Fun with Family

Due to work obligations, we couldn't leave Calgary until the afternoon of July 7th.  We headed to Sicamous, about halfway to Victoria to stay at the Best Western and eat at Joe Schmuck's Roadhouse.  It was 35ºC but their patio was shaded and an artificial breeze generator kept us cool.  Most shunned the heat so we ate alone.  Schmuck's deep fried dill pickles are great and so is their pizza.  Glen also indulged in a sumptuous blueberry cheesecake.

The next day we drove to Tswwasswen to catch the ferry arriving in the condo at supper time.  After unpacking the cooler, we headed to Christie's.  It's a tradition!  We drank Philips Blue Buck, and shared some wings.  I ordered the Gyoza while Glen had fish and chips.  Although an Asian dish, gyoza never comes with chopsticks so I've started carrying disposable chopsticks in my purse.  They came in handy as it seemed weird eating dumplings with a fork.

The next day was a flurry of activity as we prepared the condo for our guests.  Geoff, Melissa, Elijah and Miles were in Seattle and would arrive that evening via the Victoria Clipper.  They had a great time visiting the sites in Seattle but Elijah wasn't well.  It was good they could come to a home rather than another hotel room.  But first we had supper at the Flying Otter.  After a 45 minute wait, we were all very hungry (Elijah napped during this time).  Geoff, Glen, and I had the steak special (with shrimp) which was delicious and Melissa had fries and lettuce wraps.  Miles had a plain cheese pizza off the kid's menu.  Geoff and I drank Okanagan Springs Pale Ale while Glen had Hoyne Pilsner.

The next morning, Glen had to work so the rest of us walked to Gonzales Beach (see photo of Geoff and the boys).  The tide was on its way out leaving behind very smelly seaweed.  Miles called it the Stinky Beach and since its original name was Foul Bay, that seemed appropriate.  We then headed up Foul Bay Road, a street that winds through a wonderful old neighbourhood.

Glen met us in Oak Bay and we drove to the Marina Restaurant for lunch.  We thought we'd eat in the café but it was really just a coffee shop so went upstairs.  Glen said I was becoming his mother in wanting to eat in restaurants with tablecloths.  Not so, but it is a lovely place and the food is wonderful.  We were not the only ones casually dressed and when they pulled out a kid's menu I relaxed.

Elijah was feeling better and even tried the calamari I ordered to share (it's the best).  He had spaghetti while Miles had a burger.  Melissa enjoyed a cocktail called For Your Eyes Only while the rest of us had OK Pale Ale.  Geoff ate mussels, Melissa a burger, Glen enjoyed fishcakes while I had a delicious bento box.  Dessert finished the meal and I even indulged in a pavlova.  Glen's sundae was huge!  While waiting for dessert, Geoff tested the app he's creating.  It tells you the name of the surrounding mountains when you point your phone at them.  We couldn't see Mt Baker but we knew where it was.  Turns out the US Geological Survey database calls it Grant's Peak which is the highest peak of the mountain.  Who knew?

Saturday was fish day.  Geoff loves the Finest at Sea so we had to make a stop there for oysters, mussels and fish.  Due to their lack of seafood, we ended up with 5 dungeness crabs and a $95 salmon fillet.  The kids were playing in the playground with Melissa and Grampy but came with us as we checked out Fisherman's Wharf.  Glen has always wanted the boys to feed the seals so bought a plate of herring and they did just that.  Pretty exciting stuff!  I was happy The Fish Store had oysters so we bought some to round out our feast.

Next, we headed to the Hudson Market.  Housed in the old Hudson's Bay store on Douglas Street, this market is now home local artisans and food producers.  It's interesting as the Hudson's Bay Company promised Victoria a public market in 1860 but that never came to fruition.  Just inside the front doors is a huge Salt Spring Island Cheese boutique with tasting stations for cheese and jams.  We bought our favourite cheeses and ended up with a free jar of jam.  At the butcher, we got Melissa a steak as she doesn't eat fish (she made her famous gratin potatoes for us) then I spoke to a lady at Olive the Senses, an olive oil/balsamic vinegar boutique and learned Croatia doesn't export its olive oils (see Castles and Churches).

