Vintgar Gorge
So what do you do when you have a group of early risers, a thunderstorm approaching later in the day, a bike hire place nearby? You head off in the misty morning for Vintgar Gorge.
This gorge only became a tourist destination a few years ago, and already it takes a bit of forward planning to avoid the crowds. We were there by 9:30, tethered our bikes in a tidy gather and set off, armed with raincoats and walking shoes.
This is the most incredible verdant gorge, 1.6 kms walking in length, and the walking tracks cling precariously to the rock face. When we started walking we were lucky that the buses hadn't disgorged too many tourists onto the tracks and we were able to get a few shots without the crowds. As the morning progressed, and the rain started (fools with umbrellas!) there was a bit more skill involved in taking advantage of potential passing lanes.
The water is incredibly clear and icy looking: one of the wonderful things is that OSH isn't aware of this place yet, which goes back to the comment from Petra that people need to use their common sense in these environments. There are paths with no railings and a sheer drop to the water - bridges which wouldn't comply with the distance between railings, but no one seemed too concerned.
The spray from the waterfalls had us damp in a very short time, added to the puddles in the tracks, we made our own tracks after an hour or so of walking, and squelched back for a coffee at the cafe. Great coffee too - the owner reminded some young women that, given they were coming into his cafe (his home) it would be polite to say good morning, smile and use the two little words 'please' and 'thank-you' if they wanted something. I was chuckling. Excellent advice though, to be heeded in any cafe in the Balkans. Actually, anywhere in the world. Simple manners.
By the time we finished the coffee, it was pouring, and so, intrepid travellers that we are, we mounted our steeds (after picking them up from the ground where they had fallen in a heap, all five tethered by the front wheel) and wheeled our way back home, with just a few detours.
And what else to do on a cold wet day? Hunker down in a vegan cafe for vegan burgers (who knew) and then a Thai massage (again, who knew - I did!), and finish up with a roll of the dice.
This gorge only became a tourist destination a few years ago, and already it takes a bit of forward planning to avoid the crowds. We were there by 9:30, tethered our bikes in a tidy gather and set off, armed with raincoats and walking shoes.
This is the most incredible verdant gorge, 1.6 kms walking in length, and the walking tracks cling precariously to the rock face. When we started walking we were lucky that the buses hadn't disgorged too many tourists onto the tracks and we were able to get a few shots without the crowds. As the morning progressed, and the rain started (fools with umbrellas!) there was a bit more skill involved in taking advantage of potential passing lanes.
The water is incredibly clear and icy looking: one of the wonderful things is that OSH isn't aware of this place yet, which goes back to the comment from Petra that people need to use their common sense in these environments. There are paths with no railings and a sheer drop to the water - bridges which wouldn't comply with the distance between railings, but no one seemed too concerned.
The spray from the waterfalls had us damp in a very short time, added to the puddles in the tracks, we made our own tracks after an hour or so of walking, and squelched back for a coffee at the cafe. Great coffee too - the owner reminded some young women that, given they were coming into his cafe (his home) it would be polite to say good morning, smile and use the two little words 'please' and 'thank-you' if they wanted something. I was chuckling. Excellent advice though, to be heeded in any cafe in the Balkans. Actually, anywhere in the world. Simple manners.
By the time we finished the coffee, it was pouring, and so, intrepid travellers that we are, we mounted our steeds (after picking them up from the ground where they had fallen in a heap, all five tethered by the front wheel) and wheeled our way back home, with just a few detours.
And what else to do on a cold wet day? Hunker down in a vegan cafe for vegan burgers (who knew) and then a Thai massage (again, who knew - I did!), and finish up with a roll of the dice.
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