The final summary

 I began this trip as a short adventure in northern Slovenia back in March with the possible intention of adding in a trip to Vienna,

  Over the next few months it morphed into a side trip to Istria in NW Croatia and then, Venice seemed like a possible place to connect through and before I knew it, Figueres Spain was on the list.

  While I tossed some ideas at Susanna and suggested she review some destinations, her youTube Chinese movies had precedence! LOL

 I used a variety of sources to scout this trip. Booking .com for most of the accommodations as well Hotels.Com because of their offers of free nights and reduced rates if paid in advance- no cancellation option so plan carefully.

 Ulmon City Maps App. offered great downloads of various cities and areas and with its off line GPS locator, proved invaluable in finding my way around different cities and large parks.

  Rick Steves travel guides are a good source of background, although they rarely offered hotels that I would have stayed in and made some rather nasty comments about places I thought were perfectly OK.

   TripAdvisor is a site to be taken largely with MANY pinches of salt. A search for best breakfast restaurants in Girona showed only 2 actually open at 8am with the rest serving meals at 12:30pm or even as late as 8pm.

   Many negative or extremely glowing reviews are one off's meaning the person is either an employee or a competitor. I will never read a review from a local with a single review or anyone from anywhere with less than 5 or 6 published reviews. 

   Further, regarding Things to Do- the site tends to lead you to sites like Viator who charge rip off rates for basic tours. Our Barcelona-Fifueres Girona round trip cost us a total $70 per person including entry tickets and an overnight stay at a 3star in Girona. A single day trip on most travel link was $120 AND HIGHER, WITH NO HOTEL STAY. So buyer beware.

 This trip involved 4 countries, 12 different cities, 2 rental cars, 4 train rides,2 caves, 2 days of lake hiking, several castles and approx. 200km of walking. As a G or Intrepid adventure, it probably would have put a couple of people in hospital for IV fluids and a day of rest, so maybe I'll propose it to them as two back to back trips.

 Having had some knee issues going into this project, they are significantly worse in the days following.

 A little weight loss as well as some other medical issues may be a dire warning that I did bight off more than I can chew, but I am still kicking and ready to start planning my next one- just once I figure out all the Croatian jiberish and their accompanying bills on my Visa Statement.

 Until the next trip!!! Cheers and Happy Trails!

         

Barcelona and Girona

It has been several years since we last visited Barcelona and our plans for this visit focussed primarily on a visit to the Basilica of the Familia Sagrada and an out of town trip to Figueres,noted mostly for its Salvador Dali Theatre and Museum.
  The Basilica had changed somewhat since our last visit with the completion of much of the interior, as well as the addition of some additional towers and a treasury.
 Our visit allowed us to spend some time surveying the massive interior with its soarking roof supported by pillars designed to resemble trees with  "leavees" that added both visually and acoustically. The stained glass windows were reflective of the direction which they faced, those to the east showing cooler hues of blue and green, while those of the west showed deep reds and orange, reflective of the afternoon sun.
 A trip via elevator to the 65 metre level afforded some spectacular views of the city, as well, upon descending via a spiral staircase of 383 steps, some eye catching views of the building's exterior. With several towers yet to be completed the final stages of construction are planned for 2026.
 Having been dedicated by the Pope in 2010 the Basilica is now an official place of worship, although it's religious significance will probably never match it's appeal as an architectural masterwork. With hundreds of figures and animals sculpted into the building's exterior, it is a work of art that can transfix for hours as one catches the little intricacies and details that Gaudi and subsequent contributors have added to the look of the building. It is a Must See for anyone Catholic or who appreciates abstract architecture . Like the statue of Chief Crazy Horse in South Dakota, these are icons to man's determination to leave a mark on the planet which will make people think.
   Friends rail about the expense involved and how the money could be used to clothe the poor and feed the hungry. Both projects are privately funded, employee hundreds if not thousands and unlike governments, dont waste money. I think they are doing their share.

