Text: Peter Johansson
Editing: Christer Lundstedt
Photos: Christer Lundstedt, Peter Johansson, Roberth Nordin
Videos: Christer Lundstedt, Roberth Nordin



Monday 1st of April

07.59 A new week and a new month have begun. The three travelers have slept well in the rented Main View Apartment in Rijeka. We actually slept in separate rooms this night. Right before further bus travel, we have to solve this breakfast issue. Are any supermarkets or cafes open this morning? Yesterday we found a few restaurants but no open shops.

08.40 In 1,5 hours we´ll leave with the bus from here. Before then, we'll try to eat breakfast anyway. It's time to try your luck in town on this.

09.03 So far no breakfast fixed, but we're not giving up at first, although we can't wait any longer either.

09.21 We didn't find an open cafe that offered anything other than drinks, what a joke! We had to give up and visit McDonald's.

09.37 It was finally a breakfast. It wasn't entirely wrong in terms of range and taste. The saving grace was that McDonald's had a café section with juice, coffee, croissants and muffins. Now we are back at home in the apartment for final packing and preparations.

10.03 After a bit of trouble, Christer managed to leave the keys in the spinning box by the entrance door. All we need now is for our bus to show up and for us to get on board. We are currently waiting at the bus station.

10.13 The bus arrived and we got on board. Our bus driver speaks German to us and has a cigarette in the corner of his mouth. We are on the Arriva Hrvatska bus with Pula as our final destination of the day.

McDonald's fixed today's breakfast.

Soon ready to leave our apartment.

Crkva Gospe Lurdske (Capuchin Church), Rijeka.

Roberth is waiting for the bus.

Our bus has left Rijeka.

The bus and its passengers have arrived in Pula.

10.44 After leaving Rijeka, we soon ended up in the tourist resort of Opatija. We have been impressed by grand hotel buildings and remember that there were Swedish holiday trips here in the past. Are they still organized or have other Croatian resorts taken over?

11.14 It is not fast traffic on the road between the sea and the mountains. Traffic is calm. We are on our way to the county and peninsula of Istria, which is the westernmost part of Croatia.

11.35 We have left the coast and reached the town of Labin, a place dating back to Roman times.

11.48 We are now rolling through the mining town of Raša. The town has an interesting history. It was founded during Mussolini's rule when Istria was Italian. There was an active coal mine here from 1928 to 1966. Recently a museum has opened here in the otherwise quite dead and abandoned modern town.

12.03 It's nice to ride the bus if you sit comfortably and have nice company. Our next home is getting closer. Within half an hour we have traveled and finished for today.

12.49 Once we arrived in Pula, we headed towards the restaurant/beer house Pivnica Birra near the bus terminal. We didn't get in there and neither did anyone else. It was closed there. We are looking further. It would be good to have lunch before check-in.

13.03 Determined and quite hungry, we walked up and down the street Ulica Joakima Rakovca. One thing is certain, it is a street clinically clean of restaurants. All we found along the way was a minimal simple kebab restaurant that barely had seating.

13.29 We turned off towards the city center and suddenly Restoran Kantina appeared. At first we thought of having it as a backup option and thought of looking further, but we quickly changed our mind. We went down to their cellar vault and have now ordered lunch. It will be good.

13.50 While waiting for the food, we have been offered a starter consisting of local cheese with a fresh taste.

Restoran Kantina will be today's lunch restaurant.

Peter is waiting for lunch.

Christer's delicious lunch.

Roberth in front of Slavoluk Sergijevaca (Arch of Sergius).

Hostel Pipištrelo, Pula.

Room 6 at Hostel Pipištrelo.

14.50 We are very satisfied with this restaurant. It was all right through very good and welcome food. We also tried a number of local beers from smaller breweries. Now we are standing in front of a Roman portal, erected in 29 BC. It is called Slavoluk Sergijevaca and can be translated as the Arch of Sergius. It was erected as a tribute to a Roman family.

15.04 After passing an old church and a Roman forum (square), Trg Forum, we now take a bench break in the park Park grada Graza. Today, as yesterday, we are waiting for notification with instructions on when and how we can check in. We are located in Pula, which is in south Istria. The city is already mentioned in Greek mythology, so there is a lot of history to immerse yourself in. Today, 59,078 inhabitants live here.

