Thursday May 23 started sunny as we were leaving Zagreb and ended up with a mix of sun, cloud and a few isolated showers in Ljubljana. High 22C.
Our host Ana checked us out of our Zagreb Airbnb at 10:00 a.m. and we had a very quick 12 minute walk to the bus terminal.
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| Last breakfast in Zagreb |
Our Flix bus left on time at 10:45 a.m and we were supposed to arrive in Ljubljana at 1:20 p.m. Zagreb is only 139 km from the border. There was a very quick passport check at the border by the border agent who got on the bus and checked our documentation. Then about 15 km from Ljubljana we had to follow a police car to a gas station with a large parking lot where there were a number of other buses sitting. We were told it was another passport check. A policeman got on the bus and scanned ID cards and passports. There were about five police cars in the parking lot and a van where they were checking info. After over a 30 minute wait, people started leaving the bus for smoke/bathroom breaks (everyone seems to still smoke in Croatia and Slovenia). One Dutch woman who also spoke English and Croatian was trying to make a bus connection in Ljubljana and asked the police how long we were going to be stopped. At first, the policeman didn't really answer but then the story he told her was that there was a crack in the bus's windshield and the driver would have to pay a fine. More time passed and she was told that he had finally paid it.
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| From the bus window-- drivers chatting to police who were checking passport info on a computer |
We finally left and arrived in Ljubljana at 2:20 p.m. an hour later than expected. Luckily, we were able to communicate with our host who was meeting us at the apartment. We had an easy 20 minute walk down a main street where only pedestrians and buses are allowed.
Our first impressions are that Ljubljana is an exceptionally beautiful city with lots of green and a river that runs through it. It is the capital of Slovenia and has a population of around 280,000. In ancient times, Ljubljana was on the trade route connecting the Mediterranean to the Black Sea. Legend has it that Jason and the Argonauts founded Ljubljana when they stopped here for the winter on their way home with the Golden Fleece. Some stories say Jason slayed a dragon here, others attribute that feat to St. George- in any event, the dragon remains the city mascot.
Ancient Ljubijanans left behind very few artefacts, except for half of a wooden wheel that is 5200 years old. The area was eventually ruled by the Romans (and called Emona) before being over-run with Huns, and finally resettled by Slavs- the ancestors of today's Slovenes. In 1335, Ljubljana fell under the Habsburg emperors who called in Laibach and were there for the next six centuries. Most of the inhabitants spoke German at this time, as the Slovenian language and culture were considered backward.
Napoleon put Ljubljana on the map when he named it the capital of his Illyrian Provinces, from 1809-1813. For the first time, the Slovene language was taught in schools. This era is fondly remembered-- there is a French Revolution Square. An earthquake hit the city in 1895, damaging many buildings. It was made over with Art Nouveau flair. A generation late, local architect Jože Plečnik (1872-1957) added many buildings and designed many of the bridges which cross the Ljubljanica River.
In WWII, Slovenia was occupied first by the Italians and then the Nazis. Ljubljana had a thriving resistance movement. In response, the Nazis fenced off the entire city and made it a giant prison, allowing in only basic food shipments. In 1991, Ljubljana became the capital of one of Europe's youngest nations. It is a big University town and is very cutting edge when it comes to architecture, urban planning, public art and fashion.
Ljubljana is also one of Europe's greenest and most liveable capitals; it was the European Commission's Green Capital of Europe in 2016. Being the midpoint between the Slavic, Germanic, and Italian worlds gives the city a unique character.
Car traffic is restricted in the centre, leaving the banks of the Ljubljanica River, which flows through the city centre, free for pedestrians and cyclists. There are many cafés with umbrellas along the river. As we were walking, it started to rain, but had stopped by the time we arrived at the Airbnb.
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| Public art en route |
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| Drinking fountain |
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View of the Ljubljana Castle on a 375 m-high hill east of Old Town-
most of it dating from the early 16th century |
We met Borut, our host, at the outside of his apartment building and then went into a courtyard. The building is a designated historic building and dates back to 1795. It is in one of the oldest parts of town. Borut told us that, according to the archives, Napoleon stopped at this building in 1797 to change his uniform. All very exciting! We are also on Rimska Cesta street, which translates to Roman Street. Borut called his Airbnb "Domus Romanus". He gave us a great orientation to the city and left us a bottle of red Slovenian wine. (As an aside, he told us in English class in Primary School, he was given the English name "Allan").
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Courtyard of our building which dates back to 1795.