 On the morning of our third day in the city we boarded a high speed train for the one hour ( 110km) journey north to the town of Figueres where we spent a few hours visiting the Dali Museum and theatre
  Unlike the museum in St Petersburg, Florida, this museum featured mostly Dali's smaller paintings and art works as well as a few copies of some of his masterworks- Located in a rather unique theatre the building featured several large rooms and galleries as well as several joining hallways, spread out over several floors. While the art and imagination of this creative genius/madman was quite stunning, it did not produce the same awe and excitement of seeing the massive paintings on display in Florida.
 Sufficiently Dalified after almost 3 hours we grabbed a quick lunch and headed for the train station for our final stop of the trip.
 Girona lies about 20km south of Figueres and the journey took about a half hour by commuter train. A quick taxi ride brought us to our lodgings for the evening, the  Hotel Ultonia, the first "actual" hotel of our trip- the rest all having been B& B's or guesthouses.
 Like most stops on our journey, Girona consists of a rather mundane modern town that surrounds an "old town" In the case of Girona, this consisted of a fairly large Jewish Quarter, consisting of narrow winding streets as well as several surrounding districts. With buildings dating back to the Middle of Ages and even earlier the old town is located adjacent to a small river which separates it from the modern town which can be accessed by several foot bridges.
 Although we did specifically visit the Cathedral we spent most of our time just wandering through the narrow cobbled streets admiring the scenery. The Cathedral dates back to 1038 when it was consecrated and began as a Roman style building, but converted to Neo-Goyjic in the 13th Century    The ratherdark interior featured a rather large number of chapels dedicated to various saints and significant figures in the history of the local area and the Catholic Church in Spain. We visited for almost two hours, trapped by a heavy downpour of rain that left the adjacent streets too skippy to
walk
 Further walks, as the pavement dried found us exploring  deeper into the upper areas of the town. Narrow winding lanes proved sunning viewpoints of the descending sun and the approach of evening.
  Thursday morning a leisurely walk brought us to the train station for a slow ( 15 stop) 90 minute ride back to Barcelona. Plans to visit Parc Guell and the Magic Fountain of Plaza Espahna didn't happen , being substituted by a visit to the Arc de Triomf and an adjacent wine fest near the Parc de La Citadella.
 A couple of hours in  Gothic Quarter to the east of the Ramblas brought us to the "real Farmers market" with few tourists and prices much lower that the tourist trap of Mercat de la Bouqeria
 Returning to our quarters off Diagonal we did a druy run through packing before heading for a local restuarant/ cafe for supper. Squid and Chickens for mains, grilled veggies, fries and rice for side dishes- all under 25 Euro including a glass of the house wine.
 Our departure Friday morning was by, mostly, Airport bus- about $6:50 each for the half hour ride- Toronto take note!!! with your discount ( but still twice the price fares!!
  Farewell Barcelona.

Zagreb- home of the endless pub crawl!

The city of Zagreb is probably at the bottom of most people's lists of places to see before they die, but surprisingly this place has a lot to offer. Our accommodations, while a little too high in a building without an elevator, are smack in the centre of town, offer a somewhat uncomfortable attempt at a queen bed- seemingly large stools pushed into a square with a3 inch mattress/topper. The place is clean, has a fully equipped kitchenette with fridge, two burner stove and a microwave.
 The main square is less than 1/4 mile away and there are literally hundreds of bars and restaurants within the same approx. distance.
 We arrived on a Saturday afternoon and were amazed to see that the open air market in the main open area, Jelacic Square, was still in full swing at 7pm, even though it supposedly closes at 3pm.
  A somewhat late evening meal left us a little too full to go to sleep right away, so we took some time to wander. The first side street we encountered proved to be THE street to hang out on a Saturday night. Thalciceva (with a few extra accents that my keyboard wont accommodate, or rather I am too lazy to learn!) with a bar located about every feet and the occasional restaurant thrown into the mix, this place is clearly a beer lovers dream, with at least 10-12 on tap offerings at most places.
 The city centre is divided into 2 sections, Upper Town and Lower Town. Upper Town was originally 2 separate towns that eventually merged some 200 years ago. The two towns are roughly 150 feet apart in terms of vertical height, the upper part of Upper Town being reached either by funicular or a combination of steeply sloping passageways or stairs. While many of the buildings in this area are eye catching, the most unique is St. Marks Church with a roof decorated with tiles that show 2 different Coats of Arms. The left is a symbol representing northern Croatia, on the right the city of Zagreb. In spite of it being a Sunday, the church appears locked up tight except for Worship in the morning.
  In other parts of Gradec, the original name of this area, one can find the oldest pharmacy of the country (1355). Again closed because it was Sunday. Some quirky museums and ornate buildings could be seen in the streets around St Mark's Square, once past the Stone Gate and it's adjacent chapel the roads twist and wind back down towards Kaptol, the adjacent upper town.
  Here one can find a smaller square where the (Dolac) Sunday Market was in full swing for most of the morning and early afternoon.Grapes and honey products seemed to be the main items with potatoes and various peppers and berries making up their fare share of offerings. Off to the side a small fish market was offering fresh squid, cuttlefish, chunks of tuna and various whole fish on ice, all seemingly so fresh it had been caught early that morning.
  Just over from the Dolac and visible from much of the town is Zagreb's Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Saintly Kings, Stephen and Ladislaw- try saying that fast 3 times!
   Identified primarily as "The Cathedral, it is not a really old building. Completed in Neo-Gothic style, and with one spire currently shrouded and being renovated it seemed rather unwieldy and a little top heavy from the distance.  Some distance from the entrance at the edge of the square is a tall statue topped with a gilded Madonna and surrounded by several similarly guilded angels.
  The current church which replaced an older one destroyed by an earthquake in 1880 was built using limestone, which, it seems is too porous for the damp and freeze cycles of Zagreb winters, hence the shrouding of the spires as the limestone is slowly being replaced with stronger materials.
  A brief view of the interior showed as a somewhat interesting place of worship with a few significant statues and monuments as well as a unique main alter- google if you have the time or inclination,
  A walk through the Lower town proved to be less interesting than the Upper town- a few small parks and some dull Yellow Palaces, government buildings and concert halls, much from the reign of Tito. Time and a general lack of energy prevented a more in depth view of this area. Note to elf and others, Zagreb probably needs a full 2 days and 3 nights to see it at a reasonable pace.
 While it was our last stop in Croatia, I think a future visit is due. The central hill towns of Istria were missed due to lack of time and there are other islands to see besides the ones around Hvar ( which we explored in 2014. Eastern Slovenia was omitted from our agenda and being so close to Zagreb, could be easily included with a brief car rental or public transport.
 Monday, our last morning in Zagreb was spent largely packing and getting organized for our flight to Barcelona, an easy local tram ride brought us to the bus station, where they conveniently hide the airport buses behind a screen at the far right of the airport whuch can be excessed through a storefront marked CroatiaBus lines.
 Next stopover- Munich, then on to the Big B.

