When it comes to adventure, Two for Takeoff has been incredibly fortunate these past five years. Together, we’ve rarely experienced missed flights, inclement weather, cancellations, accidents – you name it – we’ve been lucky.
Despite our general good fortune, the rainfall on our final day in Slovenia was unforgiving and certainly wasn’t holding off for our hike through the Julian Alps/Triglav National Park. So for the first time in a long while, we were forced to improvise! After some conversations with the locals at our AirBnB it was clear we had to take a trip to the capital city of Ljubljana (phonetic pronunciation in the title). Ljubljana is Slovenia’s largest city, and is known for its university population and green spaces, including expansive Tivoli Park. The only catch is that the city lies a good two hour drive from Kobarid – on the most narrow of roadways, through the mountains, overlooking steep peaks and valleys. Basically, it is a recipe for disaster when driving in the pouring rain, but Patrick handled the (manual) drive like a champion while my ghost white knuckles clung for dear life on the far right side of the passengers seat.
Once on solid ground (parked car = non-anxious Maggie), we slapped on our rainproof gear and looked for a spot to eat before hitting the streets of the city.
We read about the mouthwatering burgers at a local joint known as ‘Pop’s Place’ overlooking the river Ljublijanica, and snagged two seats at the bar (because… rain). We paired our beef with flights of local Slovenian beers and started sampling. The bartender was incredibly kind and gave us a quick overview of the city, the people, and basically confirmed our suspicions that Slovenians are filled with all kinds of good vibes. Their cities, roads, environment, economy and people prove it… seriously… they make NYC look like a psychotic, crowded wasteland (but hey, it’s our wasteland and we do love it, right?).
Local sights included the famed dragon bridge, the quaint river Ljublijanica that runs straight through the city, the local market/vendors selling traditional Slovenian arts and crafts, Center square that boasts a massive stone sculpture and of course, shopping!
The window fronts – much to Patrick’s dismay – were incredible; I made us walk into every single store on Mestni Trn (comparable to Michigan Ave in Chicago or SoHo in NYC). With chocolates, jewelry, local artwork and a few special gifts in tow, we bid Ljubljana farewell and tried our best to make it to Lake Bled for a late afternoon stroll – alas the rain STOPPED!
Words fail to describe the beauty of Lake Bled. First, it’s not like the Lakes we have in Michigan, Ohio or Indiana for example. It is much, much smaller – in fact you can gaze across the entire lake with a view of the surrounding town. But that doesn’t take away from its charm.
Geese and swans flutter beneath its Alpine waters, and lily pads are strewn across the banks. The highlight is the massive Bled castle (Blejski Grad) that sits on rocks, high above the lake, looking down over its dark blue waters. There is also Lake Bled Island – the only island in Slovenia – that has a gorgeous mansion sitting on the land, adding to its majesty.
Patrick and I spent our last hours of vacation walking, snapping photos, holding hands and recounting our adventures from the past 10 days. Our Croatian/Slovenian getaway was a wild ride, and one that we will forever remember. I suppose, all things considered, 30 isn’t so bad after all… huh? Pending we’re graced with more days and good health in the future, we hope to see Croatia and Slovenia again!
Good on you Maggers!
Maggie May that Lake Bled and all of Slovenia is really very picturesque – thanks for the wonderful photos of your trip along the Adriatic Sea. Love Dad!