15.36 Tomislav contacted us digitally and welcomed us to Hostel Pipištrelo (https://www.pipistrelohostel.com). We went there and all the way up to room 6, at the top of the house. Pipištrelo is actually a type of bat.

16.44 How lucky we were to get in because now it is not possible to be outside. The rain is pouring down. There is not much else to do but wait. It is raining so heavily that we lost the TV picture on the room's TV.

17.46 The rain is not the same intensity and pressure anymore. It's time to step down and trip away.

18.05 It was a short walk in the pouring rain to Cvajner, a gallery and art cafe at Trg Forum. Here we have ordered hot drinks. We sit in comfortable armchairs and look at the art on the walls. The clothes can hang to dry here for a while.

18.47 It's not possible to just stick to hot drinks. Now we're also going to try some malt drinks. There are quite a few exciting beers in the fridge here.

Interesting shelf inside our hostel.

Outside the lobby, the rain is waiting.

Ready to go out in the rain.

Two gentlemen below a woman who has lost her clothes.

Rainy at Trg Forum, Pula.

A rainbow appears in Pula.

19.23 After a pleasant café stay, we are back out in the rain. We have a city to see and discover but it is not easy in this weather. Now we mostly look around.

19.29 We have reached the Giardini street/park and a beautiful rainbow appears. It is starting to calm down with the rain.

19.44 It is empty and quiet at Pulski Kaštel, the Venetian castle, the castle on a hill in the middle of the city. It's raining but not as much anymore.

19.52 It's getting dark and it's puddles and muddy where we're walking, far from ideal. In any case, we have seen and photographed the old Roman arena, Pula's most famous building, and also the illuminated colorful cranes down in the harbor.

20.14 At Pizzeria Piccolo Porto there will be pizza for dinner. They seem to have a wood oven.

21.08 Pizza is a safe bet worldwide. Moreover, plenty of it is as it was here, well prepared. Back in the room, I'm pouring a bath in the bathroom tub.

21.22 It was a short bath for my body. The bathtub was of the smaller kind, it was difficult to bathe at all.

22.35 We have a quiet and pleasant evening in our room. We plan tomorrow and have a certain structure regarding breakfast, departure and a few more things we want to see here in Pula.

Pulski Kaštel, a Venetian castle in Pula.

Colourful cranes in the port of Pula.

Pula's Roman Arena is illuminated in the dark.

Pizzeria Piccolo Porto, Pula.

Peter and Roberth eat a good pizza dinner.


Tuesday 2nd of April

08.10 Here at Hostel Pipištrelo in Pula, I can state that sleep is good for our bodies. The fact that the sun is shining is another advantage. Yesterday's rain is already forgotten.

08.32 Today we need coins. Partly, it is needed for the tax of around 3 euros that was not paid in advance when we paid for the room, and partly for the luggage fee when we have to load the luggage on the bus. Most likely one of us will make an ATM withdrawal before buying breakfast.

09.11 Money was withdrawn. Then everyone bought what they needed for breakfast, such as a sandwich and/or drink, at Pekara Forum, a bakery near the accommodation. Now we are in the kitchen here in our hostel. I'll arrange coffee.

09.16 Apart from the three of us, Hostel Pipištrelo is full of cyclists who have placed their means of transport on all open spaces. They are getting ready for departure all the time. It is unclear where they come from but they speak a Slavic language.

09.45 On the way from breakfast, which was eaten in the lobby, a man with what looked like a plastic roof under his arm asked a question that I could not answer. I just didn't understand what he was saying. Now we will check out soon. It will be easy, we just have to leave the key at the reception desk.

10.13 The tax is paid by us leaving the coins and a message in a box and Roberth has gone back to leave the key in the room. We did not find the alleged reception counter where it was supposed to be left.

10.23 It's nice to have sunshine, more sunshine for us. We are so slowly walking towards the bus station. Right now, though, we're taking a bench break. We are sitting in Park Jurja Dobrile. Behind us we have Pula Cathedral.

We wake up to a sunny day in Pula. Yesterday's rain is forgotten.

At Pekara Forum we buy our breakfast.

Christer and Roberth are waiting in the lobby.

A selection of old men in Park Jurja Dobrile.

A monument to the victims of fascism.

On the way to the bus station, we admire the Roman arena in Pula.

