Ljubljana at 4 am looks like a little lost town finding its feet. Our host Martin comes to pick us up in his blue Peugeot. This is at 8. In the 4 hours, moved luggage and selves across 3 cafes. All in 20 step vicinity of each other. The apartment is perfect. The weather, wet and a bit chill to be summer. Sure to run into wardrobe problems. There are supposed to be 8 days of rain in July. I'm here for four of them.
Buses are not frequent but do exist and suffice. But most places are walkable if your feet comply. Don't forget to look lost with a map in hand. Friendly ljublanians will stop and ask if you need help.
Three bridges.
Dragon bridge. Many legends about the dragon. And it's green, the same color as the water in Ljubljana's river. There are three Rivers that go round. The Ljubljanica, the Sava, the Gradaščica.
The town hall is housed in an old building. It has a well and a map on its wall of older settlements of Ljubljana - a medieval one and a Roman one. The Romans called it Emona. You can find cafes along the cobbled streets. One of them is an old house with a hearth, solid wooden tables and benches, terracotta floors and the old brickwork can still be seen. One cafe along the river had this sign 'Unattended children will be given a free kitten and a shot if tequila :)' I like these people.
The museums are very well presented to the visitors and the staff are always cheerful and willing to help. Oh one more thing, Ljubljanians speak English. This sets them apart from the rest of Europe. You can get a 48 hour pass that allows access to museums and sights and transport for 30 €.
There's a sale on at every store. The town square has a silly "own weather" spot and all the kids...and adults walk past it and get wet in the drizzle. It's so stupid, it's sweet. Next to it is a swank store, a shopping centre that is functioning since 1913.
Gelato shops line the Riverside. On some days, you have a flea market and interesting wares and interesting people. One man was playing an accordion, a small smile accompanying perfect tunes. When the song ended, he grinned and told us that its all recorded sound.
The castle is free for visitors, but if you want to go up to the tower, from where you get to see...30% of Slovenia according to the audio guide....A bugle call by suited buglers gets people smiling.
If you have time, visit the Zala cemetery. Bus no 2. People come to tend the graves. Each one has a lantern and a little flower patch. It's like a town. Here and there you can find some interesting sculptures. A rectangle of crosses marks the lives and deaths of soldiers who died in battle.
There's a fresh foods market everyday for fruit and veg, cheese and nuts and local produce. We even found a man selling ghee! You can go for a run in Tivoli park early in the morning. It's a beautifully kept green trail. There's a train station nearby adding to the quaint air of Ljubljana.