Plitvice Lakes

Stressed and angry about missing my turn, I took a few deep breaths and pulled up a copy of Ulman, another offline routing system I frequently use. Rather than use the route suggested by Google maps it suggested another route 12 km further on. As I drove I questioned how I could have missed any road signs. We eventually arrived at the town of Karlovac where I left the highway, paid my 59 kuna toll ( $12 Canadian) and set off in the direction indicated by the Plitvicka Jezera signs- only 95 km away. I swear that every 5 km the signs showed the same posting except the distance was 2km lower.
 Travelling on winding country roads with lots of speed controlled areas, i.e. small hamlets and villages, we crawled along at 35kph, the 6th or 7th vehicle in a convey of trucks, caravans and slow moving tourists. Occasionally a suicidal local would fly up from the rear, hammer on the brakes, cutting into a space no wider than his car resulting in everyone else hitting the brakes and going even slower.
   Half an hour later the Plitvicka Jezera said still showed 65km and I was stuck behind a slow moving mini cargo van, a heavily laden oil tanker and a semi.
Expecting this to be the case for the rest of the trip I was suddenly surprised to see a passing lane open up and I was finally free! With the car set to sport mode I managed to make the last stretch in just over 35 minutes, pulling into our guesthouse parking lot around 2pm.
  Half an hour later we were at the park gates forking over $90 each for 2 day passes.
   Plitvice Lakes is a National Park of 16 interconnected lakes. It is roughly divided into an Upper Lakes and a Lower Lakes region, with a very large lake, Lake Kozjac, marking the division. By very large, I am talking European or English Lake District style large, not Canadian!!!
 Playing it safe, we opted for the shuttle service to get us to the top of the Upper Lakes. The options for trails ranged from 12 hour hikes throughout the entire area down to a lazy 4km, straight to the bottom, trip.
 We chose a meandering walk along a somewhat zig zag path allowing us to see the bigger lakes from several viewpoints.
 With water so brilliantly clear that one could see all the way to the bottom the lakes all had a unique blue/green cast to them, reflective of the high calcium carbonate content in the water, In slower moving water much of it settled to the bottom but at fallsand rapids it apparently breaks apart, releasing CO2 and depositing calcium and thus changing the shape and flow of the lakes,
 The trails themselves ranged from stony sandy walkways to log roads and bridges. Sometimes we were in bright sunshine, at others deeply emersed in dark woods with fallen trees, their moss covered broken limbs a home for various mushroom species. Ever present was the sound of moving water, rushing , gushing, bubbling, laughing, splashing. From babbling brook to massive waterfall, every degree of falling water was represented as we followed our paths back to Lake Kozjak and our shuttle boat back to the main starting point.

  At 5am, I can hear thunder rolling and intermittent bursts of intense rain bouncing off the roof of our temporary home. We have all day to complete the track through the Lower Lakes and the 2 hour drive to Zagreb.
 Today also marks my 64th birthday- memories of playing the Beatles,- Sergeant Peppers on my small  mono record player in the summer of 69.( sounds like the title of a song!!! LOL
 Saturday evening:
   The trip through the Lower Lakes involved a shuttle ride to get about halfway through then we walked down to the start of the Korana River ( where the lakes end) and began a slow steady climb back towards Lake Kozjak. The volume of tourists was probably 4-5 times more than Friday with some of the trails coming to a standstill, especially near the more spectacular waterfalls. We eventually arrived at the boat station, along with about 1000 other people! The wait for a boat back to the main gate was probably a good half hour- the other option-( a 3km walk) wasn't getting any approval from Susanna.
 The return trip to the highway was a lot smoother than the Friday trek to the Lakes. Traffic was a lot lighter and considerably faster.
   We arrived in Zagreb around 4pm and discovered that the city is just as fun to drive and park in as Ljubljana. Our apartment was downtown on a Main Street that somehow seemed unreachable. Every road we approached had an arrow going the opposite way. We eventually stumbled into a parkade a block away, unloaded the car and hauled our "stuff" the 200 yards to the city block where an employee was waiting to assist us with our bags to the 4th floor apartment (5th floor for North Americans!) No elevator!
The building looked like it was about ready for demolition but the apartments themselves were the best accommodations of the entire trip. A very spacious room with a fully equipped kitchenette. For 50 euro a night,it was a bargain compared to the rates we had being paying in other locations.
 We quickly returned to the parking garage and returned the car to the rental location- a hotel on the other side of town. An easy 15 minute tram ride brought us back to our temporary home and we were able to unwind for a short while before heading out to explore our new surroundings.