10.54 We are now at classical architecture. It is the city's Roman amphitheater, the most famous building in Pula. From inside you can hear other classics, namely the Bird Dance. The arena was built in the first century AD and is actually the best-preserved amphitheater from antiquity. It is also the sixth largest amphitheater in the order in the world. Work began during the reign of Emperor Augustus between AD 2 and AD 14, and was completed under Emperor Titus in AD 81.

10.59 It has become quite late so we needed to leave the fantastic arena behind us. The reason for all the music in there is that a youth football tournament is going on right now and various teams have gathered inside the arena. Could it be some kind of start-up, inauguration? The tournament is German and is called Komm Mit International.

11.07 The backpacks are taken off. We have arrived at the Autobusni kolodvor Pula bus station. It's still good weather, thank you.

11.14 The luggage has now been tagged and placed in the luggage compartment. We have again sat in other seats than those shown on the tickets. We don't want to put ourselves in the lap of others. We will be leaving in a quarter of an hour for the fourth Croatian city of the trip. Today will be a short trip.

11.50 It's a short trip today, we're already around half way and everything is going well.

12.13 Arriving in Rovinj, I have just sat down on a bench with a solar panel. Check-in at the next home is scheduled for 14:00. Before then (now for our bus), we will have time to drink and eat lunch.

12.20 It is beautiful along the sea here in the popular tourist resort of Rovinj. The sea is a beautiful blue and in it lie various types of older model boats.

12.34 At Restaurant Mikula, discovered by me and checked by Roberth, we have now sat down to have lunch. We just received our wonderfully ice-cold draft beers from the brand Pan.

An amazing Roman arena in Pula.

We got off the bus in Rovinj.

Boats in Rovinj.

Rovinj, one of many beautiful towns in Croatian Istria.

Lunch will be eaten at Restaurant Mikula.

Peter toasts after we get our Pan beers.

13.35 That was not only today's, week's and month's lunch, it was maybe also the best lunch of the trip. The beer from the Pan brwery elevated it further. Now we await check-in at and on a bench in beautiful Rovinj. This town is one of several older towns along the coast of Istria. Poreč and Umag are two similar towns further north, but we have chosen the one we think is the most interesting. Rovinj is called Rovigno in Italian and there has been a town here in some form since Roman times. There are 13,533 inhabitants in Rovinj, but during the tourist season there are significantly more people on the move here.

13.38 We do not take the nearest way to the apartment we are going to rent. We still have some time left before we have to be there. Now we are at a market at Gradska Tržnica. Nearby is a monument to fallen soldiers.

13.49 We arrive at our accommodation here in Rovinj a little early. On the way here, Roberth disappeared on an excursion of his own. Now he connected. Wondering where he's been? Now we have sat down on the stairs outside the apartment and are waiting. We don't know if the hostess is inside and is going to open the door for us or if she is on her way here from somewhere else.

14.15 Our hostess Kristina just came out of Apartment Piazza Antica. She looked a little surprised and let us in. We got the information we needed from her and now it's tea and coffee. The apartment has a living room with kitchen, bathroom and two bedrooms. It is perfectly located in the middle of the oldest part of Rovinj with cozy narrow streets around us.

15.03 After instant coffee and slow chamomile tea, we will now go for a walk around the town and also do some shopping for the evening and for breakfast tomorrow.

15.25 We followed the street Casale from our apartment up to the highest point of the old town. The first stop has been made at Crkva sv. Eufemija (Saint Euphemia Church). From here there is a fantastic view of the sea. Roberth wants to go up the clock tower. He wonders where you pay the four euros it costs to go up.

15.34 Church tower happy Roberth has paid and walked up the tower. Christer and I are meanwhile sitting inside the church and waiting for the descent. The church we are sitting in was built in the Baroque style at the beginning of the 18th century. Then Rovinj was part of the Republic of Venice.

Lunch at Restaurant Mikula.

Trg Pignaton, Rovinj.

The market at Gradska Tržnica.

Roberth photographs old streets in Rovinj.

The entrance to Apartment Piazza Antica.

Waiting for check-in.

16.00 Roberth came down again from the tower. The three of us then made our way down to the sea. On the way we saw some padlocks in a railing. This tradition exists here as well. Now we will mostly continue to take it easy. We sit right by the sea, by the rocks below Svjetionik, the lantern/lighthouse in Rovinj.

