Piran and Skocjan Caves
Today our group headed to the coast for a visit to Piran in the morning - I know you have already been there with me, but it is so beautiful, and worth another visit, so come on.
The name Piran comes from Pyros or Pyr, Greek for fire or light house - which of course there was to navigate boats to Koper. Piran has had residents from the 5th century, and citizens relied mainly on maritime trade, fishing and salt-works. But today, no thought of salt-works, we wandered past the statue of Tartini and the Venetian House with the 'let them talk' inscription, and up to the bell tower.
This is interesting because it is a replica of the bell tower in St Marks Square in Venice, except that the original tower in Venice has collapsed and been replaced, making this replica tower older than the one being replicated. The bell rings every 15 minutes, so the challenge is to get up and down again before you are deafened with the ringing. 146 steps, 14 levels named after saints. This was well worth the 1 euro entrance fee, if for nothing more than the exercise and the view.
From there, I headed off by myself and wound my way through the narrow streets: I stopped for a while and chatted to an artist who had a painting depicting his concerns about the rubbish created in Piran and how this was being disposed of. And I get that this is an issue for all of these high tourist areas - Dubrovnik, Venice etc - the added rubbish must be tremendous, and there really needs to be a 'no plastic' regulation in place.
And after such a deep conversation partly in English, partly in Croatian, the sea beckoned, and I answered - it would be wrong not to. I found a lovely rock just made for a reclining sun pose and foisted myself into the 24 degrees sea for a swim, followed by a wee nap in the sun. Lovely.
We ate a seafood lunch at Ivos (that's not true - I'm not on close terms with shellfish so had a Greek Salad). I can only hope that you can imagine how warm the sun, how blue the sea and the sky. Close to heaven after the rain of Bled.
The transfer taxi arrived on the dot of 3 to head to the caves. As you know, I have already taken you to the Postojna Caves, but these are the Skocjan Caves (with a 'sh' on the 's'). Given the entry cost, I decided I didnt need to go in, and then when it was too late, fell prey to regret given it will be a while before I pass this way again BUT the transfer driver (who couldn't understand a word I said because of the kiwi accent) took me to the village and church which has an open air museum.
I'm sure that the caves were great, but the museums were interesting too.
These caves are where the Reka River disappears in the Karst rock before reappearing again near Trieste - there are huge abyss' some over 50 m deep. The museum had a display of the Bronze Age and the Iron Age objects - the supposition is that these objects were gathered and offered as part of religious rituals. The little church in the village was cute, but also unusual because the bell tower is separated from the church.
And then a fast trip back to Bled on the motorways which don't seem to have a speed limit that demands to be obeyed - take out pizzas and a rum and coke and into bed!
The name Piran comes from Pyros or Pyr, Greek for fire or light house - which of course there was to navigate boats to Koper. Piran has had residents from the 5th century, and citizens relied mainly on maritime trade, fishing and salt-works. But today, no thought of salt-works, we wandered past the statue of Tartini and the Venetian House with the 'let them talk' inscription, and up to the bell tower.
This is interesting because it is a replica of the bell tower in St Marks Square in Venice, except that the original tower in Venice has collapsed and been replaced, making this replica tower older than the one being replicated. The bell rings every 15 minutes, so the challenge is to get up and down again before you are deafened with the ringing. 146 steps, 14 levels named after saints. This was well worth the 1 euro entrance fee, if for nothing more than the exercise and the view.
And after such a deep conversation partly in English, partly in Croatian, the sea beckoned, and I answered - it would be wrong not to. I found a lovely rock just made for a reclining sun pose and foisted myself into the 24 degrees sea for a swim, followed by a wee nap in the sun. Lovely.
We ate a seafood lunch at Ivos (that's not true - I'm not on close terms with shellfish so had a Greek Salad). I can only hope that you can imagine how warm the sun, how blue the sea and the sky. Close to heaven after the rain of Bled.
The transfer taxi arrived on the dot of 3 to head to the caves. As you know, I have already taken you to the Postojna Caves, but these are the Skocjan Caves (with a 'sh' on the 's'). Given the entry cost, I decided I didnt need to go in, and then when it was too late, fell prey to regret given it will be a while before I pass this way again BUT the transfer driver (who couldn't understand a word I said because of the kiwi accent) took me to the village and church which has an open air museum.
I'm sure that the caves were great, but the museums were interesting too.
These caves are where the Reka River disappears in the Karst rock before reappearing again near Trieste - there are huge abyss' some over 50 m deep. The museum had a display of the Bronze Age and the Iron Age objects - the supposition is that these objects were gathered and offered as part of religious rituals. The little church in the village was cute, but also unusual because the bell tower is separated from the church.
And then a fast trip back to Bled on the motorways which don't seem to have a speed limit that demands to be obeyed - take out pizzas and a rum and coke and into bed!
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