Rovinj

The journey from Ljubljana to Rovinj took a little over 3 hours and the driver was nice enough ( for a five euro "tip") to drop us off at our hotel, saving us a bit of a walk from the bus station.
 The town itself is quite small and has been described as Venice without the canals. Situated on the edge of the Adriatic it seems to draw a mixed crowd of tourists from all over Europe.
 Originally an island a few hundred feet offshore, the passage was ultimately filled in with rocks and rubble in the mid 1700's so now the town divided into the original Old Town, an adjacent section with all the boat docks, restaurants and tourist shops and the modern town which has spread out from the original island.
 The main tourist attraction is the Church of St Euphemia. Located at the top of a steep walk from sea level ir's spire and the adjacent tower can be seen from most areas of the central town. Built in 1754 the history of the Saint goes back to the time of the Roman emperor Diocletian. I'll spare you the details but the Saimts remains eventually arrived in Rovins some hundreds of years after her death and are stored in a sarcophagus behind the alter. Today (Sept 16th) marks her Holy Day in the town, but we did not stay to observe them as we were leaving town quite early.
 While there are other specific sites to visit, the town itself is a cluster of narrow winding streets with slippery polished cobblestones that might prove deadly in rain,
 Along the seafront, bars and restaurants compete for business with the seafood platter for two serving as the main differentiator. Going for upwards of $80 in some places, we were pleased when the wife at our apartment rental suggested a more reasonable place off a small side street.
 Thursday morning we picked up our "subcompact" rental car which turned out to be a full size BMW diesel with most of the toys. The planned stop was the town of Pula, some 30km sough. It's claims to fame are a fully intact Roman Amphitheater and a temple  dedicated to Hadrian (Roman God of really shitty groceries back when I was 12!) The amphitheatre even allowed an underground tour showing where the potential victims hung out getting slightly sizzled while they anticipated their next  and perhaps final battle,
 Following our views of the Roman "stuff" we we wandered through various museums, Art galleries etc. before heading back to Roinj where we parked the car for the night, unsure of the penalties of DUI in Croatia.
 Dinner tonight at La Vela was a massive plate of mussels, a half litre of local Plonc and two more seafood dishes for our mains.
  A lengthy walk along the waterfront usurped we were ready for bed by the time we returned home to pack. Packing was ultimately abandoned for Friday morning as I decided that route planning  and sleep were our first priorities.
 The route across Croatia took us somewhat over 4 hours due to slow winding roads at the outset.
 Once we escaped the confines around Rovinj the road became divided and ultimately divided toll expressway. With mountain tunnels at several points, one exceeding 5km in length, it was an interesting route with mountains to the north and sea views to the south, although at 130-140 kph I was catching few side views.
 At the divide between Istria and central Croatia we encountered several downpours that reduced visibility and therefore speed by a great deal. The road continued to indicate both the towns of Zagreb and Split for so long that I thought we might be on the wrong road.
 Eventually the road to Split did split off and I began looking for my turn to the south.
 Pulling into a gas station for a quick break ( note the car had no GPS) I fired up a copy of Google offline maps which showed me that my turn off was back up the road along which I had come and there was no turning around for at least 15km. Damn! Damn! Damn!