16.45 The calm was too much. We're on our way again. I just took a picture of a beautifully painted, large Easter egg. We are at the port of Rovinj. From here there are reportedly boats to Venice sometimes.

17.41 A part of the central town, namely the square Trg Maršala Tita was under restoration so it was a bit difficult to get back into the city. However, we succeeded and went through the beautiful Balbijev Luk gate, the entrance and exit to Old Town. We then went to the supermarket Konzum and shopped for tonight and breakfast. After that we went home to the apartment again.

18.44 After a while "at home" it is starting to be time to go out for the last evening in Croatia.

19.04 We are back at the church at the top of the Old Town, Saint Euphemia church. We want, as is customary on trips, to catch the sunset. We do that both as an experience and hopefully through beautiful photos.

19.15 To get a better view and angle, we went further down to Top i Sidro, an old cannon directed towards the sea. In addition to a cannon, there are padlocks here and a cat walking around.

19.33 Without exaggerating too much, we can state that there were excellent photos taken. It was powerful to see the sun slowly sink into the sea and eventually disappear completely.

Apartment Piazza Antica, our home in Rovinj.

Laundry drying in the Old Town, Rovinj.

Trg Sv. Eufemije, Rovinj.

Peter comes out of the Church of Saint Euphemia.

View from the church tower.

Christer and Roberth talk by the sea.

19.45 Having really documented and photographed the sun sinking into the sea, we are ready for more this evening. Now we will go towards a suitable restaurant for dinner.

20.10 It's getting dark around us at Adria Restaurant & Pizzeria. When placing our orders, Christer received praise and approval from the waiter regarding his choice of dish. On the way here, we saw a mysterious man in an overcoat and big hat sitting in a bar and scouting. He looked like some classic assassin or mafia boss.

21.11 Christer and I finished the dinner with 70 percent espresso. 70% concerned Arabica beans. During the meal, the man in the coat and hat passed by. Out on the street, he didn't look as scary anymore. Now we are home for a quiet evening. Roberth has just taken a bath in the bathtub.

21.28 Roberth has left a leaking bathtub, it didn't hold tight. Instead, we opened a glass each of Teran Hrvatska Istria, Croatian wine. Hope they stay tight. The wine is local, from here in Istria.

21.43 It was an OK wine. Nothing to cheer about, nothing to make you cry and nothing we drank on the balcony. Mainly for the reason that there is no balcony here.

22.09 We consume wine and snacks. On TV, there is regional Croatian news on the channel HRT4. A girl who has lost some baby teeth speaks out in front of some pigs. It is unclear what the news is about.

23.08 Another pleasant day and evening comes to an end. There are long and intense days on this trip. It's only five days since we got on the bus to the first accommodation at Arlanda.

Sunset in Rovinj.

The cannon at the Top in Sidro, Rovinj.

The sun sinks into the sea.

Dinner at Adria Restaurant.

Evening in our apartment.


Wednesday 3rd of April

08.10 We have slept well in the fantastic apartment we rented. Now we will slowly get ready for departure. This will be the day we say goodbye to Croatia and see Slovenia again for the first time in 20 years.

09.17 Each self-purchased and self-composed breakfast is finished in the apartment's kitchen area. Now there is not much time left in this lovely apartment.

10.10 Now we have exchanged the last Croatian accommodation for a bench. We look out over an open sea. It feels sad to have to leave the lovely Rovinj.

10.59 We mostly look at people walking past us. A little more sun and less wind would have been nice.

11.28 We have left the center of Rovinj behind us. On our way to the bus station, we have stopped for coffee and something else. We are at Caffé Bar Tonet. From here we have the buses within sight.

11.40 Roberth's ordered hot chocolate drink is almost viscous. On the wall next to our cafe are obituaries printed on half A4 sheets.

12.19 We had a little time to spare before our bus was supposed to be here, so we walked for a while along the street Carera.

A cat says Good morning.

Seaside buildings in Rovinj.

The marina in Rovinj.

Roberth and Christer at Caffé Bar Tonet.

Ulica Carera, Rovinj.

Today we´ll travel in a green bus (Flixbus).

12.32 Christer, Roberth and I have boarded the bus from Flixbus. It is a company we traveled with before. The last time was probably last year's trip between Budapest in Hungary and Oradea in Romania. This bus can be continued all the way to Vienna, but we are satisfied with crossing the border into Slovenia.

