Slovenia

Thursday, August 20
Al (Slovenian coach) and Vonja (we've met her through the NBA) picked us up at the Venice airport as that is one of the only places that you can drive to in Venice.  After about two hours we arrived in Portoroz, Slovenia where we will be staying while Don speaks at the coaching clinic.  Portoroz is the busiest of the coastal resorts on Slovenia's Adriatic coastline which is a mere 29 miles long.

We checked into the Marita Hotel and walked along the shoreline to a fish restaurant for a late 4:00 lunch.  Don and I had the fish platter for two.

Al and Vonja at lunch.
Al is a coach in Slovenia and worked Snow Valley this summer.
We'd met Vonja (also from Slovenia) last summer in Spain.

Beach area at Portoroz

We settled into our room and had a short nap (still haven't found those lost 7 hours!).  Al and Vonja picked us up at 9 pm to go out to dinner.  We drove to Piran a delightful coastal village.  We had to park quite a ways away as only residents can drive into the town.  The town square is a beautiful focal point with the town hall and cathedral.  The town retains a few fishing boats and some excellent seafood restaurants.

Friday, August 21
Al and Vonja picked us up at 9 to go sightseeing. Our first destination was the Postojna Caves - Slovenia's most popular natural attraction.  It contains over 12 miles of chambers and tunnels.  The 1-mile long underground railway took us into the caves.  Magnificent formations of stalactites and stalagmites seems to stretch endlessly in all directions.

Predjama Castle just a few miles away was our next destination.  Predjama Castle sits half way up a hillside carved into a huge cave.  The site was fortified in the 13h century, although most of what can be seen today is the result of the 16th century rebuilding.  Accessible via wooden bridges that could be hastily removed, Predjama was considered impregnable.

We walked through the rooms of the castle including the dining room, kitchen, living quarters, torture room, chaplain's room and then up and into the cave-like section of the castle.

View from the highest of the castle's five levels

View through a cave opening in the
most interior castle area. 

Saturday, August 22
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DON!.  Don's afternoon was spent at the coaching clinic as he spoke for about an hour.  We enjoyed the time before that with Vanja going to the Salt pans.  The coastal area is known for salt production since the Middle Ages.  Dykes were constructed across the bay, creating shallow pans in which seawater would evaporate, leaving pure salt crystals.  The salt was then raked into piles and loaded on to barrows.  Traditionally the salt-harvesting season lasts from late April through late August.

Don spoke at the clinic and we attended the National Teams games.

We (Al, Vanja, Don & I) walked to the city center of Koper and found a great restaurant for Don's birthday meal - a HUGE t-bone steak.

Sunday, August 23
Don finished up the clinic with the last talk of the day from 11:00 - 12:30.  We had decided days earlier that we should not stay in Portoroz for the extra three nights and return to Venice to catch the flight to Prague.  We changed the plane tickets and will be flying to Prague from Ljubljana, the capital and central location in Slovenia.  Great decision (thanks to Vanja!)  So after the coaching clinic concluded Al and Vanja took us to Ljubljana which was about 1 to 1 1/2 hour away.  We checked into the Allegro Hotel.  So Cute!!  Czech musicians were living and creating in this place in the previous century.

Allegro Hotel

Up the street from the hotel entrance

Down the street from the hotel entrance

Fountain at the end of the block

Vanja drove us to northern Slovenia to explore in the Alps.  Our first destination was Bled.  With its placid lake, fairy-tale island church, cliff top castle and backdrop of grey mountains, Bled has become a visual trademark for the Slovenian tourist industry.  The lake is 1 mile long, 1 mile wide and 98 feet deep.  We walked a path beside the lake until we came to the path UP to the Bled Castle.

Dramatically located on a sheer cliff overlooking the lake, Bled Castle began as the 11th century stronghold of the Bishops of Brixen, who rules over the area until 1803.  The castle terrace commands an outstanding view, with the lake directly below and the mountain range looming in the distance.

