national strike over wages, ljubljana, november, 2009

Bled, Slovenia – July 26th, 2009.

Up pretty early by my standards, we leave at 9 for Canyoning, and I grab some breakfast – big tub of yoghurt – and wait for the girls at their hostel. They seem to have had a pretty big night after I left – with some picking up slovenian men and going for a midnight dip in the lake. Georgie is still drunk and does a ‘Ashley’ jig from Cesky.

Doing the 'Ashley' Jig.

We hop in the car, and head out of town.  Before being called back as someone was left behind. We go to our guides crib and pick up our equipment which consisted of running shoes, booties, wetsuits and helmets. Piling into the car, we get driven out into the hills of the surrounding mountains, and end up between Bohinj and Bled at a canyon site.

We are told to put ALL of our stuff in the wetsuit and place them on like a backpack – see pic for details. And hike up about 20 minutes to the top of the canyon. Where our guide tells everyone to immediatly go to the toilet, as not to piss our wetties. Its a bit of a struggle getting on the wetsuits for most people but before you know it, the guides giving us all the info we need before setting off down the river.

Our wettie backpacks.

We climbed down into the canyon and were told to sit on the edge of this little pool – where the guide immediatly splashed us with ice cold water. Which was a good idea as we were just about to do our first dive into icy cold water.

The next few hours were spent traversing, sliding, jumping and climbing through a picturesqe canyon in Slovenia. And I must admit it was one of the most funnest activities I have done. Certainly an awesome experience. And plan to do it again, but at a higher degree of difficulty.

The gangs all here. After our canyoning trip.

We go back to the hostel, where we cook up some yummy omelletes before I say goodbye to the girls and head off to the train station to go to Ljubljana and then a train to Zagreb. Before getting on a night train to Zadar.

This would have to be one of the worst, but certainly one of the memorable train rides I have taken. The first train to Zagreb was fine – it was an Austrian train so it was modern and up to date. However, at Zagreb – where I got a quick snap – and a feed. Before getting onto the next train.

The train to Zadar was an old fashion rattler, it had compartments and I’d managed to score one by myself for a while, til some friendly Germans joined myself in the carriage with an iPod dock and speakers. Thinking I’m gonna have a pretty good trip, the ticket conductor gets on board and tells me I have to go to a different carriage as this one will be seperated and going to Split, where as I’m going to Zadar.

Zagreb Station....not much going here.

So I head to the rear carriages as told, and I have a look at all the compartments. There is one with room – an old lady, a dog and a daughter (I presume) – and ask them if I can take a seat. Only to be rudely told “Seats taken” in a forrest gump kind of stupor. Fair enough. So I dump my back in the aisle and watch as the country side goes by in darkness with a twinkly of light.

I go to get comfy leaning up against my bag in the aisle, before the friendly Austrian girl who caught the train with me from Ljubljana comes up to me and says she has a spot for me in her compartment. Sweet.

The compartment is rather small, cramped and has 4 people. We all sort of spread out, and weave around each other as best as possible whilst trying to sleep. It was basically human tetris.

Its not long til we’re all drifting off to the rattle of the train carriage.

Ljubljana is also considered as the largest city in Slovenia that has at least 270,000 inhabitants. Because of its location, Ljubljana’s culture has many influences including the Slavics, the Germans, as well as the Latins.

There are different arguments about the origin of Ljubljana’s name. Some historians actually believe that the name of Slovenia’s capital came from the name of the old Slavic city which was called the Laburus. There are also some historians that Ljubljana came from the Latin word Aluviana. But even though they have different beliefs regarding the name origin of Ljubljana, they all have one story to tell about the legend of the city. The founder of Ljubljana was said to be a Greek prince named Jason along with his Argonauts. According to the legend, Prince Jason fought a dragon when he once travelled going to Ljubljana. The dragon now serves as the city’s symbol and can be found at the Zmajski Most or the Dragon Bridge.

The size of Ljubljana is enough to have everything that a country’s capital must have. However, Ljubljana is still small enough to protect its inhabitants’ individuality. Unlike the other cities in the world, Ljubljana has the soul and gives great importance to its heritage. Until now, Baroque Old Town located at the Castle Hill’s foot is well preserved and considered as one of the tourist attractions in Ljubljana today. There are also some preserved masterpieces of the popular architect named Joze Plecnik and Art Nouveau mansions as well.

Slovenia is rich with several cultural heritages and most of it can be found in Ljubljana. One of the most famous cultural sights is the Cathedral of St. Nicholas. It is a religious site that was built for the patron of saint of boatmen as well as fishermen. It used to be a chapel but during the 18th century, they replaced it with a Baroque Church.

