Tag: opinion

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No Soul, Like An Old Sole

Like many other people who have lived an appreciable time, there are things in my life that are not easily dispensed of nor discarded. For some, it might be an old car which holds special memories of past trips, vacations or the odd sojourn to another country. Similar items, to many other people, might hold very fond memories, where, when it comes to that point in time when the item is worn out or past its usefulness, it is time to think of discarding it. However, when and if such a personal item still appears to be in good shape, it is very difficult to make that decision. So it is for me and especially things I wear. For example, my hiking boots, they are – shall we say – my friends when I am hiking.

Cottian Alps

My Old Sole

As I related in one of my past articles this year, Villanova, Italy – Hiking to Rifugio Jervis – Up, Up, Up!, I ran into difficulty during our hike with my hiking boots, when the soles of both boots decided to start falling off. I don’t recall what made me notice it, but somewhere at the top of the climb, I saw the issue when I stopped and placed my foot on a rock.

LL Bean Hiking Boot Failure – Hiking Villanova to Refugio Jervis

I purchased my hiking boots back in 2012 when LL Bean, the famous clothing retailer and manufacturer was having a sale. I purchased them for $125 at the time, which I think was 50% reduction from the normal price. The model was going out of style and they were probably liquidating their inventory of the item.

Guarantees In Life

As most of us know, nothing is guaranteed in life except death and taxes, is an old saying. For a very long time, LL Bean had a lifetime guarantee on most, if not all, of the products it sold. When they changed their policy, it was not doubt to staunch the amount of fraud that was occurring with its products on the second hand market and for other reasons, which was never the intention of its guarantee.

It was not my intention when I contacted LL Bean to invoke an old guarantee policy, that was in force when I purchased my boots. I acted in good faith to determine if they could repair my boots, and inquired about the process.  What I got in return from their support group, left me somewhat dismayed and nonplussed.

I am so sorry you have experienced this issue. If you’re not satisfied, you can return or exchange an item within 1 year with proof of purchase. After a year we will accept returns of defective items on a case by case basis.

If after viewing the special conditions and if you feel they do not apply, you are welcome to send this item to our returns department for their evaluation with the original order number. Our returns department or retail representatives will determine if the return is accepted once they have the item in hand.

So after reading the above, I still thought that the glue that was used to weld the sole onto the boots was defective and inquired on whether or not they could repair it. The reply I received was to the affect that I would have to send the boots in to determine if this could be done. If they decided the glue was defective, they would not repair the boots, but rather send me an equivalent pair of boots of their choosing.

Anyone who has hiked enough in very comfortable boots will tell you, it’s not easy to find a good comfortable pair. Some even have to be broken in and at my age that might take too long.

I tried to reason with them via email and explained to them I did not want a new pair of boots. All I wanted was for their repair department to glue the soles back onto the boots and send them back and inquired about the cost. They replied that they probably could not repair the boots since they were so old and sending a new pair was the only option.

Therefore, I choose to keep my boots and decided to find some time in between our travels to research any local options we might have in Turin and Piedmont.

Il Mago Della Scarpi

Calzolaio Il Mago delle Scarpe Alex Store – Turin

Our local shoemaker in Turin is named Alex. He has a nice little shop on via Eusebio Bava, across the Piazza Vittorio Veneto from us. I initially tried to contact him in early August, but his shop was closed due to Ferragosto. This is when most Italians head for the hills for the beach in commemoration of the fifteenth of August, and normally last about two weeks, or until the first Monday in September. However, I was in luck, Alex came back early and I was able to get in to see him this week.

Alex – Il Mago della scarpi – Turin

I brought my cache of boots in a plastic sack and quietly entered the store. His daughter was playing by the cash register, while Alex was off to the left, doing what shoemakers do, repairing shoes. I introduced myself and showed him my boots. He took one, bent the sole down and scratched the inner sole adhesive and said they could be fixed in Italian. He handed me a ticket, #97 and said to return in four days. I replied thank you very much and have a very good day,  departed the store and went home.

I returned after my four day hiatus to see what Alex had done to my hiking friends. He related to me it was no problem to fix them and one of his helpers handed me two separate clear plastic bags from off the high shelves behind him with my boots in them. I took them out to get a very good look at them, before finishing the transaction. All I saw was an excellent job.