The kids are great walkers so we headed down to Bastion Square to see what the vendors there had to offer.  Miles bought a shell necklace with a cat's face hand-painted on it.  By this time, we all wanted lunch so headed back to the condo.

Sunday was a beach day, unfortunately, we awoke to fog.  That didn't matter as the kids just wanted to play in the sand.  So I watched them as Glen, Melissa and Geoff headed down the beach to find my letterbox.  Turns out it was gone.  It was the second one I'd lost that week which was kind of sad.  Melissa caught a jellyfish which was the highlight of our morning.

Monday we headed to Beacon Hill Park so Melissa could find one of my letterboxes.  Turns out it was also gone.  The petting zoo beckoned and we enjoyed seeing all the farm animals although the boys didn't want to pat the goats.  At the top of the hill, Melissa found a letterbox. The clues were horrible so it was good we were there to help.  The boys then enjoyed time at the Beacon Hill playground.

In the afternoon, Melissa and Geoff headed downtown to stay at a boutique hotel (Bedford Regency Hotel) and we had a sleep-over with the boys.  We took them to dine at The White Spot arriving just before the crowds did.  The boys ordered milkshakes which they drank rather quickly which meant when Miles' burger arrived in a pirate ship, he was not hungry.  It also had sauce which his grandparents didn't realize he didn't want.  Elijah had macaroni and cheese and they both had ice cream for dessert.  Glen had a burger (he swears they make the best burgers) and I had teriyaki chicken bowl.  Glen's dessert was a huge chocolate brownie.  The White Spot is a local chain that began 85 years ago when Nat Bailey began selling lunches to Vancouver tourists from his truck.  Granville Island Brewery brews the beer we like, called Nat Bailey Lager.

The next morning we were off to play at Blenkinsop Mini Golf and except for a bunch of camp kids who were out of control, we enjoyed the game.  Elijah told us it wasn't real mini golf as it didn't have a windmill.  What a funny kid!  Melissa and Geoff joined us for lunch. They had enjoyed dinner at the Bard and Banker and took our recommendation of the Shine Café for breakfast.  Geoff declared his to be the best eggs Benedict he'd ever tasted.

Wednesday we all headed to Sooke.  Melissa wanted to kayak and everyone else wanted to have fun on the Whiffen Spit (see Sooke, Puke & Spit).  A horrid cold had me in its grip otherwise I'd have gone off with Melissa.  As it turned out, the wind was up so she would need a guide (he was with another group) and they only rented two-seater kayaks.  Next time!  It was low tide at the Spit so we had a great time exploring all the tidal pools.  There were thousands of baby crabs and sea anemones. Geoff treated us to lunch at the Stickleback Eatery where we sat on their lovely patio.  Elijah and wasps don't see eye-to-eye (no one likes wasps) and so he spent much of lunch trying to avoid them.

The next day, Melissa was up early to go to Bubby Rose's Bakery for their famous cinnamon buns.  They had discovered this place on their last trip and wanted us to enjoy it as well.  What an incredible breakfast!!  We then headed to the harbour and did a brief tour of the BC Legislature grounds before the gang boarded the Clipper to begin their the journey home.  The condo seemed awfully quiet when we got home.  As the washing machine cleaned sheets and towels, I napped hoping I would rid myself of the sniffles.

Weekend in the Rockies

I didn't think I'd post about our weekend in Banff as it was work-related and I'd posted about the mountains before (see Camping, Golfing, and Letterboxing).  However, we did a few things outside our usual 'box' so I felt it was worth a blog.

In the spring, Glen decided to bid on hosting an international conference in 2018 and so contacted the Banff Centre.  Jodi was very helpful in making suggestions and facilitating Glen's requirements.  The Centre proposed we visit the site.  Well, we'd been many times and so didn't need to check out rooms, etc.  However, we were in town the weekend they were hosting a 'get-to-know-us' session so decided to go.