Day one in Croatia

It is now Wednesday evening and we are relaxing in our accommodations in Rovinj after a rather filling meal at La Vela, an Italian Tratorria recommended by the landlord's wife.
 The time in Ljubljana sort of flew by leaving little time to write about it.
  Monday morning a free city tour kept us occupied and entertained by a guide who was clearly infatuated with his own city and seemed to have an answer to every question. During the tour we met up with our friend Ville who was, like us, exploring the city.
 After the tour we met up with him for a late lunch before he set off for the airport. The balance of the day was spent relaxing and resting up for another evening "on the town"- which, at our age, generally means staying up past 10!
  Tuesday was, essentially a rehash of Monday with the addition of a tour of the castle. A funicular ride up and down saved us from the Agony of De Feet!! I.e. The pain of walking the 3/4 km route up to the top of the hill.
 Upon returning to ground level we tried the offerings supplied by the food trucks at the central market. Susanna, as usual chose squid while I had my first sample of chevapicici in quite a while
 (don't quote me on the spelling) small skinless sausages made with lamb and varying amounts of pork ( depending on the  area- no pork if any clientele might be Muslim) Traditionally they are served on a flatbread with raw onions and sour cream or a puréed pepper mixture. These weren't the best but they were still pretty good.
 A quick power nap later we set off on our final exploration of the city, this time concentrating on the west side with a stop at the Serbian Orthodox Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius. ( I didn't know who they were either) but the church was beautifully decorated with a variety of frescoes making one think that it was very old, when in fact, it was actually built in 1936.
 From there we did a walk by of the American Embassy, a rather quaint looking chalet like building with Ottoman style features.
We eventually stumbled upon the house of Joze Plecnik, the architect who designed much of the city. With 3 minutes left till closing the curator let us have a quick look around before we made a fast exit, stopping at a neighbourhood bar for a quick beer before heading back to the city centre.
 While Ljubljana has several key places to visit, such as the castle and cathedral, it is really a place to simply wander and explore. The amazing architecture alone would keep one busy for hours on end. I'm sure we will be back.

 

Ljubljana- our last stop in Slovenia

Sunday morning:
 We did ultimately decide to take in both Predjama Castle and Postojna Cave before completing the drive to Ljubljana.
 Arriving at the cave around 10:30am it became quickly apparent that this was a significantly more commercial enterprise than the Skocjan cave. Looking almost like the entrance to Disneyworld there were clearly several hundred tourists here and the whole set up looked like it was geared for add on sales, with shops, food vendors, merchandising booths etc. Tickets were assigned based on entry time and preferred tour language and we found ourselves in a crowd of about 150 people for the 11am English speaking group. It was clear from the outset that English was not the first language of at least 75% of the group but perhaps the other options, German, French and Italian were even harder for them.
 Our entry into the cave involved a 2km "train ride" which deposited us in the first of  several sections of the cave. Apparently the biggest in Slovenia with 12 km of it having been explored, our visit covered roughly 5km with 3 of those covered by train and the remaining 2 by walking. To say it was spectacular would, at the very least,  be a great understatement. I have been in caves in many parts of the world and the size of the various galleries and the stalactites and stalagmites on display here dwarfed anything else I have seen before. Measuring up to  15 feet in length with some forming columns several feet wide they were just amazing to see. All it took to make them was a few drops of water, some added minerals and about a half a million years.
  Returning to the surface, it took a while for my eyes to re-adjust to the bright sunshine.
After exiting the cave area we followed the road north to the town of Predjama to visit the "cave castle" Situated at the mouth of a large cave accessible by a narrow bridge the Castle replaced an earlier castle which was actually built within the cave. The current structure was begun around 1200 AD and was about 1/3rd the size of the present structure.  Several additions over the years brought it to the current size, the last being completed in the late 1500's. A tour of the interior revealed a rather dreary and damp home, designed more for defence than comfort.
 After leaving the castle we returned to Postojna for a quick but rather late lunch before completing the 45 minute drive to Ljubljana. We found our accomodations easily enough but finding a parking spot was worse than finding a needle in a haystack. This clearly a city designed more with pedestrians in mind than automobiles. After parking illegally in a construction zone I dropped our luggage off and returned the car to the rental agency rather than keep it overnight as originally planned.
  After the obligatory daily ritual of showering and washing our clothing we set off to explore the city core. Centred on a large hill which is topped by a large castle the town is bisected by a river that follows a circular path across the city. Several bridges separate the two parts of the town and along each riverbank are promenades that feature dozens of bars, cafes and restaurants. Various plazas and parks give the city an air of elegance that is lacking in most modern cities. The architecture is reminiscent of Vienna, but apparently Salsburg is a better comparison, although not having been there, I can't really say.
 A late dinner at a sidewalk restaurant turned out to be a bit of a disappointment as the pork and veal that we ordered were dry and overdone. At less than 20 Euro including wine and an after dinner brandy, we couldn't really complain ( To compare, a typical meal in Venice was 45-60 euro.)
  The food quality was quickly forgotten as we spent the next hour strolling along the riverbank, people watching and listening to the various musicians playing a variety of styles- Gyspsy violin, Italian Accordian and British Busker ( fully equipped with guitar, bass drum, high hat and harmonica) The latter was electronically amplified and clearly had the others beat in terms of volume and projection, though not necessarily quality!!!
 All in all, a very busy and rather memorable day. I omitted the part about gassing up my rental vehicle in the interest of brevity. Suffice to say, it was one of those situations where you had to be there but to give you a hint, there was only one cashier and the guy ahead of me was clearly drunk and convinced he had a winning lottery ticket but the cashier thought otherwise. One of those, you couldn't make this shit up if you tried scenarios!!!!
 