We went into the apartment, which is very large and spacious. Borut bought the place about 20 years ago and has made some major renovations over time. It was originally his bachelor pad, but he is now married and lives in a different part of town.
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| Dining and kitchen area--- Design exposed on ceiling has some French motifs |
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| Fresco on the ceiling-- only a small part has been exposed |
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| Living room and dining area- some original glass in the windows |
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| Dining and kitchen area |
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| Separate bedroom |
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| Modern bathroom with new washer |
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Book cases in living room- also a work area. Lots of light.
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| Huge hallway as we enter- bedroom and bathroom to the left of the picture |
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| We enter through a courtyard- we're on the first floor (second in Canada) |
After settling in, we went for a walk to Novak Galerija, about seven minutes from our apartment.
A long story short: we had decided to purchase a painting we had seen at the Gallery's Dubrovnik location.
The artist is Mirsad Begić (b. 1953, Bosnia), a well-known sculptor and painter who has lived most of his life in Ljubljana. He has Parkinson's and has recently decided to sell a number of his paintings. The gallery will be shipping the piece to us. Due to internet issues, we had arranged to pay at their main Ljubljana Gallery. Tatania, with whom we had been dealing in Dubrovnik, had returned to Ljubljana where she normally lives and works. She also sent us a note inviting us to the opening of Begić's show in Ljubljana on Friday night, noting that he would be in attendance.
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| Napoleon statue on French Revolution Square (Tag Francoske revolucije) |
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| Thanking Napoleon for "our liberty" |
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| There are many different architectural styles in the city-- |
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| View up to the Castle |
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| In front of Extraordinaire concept shop |
We got to the Gallery, which is just off a lovely square. There are at least two other beautiful galleries just down the street.
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| Bust of Josip Jurčić, a famous writer |
The gallery had a different selection of Begić's works, all beautifully displayed.
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| Some of the pieces |
Tatania asked if we wanted a coffee. About five minutes later, a waiter from the adjoining small Heritage Hotel brought over an espresso for me and cappuccinos for Allan and Tatania.
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| Allan with the coffees-- I was in the gallery office making the payment |
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| Brochure of the paintings exhibited in both galleries |
Tatania gave us some suggestions for dining and we decided to walk up one side of the river en route to the main square.
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| Lots of greenery, boats and yes, the sun came out |
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| We crossed one of the many bridges |
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| Lots of beautiful cafés on the river |
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| Succession style architecture in this part of town |
We got to Prešeren square, named after France Prešeren (1800-1849), Slovenia's greatest poet. There is a large statue of Prešeren in the square.
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| Pink landmark Franciscan Church of St. Mark |
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| There is a huge market area nearby-- we will be checking this out |
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The famous Triple Bridge designed by Plečnik with a Venetian vibe. He had designed the bridge noting that Ljubljana was halfway between Venice and then-capital Vienna--
a bridge between the Italian and German worlds. |
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| The statue of Prešeren |
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| Succession buildings |
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Galerija Emporium, the first department store in Ljubljana, was built in 1903. After WWII, nationalization let to the store becoming national property and called the Centromerkur department store.
In 1990, the store was proclaimed a cultural monument and in 2002, it was returned to the descendants of the original family. Mercury, god of commerce, is on the top of the building. |
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| These little mini buses tootle along the mostly pedestrian streets in the town centre |
We stopped at a wonderful chocolate shop near the Emporium, called Čokoladnica Cukrček, a Slovenian family business opened in 1993.
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Outside of shop
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| Wonderful chocolate and tastes |
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| 1907 Building housing the chocolate store and others |
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| Another amazing building |
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| Nearby model of the city |
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| Outside of a small Museum of Banking- lovely architectural detail |
We decided to have dinner at one of the places Tatania recommended. It is called Šestica 1776. The building had originally passed from farmers to artisans until it came into possession of an inn-keeper in 1776. That year is considered as the restaurant's foundation date. Until 1805, the building's street address number was 6, giving the restaurant the name it has retained to the present day (Šestica is six in Slovenian).
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| May 9, 1945, The Liberation of Ljubljana |
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| Outside of the restaurant as we were leaving |
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| Peering through the window into one of the restaurant's dining rooms |
We walked back to the apartment and had a glass of the bottle that Borut left us. A lovely Slovenian red. The guy we had talked to in the restaurant had family in the wine business and said that Slovenia was "one big vineyard with great conditions for growing wine."
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| Delicious Klet Brda Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon |
A very busy and interesting day. We can't wait to explore more of this beautiful city.
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