Tiny on your pillow (Slovenia day 2)
Jul. 10th, 2007 01:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jawnbcAfter a breakfast bigger than my head (lovely rolls, cheese, yoghurt, tea) we headed out towards the Alps. A miscommunication between me and Tomaž (I was there for 2 nights, rather than 3) meant a “slight” change of itinerary for the day. But we drove into the mountains to Bled (whose lake has the only island in the entire country), then on to the waterfall at Slap Savice. This past winter was unusually dry for the region, leaving little snow on the mountains. Even so, the falls were full and we took advantage of the idyll to chat between us and get to know one another better. Tomaž took many more photos than I did (better ones too, for the most part), but here’s a bit of a gander at the gorgeousness to be found.
We meandered back towards the main road, but stopped at Lake Bled for what is considered Slovenia’s national dessert. I do not have the most discerning palate, but I do know a great dessert when I eat one. This was great: feather-like pastry, mild and light meringue, and a sweet cream filling. I meant to take a photo of mine, but was too busy enjoying it. So here’s the sign outside the resto with a photo.
This place invented the thing and still are considered its experts. And at €2.10 per piece, there was no gouging.
We set out towards the North and West, through Krasnja Gora ski resort towards a 1600m pass through the Alps. Very near the top we visited a tiny little lodge that rents rooms for about €15 a night and offers only traditional Slovenian food. We had what was essentially a cabbage and bean hotpot (with pork for those inclined); we also had bulgar wheat or fresh brown bread if we wanted to pad it out a bit. The innkeeper was minding her grandchild while serving us (we were the only patrons) and largely left us to enjoy the ambiance, stunning views, tasty home-style food and one another’s company. Then we set off over the pass and towards the south. Next to the North Cascades highway in the Cascades, this was the most beautiful mountain drive I’ve ever taken.
The farther South we went, an (I) became ubiquitous with every right turn option. We were about 15km from the Italian border. I found it fascinating that the motorway in Italy was actually faster than the local roads in Slovenia when heading back to Ljubljana. So we passed through Novo Gorica to Gorizia and into Italy. Sexy border officer, bambino! The motorway was lined with vineyards as we travelled southward. Eventually we re-entered Slovenia and head down to the relatively tiny (30km) coastline. By now it was dark and after 21h00, but the lads wanted me to see the country high (Alps) and low (coast). The border region of Slovenia is largely ethnically Italian (with full minority language rights) and all signage is both in Slovenian and Italian. We stopped at Hill Burger for….burgers. Really tasty, high quality burgers. And messy. Unfortunately for Igor, his burger was radioactive, causing his mouth to glow:
There is nothing so clean as my burger machine
Pirano is a tiny, gorgeous little town: look West and North and you see Trieste and Italy (with Venice about 2 hours away by car); look South and East and the beginnings of Croatia’s much longer coastline is found (had we the 2 full days expected we would have done Slovenia’s and Croatia’s coast on Sunday). Pirano has a piazza, a castle, and a lovely promenade on the sea front (no beaches). I heard as much Italian as Slovene and aside from the traffic (modernity wedging itself into Renaissance infrastructure), I found the place charming. Sometimes the boys stay at a friend’s place just off the piazza for a wee getaway—lucky lucky lads! As in the city proper we strolled up to the Castle and enjoyed the vista. But by now we had been on the road for 12 hours and I insisted we head back towards home—100km North. Tomaž fired us down the motorway at lightning speed and we were home in about 65 minutes, over several long bridges and through several long tunnels. Another brief call with
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querrelle and it was time for tubby bye-bye! I hit that bed hard, let me tell you! 
The light in the piazza…
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You should have...
Date: 2007-07-10 09:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-10 09:59 pm (UTC)And.....
Date: 2007-07-10 10:20 pm (UTC)re: and.....
Date: 2007-07-10 10:33 pm (UTC)Re: and.....
Date: 2007-07-10 11:06 pm (UTC)re: and.....
Date: 2007-07-10 11:34 pm (UTC)Re: and.....
Date: 2007-07-11 05:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-11 09:49 am (UTC)re: and.....
Date: 2007-07-11 10:49 am (UTC)Re: and.....
Date: 2007-07-11 12:48 pm (UTC)oh
Date: 2007-07-11 12:49 pm (UTC)Re: oh
Date: 2007-07-11 09:32 pm (UTC)Re: oh
Date: 2007-07-11 09:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-12 01:15 pm (UTC)I speak to a Slovakian guy on BearWWW, and he is hot, hot, HOT! And it's amazing, especially for us Aussies, that you can drive such relatively short distances, and go from country to country... with different sights, cultures, food... and men!
Where you mentioned Trieste, my ears pricked up slightly, as that is where
*hugs*
:-)
psssssssssssssst
Date: 2007-07-12 02:38 pm (UTC)Re: oh
Date: 2007-07-13 11:22 am (UTC)Re: psssssssssssssst
Date: 2007-07-14 01:56 pm (UTC)So, I have NO idea where Slovakia came in to my brain.... LOL
These long nights at work play havoc with my brain... what little of it is left! ;-)
Actually, I have ANOTHER friend in Slovenia too, who I've been speaking to on ISPQ for years - although I've lost contact with him recently.... :-(
Re: psssssssssssssst
Date: 2007-07-15 10:40 pm (UTC)Re: psssssssssssssst
Date: 2007-07-16 01:18 am (UTC)All together now.... "It's a small world after all, it's a small world...." LOL
Glad you gave him a good rap - he's always very friendly to chat to online! And I actually found my OTHER online friend from ISPQ on BearWWW also - Titus - so, I'll have to send him a quick message.
I'll let you know when I have ISPQ re-installed!
*hugs*
:-)
Re: psssssssssssssst
Date: 2007-07-17 09:00 pm (UTC)Re: psssssssssssssst
Date: 2007-07-18 03:18 am (UTC)The world just keeps getting smaller and smaller and smaller...
There's 6 Degrees of Seperation normally - I think in the Bear / LJ / Online community, there must only be 2 or 3! LOL
*hugs*
Re: psssssssssssssst
Date: 2007-07-18 05:59 am (UTC)Re: psssssssssssssst
Date: 2007-07-18 07:17 am (UTC)It's a Global Bear Phenomenon! LOL
xxx
Re: psssssssssssssst
Date: 2007-07-18 09:49 pm (UTC)