Ljubljana- our last stop in Slovenia

Sunday morning:
 We did ultimately decide to take in both Predjama Castle and Postojna Cave before completing the drive to Ljubljana.
 Arriving at the cave around 10:30am it became quickly apparent that this was a significantly more commercial enterprise than the Skocjan cave. Looking almost like the entrance to Disneyworld there were clearly several hundred tourists here and the whole set up looked like it was geared for add on sales, with shops, food vendors, merchandising booths etc. Tickets were assigned based on entry time and preferred tour language and we found ourselves in a crowd of about 150 people for the 11am English speaking group. It was clear from the outset that English was not the first language of at least 75% of the group but perhaps the other options, German, French and Italian were even harder for them.
 Our entry into the cave involved a 2km "train ride" which deposited us in the first of  several sections of the cave. Apparently the biggest in Slovenia with 12 km of it having been explored, our visit covered roughly 5km with 3 of those covered by train and the remaining 2 by walking. To say it was spectacular would, at the very least,  be a great understatement. I have been in caves in many parts of the world and the size of the various galleries and the stalactites and stalagmites on display here dwarfed anything else I have seen before. Measuring up to  15 feet in length with some forming columns several feet wide they were just amazing to see. All it took to make them was a few drops of water, some added minerals and about a half a million years.
  Returning to the surface, it took a while for my eyes to re-adjust to the bright sunshine.
After exiting the cave area we followed the road north to the town of Predjama to visit the "cave castle" Situated at the mouth of a large cave accessible by a narrow bridge the Castle replaced an earlier castle which was actually built within the cave. The current structure was begun around 1200 AD and was about 1/3rd the size of the present structure.  Several additions over the years brought it to the current size, the last being completed in the late 1500's. A tour of the interior revealed a rather dreary and damp home, designed more for defence than comfort.
 After leaving the castle we returned to Postojna for a quick but rather late lunch before completing the 45 minute drive to Ljubljana. We found our accomodations easily enough but finding a parking spot was worse than finding a needle in a haystack. This clearly a city designed more with pedestrians in mind than automobiles. After parking illegally in a construction zone I dropped our luggage off and returned the car to the rental agency rather than keep it overnight as originally planned.
  After the obligatory daily ritual of showering and washing our clothing we set off to explore the city core. Centred on a large hill which is topped by a large castle the town is bisected by a river that follows a circular path across the city. Several bridges separate the two parts of the town and along each riverbank are promenades that feature dozens of bars, cafes and restaurants. Various plazas and parks give the city an air of elegance that is lacking in most modern cities. The architecture is reminiscent of Vienna, but apparently Salsburg is a better comparison, although not having been there, I can't really say.
 A late dinner at a sidewalk restaurant turned out to be a bit of a disappointment as the pork and veal that we ordered were dry and overdone. At less than 20 Euro including wine and an after dinner brandy, we couldn't really complain ( To compare, a typical meal in Venice was 45-60 euro.)
  The food quality was quickly forgotten as we spent the next hour strolling along the riverbank, people watching and listening to the various musicians playing a variety of styles- Gyspsy violin, Italian Accordian and British Busker ( fully equipped with guitar, bass drum, high hat and harmonica) The latter was electronically amplified and clearly had the others beat in terms of volume and projection, though not necessarily quality!!!
 All in all, a very busy and rather memorable day. I omitted the part about gassing up my rental vehicle in the interest of brevity. Suffice to say, it was one of those situations where you had to be there but to give you a hint, there was only one cashier and the guy ahead of me was clearly drunk and convinced he had a winning lottery ticket but the cashier thought otherwise. One of those, you couldn't make this shit up if you tried scenarios!!!!
 