If you want to know more about Slovenia, particularly about Ljubljana, then you must head in one place – the National Museum. At the entrance of the museum, you will immediately see the four allegorical figures such as the Work, Art, Natural Science, and History. There are different artefacts that can be found here in the National Museum. However, some of the most important displays include Vace’s bronze situla, the mammoth skeleton, the mineralogical collection from Zois, and the Ljubljana Moor’s wooden boat.

You will also be fascinated with all the natural wonders of Ljubljana. At the Ljubljana Moor, the biggest swamp in Slovenia, you may see and encounter various bird species, different kinds of plants, and other animals living near the swamp as well. Houses called Kolisca that were built thousands of years ago by the first inhabitants of the Ljubljana Moor can still be seen in the area.

Ljubljana and Lake Bled – July 24th, 2009.

So I wake up, chill out, and head down the road to a cafe for breakfast with my american hostel buddy. Before heading back, packing the bag and going to explore Ljubljana.

I take the bus in, and go straight for the Dragons Bridge. And my first impressions and now placed in the gutter as this part of Ljubljana is amazing. Its a gorgeous little bit of the city. The Bridge itself is small, no traffic and two dragons protecting it. With the castle in the background and river below, its pretty special.

Dragon Bridge, Ljubljana.

I make my way through some markets and head to the Furnicular, to head up to the Castle. Its not a long wait, and its not long before we’re making our way up to the top of the hill. The hill is basically the centre of the town. And you get a pretty splendid view of the surrounding area. Despite the gloomy look of the majority of the city.

Ljubljana from the Castle.

I walk around the Castle, its courtyards are free, and the buildings you pay to go in. Being on a tight schedule, I opt to just walk around, then head off down to the city below. Its a pretty green walk down to the bottom, with plenty of vantage points of the city.

Chilling on the walk down.

I get down to the bottom of the hill and cruise around. There are these cool little markets around, so I go off and explore them. Before hitting a Mariachi Band and stick around and watch them do their thing y’all.

Mariachi El Ljubljana.

I get in a hurry and go off to get my bag, and head to Lake Bled. I get to the station, and call up the hostel (they have free pick up). However upon the guy arriving, he says “I can’t take you cause we’re full. I’ll drive you to town and you can get a room there”. Oh just fricking great. I spend the next 30-40 minutes searching for hostels and just staying at the first one I find. It’ll do the trick.

I go for a walk down to the Lake and it is pretty impressive. A bright, glacier blue lake that is just waiting to be dived into. There also seems to be some sort of Festival going on with lots of stalls and market shops around.

First view of Lake Bled.

I go around the corner to the supermarket to get some food and a cheap beer or 3. And on my way back I run into Clare and Georgie (two girls I met at Cesky Krumlov). We finish off the beers and head off to have some pizza at Rustic Pizza. Even though its slightly pricey, the pizza is unbelieveable. By far the best I have had (until I get to Italy). And goes down pretty well.

We go grab a jumper as its getting cool – before heading down to the Lake to watch the fireworks and get into the spirit of a festival – that is drink copious amounts of alcohol and have a good time. We grab some Mojitos to go, and beers before seeing the whole lake being flood with light.

Thousands of candle lit egg shells.

The whole lake is being covered in little egg shells with candles in them. The photos do not at all do them justice at all. Something  that you don’t see every day, but literally mind blowing.

The candle lit egg, in a plastic beer glass. All class guys.

We drink some more, and wait around for the fireworks, over the castle and monastery on the lake. Which go off pretty well. Before going to a pub and drinking some more beer. Its a pretty early night -there isn’t a lot of ‘bars’ here. But it is a pretty fun night.

Fireworks over the lake.

Fireworks on the Lake.

Salzburg and Ljubljana -July 23rd, 2009.

So a quick stop at breakfast – usually YHA usually do damn good breakkys, but this one is disappointing. Utterly shit. So I head off to media markt to buy a camera. And then leave salzburg for greener pastures.

I head to the HBF and get on a train to Ljubljana in Slovenia. The train to the border was fantastic – even allowed a bit of a charge of the camera. So I get a few photos of the Austrian countryside.
First impressions of Slovenia, were its rather green and forestry. However upon arrival in Ljubljana, it feels like a eastern europe standard bloc like city. I make my way to the hostel, which is out in the suburbs 0 but its a really cool hostel and the fact its in the ‘burbs is appealing as thats the real Ljubljana.