We had a blast.  The people we met who worked at the centre were fantastic and it was so nice to meet Jodi.  Such a sweet girl!  We also met with the folks at Discover Banff Tours and from MountView BBQ.

Glen and I had already brainstormed what we felt would showcase Western Culture to the conference but we had no idea what the Banff Centre could arrange.  Our weekend proved to be enlightening giving us some great ideas (and the people who could implement them).

When we checked into our room, we were given a selfie stick (a telescoping uni-pod used to take selfie phone photos).  Glen thought it was a silly idea but soon became a convert (see photo).  It was a lot of fun to use and broke the ice on many occasions.  It's surprising the number of things a selfie stick can become.

The opening reception was in the Walter Phillips Gallery.  We'd passed the gallery door many times but had never entered.  We enjoyed fantastic hors d'oeuvres and an interesting exhibit called Séance Fiction.  We also met two colleagues of Glen's who had run conferences at the centre before.  After chatting with our hosts, we boarded buses which would take us to the Tunnel Mountain sight of the barbecue.

Two large, yurt-like, 'donut' tents enclose huge fires surrounded by picnic tables.  Food is served buffet style with Alberta beef the featured dish.  Beer is cooled in ice packed in aluminum water troughs.  A duo played old and modern western/bluegrass tunes (they even did a Rolling Stones song) and taught us several line dances.  We enjoyed true Western hospitality!  The venue is run by Brewster Travel -- a company begun by two brothers in 1892 to bring tourists into the the Rocky Mountains.

After breakfast the next day, we learned more about ourselves and the workings of the professional development and leadership program at the Centre.  Normally, I hate introducing myself to a group.  What do I say that will mean anything to anyone?  Banff Centre used photographs to help us say something about ourselves other than our job descriptions.  It was an innovative technique.  We then toured the facilities seeing the meeting rooms as well as the costume room which is normally off limits to the public.  We learned that if you see the opera, Marriage of Figaro anywhere in North America, the costumes were created at the Banff Centre.

We then walked through grounds to the artist colony which is another area the public can't enter.  I had passed its inviting path before so was glad to have my curiosity satisfied.  We saw the 'boat' house where Yann Martel wrote Life of Pi.  Each house in the colony was designed for a specific type of artist so if you are a composer, there is a special place with a piano where you can create your masterpieces.

Lunch was at the top of a triple black diamond ski hill.  Just saying, I'm glad I didn't have to ski down.  We took the chair lift up Mt. Norquay to Cliffhouse Bistro (built in the 1950s).  Glen insisted on using his selfie stick while we rode the lift.  He and I have had some nasty experiences on lifts before.  I've lost skis (he stepped on them as we boarded) and he's lost a ski pole so I figured both his new stick and his phone would soon be gone.  I don't like heights so it was a nervous 10 minute ride.  The views from the top were spectacular!  The lunch was a cheese/meat/cracker/bread platter with a self-serve salad bar.  Bar service was slow but we were a big group.  There are climbing routes starting from the restaurant so if you wish for something more adventuresome, check it out here.

Afternoon activities included horseback riding or visiting the Cave and Basin.  We had seen the cave before and I hadn't been on a horse in 50 years so we opted to go to the stables.  Due to a scheduling mix-up, the folks at Warner Stables told us we'd have to go out as two successive groups and might miss our evening banquet.  About half decided to return to the hotel, Glen included.  My horse was a gelding called Crow, named for a native tribe.  As we walked the trail, I came to think of him as a teenager who tried to get away with anything he could.  I was quite comfortable controlling him so we got along.  The only issue came when the horse in front of us spooked.  He was ridden by an experienced rider and somehow, she controlled him while I easily got Crow back in line.  Not sure how I did that but perhaps the horse-riding gods smiled on me.   We completed the Bow River tour in an hour exploring a part of Banff I'd never seen before.  It was fun!