I was very happy, they look for all intents and purposes, brand new! Elated, I asked him how much did I owe him in Italian and his reply amazed me even more – 4€. I asked him, each? He said, No, total. I didn’t know what to say. I gave the man 6€, a 50% tip!  He was very happy, I was happy and I am pretty sure my boots were happy too. As you can see by the photographs above, they are like me, old soles, but not yet ready for the dumpster. To add to the irony, they were originally made in Italy. So, I guess, they had to come back home in order to get properly fixed anyway. The way things just work out, lends some credence to Karma, for better or worse.

My last thought on the matter: I am guessing if LLBean were to repair them, it would probably have cost me anywhere in the neighborhood of $50, upto the original cost of the boots themselves and perhaps even more. That is just a guess,  but probably pretty accurate for America’s throw-away society.

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Orta San Giulio, Italy – Promontory for Pilgrims

Across from the Isola di San Giulio sits the town of Orta di San Giulio on a promontory jutting out into the lake towards it. It is mostly known for the hill above it,  or Sacro Monte, which contains the World UNESCO site of Sacro Monte di Orta.

Omegna – Navigazione Lago d’Orta Servizio Pubblico di Linea – Photograph from afar

Last Treats Of Our Time On Lake Orta

We actually took the public ferry twice[1]It is actually called the Servizio di trasporto pubblico locale or Servizio Traghetti Orta to Orta San Giulio, in order to more fully explore what this little town had to offer. While there, we visited the Sacro Monte, the main street of town and many of the shops that are open along the way. After our short stay it was time to head back and enjoy what was left of Omegna before returning to Turin.

Orta San Giulio

A typical lake town on Lake Orta is San Giulio. As expected, most activity and the main square, is down by the water and along the shore of the lake. There are many cafes, bars and restaurants in Piazza Mario Motta, as well as some others sprinkled along the main street and in some alleys.

Orta San Giulio – Piazza Mario Motta

The main street, which changes its name almost every block, contains all of the shops in town. Here one can find anything from leather goods – made in Italy, to Piedmont agricultural goods and other local products.

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Sacro Monte

There are two ways to walk the hill to Sacro Monte,  one can either take a left or a right at the Church of Saint Mary of the Assumption on via Caire Albertoletti.

Most people will take the right, it is much shorter and direct, but as we found out, may not be offered on some phone maps[2]I swiftly submitted an update on the missing road, as soon as I was able. If one takes the left, you will circumnavigate the hill and eventually bring you back around to where you can enter the Sacro Monte from the back parking lot entrance, about a 15-20 minute walk. Of course there is nothing wrong with this, it is just different and longer, but will get you to the same place.

The Sacro Monte has numerous chapels which one can visit, each having its own purpose, according to Catholic religious sources. Of the twenty or so chapels and churches that comprise the site, we visited about a handful.

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The Rest of Omegna

Our last couple of days in the town of Omegna were spent mostly relaxing. It rained one day, which really curtailed anything we could do, especially with respect to any hiking we had had in mind. However, we were able to venture out in the evening, after the rain had passed and enjoyed the evening mountain air.

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As an afterthought we would have to say we thoroughly enjoyed our stay here; but must also honestly say, it’s not for everyone. Omegna is really laid back and probably accounts for the wild swings we saw in the number of tourists we saw day to day. The weekends are definitely busier, and all of the Italian holidays, so plan your trip accordingly. There is also a definite lack in the assortment of restaurants and we found it difficult to chose, after having been here for a week. It is also a haven for backpackers, so if you find them annoying, you might want to head elsewhere since they are pretty much everywhere enjoying the fine hiking that is available in the area.

Restaurants

Rosticceria Ruyi

The Chinese restaurant, Rosticceria Ruyi on via Giuseppe Mazzini, essentially saved us from culinary hell. After a week of Caprese, Pizza and Pasta, a well cook meal of rice and vegetables was sorely needed and this restaurant has the food at excellent prices (e.g. a dish of Cantonese Rice – 3€). However, be aware at the time of this writing, they open at 18:00 for take-away but were not serving sit down inside the restaurant until 20:15, or 8:15PM in the evening. So plan accordingly!

