Big Train Adventure - Part Three - Slovenia

Now we're getting into our stride. I'm enjoying the comments of the folk who are coming along with me as I recreate this journey a second time on the blog. Stirred up a few memories of Romeo and Juliet there - and while I agree that Zef really got the whole thing completely right, Baz can do no wrong in my eyes and the Leo and Claire combo worked really well for me.

Anyway...

Part three is all about Slovenia. When we were planning this trip, this was the only place John requested to go. He had heard that it was amazing and that was enough for me. I had no idea what to expect and recorded some misgivings in my journal as we were sitting at the border with the guards boarding the train.
Part three is in two sections - Ljubljana and Bled

I had read about the Hostel Celica in the capital city, Ljubljana, before we left. It was voted the 'Best Hostel in the World' by Lonely Planet and who am I to argue with Lonely Planet? 'Celica' is Slovenian for 'cell' as this was the former prison.

It has undergone the most imaginative makeover

The walls in the 'sitting room' are fabulous - I want to do this in our bathroom now!

such a simple idea and so effective.
We were banged up in cell 106. I didn't take enough pictures of the hostel so I am going to send you over to the Flickr group if you want to see more.
Ljubljana is wonderful. Quite simply amazing.

Dragon Bridge
Small enough to discover all of it on foot, such friendly people, really interesting history that I knew nothing of so I took myself off to the museum for the morning. I could write for the rest of the day about Ljubljana. I'll share with you some random images.

I always ended up in the market!


fabulous buildings

Great cafes warm enough in February to sit outside, but blankets thoughtfully provided if you were chilly!

Writing this now I can still taste that breakfast and remember the atmosphere in the pavement cafe. Sitting there with my journal, a couple of postcards to write and a map of the city to plan my day. The warm sun on my back, (the Noro back at the hostel) ... this was bliss. I could bottle it and sell it for a fortune.
Are you getting this one? I loved Ljubljana!

window in the cathedral

amazing dress in the Museum

niche in the chapel in the castle

This band were playing really amazing music in the hostel one evening. Celica is a place for Young People, that was obvious, and though I was not the only geriatric staying there, it was definitely a Youth Hostel. As the band finished one wonderful number, a young man who was sitting, stood up to offer me his seat and said in perfect English 'Please sit down, because you are a woman and you are old' right on both counts!
I really don't know where to stop with this post. If you go over to my Flickr I have a lot more random images of this amazing city.
John and i had intended to stay one day here, we ended up staying three and returning for another later in the trip!
And the next post will be Slovenia too - the Slovenian Alps. Stunning.
I am enjoying this!

Comments

[heidi]

I like the idea of making what was once a prison something inspiring and beautiful! Thanks for sharing your flickr site as well - the photos are amazing. I love 'felt key in shed door' so much!

[Maddy]

What an amazing place, I can see why you stayed longer and went back for more. The dragon is just fantastic and the flowers are so vibrant. Backpackers is the only way to go.

[Lindsay]

Really stunning. You are inspiring a trip to take with my daughter.

[Zoe]

What a place! The cathedral window and the flowers and the fantastic idea to make the old prison into a hostel. Oh and the blankets for sitting al fresco at the cafe - I love the thought of this. Why do we have to get old when we feel so young inside! I've just had a back tooth out (my first) and have had some comments about getting old!!! :)