My tour of the Adriatic continued with a visit to Slovenia. We were heading to Ljubljana but made a stop at the Postojna Caves. This is a popular tourist site that if you are in the region it is worth the visit. The temperature is very cold Inside the cave, so to visit it is highly recommended that you dress warm. Walking inside the Cave is not very slippery and there are handrails as you take the tour. Keep in mind that there might be drops of water as you walk through so you need to be careful. My lead guide and I laughed when I said we might be leaving the caves with some formations as every once in a while I felt a drop. As I mentioned, my lead guide was mindful of my hesitation to do some of scheduled activities but was very supportive and was very clear as to what we were going to do so I could make an informed decision. Glad I decided to do the hour walk in the caves.

On the first part of the tour you take about a 2 mile ride on a train.

As the train travels on, there are formations on both sides some areas better lit than others but it is spectacular to experience. Once you get off the train there is an incline that could be a bit challenging but take it slowly. At the top there is a guide explaining a bit about the formations and history of the caves. The guide will then move on to another area and point out some of the major stalactites and stalagmites providing interpretations. In some places there are different rooms all formed by the drippings over the years. There are places you will see pools of water. To complete this portion of the visit, it will take about an hour.

While walking around you are not allowed to touch the formations although I can see how you would be inclined to.

On our way out we caught a glance of a baby dragon. Actually the real name is Olm. The olm looks like a lizard to me at first sight but the body is long, the tail is long and a kind of square head. This salamander is of major significance here as there were tee shirt etc. that had the olm as the design. Olm are generally seen in caves. As expected you have to pass through the souvenir shop at the end of the tour to get back on the train.

After arriving in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, we took a walking tour, passing beauty salons, restaurants, outdoor cafes, and stores. We quickly realize that bicycle riders were very common. As we walked to the main square bicycles seem to be everywhere. On the main streets, there are designated areas for them, but it seemed they were just anywhere and everywhere. Be mindful and aware of the bicycle riders.

Another city that is very clean with astounding architecture. As we walked into the square, there were some receptacles to the left. We soon learned that they were garbage bins. Interestingly, we found out that you need a personal card that is scanned to open the lid in order to dump garbage in these bins.

We had a boat ride on the Ljubljana River to give us the perspective of the city from the river.

As we sailed along, there were cafes and park chairs with people sitting on the embankment, some waving as we passed by.

Walking around the town, there are many places to eat, pizza. Sausages. ice cream. Chocolate stores, and of course souvenir shops. We ate at an Asian fusion spot that was very popular for a quick bite of freshly prepared fast food style.meal. unfortunately, I forgot the name, but it is very close to the center square. If you are looking for a nice sit-down meal, reservations are highly recommended. Walk-in is ok, but you might not be accommodated because there is no available table. We also ate at restaurant Sestica, which seemed very popular because there was always a crowd outside when we walked by. We had prior reservations for the entire group, so we were expected. While we were eating, I noticed guests being turned down. The service and the food were excellent, more Italian style.

As we walked around town, these motorized vehicles were often seen transporting people. These vehicles are free, and you can call them to pick you up from different points. I cannot give you much information about their use as we didn’t need or use them, but it would be something to check out.

We were off again on another adventure, heading to Bled, about 40 minutes from the city. First, we visited the medieval Bled Castle perched on a ridge overlooking Lake Bled. Here, we visited a museum and had a demonstration of old and new printing practices in a print shop.

After leaving the castle, we headed to the lake and then to Bled Island. People are allowed to swim in the lake, and private boaters are also allowed but cannot go to the island, the major attraction. To go unto the island, there are specific boats called Pletna that are allowed to take visitors to the island. These boats are made of beautifully polished wood and are named after family members. They can be seen transporting visitors back and forth throughout the day. Passengers can sit in the front/bow on the outside or evenly on either side on the inside and the captain rows.

When we got to the island, there was a ninety nine step climb to the top.

It was beautiful up there a little time for a beverage or ice cream and enjoy the fresh air and beauty below.

After leaving Lake Bled we headed for lunch in Radovljica another quaint little town about twelve minutes away. We stopped in Radol’ca Chocolate boutique, a family owned business, tasted some of the chocolate, heard about their progress. The chocolate here is made on site and the husband was busy at work during our visit you could here the rumblings of the equipments.

The boat ride on the Ljubljana River referenced earlier, was our last activity as a group and that was so much fun with dancing and laughter. I will not share the dancing since I did not request permission from the participants but you know who was on the floor, wild with my dancing partner. I hope you enjoyed my posts for a lovely trip that offered educational opportunities, meeting new friends, the beautiful sceneries, medieval architecture and learning different cultural customs. Some of the group continued to Serbia, others remained in Slovenia, some off to Turkey and some of us returned home. Let me share one of the member’s video of his visit to the castle. What a lovely view?