Omegna – Rosticceria Ruyi – Chinese Restaurant

References

References
↑1 It is actually called the Servizio di trasporto pubblico locale or Servizio Traghetti Orta
↑2 I swiftly submitted an update on the missing road, as soon as I was able
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Isola San Giulio, Italy – Walk Of Solitude

On Lake Orta is the small Island of San Giulio. Once a settlement built on top of a craggy rock, complete with the Basilica of San Giulio, it is now a Benedictine Monastery.

Lake Orta – Isle of Orta – Panorama View

Visitors are free to come and enjoy the basilica, as well as the Walk of Solitude, though you will often hear few people adhering to the advice of all the signs on the path.

The Ferry Ride

An hour’s journey by ferry from Omegna will take you to the Island and other points of interest along the lake. You can purchase a day ticket for a little more than nine euros, or one-way and return-trip tickets for slightly less, depending on your itinerary.

Lake Orta – Omegna – Ferry Launch

The public ferry will make several stops along the way, before it reaches its final destination of Isle of San Giulio and the town of San Giulio itself. There are two main ferry routes, the green route – which goes the length of the lake twice daily, and the red route – which constantly goes to core destinations in the middle of the lake routinely during the day.

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The  Island  of San Giulio

There are only a few points of interest on the island. The basilica, the cafe, where one can get something to drink or a bite to eat when it’s lunchtime, and the Walk of Solitude.

Lake Orta – Isle of Orta – From Ferry

Basilica of San Giulio

The basilica inside is replete with frescoes and other painting. and definitely worth a visit.

Lake Orta – Isle of Orta – Basilica San Guilio

The slideshow below shows additional items you will see upon entering.

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Walk of Solitude

The walkway takes you completely around the island and requires about twenty or so minutes to complete, perhaps longer if you stop at the cafe or for  photographs.

Lake Orta – Isle of Orta – Patti on the Walk of Silence

So, if you are looking to unwind and have a nice quiet walk in a very unique place, this island might be something for you to do if in the area. The only advice we can offer is to go early, that is, if you want maximum quiet and beat the other tourists before they crowd the beaten path. Enjoy!

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Omegna, Italy – Lazy Italian Refuge

Hidden quietly in the north of Italy is the small lake of Orta and the lazy town of Omegna. After two trains and a bus ride, we finally arrived at our new short trip destination. We checked into our three star hotel, the Croce Bianci, perhaps the best centrally located one in the town.

Orta Lake – Panorama from Omegna Shoreline

Because of its small size and lack of glamour, Lake Orta is often overlooked by most overseas travelers, who are more interested in the high impact tourist destinations to check off their bucket lists. It is visited mostly by Italians from Milan, some of whom own weekend homes here, the French, Germans and the occasional Brit. Since there is really not much to see and do on this side of the lake, a short slideshow is perhaps more in order.

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We made plans to visit Omegna just to relax and actually do nothing more than just check the lake out. This is definitely a good place to accomplish nothing. However, there are plenty of activities available, from camping, boating, cycling, swimming, hiking and the odd trek to a neighboring town, if one is so inclined. The area is definitely family friendly, even the town has a large and very well equipped playground for them.

The remainder of our trip will visit other parts of the lake and be continued in another entry, so stay tuned. Ciao for now…

Restaurants

Salera  16

A more hip and trendy place is the Salera 16, which caters to the younger crowd with burgers, fries and other handheld items. A good place to stop for something quick.

Al Centrale Bistrot

This little bistrot has excellent food at great prices, though the menu is limited and changes daily. If you are not fussy and adaptable you definitely find a tasty treat here. Their wines by the glass are very good.

Ristorante Il Cavalieri

The first restaurant we visited when we arrived, it offers traditional Italian fare and pizza. It behaves more like a trattoria and gets a lot of local traffic. So an excellent place for reasonably priced authentic Italian food. I found the Vino Sfuso, or bulk house wine, a bit of a disappointment, but it is still drinkable and reasonably priced.

Ristorante Punti D’Vista

A ten minute walk along the Lungolago Gramsci of Omegna on the west bank will bring you to this hotel and restaurant.  Set slightly uphill from the road it has a commanding view of the lake and plenty of outside seating. Reservations are recommended though, as the patio seating fills up quite fast.

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Udine, Italy – Underrated, Unlikely and Urbane

Udine – A City On The Beaten Path

Somewhere in the northeast of Italy, north and east of even Venice, is the small city of Udine. The largest city before you enter Slovenia to the east and Austria to the north. From here you can see the Austrian and Julian Alps.

