Wednesday, 2 August 2006
I opened my eyes uncomfortably in a rainy morning in Slovenia. It was 6:12, and the train was just pulling out of a nameless station. According to my train ticket, the train was scheduled to arrive in Ljubljana at 6:05, but it was also true that yesterday night the train was delayed for 15 minutes, so I was somewhat worried. Upon asking the first train crew, I learnt that Ljubljana would be the following station. Whew!
After I got off at Ljubljana, first I noted that there were a large number of travellers who were forced to sleep in the open in the station. After a light breakfast that I brought from Munich, I started to walk slowly away from the train station.
First I walked along the Miklosiceva Cesta (I am again omitting all Slavic accents--sorry), which led me to the Franciscan Church and the Presernov Square. The scene here, with the Triple Bridge crossing the River Ljubljanica, was a very pleasant one.
However, it started raining soon. I walked along the bank of the river for a while, and then turned into Gosposka Ulica, seeing the National Library and the Krizanke, once a stronghold of Teutonic Knights and now forgotten by the ages.
Heading south, I came to a stretch of ancient Roman walls, with a Roman gate leading to the Askerceva Cesta. After this brief excursion, I returned to the centre of Ljubljana, my shoes and socks soaked. I paid 40 tolars to gain entrance to a washroom such that I could use its hand-dryer on these items.
Upon the Ursuline Church, I turned left and hoped to visit the Republike Square and the Cankarjev Dom (but didn't succeed--I was separated from these by a wall, and in the rain I simply didn't feel like seeing these after all). From the Kongresni Trg, I headed north and then east, coming back to the Presernov Square. The rain diminished by now.
Crossing the Triple Bridge, I came to an information centre. Further along, a fountain and the town hall could be seen, very Central-European. Nearby was the St. Nicholas's Cathedral and the market, consisting of a series of tents selling mainly food and clothing. To the south side of the market, a trail led uphill and after about 10 minutes I came to the castle perched upon the hilltop, overlooking the east bank of Ljubljana.
To access the tower required a fee, but the view at the top was quite worth it. Ljubljana, much like Taipei, is built roughly in a basin. To the north are the Julian Alps and the Kamniske Alps--the eastern end of that great mountain range. Complementary to the tower visit, one could also view a film introducing the history of Ljubljana.
Coming down from the castle hill, I went to the market place and tried burek, a Slovenian fast food of crusted flakes enveloping cheese, meat, or pizza filling. I cannot but admit that burek was delicious--in fact, so delicious that I also brought one from Ljubljana for dinner in Zagreb!
I also stopped at Sokol, a recommended restaurant, and tried the prekmurska gibanica, a Slovenian cake, with layers of acorn, cheese, etc.
After spending a long time waiting for a train delayed by 25 minutes, I headed to Zagreb at about 13:55.