Ljubjana

14 May - Day 60

After a 12 hour day yesterday, we were on a go slow today. We dropped in at 3Glav adventure shop to pick up our cd of photos taken by Theos our guide yesterday.

Theos asked me how I found driving in Europe. I said that drivers here are pretty good, able to negotiate tight spaces and handle high speeds expertly. However speed limits here are purely suggestions only. When I had cruise control set to 130km/h, I was passed by all vehicles except trucks. In Italy, driving at 110km/h, I was passed by a moped.

Poor old NZ drivers with 4 litre engines are only allowed 100km/h and a Vespa scooter here is allowed to do 130km/h. I look fwd to taking on German autobahns with my 1.6 litre diesel. The disparity in fuel prices is rather surprising too. Diesel is most expensive in Italy at 1.70 euros/litre. Slovenia, so far, is cheapest, at 1.34. An 18 euro difference per tank.

I asked Theos why everyone speaks English in Slovenia. He said that there are only 2M Slovenians, so no one is going to learn their language. English is taught from age 9 in schools through to secondary school. He said that is the best language because it enables Slovenians to travel all over the world. I mentioned that unlike the French, Spanish and Italians, all English and American programmes on TV are not dubbed. They do subtitle, and Marcus observed that the American 911 was subtitled 112.

Is Slovenia not worried about having their language and culture diluted by this? He didn't seem to be too worried about it, saying that English is the universal language. Slovenia does not have the population of the larger nations to be overly protective. I have to say that I am slighly amused to see the French, Germans and Italians visiting Slovenia having to use English to converse with Slovenians. Especially the French who can speak English but won't.

After picking up our photos, we shopped for groceries and went home to cook lunch.

We only mananged to limber up for some physical activity at 5pm, and took a 2 hour walk through the forest near our apartment.

On the other side was a nice water fall.

And Marcus frightened some cows on the way there. Some of these cows were wearing $20 cow bells.

Marcus had seafood risotto for dinner, and the prawn had CLAWS.

15 May - Day 61

We took the 50km drive to Slovenia's capital city, Ljubjana. For a small country the highways are pretty good, 2 lanes all the way. Wish our SH1 was like this. We were there in 30 mins.

 

Ljubjana is a small town with a number of nice squares that has either fountains, a wide boulevard or food market.

It took us about 2 hours to walk around the city centre. It was a pleasant walk, sunny 25C and none of the tourist masses we encountered elsewhere. The cafes along the canal and squares looked really inviting, but I decided to have grilled sardines from a van for lunch.

We then drove back to Lake Bled to visit Castle Bled perched above the lake. Theos said there wasn't much inside, so we just wandered around the perimeter before heading home.