I got back in time to shower off the horsey smell then it was time to gather for the banquet.  It was in an upper conference room and served a choice of hot and cold hors d'oeuvres.  All delicious.  The room had a camping decor that included a tent and fake campfire (where you could take selfies).  The evening's entertainment was the famous Canadian band, Blue Rodeo who often stop in Banff when they tour.  Formed in 1984, the band has 11 Juno awards and a star in the Canadian Walk of Fame.  Their music is classified as country rock so they appeal to a wide audience.  The conference room balcony overlooked the stage so we had a premier viewing area.  After the show, we gravitated to the MacLab Bistro for drinks.

Breakfast was served in the professional centre lobby and billed as 'to go'.  We ate ours in our room and discovered it could divide easily into breakfast and lunch.  We headed home to get ready for our trip to Victoria.

Slovenja Trip Tidbits

Always when I write my travel blogs there is information that just doesn't fit into the narrative but would be helpful to know.  Here's is a list of bits and pieces that might be helpful should you visit Slovenja.

-- tips are included in the price of a meal, usually between 19 and 22%.  Tipping extra garners much appreciation

-- using a few Slovenian words like welcome (dobrodosil) and thank you (hvala) is always met with a smile.  Hvala sounds like folla with a v after the f (it's weird)

-- 60% of Slovenja is forested and what is logged, is exported to Austria

-- most villages have a linden tree where traditional gatherings solved disputes or made decisions affecting the community.

-- we had a chance to tour the famous Lipica stud farm where they've been breeding Lipizzaners (white horses) since 1580.  Maybe next time...

-- on our trip to the Cave, we saw Lake Cerknica, Slovenia's biggest lake, which only exists in the spring (it was dry when we passed it)

-- the official symbol of Ljubljana is a dragon as seen on the Dragon Bridge, supposedly the dragon was killed by the Greek, Jason, and his Argonauts as they passed through the Ljubljana marshes

-- most visitors to Slovenja are from Europe but it is also a big tourist destination for South Koreans

-- it has more casinos per 1000 people than any other European country (its population is only 2 million)

-- Ask for senior's rate at tourist sites if you are over 60 as it is a significant discount

-- If you have a chip credit card, know your password.  These aren't needed in the United States but everywhere else uses them

-- most hotels offer bed and breakfast.  Glen learned to enjoy a tiny cup of espresso whereas I loved café latté

-- Slovenja is prosperous with clean streets and lush farms.  We only saw one beggar who asked Christian for money--he even spoke English

-- smoking is big in Europe and you just can't avoid it, especially in outdoor venues.  However, you don't see cigarette butts littering the streets

-- you can drink beer for breakfast in the Frankfurt airport and Cuban cigars are cheap at the Duty Free there

Playing Hookey

The next morning, while Glen attended his conference, I relaxed in our room knitting and reading, mostly on our balcony overlooking the lake.  What a wonderful view!

Since the afternoon was devoted to clinical studies of which Glen had little interest, he decided to play hookey.  We wanted to visit Bled Castle since he hadn't done so the last time.  But, how things have changed!  Instead of a dirt path winding its way up the flank of the hill, now a gravelled path with guardrails and benches zigzags up to the castle (it takes 15 minutes at an easy pace).

The castle (see photo) celebrated 1000 years of existence in 2011 and is the oldest castle in Slovenja.  It looms 130 m (426 ft) above the lake, hence in a great strategic position.   The entrance fee is 9 euros (about $12) for adults and that includes a 1.50 euro credit for the castle's restaurant.

The castle's roof was being re-tiled so a huge crane and scaffolding marred its beauty.  I was glad I'd photographed it before (see Stairway to Heaven?).  We found a letterbox just outside the castle which my first outside North America.  ON the castle's ramparts,  I snapped more pictures as Glen soaked in the ambiance.  A server for the restaurant pointed out Tito's summer house then brought us a couple of beers.  What a civilized way to see the castle.  Glen had no interest in viewing the museum and since clouds began to gather, we headed back to town stopping at our favourite, Pub Bled (see photo), just as the rain started.  We weren't the only ones who sought shelter but we were the first ones so we sat in our 'usual' seats which have a great view of the lake.

