05 Nov '05 - + 19 - 19 Rijeka and Ljubljana
Yesterday, we went to Rijeka, Croatia for a day trip before continuing
on to Ljubljana, Slovakia (a friend of mine doesn't believe that
Ljubljana is a real word).
Rijeka is a big port city close to some beautiful coastline, so most
tourists just pass through it. We didn't have time to hit the
more remote coasts, so we focused on Rijeka instead. While it
wasn't bad, we definitely want to spend more time exploring the
Croatian coast.
Ljubljana is a perfect small European city.
Rijeka has evidence of a lot of cultures in it: Roman ruins,
Catholic churches, Austrian theaters, a Hungarian train station, and a
Slavic language. The last part might have been the strangest for
me. From my Russian experience, I'm used to associating the
Slavic culture with forests, plains, and the cold. However, here
was an active Mediterranean city that used a language related to that
of Siberia. It felt Italian (which makes sense due to previous
ownership by Venice), but it was part of a different culture.
Rijeka isn't a compelling place to visit, but it was a good stop for a day between other towns.
City Tower
Me at the Castle Overlooking the Port of Rijeka
The Capuchin Church
We love Ljubljana. We're even thinking about seeing what's
necessary to get a work permit in Slovenia so we can stay here
(although Zagreb would be fine, too). It's not a very large city,
with fewer than 300,000 inhabitants, so it doesn't take very long to
wander through the sights. However, they live life well
here. As Lonely Planet says, they combine a German work ethic
(from the years of Austrian rule) with a Mediterranean
joie de vivre, which makes it economically stable yet seem very livable.
We loved wandering the Saturday market with fresh produce, souveniers,
and honey brandy. We hiked up to the castle and enjoyed the
view. We drank free wine on a bridge while being entertained by
folk dancers and singers. We kissed under the moon as the music
of a Spanish band
wafted across the river.
We're definitely returning.
Making Fresh Bread at the Market
The Castle Towers over the Dragon Bridge
Slovenian Folk Singers and Dancers
The Central Square at Night Over the Lubljanica River
One of the Dragons on the Dragon Bridge
Only one comment:
Working in Slovenia???? We’d like you back in the States a while!!!!! It sounds like a wonderful place. If you lived there, we would have a great place to come visit. By the way, the demolition of Busch stadium started today. A 400 million dollar stadium is to be built in it’s place! WOW!!! Looking forward to seeing you soon. Have a great cruise.
Mom (email) - 08 November '05 - 12:47
