Touring
Not sure what to call my 'tours' but my guinea pigs and I are all together now in Ljubljana. For me the drop in temperature was a shock - I've been languishing in 32 degrees and suddenly it was 19 - very pleasant though, no puffer feet and not the need to continually be finding water to drink or submerge myself in.
I'm thrilled to be with Jack and Jenny, Nikki and Chris - and really rewarding to be with them all as they experience Ljubljana for the first time. Ljubljana is a delightfully sophisticated pedestrian town - not hugely crowded with tourists (particularly in the morning when we venture out) with delightful little corners in every little alley that heads in a new direction. It is the cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative centre of Slovenia - a really 'green', environmentally aware city.
It was first mentioned in the middle of the 12th century and developed because it was situated in the middle of a trade route between the northern Adriatic Sea and the Danube region. It was under Habsburg rule from the Middle Ages until the dissolution of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire in 1918, clearly shown in the style of the beautiful buildings situated along the Ljubljanica River, a mixture of Vienna Secession style and Baroque style. Local architect Joze Plecnik designed a large amount of the central government buildings between the two world wars.
The town hall is one of my favourites for the beautiful eaves -
equalled by the former Cooperative Bank, built in 1921. Any photo I have ever taken of this beauty (and there have been a few) have never done it justice. The colours are so vibrant, and the details so unusual. It is cited as being in Slovene style.
It has been an independent country since 1991 when it elected to disengage itself from Jugoslavia, and life for the Slovenes has not looked back. By their own admission, they are more 'Austrian' in character than the Croats or Serbians - hard working, disciplined. The language has a slightly different structure, but sort of similar enough for me to understand a lot (and to ask for simple things- although there is no need to stumble through using Croatian as English is spoken everywhere).
Like so many other bridges (or any railings actually) the Butchers Bridge is adorned by padlocks with people symbolising their undying love for each other by leaving their initials locked in perpetuity on the rails. Kind of like an insurance policy I guess. The bridge is so named because on one side of the bridge, the building designed by Joze Plecnik housed the butcher's shops. And still does. There are nine stunning bridges over the river Ljubljanica.
To our joy (most of our joy) it rained this afternoon which really only left the option of shopping (sigh) in the stunning designer shops (Nikki, Chris, me). Other option was yet another coffee (me), or a Hugo (me), or a domaci rum (Jack) (or a nap (everyone except me). Or a mixture of all options. Life's tough here in Ljubljana.
I'm thrilled to be with Jack and Jenny, Nikki and Chris - and really rewarding to be with them all as they experience Ljubljana for the first time. Ljubljana is a delightfully sophisticated pedestrian town - not hugely crowded with tourists (particularly in the morning when we venture out) with delightful little corners in every little alley that heads in a new direction. It is the cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative centre of Slovenia - a really 'green', environmentally aware city.
It was first mentioned in the middle of the 12th century and developed because it was situated in the middle of a trade route between the northern Adriatic Sea and the Danube region. It was under Habsburg rule from the Middle Ages until the dissolution of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire in 1918, clearly shown in the style of the beautiful buildings situated along the Ljubljanica River, a mixture of Vienna Secession style and Baroque style. Local architect Joze Plecnik designed a large amount of the central government buildings between the two world wars.
The town hall is one of my favourites for the beautiful eaves -
It has been an independent country since 1991 when it elected to disengage itself from Jugoslavia, and life for the Slovenes has not looked back. By their own admission, they are more 'Austrian' in character than the Croats or Serbians - hard working, disciplined. The language has a slightly different structure, but sort of similar enough for me to understand a lot (and to ask for simple things- although there is no need to stumble through using Croatian as English is spoken everywhere).
Like so many other bridges (or any railings actually) the Butchers Bridge is adorned by padlocks with people symbolising their undying love for each other by leaving their initials locked in perpetuity on the rails. Kind of like an insurance policy I guess. The bridge is so named because on one side of the bridge, the building designed by Joze Plecnik housed the butcher's shops. And still does. There are nine stunning bridges over the river Ljubljanica.
To our joy (most of our joy) it rained this afternoon which really only left the option of shopping (sigh) in the stunning designer shops (Nikki, Chris, me). Other option was yet another coffee (me), or a Hugo (me), or a domaci rum (Jack) (or a nap (everyone except me). Or a mixture of all options. Life's tough here in Ljubljana.
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