Udine – Alps panorama

From Ljubljana we took an Austrian train to Villach and then over to Udine. Along the way were able to enjoy sights of the Julian Alps out our window and just relax.

Probably one of the most underrated and unlikely places we have been this year is Udine. Unlikely, because it is usually not on anyone’s radar, though we met numerous French and German tourists enjoying it. Underrated, because we think it has some things to offer, that others might not find in the exact same way elsewhere.

The people in Udine are very urbane and really enjoy tourist in their small city. They make an extra effort to speak and understand English, where you may not find such proclivities in other Italian cities and towns.

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Udine Castle

Destroyed in the sixteenth century by a violent earthquake, the Udine Castle was rebuilt soon afterwards and stands today housing several museums. It actually sits atop an artificial hill, by all accounts ancient and predating Rome in nature, and is the highest and largest artificial hill in Europe.

The Civic Museum of the Risorgimento

This museum has artifacts from local historic events following the fall of Venice, up to the time of the mid 1800s. Including documents and written accounts of the annexation of Friuli to the Kingdom of Italy in 1866.

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The Archaeological Museum

This museum contains an impressive ancient coin collection and other artifacts from ancient and Roman times. Including amphorae, old oil lamps and other funerary objects. Though a small collection, it was rather interesting to learn where each was found locally and their relative histories.

Gallery of Ancient Art

A gallery of art comprising works of local artists from the fourteenth to the nineteenth centuries. Most of the work appear religious in nature. Some of those that caught my eye in particular are the following.

Diorama of the Battle of Montebello

Complete with a map showing the order of battle, this diorama clicks all the right boxes for the model builder at heart.

Udine – Udine Castle Museum – Diorama – Order of the Battle of Montebello

The museum  has an extraordinary diorama of the Battle of Montebello. For anyone that is or was a model builder, or a warfare historian, one can stand and just marvel at it for some time.

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Churches

There are several noteworthy churches in the area, though we were not actually able to visit all of them inside.

Chapel of Palazzo del Monte di Pietà

A chapel, which has beautiful frescoes and is now actually part of the bank  Intesa Sanpaolo, is in the Palazzo del Monte di Pietà. Often walked right by tourists, if they are not paying attention, this chapel is a gem, see for yourself.

Church of Saint Maria di Castello

A church that is at the top of the hill and adjacent to the Castel is the Saint Maria di Castello. Complete with bell tower, a remarkable example

Udine – Church of Saint Maria

Cathedral Santa Maria Annuziata

The Cathedral of Santa Maria Annuziata is known for its octagonal bell tower. It can be seen from the castle hill, along with the church which is a major landmark in the city. Formerly consecrated as the Cathedral of Santa Maria Maggiore in 1335, it has three naves and chapels along the sides. Since it was not open at the time, we were only able to get some photographs of the outside.

The Corte di Palazzo Morpurgo is also close by the front of the cathedral, so just wandering across the street from the front of the church should bring you there.

Hotels

We chose the Astoria Hotel Italia for its old world charm, eschewing some of the more contemporary offers that were available. When we travel, it’s one of those things that can set off one place from another.

The Astoria Hotel Italia

The hotel Astoria Italia has maintained itself as though it fits into the landscape. It sports new amenities, like contemporary and renovated bathrooms (a must), while keeping some of that old world charm. I disagree with putting contemporary style beds in such old rooms, which they clearly want to preserve, but I am probably in the minority (I rather prefer, if its old keep old, like it came out of the nineteenth century, then you get that step-back-in-time feel).

Udine – Astoria Hotel

In any case, our hotel was great and provided a very central place from which to explore the rest of the old city.

Restaurants

The restaurants in Udine serve typical northern Italian fare, with some twists for Tyrolean and other close neighbors. It is a fairly cosmopolitan city and one can find Sushi and other worldly franchise food here, so selecting a place to eat should not be an issue.

Ristorante Pizzeria Al Gelso

This restaurant was right around the corner from our hotel, in fact, it is actually adjacent to it (without us knowing). We walked around the corner anyways and entered it from the garden seating direction each time, even though there was a main entrance on the main street. The food is excellent, all with that home-cooked taste, and there’s pizza for those who are unsure what they want, everyone likes pizza!

Osteria Alla Ghiacciaia

A lazy and very relaxing restaurant right next to the canal, a perfect place for lunch or dinner.