12.44 Another trip abroad has begun. A new phase in this journey begins now. Slovenia is waiting for us. Anyone who wants a liter of diesel here in Croatia has to pay 1,45 euros. It is around 16.90 in Swedish kronor.

13.02 We travel quickly and smoothly along the E751. It's quiet in the bus.

13.40 The bus driver has just announced that there will be a short stop at the bus station in Umag.

14.04 There was a slightly longer break. Now that the passport and ID documents have been checked, it is time to continue towards the border.

SLOVENIA

14.28 Now we roll into Slovenia. Soon we will arrive in Portorož. Now there is a new passport control.

14.58 The bus disembarked in the Slovenian tourist resort of Portorož and after some negotiation we also got the driver to open the luggage area. Now we are at Restaurant Pizzeria Figarola and are going to order lunch. Portorož has 3113 inhabitants and is located on the short stretch where Slovenia has contact with the sea. The Italian name is Portorose, which means port of roses.

15.37 We ordered tasty pizzas and drank good Slovenian beers. The meal is now crowned with tasty coffee. This is a nice restaurant.

Flixbus has dropped us off in Portorož.

Christer stayed here already in 1990.

Restaurant Pizzeria Figarola, Portorož.

Pizza lunch after arrival in Slovenia.

Roberth walks along the sea in Portorož.

We have arrived in Piran.

16.09 We have strolled along the main street Obala but have turned and are now walking back along the sea. Christer has been looking for the hotel where he used to stay. He stayed here during a bus trip in 1990 when he and his father traveled to what was then still Yugoslavia. In the center of the city is the luxury hotel Kempinski Palace Portoroz Istria. It seems to be the same hotel that Christer stayed at in 1990. Back then it was much simpler, but the building was grand even then.

16.20 So we are back at the bus station. There will be no tickets from the machine here. We intend to buy tickets when we board the bus instead. We are going to make a short trip with a local bus.

16.29 The bus from Arriva arrived, we got on board, Roberth bought tickets and I sat down in the place for old and disabled people. I must be able to make proper notes in the journal.

16.37 Arriving in the neighbouring town of Piran, we now look out over the sea. Christer and I have been here before. Then in August 2000 it was only for a short visit and a short dip in the sea when we made a day trip from the capital Ljubljana. Now we are here with Roberth for an evening and night. Piran is called Pirano in Italian and has 4143 inhabitants.

16.57 We are now at the accommodation, Hostel Pirano´s (https://www.hostelpiran.com) locked door. Christer calls the given phone number but no one answers.

17.09 Christer received a call and received instructions in the same minute as we were let into the accommodation by a guest. Now we have a gate code for the gate and a key for room 2. It's appropriate because that's where we´ll stay. There is a bunk bed and a double bed here. In addition, we have a simple kitchen and a bathroom.

Robert in Piran.

We are trying to get into Hostel Pirano.

Tartinijev Trg (Tartini Square), Piran.

Giuseppe Tartini looks out over the square named after him.

The sun shines beautifully over the Gulf of Trieste.

Beautiful street art in Piran.

18.03 Evening snacks and breakfast are purchased at the small store Mercator. The card reader didn't like Roberth's first card but everything eventually worked out. Now we leave the purchases in our room and go sightseeing.

18.26 Starting at Tartinijev Trg (Tartini Square) right near the accommodation, we will now see a little more of our hometown. The square is named after the city's great son, the violinist and composer Giuseppe Tartini, who lived in the 18th century.

18.42 Piran is known for its medieval town center with a labyrinth of narrow little streets. We have walked along these. Trg 1.maja (May Day Square) didn't have much to brag about. It was quite worn there. We quickly moved on. Now we are along the promenade and can actually see Italy on the horizon.

19.03 So we have come up to Cerkev Svetega Jurija, the San Giorgio church. It is a beautiful church with a nice view of the city, the sea and the setting sun. San Giorgio, is it the case that Saint George appears again on a trip? He is often with us.

19.16 Once again we get to enjoy a beautiful sunset, but it is not as fantastic as yesterday's in Rovinj. We have photographed views of the city, the sea and also tried to include Italy in the picture. Far away you can see the houses of the big city of Trieste.