Back at the hotel, we were asked to fill out a tourist survey.  We ended up having a long chat with the young man.  He felt they could promote their country as a hub for seeing Croatia, Italy, Austria and Hungary since it was cheaper to stay in Slovenja and all these countries were less than an hour's drive away.  We told him he should consider his country a wonderful destination but perhaps it was a secret to be shared with only a few.  Our only complaint was there were only two flights per day between Slovenja and Frankfurt.

After breakfast the next day, I decided to have a look at Tito's summer house.  Tito (born Josip Broz--Tito was an assumed name) was a Croatian but born to a Slovenian mother so the country has a soft spot for him.  He fought in the Austro-Hungarian army in World War I but was captured by the Russians.  Revolting workers freed him and he joined a Bolshevik group where he embraced the idea of communism.  Upon returning to Kingdom of Yugoslavia, he joined the Communist party which was declared illegal in 1921.  He adopted various aliases (Tito) as his group pressured the government for change.  When the Nazi's invaded, the kingdom collapsed and Tito became leader of the Partisans who fought to liberate their people.  He was recognized as leader of the country after the war but his relationship with Stalin became strained.  When he was expelled from the union of socialist states (USSR), Tito turned to the US for support.  He developed a policy of neutrality which made Yugoslavia a friendly nation during the Cold War.  Most viewed him as a benevolent dictator who believed in the unity of Yugoslavia.  He died in 1980 in Ljubljana, Slovenja.

His summer house, now Vila Bled, sits on a hill next to the lake which offers fantastic views of the island church.  If you do the lake walk, you enter the grounds through its old stone walls.  There is a magnificent staircase up to the hotel and although I didn't enter the building, I did wander along the terrace.  The building is little changed from its 1950s luxury and it would be a fascinating place to stay.

I continued my walk meaning to turn back after I'd left the grounds.  Unfortunately, a local artist nabbed me and after telling him I had no money for his paintings, I hurried past him.  I felt uneasy about returning that way so decided to complete the circuit of the lake.  It takes 2 hours so I was ready for my lunch when I reached the Hotel Golf.

One fascinating aspect of Lake Bled is the lane buoys that dot the lake's surface.  The town has had rowing regattas for over 100 years.  Beginning in 1930, it has also hosted national and world championships.  In fact, we just missed the 2015 World Rowing Cup races that happened at the beginning of May.  At the main boathouse, not far from Vila Bled, they honour the Slovenian Olympic rowers who have won gold medals.

That evening, Glen and I walked down the stairs to the Grand Hotel Toplice for the conference banquet.  It began to rain as we enjoyed champagne on the terrace.  We dined on duck and lamb and met some young professors, one from Japan and the other from Australia (born in Africa).  Both spoke rather limited English but the African was the first person I've ever met who 'burst into a smile'.  After supper, we did three dances then left to pack.

We rose at 4 am, took the shuttle to the airport, had a small breakfast there, then flew to Frankfurt where we had a second breakfast.  I enjoyed a smoked salmon wrap but could not eat the arugula salad--too much arugula!  Our flight home was long but uneventful.  We landed at midnight our time so were happy to go to bed after supper and sleep flat.

Castles and Churches

Europe is famous for its castles and cathedrals and those who don't appreciate these structures and their history can find most European tours a drag.  Both Glen and I love history so visiting castles and churches is fun.  You can never have enough pictures of stained-glass windows, right?