Udine – Osteria Alla Ghiacciaia – Seating by the canal

We really enjoyed our lunch here, watching the darning-needles, or dragon-flies, flit back and forth over the stream. Although this restaurant becomes very busy for lunch, the service was especially good and punctual, so anyone having problems waiting (which is most common in Italy), it might be a place to visit. The food is very good, fresh and delicately spiced. We kept it simple, bean soup for a started, followed by salads, just to keep things a bit light.

Trattoria Antica Maddalena

This trattoria has a bit of an upscale palette, with a menu and prices to match. As our last evening in Udine, we chose it for its high ratings and interesting looking menu. Unfortunately I forgot to take a photograph of the outside of the establishment, but have a few of the upstairs. You may want to book reservations if you want to sit outside, when we arrived the outside and downstairs seating were completely booked. So act early, if you want to enjoy this restaurant and its food with a street view!

Epilog

We leave Udine as the endpoint in our latest trip, which has taken us from one part of Italy – Trieste, through Slovenia and a little bit of Austria, back to Italy and underrated Udine. Though we both ate too much, we really enjoyed this trip and had several surprises along the way, which made it all that more memorable.

Udine – Main Train Station

So, if you are ever on a train traveling east from Milan, perhaps to Venice, Austria or Slovenia, you may want to stop at Udine to see what it has to offer. We stopped on our way back and were not disappointed, we think you wont be either. Happy travels!

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Predjama, Slovenia – A Nested Castle

Predjama Castle

Predjama Castle – The Castle from a distance

Nestled in the side of a cliff, at the face of a cave is the Predjama Castle in Predjama, Slovenia. The original castle is actually built in the cave, remains of which can still be seen. It was originally built by the knight Erasmus of Luegg, and was later destroyed in a siege by the Hapsburg when they attacked it as retribution. The castle that is there now was built later in 1570, and though it has been obviously renovated numerous time, it is as it would have appeared. It is therefore a castle within a castle.

Legend has it, Erasmus was ostensibly killed when a large catapult rock smashed the bathroom he was sitting in at the time. Apparently betrayed by someone in the castle who knew when and where the knight was at all times.

The Outside Castle

Our tour guide also stated, that during its use after its 1570 reconstruction, there were two draw-bridges, one by the existing outside door you enter, and one connecting the outside castle to the one inside the cave.

The Inside Cave Castle

The plan was, when the castle was attacked and broken into, the residence would run across the inside draw-bridge to the protection of the cave, which was well stocked with supplies, water and of course weapons, to defend themselves.

So, if you are in Bled or Ljubljana and looking for a day trip, you can probably visit this castle along with a tour of the Prostonja Cave. You can usually purchased a ticket for both, since they are associated with one another. We purchased our’s at the cave entrance, but you can probably purchase them at  the castle entrance too.

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Postonja, Slovenia – Spelunking Fun

Postonja Cave

The Postonja Cave,  an enormous network karst cave and cavern system, is located forty-five minutes to an hour from Ljubljana driving south on E61 towards Trieste, Italy. The best way to get there is driving, but you can take a bus or hire a tour (which is what we did). Our coach tour cost us 93€ each and we were eight people total, a very manageable group size.

The Cave Tour

The tour is fairly well managed and is split into a train ride tour, which brings you deep into the mountain; and, a walking tour inside the cave system, which explains the geology and processes going on in the cave itself. They also explain some of the fauna that lives in the cave, as well as the ecology. The entire tour from entrance to exit is about one and a half hours. The temperature in the cave system is around 50°F, so bring a jacket or sweater, if you are inclined to get cold. I wore a short-sleeved shirt and was fine, though the train ride was a bit chilly due to the breeze.

Postonja Caves – Tickets For Two

Below is a set of short video clips recording the train tour, and a slideshow of the walking tour. Both are in order of when they were taken. I took more than enough photographs because it is such an amazing thing to see and how often does anyone actually go underground for anything?

If you ever get a chance to go, it is well worth the trip. It is one of the largest cave networks in the world, and the second longest in the country of Slovenia.