19.33 Down stairs and through alleyways, Roberth took us back to Tartini Square. We don't think we went the closest way but it's interesting to walk the small streets and see where you come out. It is getting dark and here and there people sit down at the table. Soon we should too.

20.18 Near the sea and near the bus station is the Bosnian restaurant Sarajevo 84 (https://sarajevo84.net). It is also found in the neighbouring city of Koper and in the capital Ljubljana. Here we have ordered the same food and drinks. We have chosen to eat ćevapčići in Bosnian bread.

Soon sunset in Piran.

View towards Obzidje Piran (Piran's city wall).

You can see all the way to Italy.

Saint George's Church (Duomo di San Giorgio).

We visit the restaurant Sarajevo 84.

Very filling dinner.

20.37 Now that the food has arrived, we realize that we ordered way too much. You could choose how many ćevapčići you wanted and hungry as we were, we chose ten pieces per person. We thought they would be significantly smaller than they are. To look at it positively, there is no risk that we won't be full tonight.

21.28 There was a problem with the payment. The restaurant did not accept card payment. I walked the half kilometer away to Tartini Square and was shown to an ATM. Money was withdrawn and given on return to the restaurant and waitress. Now we are home again. We need to get better at either asking for card payment or carrying cash with us.

22.21 It's a quiet evening in our room. Soon it will be time to sleep a night in Slovenia. It will be the first time ever for Roberth and the first time in twenty years for me and Christer.


Thursday 4th of April

08.05 Sleeping has been good in Slovenia too. Right now we are enjoying our breakfasts at our kitchen table. Within an hour we will pay for the accommodation and in two hours we will be on our way again.

08.25 We update ourselves on news. The French newspaper Le Figaro sees three possible candidates on the day the current Pope Francis resigns or dies. The three are the Italian Pietro Paroli, the Hungarian Péter Erdö and the Swede Anders Arborelius.

08.56 There was a knock on our room door. It was our hostess. Our passports have been photographed by her and now she receives money from Christer. It's room rent plus tourist tax.

09.29 It has become time to pack and leave. We are speculating about what we will do with the packing for a possible excursion later today.

09.42 A decision has been made. It will probably be a double excursion tomorrow. Today we only get to Ljubljana with a lunch stop in Koper or maybe some other plan. Possibly we travel directly to Ljubljana. The original plan was to travel to Postojna to visit the cave there but then we have to find somewhere to leave our luggage in the meantime.

09.55 Instead of getting ready for the bus to Postojna as first and originally planned, we are sitting again at Tartini Square here in Piran. Two stone benches away, art is created. Two girls are engaged in an image project. It appears to be junior high school students having their art lesson outdoors. They recreate buildings and facades around the square.

Breakfast in the room at Hostel Pirano.

Skilled art students in Piran.

Coffee break at Kavarna Piran.

We wait for the bus and have a sea view.

We pass the town of Izola.

We have arrived in Ljubljana.

10.28 We observe the students and enjoy the morning sun. They scrape away and add colour with what I think are oil crayons as they were called when I was in school. It is done on a blue-painted and a yellow-painted disc. What I can see, from a distance, looks good.

10.37 At Kavarna Piran there will be an early stop for eleven o´clock coffee. We have ordered croissants, coffee and Coca Cola.

11.25 Now it is time to wait for the bus that will take us all the way to Ljubljana. There will be a direct bus there. The sea is close to us, the wind is cooling and the sun is shining.

11.49 For eleven euros per person we are now on our way to the next capital. It was not possible to pay by card on the bus. Lucky that cash was withdrawn last night.

12.23 The bus left Koper, the city the Italians call Capodistria, and now we are on the E751 with just over 100 kilometers to go to the Slovenian capital.

13.02 There are many lorries and general heavy traffic on the motorway today.

13.49 We have arrived in Ljubljana and left the chaos at the bus station/railway station behind us. Christer is now calling the woman who is responsible for our accommodation here in the city. We'll meet outside of it at 14.00.

In Ljubljana we will stay in The Cave.

We walk towards the center.

Zmajski Most bridge with its dragons.

The river Ljubljanica.

Our beers at the Forum restaurant.

Time for today's lunch!