Christian had hiked up to Ljubljana Castle the day he arrived and said the views from the top were great but we decided it would be more fun to take the funicular up.  Castle Hill has been settled since 1200 BC and was probably a Roman army stronghold as it has commanding views of the Ljuljanica River valley (see photo below).  First built in the 12th century, the castle has had many renovations over the last 900 years.  Each conquering army has put their stamp on the castle.  First the Bohemians then the Habsburgs ruled the city then in the 18th century, the French occupied the castle.  It was a prison in 1815 then again during World War II after which it fell into disrepair.  The city finally bought the castle in 1905 with the idea of creating a museum.  This never happened so it was used for subsidized housing instead.  A 35 year long renovation began in the 1960s culminating with the funicular which opened in 2006.

Today, the castle does house a museum and a small art gallery.  It has travelling exhibits (we saw one of mediaeval torture) and a restaurant.  The climb to the tower to view the city is worth it.  They have two circular staircases which meant we had no problem descending while a group of school children went up.  The museum tells a very succinct history of Slovenia in multiple languages and all the displays are labelled in Slovenian and English making it great for Glen who loves reading everything.  The torture exhibit was disappointing as we had seen a more extensive exhibit at the Doge's Palace in Venice years ago.  However, the sound effects sent shivers up my spine.

The cost of castle tour included the funicular, museum and special exhibit.  The senior rates begin at age 62 so we saved ourselves 8 euros ($10.00).  If you walk up, you must pay to enter the museum/special exhibits.

By the time we descended the funicular to Krek Square, it was time for lunch.  On our way to the castle, we took the route across Dragon Bridge passing the rear of our hotel.  That's when we noticed it had a terrace restaurant.  So, we returned there for a lovely shrimp salad lunch.  Salads in Slovenja seem to consist mainly of arugula (often referred to as rocket or rucola) and I love it but variety is the spice of life and I began craving other lettuce types.

Jet lag finally caught up with us so we spent the afternoon reading and napping.  We returned to the Zlata Ribica for supper and witnessed a road race up to the castle.  Later, several runners had celebratory drinks at the restaurant's outdoor bar.  Our server was excited when he learned we were Canadian (we've been mistaken for Russians) as Canada had just beat Russia to win the 2015 World Ice Hockey Championship in Prague.  He treated us to a very special Croatian olive oil, Veralda, which we had with their homemade bread.  The oil was light and fruity with a distinct flavour.  Now I'm not an olive oil connoisseur so this is how it's described.  "It's rich and opulent without heaviness, a burst of flavours blending green pepper, green apple, artichoke with a hint of cocoa."

We caught the 10:30 am shuttle to the airport then hopped the 12:30 bus to Bled.  Glen's meeting began at 2:00 pm so while he attended that, I walked along the shore of Lake Bled to the town church.  The Church of St. Martin is a neo-gothic building erected in 1905 on the site of a Gothic, 15th century church.  However, the first chapel on the site is dated to about 1000.  Inside, there are wonderful frescoes painted in the 1930s and lovely stained-glass windows.

I then retraced my steps past our hotel, Hotel Golf, and walked toward the other, more famous church, The Church of Assumption of Virgin Mary or Church of Mary the Queen, depending on the translation (see Weather for Ducks).  This baroque church (built in 1750) replaced a one built there in 1142.  However, it wasn't the first religious building on the island as a temple to the Slavic goddess, Ziva is thought to have stood there.

I didn't go over to the island as I just wanted to photograph it but many pletna boats glided to and from the church.  Their colourful canopies reminded me of the covered wagons of the wild west.

Cave and Castle

As Martin, our Roundabout Travel guide (continues from Meet us in Slovenja) drove us to the caves, he told us much of the history of Slovenja.  Joining us were three young women, one from Latvia who worked in the pharmaceutical industry and two radiologists from Estonia who were training on the MRI machines in a Ljubljana hospital.  With Christian being an engineer and Glen a microbiologist, we were a van full of science types.

Postojna Cave has been a tourist attraction for over 200 years but its caverns have hosted humans for much longer than that.  They have found evidence of prehistoric occupation.  The Pivka River created the cave as it flowed through the limestone that forms the area's landscape (karst topography).  The cave system is the longest in Slovenja with 21 km (13 miles) of passages, galleries, and incredible caverns. You see most of it sitting in a train as it winds its way through the cave.  Lighting enhances the stalactites (formations on the ceiling) and stalagmites (on the floor) created by dissolved limestone drips (flowstone).