Caves and Castles

Tonight we are in the town of Postojna roughly located in the centre of the country.
 Thursday evening we arrived at our planned hotel- Guesthouse Marco to find the owner nowhere to be seen. With the help of a guest who was just leaving we gained entry to the house and awaited his return. He returned shortly thereafter, having been out for his daily walk with his dog.
 After a quick shower and change of clothing we met up with a friend from a previous tour who was also visiting Bled from Stockholm, Sweden. We walked along the lake for a while then spent a couple of hours having dinner together. The main topics of discussion were past trips and plans for future adventures. We made tentative plans to meet again in Ljubljana if we arrived in good time on Sunday.
 Yesterday ( Friday) we spent our time in Bled with the better part of the morning engaged in a walking tour around the entire lake (7km) The focal point of the lake is a small island located towards  the south end of the lake. A small church is the main reason people visit the island, either by rowing themselves or hiring the services of a gondolier ( although their boats look nothing like the ones in Venice. Occasionally some of the more adventurous types will actually swim to the island, although walking into the church half naked and soaking wet is probably frowned upon. Based on TripAdvisor reviews we decided we would simply view and photowgraph the island from multiple angles rather than see it up close.
 The rest of the day was spent relaxing and recuperating and planning today's trip. After a sizeable serving of lamb chops at a recommended Osteria ( the Slovenian equivalent of a tratorria) we set off in search of Bled cake to satisfy our curiosity. A small bakery at the other side of the lake provided a large slab of the local delicacy- custard and cream sandwiched between 2 layers of filo pastry.
This morning we picked up a our rental car, a Volkswagen Golf 6 speed manual.
 Setting out from the town we picked up the highway and followed it west for several km, exiting onto a secondary road before it carved north into Austria. Continuing west towards Italy for several km we turned south and began a slow steady climb through the Vrsic Pass. The road narrowed as weak began a series of hairpin bends (24 altogether) before we reached the summit. A little rusty, not having driven a standard in several years, the first few turns were a little laboured until I managed to adjust my speed to the steep inclines. The decent involved a further 26 turns before the road levelled out into the Soca River Valley. Stopping in the town of  Kobarid, we enjoyed a leisurely lunch before continuing our journey.
  Arriving in Skocjan a little later than planned due to an impromptu diversion across the border, we found ourselves a little early for the 4pm tour of the cave. Having been forewarned that the cave was quite cool inside, we found ourselves a little overdressed for the toughly 1 km walk to the cave's entrance. After a brief explanation we set off into the first section of what would be a 2km hike as we descended some 500 feet below the surface. Consisting of two different sections, a smaller quiet area then a large underground canyon with a river running through it.
 We emerged some 90 minutes later having viewed some spectacular stalactite formations and some , now dry, pools reminiscent of the limestone formations of Cappadocia. Leaving the cave we hiked around a collapsed canyon before climbing another 200 steps to the surface.
 A 30 minute drive brought us to the town of Postojna where we are staying the night with the idea of visiting the much larger ( and more touristy) Postonja Cave and also Predjama Castle.

I always wanted Breakfast in Bled!

But before I jump to the title I need to roll things back till Wednesday , our last full day in Venice, and by that I mean a very full day.
   We spent the morning visiting the Rialto Bridge and market area complete with a fresh vegetable market and fish market. On display at the latter were a variety of sea creatures, including octopus and shrimp, scampi and the black squid featured in the regional black pasta dishes, some large tuna steaks and halibut took on a slightly different look when seen as whole chunks of fish, ass opposed to serving size.
 Following the market tour we spent some time enjoying visits to a couple of churches in the area, the first, the much smaller Church SAN POLO ( S. Paulo Apostolo)- perhaps one of the oldest in Venice with its boat hull shaped ceiling and its various at works from ancient Venetian  Masters.
  A block or so away we found the much larger Frari Church ( The Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari) Built in !942 by the Franciscan Order it features massive works byTitian, Bellini and Donatello. Itself the size of a large Cathedral, one could not fail to be impressed with the soaring nave and intricately carved Choir area.
 We completed our sorti in time for a quick lunch before completing our tour of the Grand Canal by Vaporeto to the train station and then a connecting boat to the island of Murano, home of the famous, and famously expensive Murano Glass.
 While Susanna purchased a small piece, I opted not to barter on the art piece I had selected- feeling safer to just to turn tail and run!
The piece,  10 inches high, perhaps 12-15 pounds of glass appeared to be a crystal enclosing several small jelly fish of varyingcolours of glass, their bodies and tentacles beautifully done in contrasting colours. At ONLY 4900 Euro or $7400 Canadian it would have looked amazing as the centre piece of my coffee table, but , perhaps a little to large to fit in my carry on. Besides a certain spouse would have probably used it as an anchor when she threw my beaten corpse into the Grand Canal!! LOL
 Departing Murano, we boarded another for a somewhat lengthy trip to the island of Burano, famous for lace and the fact that most houses are painted in different colours, some pastel shades of yellow and orange or blue, some in screamingly bold reds, pinks, purples and blues, We wandered the town for an hour before catching another boat back to our home stop at the Fondamente Nove and from there a 5 minute walk to our B & B.
  Wednesday morning required an early start for our 5 part journey to Bled. Firstly the Vaporetto to the train station, platform 5 then a train to Gorizia on the Italian border. The train stations in Italy and Slovenia are 5 km apart with a bus ride in between, complicated by a lack of understanding of the ticket vendors Italian explanation, which resulted in us almost missing the bus. Alighting at the border we crossed into Slovenia through the front doors of the Nova Gorica train station, looking & Bvery impressive from the front but rather blah and indifferent once we got to the platforms. The border was non existent to view, with the original border control booths and guards a think of the past.
  After purchasing tickets we settled in for a 90 minute wait for the train to Bled, so we shared a baguette of ham and cheese while we waited. Upon it's arrival the train took on the appearance of glorified school bus as dozens of students ascended onto the train for their rides home. Between Nova Gorica and Bled were stops at toughly 6-10 minute intervals to release small groups into their respective villages, thus making the journey almost 2 hours, The route was mostly mountainous with some amazing views, extremely long tunnels and the scent of freshly cut wood as we passed through several towns involved in harvesting lumbar.  The train rolled into Bled Jezero station at 4:30 but it was 5pm by the time we located a taxi and arrived at our Guesthouse for the evening.
  To be continued::