14.11 We found the right address 24 Resljeva cesta. Unfortunately, there is construction work going on there, a renovation of the house's facade. Christer and I looked for an alternative way into the house. Meanwhile, Andreja, our hostess, found Roberth. She led us down to The Cave, our room/apartment down in the basement and gave us instructions. Here it used to be a music studio, but now the premises are rented out to tourists. Now we will try the welcome beer that they offer. These are Slovenian beers from the Union brewery.

14.43 Strengthened by beer and a thirst for discovery as well as hunger, we are ready to set out to see Ljubljana, a city that Christer and I previously visited during our summer trips in 2000 and 2004. Ljubljana used to have a German name, Laibach, when the city was Austrian. Today, 292,988 inhabitants live here.

15.21 We first went to the street Trubarjeva cesta, a street with many small restaurants. We didn't find anything that attracted us and instead headed towards Zmajski Most, a bridge known for its dragon statues. After some searching, we then found the restaurant Forum (https://www.forumbarljubljana.com) and are now waiting to order. We sit at a table outside. In town, we have seen lots of food delivery from the company Volt.

16.41 It was a very good restaurant, with good service, food and good local beers. Almost a shame we have a city to explore and need to leave. Now I want to see beautiful, cozy Ljubljana again.

16.44 The city has a bridge with one of the most impressive collections of love padlocks I've seen. Mesarski Most is the name of the bridge that is right next to where we just sat and had lunch.

16.52 Now we have made it to Tromostovje (Triple Bridge). There are three bridges right next to each other. The place we are now can be counted as Ljubljana's most central place. We look up at the castle that towers over the river and the city, almost like a fairy tale.

We have finished eating at Forum.

Mesarski Most with its padlocks.

The Franciscan Church at Prešernov trg.

Tromostovje (Triple Bridge).

A bakery for dogs.

A canoeist on the Ljubljanica river.

16.58 We have walked along the pedestrian street Mestni Trg and seen some interesting things, including the cannabis shop Red Eye Monkey and a bakery that bakes treats for dogs. Eventually we had to cross the Ljubljanica river in search of a toilet. Now that this mission is accomplished, we shall move towards greater heights.

17.36 We did that really well! What then?, what have we done, one might wonder. Well, we have walked up to the castle, Ljubljanski Grad. Now we'll see what it is like up here.

17.51 We have entered parts of the castle that do not require entry fee. We sometimes look out over the city, sometimes in over the castle grounds. It blows fresh and the views are beautiful. From here there is also a funicular for those who do not want to walk up to or down from this height.

18.29 It went well to go down from the castle. Now we'll probably go home for a while before we go out for dinner later.

19.45 We made our way home. On the way we bought tomorrow's breakfast at the store Mercator. Now we have mostly taken it easy.

20.36 We can't stay in this room much longer. Here we just get tired. We need fresh air and nourishment.

Ljubljanski Grad, the castle in Ljubljana.

The green colours of spring in Ljubljana.

The interior of the castle in Ljubljana,.

Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia.

You can see parts of the Alps.

Cathedral of St. Nikolaj, Ljubljana.

21.21 First we passed mine and Christer's old hostel in the city, Dijaški dom Tabor. We both recognized it and didn't. Then we went to Restavracija Vodnikov Hram but noted that that restaurant has quite high prices. Now we are instead at Baščaršija (https://www.bascarsija.si), a Bosnian restaurant. Baščaršija is also the name of the oldest neighborhood in Sarajevo.

22.27 It wasn't a culinary sensation, but we were full. There wasn't exactly anything wrong with the food, but our theory is that we've had a little too much of the same type of food lately and therefore aren't that impressed. it was Bosnian food two nights in a row now. Now we are at home in The Cave to plan tomorrow's excursions.

23.18 It doesn't seem possible to do what we intended to do. It will be difficult to manage two separate excursions (Postojna and Bled) tomorrow without being constantly pressed for time. Can we put in one of the excursions on Saturday before we travel to Maribor?

23.37 At the moment and at the end of the day, it seems that there will at least be an excursion tomorrow. We prioritize getting up to the beautiful lake in Bled.

We will have dinner here tonight.

There was a Bosnian dinner this evening as well.


VIDEOS


You can see 57 photos from April 1st in this photoalbum.
You can see 184 photos from April 2 in this photoalbum.
You can see 110 photos from April 3 in this photoalbum.
You can see 117 photos from April 4 in this photoalbum.


CONTINUE


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