The first tourist to visit the cave was the Archduke Ferdinand I in 1819 but many have followed in his footsteps until the first railway was built in 1872.  Two-seater carriages pushed by the cave guides showed the caves lit by torches.  In 1927, the first locomotive was used.  However, the smoke affected the caves so in 1957, the engines became electric.  In 1964, a two track loop was built to handle the crowds and today it runs for 5 km (3 mi) underground.

The Great Mountain is an underground hall where the train stops and lets people explore the caves on foot.  Our special guide, Kevin, told us of the history of the cave and its flowstone creations as he led us through the Spaghetti Hall (aptly named), White Hall of white, sparkling stalactites and the Red Room where iron dyes the flowstone brownish red.   On our way to the Concert Hall, we passed the formation that is the symbol of the caves, a shiny white, 5 m (16 ft) tall stalagmite call the Brilliant (see photo).  At this point, Kevin asked if there were any questions.  There is always one in every crowd and it's usually Glen.  So I wasn't surprised when he asked what happened when the lights go out.  Kevin was not far from a switch so turned the cavern lights off.  It was perfectly black and a little spooky.

Just before we boarded the train, there were aquariums housing a tiny cave dwelling creature called the olm.  Originally, they were thought to be baby dragons but are actually salamanders adapted to the darkness of a cave.  They're blind, lack skin pigmentation, and have external gills (like a mudpuppy).

The entire tour takes 90 minutes and that time flies by, especially if you're like me and take lots of pictures!

Next on the agenda was Prejama Castle.  The tickets purchased at the cave include the castle as it is only 9 km away (a free shuttle runs between the two sites in July and August).  The castle is the largest cave/castle in the world nestled in the middle of a 123 m (400 ft) cliff face with the River Lokva running beneath it.  Of the dozens of castles in Slovenja, only four bear special mention and Prejama is one of these (the others are Bled Castle, Ljubljana Castle and Old Castle in Celje).

First mentioned in 1274, it is most famous for being the seat of the robber baron, Knight Erazem Lueger.  He had a falling out with the Habsburg empire and they lay siege to Prejama Castle.  The inhabitants of the castle bombarded the besiegers with cherries to show that they couldn't be starved out.  Food was brought in via a tunnel and water was collected along grooves in the cave/castle walls.  However, the Habsburgs weren't deterred and bribed a servant to tell them when Lueger used his toilet then destroyed it with the knight inside.

My camera died as we approached the castle (remember all my cave pictures?) so I was forced to use my phone to record our walk through the castle.  It had passed through many hands over the years so most of the artifacts were reproductions but it did give you a sense of how people lived.  The castle was also featured in the 1986 movie, Armour of God, starring Jackie Chan.

Back in Ljubljana, we walked along the river to a restaurant we had seen in the morning to have dinner.  The Zlata Ribica (The Golden Fish) is in one of the older buildings but its tables spill outside into a tiny square and they straddle a cobblestone sidewalk along the river.  We chose to sit next to the river and enjoyed lamb with potatoes (Glen), pork medallions (Christian) and grilled calamari with potatoes and spinach (me).  You don't get many vegetables in Slovenia, except at breakfast, so we also ordered a salad which we shared among the three of us.

We didn't want the day to end so we returned to the hotel for a nightcap before saying goodbye to Christian.  He was leaving early to return to reality in Munich.

Meet us in Slovenja

In 2010, we attended the 3rd International Clostridium difficile conference in Bled, Slovenja (If it's Tuesday, it must be Slovenia).  This year it was the 5th version and we were thrilled to return Slovenja.  The country is beautiful and its people, a delight.  For more information, click here.

Our nephew, Christian, works in Germany so we invited him to join us in Ljubljana as we explored the city.  He'd never visited the country so agreed to meet us at the City Hotel.

