing in Rijeka (pronounced as: ar-eeee-AAAA-kah).



We got off and hauled our bags about 200 meters (we have decided that means 10 minutes) to the train station. The town transportation set up was quite efficient… ferry, bus and train within 200 meters, or a few blocks. We got to the train station about 7:30 and waited til noon to get on the train to Ljubljana (2.5 hour trip). We had a beer in the café and read most of the time. We studied up on our destination and found our rooming house on the map, very close to the train station, an easy walk!!!!



The train had 3 cars, all compartments. We took up most of our compartment with all our bags and bodies. It was a nice ride through mountains and forests with the windows open and fresh air!



We went through customs twice, once for leaving Croatia and 10 minutes later, for entering Slovenia. We got our passports stamped (you have to ASK these days). At the Croatian post, there was a celebration for Independence Day, with wonderful accordian music and polka dancing and drinking of some traditional beverage. Lots of people gathered and joined in. We changed out Kunas for Euros.



We arrived without incident at Ljubljana. Our sobe (room) at the Guesthouse Stari Tisler, Kolodvorska 08, only 2 blocks from the train station! It was in a very old house that was for many years a gathering place in the community. It is on something similar to the National Register in the US. Now there is a restaurant on the first floor, apparently very popular, and 4 rooms above. This evening the restaurant was closing at 5:00 pm because of the holiday.



We checked in and dragged the bags up 2 flights of stairs. The woman checking us in was not particularly helpful but answered all our questions and gave us a map. Our room here shares the bath with other room on the hall. There is a shower room and separate toilet (his and hers). The room has AC and WIFI, two towels, (not even a glass for water) so what more can you want!



We walked around and acquainted ourselves with the city. There are many beautiful short bridges over the river, each very different. We had a drink and people-watched at the main square. Some boys jumped off the bridge and drew quite a crowd.



I must talk about the architect whose vision made this city so outstanding. Ljubljana’s “favorite son” is the architect Joze Plecnik. He worked in Slovenia from 1921 until his death in 1957. He designed bridges, libraries, office buildings, riverside embankments, market halls, stadiums, parks, and even the cemetery! He was in and out of favor with the political powers of the times, and might have done even more if he had been popular with the communist government after WW2. We walked all over the town, crossing the many bridges over the river, admiring the architecture, what an amazingly beautiful place. Rick Steves says it is the “next Prague.” We loved it!



It started to sprinkle so we ran home and beat the rain. Wonderful RAIN!!!! (see video for first rain we’ve seen since leaving Kansas!) We tried to get into the apartment, which is located over a restaurant. However, the girl who checked us in was quite brief in her explanations, and we could not get in. Unfortunately it was Independence Day and the restaurant was closed. We beat on windows and yelled, and finally got the attention of a young man upstairs. He found the manager who let us in, and explained the complicated system for unlocking the front door (key card, green light, twist right, wait, double twist left…).



We did interneting and tried to wait it out. But it kept raining, and we went out to find a restaurant anyway. Most everything was closed but a bar waiter suggested a wonderful local spot, the Abecedarium. It was located in the oldest house in town. We had Goulosh and a veal/barley soup, both very tasty, and a local white wine.



We came home with the rain winding up and open windows for a cool breeze for sleeping.

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Photos

Bridge in Slovenia
Beautiful square and the Triple Bridge

Jumpers
Boys jumping off bridge into river drew quite a crowd

Dragon Bridge
4 of these guardians

Graffiti
Lots of graffiti in Ljubljana... art?

Dreamer
Dreaming of cooler weather in Slovenia

Lock Bridge
Chile rearranging locks on the lock bridge (me too)

Bike Exchange
Great system of bike here, drop it off there. We saw them unload a pickup full of bikes at the train station at 7 am for the working crowd.