I end up hanging at the hostel – not doing a great deal. Chilling, talking and organising thetrip. I meet some awesome americans and we watch some hilarious Slovenian show before setting off to bed. So I can get off early and see Ljubljana.

ljubljana, may, 2009

The fruit of collaboration between the International Centre of Graphic Arts (MGLC) in Ljubljana and the Gallery-Museum Lendava next to the Hungarian-Croatian border, the retrospective exhibition A Different Štefan Galič features the full artistic and human scope of the famous Slovenian painter and printmaker Štefan Galič. In Lendava, where a full record of Galič’s painting oeuvre is kept, the exhibition fills a gap in the scholarly treatment and interpretation of the artist, while in Ljubljana we can see Galič’s graphic production, presented in a new way. Both exhibitions run until January 10, 2010.
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In 2007 we went to Ljubljana in Slovenia and visited lovely Lake Bled in the Julian Alps.  The local bus passed out of the city and into the countryside and passed through green meadows flanked by snow capped mountains, vivid green fields surrounding semi Alpine villages with traditional farmhouses and churches.  Finally, after about an hour and twenty minutes on the efficient little bus we pulled into Bled and disembarked into the tourist town and the sunshine.  We planned to walk around the lake but before we started we found a terrace bar for refreshments and debated the alternatives of clockwise or anti-clockwise (a bit like choosing a route around the M25) and we both agreed that anti-clockwise for some unknown reason seemed preferable.

Soon we started our expedition around the lake and set off as planned.  The water was a pleasant turquoise, crystal clear and full of lazy fish resting under the shade of the trees and presumably appreciating and enjoying the fact that fishing here is strictly forbidden.  Quite by chance we spotted something unusual sitting on a rock by the side of the water and upon investigation were surprised to see a Red Eared Terrapin.  I tried to get close but this frightened it and it jumped into the water and swam away.  And then we saw another.  Red Eared Terrapins are not a natural species to the Europe, but have become common due to widespread release of imported pets by the public once it is realised that terrapins in captivity need a lot of care, as they can live to over forty years and they are aggressive, impart a painful bite, and become increasingly difficult to look after.  After they are released into the wild they can grow quite large and can reach the size of a dinner plate and become a real nuisance, chomping their way through native species: fish, newts, toads, frogspawn, dragonfly larvae and, possibly, the occasional young duck.

The water looked inviting so we decided that we would hire a boat and row to the island in the lake with a church.  It had been quite some time since I had been in charge of a boat and my rowing skills were a bit rusty when we cast off and I was called upon to do the Steve Redgrave thing and negotiate our passage across the short distance to the island.  Rowing can be quite a lot more difficult than it looks and I had some early problems coordinating the actions of left and right hand oars to keep us progressing in a straight line and with Kim in charge of plotting the course I had to make frequent adjustments to maintain the right direction.  I found it most helpful however when she began to beat out the rowing tempo in the manner of a Roman galley slave-master but I was worried that I might not be able to cope physically if she decided to up the pace to Ben Hur ramming speed!

We reached the island without incident even though I was slightly concerned by the strange sloshing sound of running water at the front of the boat, I believe the correct nautical term is stern, and I began to worry for a moment that we were certain to take on water and capsize but a quick inspection after we had moored up and with some difficulty left the boat put my mind at rest that this was really quite normal.

There are ninety-nine steps to the church at the top of the island and there is a tradition that if a bridegroom can carry his bride to the top without either stopping for breath or complaining then the couple will enjoy a happy marriage.  If you are tempted to try this super-human feat my then my advice is that you get engaged to a skinny girlfriend because these steps represent seriously hard work just to get yourself to the top without any unnecessary additional burden.  Or perhaps this is simply designed to get you ready for married life.

The island was an interesting little stop-over, it was apparently created one day as a punishment by God, who stopped by one time and was irritated to find his church full of cattle because the villages were suffering from the deadly sin of sloth and had become too lazy to watch over them and had left the church door open, so he made the lake so that in future they couldn’t get across to it.  A nice story but in actual fact the lake is glacial and was formed at the end of the last ice age when water poured in behind the retreating ice.

We left the island and as Kim was convinced that rowing a boat was a straightforward process and that I was simply an incompetent oarsman she decided to take responsibility for the return journey.  She was no better than me of course but I didn’t complain because I was enjoying sitting back in boat enjoying the warm sunshine and the slightly curious meandering route back to the shore.  She did however make a perfect docking procedure and we completed our walk around the lake stopping on route for a pizza and a beer at a bar with a raised terrace and a good view over the lake and after that we completed our circumnavigation of the water and caught the bus back to Ljubljana.