Pizzas, Piazzas and Pidgeons

That title pretty well sums up Venice in three words and one could easily see the major sights in less than a day if pushed. A more sensible approach would be a full week, but we allowed ourselves 3 days, meaning we will have to come back at some point to finish what we missed.
 Today we joined the masses in St Mark's Square and managed to avoid getting dive bombed by the pigeons as we made our way to the relative quiet of the Correr Museum. There we spent an hour or so getting an overview of Venitian Art, Culture and History.
 Crossing the Square we decided to skip the line leading to the Basilica, opting instead for a tour of the Doge's Palace and the adjacent prison. The two are connected by the Bridge of Sighs and essentially show the best and worst places to hang out in Venice in the " Good Old Day"
  Emerging from the prison at roughly 1:30pm we realized the line into the Basilica wasn't getting any shorter, and having already seen close to 150 churches on previous tours of Europe we decided to save it for our next visit and grab some lunch.
   Restaurant prices are inversely proportional to the distance the restaurant is from St Mark's so a Pannini and drink on the Square is 13 Euro whereas, by our B&B ( 1.2 km away ) it is 4 Euro.
 We settled on a halfway point for a pizza and vino blanco for me while Susanna opted for a spaghetti starter and a seafood salad. 24 Euro in total.
 A quick power nap later we found ourselves catching a Vaporetto ( water taxi) for an almost complete circumnavigation of the island. Hoping off on the South East edge of the island we took a leisurely walk along the shore of St Mark's Basin, a promenade with dozens of overpriced restaurants and gondola operators vying for our patronage.
 After another quick foray through St Mark's Square we wandered the interior of  the San Marco district and all it's touristic finery. All the big name stores were represented, Guggi , Dolce and Banana ( or whatever it's called) , Coach, etc, etc. We never did find a Mark's and Spencer and there didn't seem to be a Walmart, but we wern't really there to shop so it didn't matter. I almost bought a new shaving brush but the 120 euro price tag was a slight deterrent - badger hair- most likely hand plucked by a guy named Louigi Two Fingers after getting the others bitten off!!!
 We eventually stumbled upon a restaurant offering a decent Menu al Dia- ( Daily Special) As always, spaghetti to start and we decided on grilled fish with grilled veggies as the main. The fish was served whole- I love it when my meal stares back at me! And I still hate eggplant. Grilled, fried, baked or whatever, it still has the texture of limp wallpaper- Thank God it also came with zucchini, tomato and pepper.
 A slow meandering walk home gave us a glimpse of the nightlife we might have enjoyed had we been 30 years younger. A few street parties seemed to be breaking out but we have to save our strength for the rest of the trip.

Venice- not a car to be seen!

Today is officially Day One of our vacation and while we started out with an enthusiastic approach, we seem to be feeling the effects of jet lag and perhaps a little too much exercise for day one.
 Our accommodations are located in a 3 room B &B in western Cannaregio.  Red walls, a high wood beamed ceiling and gold painted furnishings make the place look like something out of France, pre-revolution. A large glass chandelier further adds to the look.
  If you picture Venice as a fish facing left, we are 1/2 way along its back, roughly 150 metres from the northern side of the island. Everything of importance seems to be 15-20 minutes walking distance, assuming things progress in a straight line and you don't get lost or distracted. Of course no streets run straight here for more than 100 metres and there is always a photo op just around the next corner, so staying on track isn't easy.
 A planned trip to see the Rialto Bridge turned into a meandering hike across much of the town centre with us finding said bridge to be draped in construction cloth once we got there. Happily the construction was limited to the north side so we could still view it from the south once we squeezed past 800 tourists mostly armed with selfie sticks and phones. We followed this with a boat ride along the western part of the Grand Canal before retreating back to our hotel neighbourhood for a rather late ( or very early-based on Ontario time) lunch. As is our habit we stick mostly to seafood when the opportunity allows and today was no exception. Mixed seafood platter to start then pasta with clams  and scallops.
 A quick power nap gave us just enough energy to explore a few of the larger piazzas . Waiters were setting up tables and umbrellas while flee markets were taking down their stalls and packing away their junk for another day.
 Relying on YELP  to locate a local supermarket proved to be a real pain and we eventually relied on instinct i.e. Spotting people with grocery bags and backtracking!
 So supper tonight was a ham and cheese panini, some vino tinto and a kg of (almost) locally picked green grapes- very sweet.
 The plan for tomorrow was a tour of St Marks Square along with another half million tourists, but honestly, you can walk around almost anywhere in this town and find some really awesome scenery, so we won't get too worked up about making plans. With two full days here before we head for Slovenia, there is really no need to rush. It is far better to take it slow and avoid the dog poop! Yes,every other person on this island seems to have a four legged friend but the idea of poop and scoop seems a little too space age for these people, which might explain the lack of barefoot Hari Krishna panhandlers in this neck of the woods!!