There are only two flights/day from Frankfurt on Adria Airlines into Ljubljana airport (we booked via Air Canada and Lufthansa).  One flight leaves at 9:00am, the other at 4:30pm.  We departed Calgary at 3:30pm and landed in Germany at 8:30am so didn't make the first flight.  That meant spending 8 hours in the Frankfurt airport.  We had a second breakfast, lunch, and a nap as well as did lots of reading!

We took a taxi from the airport (it's about a half hour drive) but we learned later there was a shuttle bus to and from the city that is much cheaper (10 euros).  Still, we got to drive in a brand new BMW which was pretty sweet.  As we checked in, Christian arrived from his tour of the city.  We agreed to meet after we'd settled in and have dinner.  I'd seen that there was an English pub near the hotel, however, Christian said he wouldn't eat in a place covered with graffiti.  We agreed.  He'd tasted food at a restaurant on his tour so we made our way there, crossing the Ljubljanica River on the pedestrian Butcher's Bridge.  Originally conceived in the 1930s, it wasn't built until 2010 and has since become a mecca for lovers who clip padlocks to the wire guard rails and toss the key into the river as a declaration of eternal love.

The night was warm so we ate al fresco under the umbrellas of the Sokol Inn which promised us traditional Slovenian food.  Our server brought us menus in English (for Glen and me) and German (Christian).  One bonus of being a tourist in Slovenja (a small country of only 2 million people) is most people with whom you interact, speak English.  Slovenian is not common in Europe and English serves as universal language.  A nearby diner was eating a hearty pork dish which appealed to us so we ordered that.  The delicious pork tenderloin slices were smothered in Pleterje (Slovenia's only monastery) plum brandy and served with cheese rolls (like strudel).  These rolls, made with quark (cheese created from clotted, soured milk--not the neutron thing) spread on a crepe-like dough, were rolled like a pinwheel sandwich and sliced.  Very tasty.  We washed this down with Slovenian beer--there are two kinds, Union and Lasko.  Both are lagers reminiscent of Czech pilsners.  Once they were two different breweries but now are owned by the same company.  Union is found mostly in Ljubljana whereas Lasko is drunk in the rest of the country.

We tumbled into bed after supper and slept 'flat' which was a nice change from the previous night of sleeping sitting up in the airplane.  The next morning, we decided to go to the seaside town of Piran but it being Sunday, no tours were available.  After discussing taking the bus there, we opted to join a tour to some caves and a castle.

That didn't begin until after lunch so we wandered around the city.  There are three major bridges in downtown Ljubljana, other than the Butcher's Bridge.  The Dragon Bridge, Triple Bridge (above photo), and Cobbler's Bridge.  The Triple Bridge is the most famous and appears in all the tourist information.  Of course, I wanted to see the Dragon Bridge because of my love of this creature.  But the guys had to see the sky-bar/restaurant (see photo) so when we reached the Triple Bridge we headed south along the river (The Dragon Bridge lies to the north).  A flea market was doing a booming business and we saw some intriguing artifacts from the 'socialist' period.  We passed the Cobbler's Bridge (named because shoemakers worked on the bridge) and an outdoor photographic art gallery before heading back along Emonska Cesta (street) and Vegova Ulica (street, too) toward Kongresni Square, passing the National Library and the University of Ljubljana.

The sky-bar/restaurant (Dinner in the Sky), promoted by a local winery, Jerjzalem Ormuz, sat 22 people.  Think of a ride at the fair -- this platform with thrill-seekers sitting around its edge is elevated using a huge crane to about 180 feet above ground.  A meal (about $500/person) is served with waiters in special harnesses and diners strapped into their seats.  Christian and I decided we'd rather eat on solid ground as we felt the cable holding the platform didn't look safe.

After seeing the Dragon Bridge and the Central Market, we headed back to the hotel.  Christian treated us to beer and sandwiches for lunch as we waited for our tour guide.