Yep, we are going to hike to the top to see the castle!

Half way up the climb to the castle we came across this church.

View of the lake and island with church from the castle.

Don and Vanja at the castle.

We had this traditional dessert with tea/coke in the castle.

Perched atop the Bled Island is the Church of the Assumption.

We walked down the mountain cliff and walked along the lake for a bit before heading out.

We drove further north and west (almost to the Austria and also Italy borders) to Kranjska Gora in the valley beneath jagged alpine peaks.  It is the premier winter skiing area.  In the other seasons lots of tourist go there for hiking and biking.

The Church of the Assumption on the town's main square
dates from Kranjska Gora's earliest days in the 14th century.  

Walking to the lake via the river bed.

We found the lake.

We had  delicious traditional foods at this hotel/restaurant.
Veal and potatoes, game goulash with dumplings,
salted cheese dumplings, mushroom soup and beef
noodle soup.  

Thanks Vanja for the fabulous day!!  She has been a new BFF from Slovenia!

Monday & Tuesday, August 24 & 25
Days in Ljubljana, the country capital.
We are staying in the old town area in the Allegro Hotel which has turned out to be a perfect location for walking the city that we want to see.  Vanja met us at the Hotel both mornings at 11:00 so we had time to sleep in a bit and have breakfast at the hotel.

Breakfast room at the hotel in the cellar.

Walking through old town

Town Hall dating from 1719

Fountain of the Three Rivers
Named from the three pitcher-wielding giants at the base
to symbolize the three main rivers 

Triple Bridge - three lane bridge over the Ljubljana river.
Designed by the city's most famous architect, Joze Plecnik.

Statue of a famous Slovenia poet - Preseren

Franciscan Church of the Annunciation
This church dominates the NE corner of Presernov trg (square)

Orthodox Church of Sts Cyril and Methodius

Built in 1932 for the Serbian community

Walking through the Tivoli Park 

Tivoli Mansion
Built in the 18th century as a villa.

Crepes for lunch!

Cobbler's Bridge

Time for a break - different iced teas

Wine tasting

Ljubljana Castle.  Perched atop a cone-shaped hill, Ljubljana Castle looms above the Old Town.  The city's most instantly recognizable landmark originally dates from the 11th century.  Following the city's absorption by Austria in 1355, the castle became the property of the Habsburg family.

Time to head up to the castle

The courtyard of Ljubljana Castle

We went to the top of the Clock Tower

Chapel of St George
15th century Gothic chapel's ceiling is
decorated with the coats of arms of the noble families.

Dinner at the Castle

Walking back from the castle to the hotel we crossed the famous Dragon Bridge build in 1901.  The bridge gets its name from the bronze dragons that stand guard over its ends.  It is said that the legendary voyagers, Jason and the Argonauts (later we heard St. Charles) fought with and killed a dragon in the marshes south of Ljubljana before continuing on their journey towards the Adriatic.

Another day of walking the town!

The best ice cream in Ljubljana!  Taste tasting

Snickers & choc. for Don, mango & choc for Vanja

Ice cream on the Triple Bridge

Drinks a top the terrace cafe at the Neboticnik

View from the terrace

Lunch at Presernov Square

We ended the pleasant day by relaxing at the hotel and dinner out Spajza.

Last night in Slovenia.

Wednesday, August 26
We are celebrating our 43 anniversary with our last day in Slovenia and a later flight to Prague.  We spent the day with Vanja walking, shopping, and eating!

Towering above the market are the twin towers of the Baroque St. Nicholas's Cathedral.  Built in 1707 thee cathedral is dedicated to St. Nicholas, patron saint of fishermen and sailors.  The relatively plain exterior hides a richly decorated interior.   The sides and ceiling of the cathedral are beautifully painted.

St. Nicholas's Cathedral

The beautifully painted ceiling