The Train Ride Tour

The Walking Tour

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Bled, Slovenia – A Blue Karawanken Gem

At the base of the Southern Limestone Alps[1]They are additionally known as the Julian Alps., or Karawanken Mountains, sits the small town and lake of Bled . It is almost a must see place to go on a day trip from Ljubljana, especially if you have enough time. Since we have the time, we usually overbook our stays at places that are totally unknown to us. For Ljubljana specifically, and Slovenia in general, we were happy that we did, since it afforded us a day trip  such as the one to Bled. Slovenia really is a great place to visit!

Bled – entrance from parking lot – panorama

Lake Bled – Getting There

To get to the lake you must travel northwest from Ljubljana, there is the E61 that can be taken by car or bus. The trip normally takes forty-five minutes by car, and up to an hour and a quarter by bus, but can take longer if there is an accident or construction on the highway. Upon the suggestion of the information booth by the Triple Bridge we took the bus, even though we now think the train may be faster. The bus is packed, so if you are worried about Covid-19, and you should, you should be prepared to wear you FFp2 mask.

It should be noted, the bus takes two different routes going to and coming from the lake, each taking about the same time. There is of course the train, which may actually take less time gong to and fromm Bled, but then you have about a twenty or so minute walk from the town of Bled Train Station to the lake. The bus on the other hand goes all the way to the lake, even though we chose to get off at the Blen Union station.

Lake Bled – The Trail

Bled – Assumption of Mary Church on Slovenia’s only island

There is an excellent trail that totally circumnavigates the lake, going through several tourist beach and cafe points, any one of which you can take a pause  in your walk to get refreshed.

Here is a slideshow of our great afternoon walking the lake shore trail, enjoying the beautiful weather and scenery.

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Restaurants

Hotel Starkl Restaurant

Around  12:30 or so we stopped about  three quarters of the way, going anti-clockwise around the lake, at the restaurant Hotel Starkl. It is best to get to any European tourist restaurant thirty to forty-five minutes in advance, because at one o’clock they fill up quickly. Here we purchased simple salads and enough wine and water to enjoy the fabulous weather.

References

References
↑1 They are additionally known as the Julian Alps.
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Ljubljana, Slovenia – The Dragon City

Ljubljana – From Castle Hill

Continuing our Summer Trip of eastern Italy and Slovenia, and after a two and a half hour train ride from Trieste, is the charming city of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Actually, much to my surprise, stepping off the train there was a noticeable cleanliness to it all which rarely, if ever, went away. We even noticed this in some of the more off-beat areas and in other towns, that we ventured to on our day trips.

The Slovenians are no doubt a very orderly, patient people. This can also be witnessed in their driving, since it is very rare, almost uncommon to hear the sound of a horn. When asked, “Why is this?”, most reply with the simple retort, “Well it’s simply rude, and in most cases, unnecessary.”

Ljubljana – The Main Train Station

Ljubljana, Lublana and Laybach

Ljubljana is a very old city, dating back to the twelfth and eleventh centuries, though a town called Emona stood here during Roman times. Myths and stories have linked it to Jason and the Argonauts and his struggles, and the killing of the great beast which inhabited the marsh nearby[1]This is where the metaphor of the dragon comes in., which apparently was responsible for the great floods that occurred frequently. It later became synonymous with Ljubljana in the mid-twelfth century.

Ljubljana – Ljubljanica River – Dragons Bridge

Bridges In Lubljana

There are several noteworthy bridges in the city, the Dragon Bridge, the Triple Bridge, the Cobbler’s Bridge and the Butcher’s Bridge. There are several others, however these are the ones we spent the most time on and are the most remarkable.

The Dragon’s Bridge

Due to the myth it is probably appropriate that the city have a dragon bridge, one not only to remember Jason’s deeds, but also the ever present danger of the river itself.

The  Triple  Bridge

Not far from our hotel and adjacent to Prešeren Square is the Triple Bridge. It was originally one bridge, the central span, but as business and traffic increased the other two side bridges were added for pedestrian traffic.

The Cobbler’s Bridge

A quaint bridge that connects two important parts of the medieval city.

The Butcher’s Bridge

This bridge got its name, since it was near the place that the butchers of the city used to come and wash the carcasses of the animals. The blood and stench of rotting flesh this process brought down through the city must have been appalling. The practice was stopped soon after the residents had had enough of the smell. It is now decorated with locks and bronzes of mythological creatures.

Castle Hill

There are two prominent hills in Ljubljana, the one that contains Tivoli Park and Castle Hill, which contains the Ljubljana Castle.

