Cruising the Adriatic--Slovenia

We landed in Koper, port town for Slovenia, on October 31, 2013. No one was celebrating Halloween in that remote Slavic land, but we were surprised at how Western it was.  As Rick Steves noted in his guidebook, "Today it seems strange to think that Slovenia was ever part of Yugoslavia.  Both in the personality of its people and its landscape, Slovenia feels more like Austria.  Slovenians are more industrious, organized, and punctual than their fellow former Yugoslavians, yet still friendly, relaxed, and Mediterranean."

We spent the day in the capital city, Ljubljana (lyoob-lyee-Ah-nah), an hour inland.  It has an Old Town surrounding a castle on the hill, and resembles Salzburg. We boarded a river boat and cruised over water so still that it reflected every building and tree on its shore.  We passed homes, bridges, and apartment houses as we approached the city center.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Austrian influence was clear, with onion-shaped towers which our guide described as "rococco."

 

We cruised the river all the way downtown, past wonderful pastel and highly decorated churches and government buildings.

 

We could see the castle high on the hill above the marketplace, as in Salzburg.

We then took a walking tour through town.  On one of the bridges, there were many locks around the railings.  Our guide explained that lovers add locks to symbolize their undying love.

The center of the city, Preseren Square, was surrounded by colorful buildings right out of Austria, as well as a large statue to the national hero.  "We're peaceable people," our guide said.  "Our hero is a poet."

 

 

 

In this post-Communist city, Amani and other luxury brands have arrived.

The main square was filled with entertainers, such as these marimba players.

Our guide was a "professor of kinesthenics" at a high school--a health and gym teacher, maybe?  He was witty and informative.

He pointed out national symbols, such as the Hapsburg double-headed eagle.

We wandered along the river and through the main park, where people relaxed at outside tables, even on this chilly day.  We also passed the old palace and museums.  Alas, no time to browse.

 

 

 

There were some interesting statues, such as this one of Adam and Eve.

One good/bad feature of all-day cruise shore excursions is their long lunches at local restaurants.  We ate mushroom soup and a chicken cutlet at Sokol, a spot with costumed waiters and a "country village" atmosphere.  I sat next to an American-born, half-Chinese woman who moved to Milan as a model, married an Italian, and now works as a stylist in Italy's fashion industry.  She was traveling with her parents, who lived in Boston.  We chatted with very interesting people during our long lunches, but we usually learned more about America than the country we were visiting.

 

Dave and I spent our free time, after lunch, strolling through the riverside market.  The specialties included not only fresh fruits and vegetables, but honey and sausage made from deer and wild boar.

 

 

 

 

Of course, as in any Germanic or Slavic country, there were lots of cabbages.

We also walked some back streets, noting the many bicycles, the importance of pork to the local cuisine, and, of course, that ultimate symbol of Western culture, the McDonalds poster.