Ljubljana – Ljubljana Castle

Ljubljana Castle

Ljubljana – Ljubljana Castle – Tickets For Two

Perched above the city on the Castle Hill is the Ljubljana Castle. In 1679, Valvasor did an engraving of the Laybach Castle, as it was known in German at the time, showing the castle and many other landmarks of Lublana.[2]There are many spelling variations for this city, due to it being part of many different empires and countries throughout its history.

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The Ljubljanica River

As it goes through the city the river is split into two. A major section goes directly through the old city, offering tourists the possibility of buying a ticket and traveling part of it, up to where it divides. The boats cannot venture too far however, since parts of the river are reserved for wildlife and cannot be entered.

Ljubljana – Ljubljanica River

Sitting at one of the many cafes along the  waterway, one can wile away the afternoon sipping a drink and just watching the boats meander along.

Boat Tours

Both looking at the tour boats ply the water and actually taking a boat trip is both relaxing and very enjoyable. We decided one evening to take one and see where it actually goes and found it very interesting.

Walking Tour Of The City

Here is a slideshow of some of the other sights in the city.

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Restaurants

Gostilna Sokol Restaurant

Ljubljana – Gostilna Sokol Restaurant

This is a traditional Slovenian restaurant, service many of the authentic dishes and also some non-Slovenian favorites, so anyone who visits can find something to eat. For us it was the traditional fried sausage, or Kranjska Klobasa with pickled turnips and roasted potatoes.

Cantina Mexicana Restaurant

Ljubljana – Cantina Mexicana Restaurant –

The Cantina Mexicana is a very good mexican restaurant that features both Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine. It wasn’t too difficult to find something appetizing among the enormous selection of food they offer in their menu.

References

References
↑1 This is where the metaphor of the dragon comes in.
↑2 There are many spelling variations for this city, due to it being part of many different empires and countries throughout its history.
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Piran, Slovenia – An Adriatic Anomaly

Aside from the Adriatic Magnetic Anomaly, there is an additional one along the the Adriatic Coast that few know about, it’s called Piran.

Piran – View of the Town

I call it an anomaly, because one appears to have no other reasonable way of getting there except by car, which for Europe, one has to admit is very strange.[1]There are several other forms of transportation, but none of them go and return on the same day and almost all run irregularly.

Piran – A Day Trip From Trieste

After our Get Your Guide guide cancelled on us, we had to arrange a transfer through our hotel concierge using Taxi Trieste, in order to visit this town for one day. They were actually very good and came in under the amount quoted by the other service (160€ versus 198€), although in this case to be fair, it was just for the transfer and not an all-day stop-and-go tour.

Piran – Taxi Trieste – Perhaps the only way to get to Piran and back in one day

Piran The City

Piran is located on the Piran peninsula and juts out like a triangle into the Adriatic Sea, the Gulf of Piran to one side and the Gulf of Trieste to the other. One can immediately see that the city itself and its architecture have been strongly influenced by both the Venetians and the Hapsburgs (Austro-Hungarian Empire). The church towers have that Venetian look to them, as well as many of the houses and business structures outlining the Tartini Piazza.

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Piazza Tartini

A small plaza that is adorned with a few bronze statues, all which center around the statue of Giuseppe Tartini, the composer and violinist. There are some restaurants, a few businesses and administrative buildings to compliment its surroundings. However, the marble in the middle of the piazza is quite new and shiny and would appear to be a slippery hazard during inclement weather, so be careful.

The Town Wall

Remnants of the old town wall still exist and for a small sum, 3€ each, you may walk the section that is still open.

There isn’t really that much to see, aside from its stone masonry and the views it affords to the surrounding area and town.

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The Church Of Saint George’s Parish

The church stands on the west side of the town on top of the hill overlooking the Gulf of Trieste. From its courtyard, Trieste can be seen in the distance, as well as Miramare Castle.

Restaurants

While here, we only had occasion to visit one restaurant for lunch, since we were due to be picked back up at one o’clock in the afternoon.

Ristorante Mestna Kavarna

A fusion of wine bar and restaurant, the Mestna Kavarna caters to most tastes. It offers many simple things, including salads and paninis, and of course wide selection of drinks. We found something to satisfy us before our ride arrived.

References

References
↑1 There are several other forms of transportation, but none of them go and return on the same day and almost all run irregularly.