We had a bit of a disorganised start. We had to be down in the lobby ready to leave at 7.30 but breakfast didn’t start until 7am. Most of us rolled up at around 6.45 but the dining room doors were shut. The doors stayed shut until after 7 and we were all ignored. In the end I just went in and headed for the cereals. All the food was sitting there waiting and probably had been for about 10 minutes. The breakfast was very nice but very haphazardly set out. The yoghurt was beside the tomatoes and miles from the cereals and the eggs were off on a side counter not near anything. However it was all very nice once you discovered it. We ate quickly as had ignored instructions and not brought down our bags as we wanted to clean our teeth.

It took about 40 minutes to get to Ljubljana. We noticed immediately how many people were cycling. We parked a couple of blocks from the old centre and then walked in with our local guide. As in Zagreb the guides tell you all about the architects that have had a hand in significant buildings and city design. They did a big redevelopment after the nineteenth century earthquake and there is a big Austrian influence. Of course there is an obligatory castle up on the hill overlooking the city and a large open market.

In the first square we went to there is a large statue dedicated to a Slovenian poet who also wrote the words to the national anthem. As Jiga said, other countries have statues of politicians and victorious generals but Slovenia has a poet and they are proud of it. There is a river running through the the city which is clean and beautiful in a very European way with stone banks on either side.

The market was full of people selling fruit and vegetables and plants. Gardening is evidently a national pastime but still they buy their food from the market. There are some great modern sculptures also. I liked the one of Perseus who in legend kept having his liver torn out in a perpetual Groundhog Day. Not everyone’s favourite.

One of the baroque churches also has beautiful sculpted bronze doors that depict the journey of Catholicism in Slovenia.

The main square is large with a green area with lovely plain trees. Evidently there is a large parking garage (what they call car parks) underneath. Why don’t we do that instead of building ugly parking buildings? It’s not as if Slovenia is wealthier than NZ. In 2016 Ljubljana won an award for greenest city in he world. We think it was a UN award. They won due to a number of recent changes in the city including their water storage and quality, recycling, vehicle free city centre, having a rent a bike scheme and the amount of progress with environmental issues since gaining independence. The bike rental scheme is interesting. For €3 per year you can have a bike as often as you like provided it is returned to a cycle park station within 2 hours. Any more than 2 hours and you pay more.

The green theme is also apparent in the streets with large public bins all sorted for different types of refuse and recycling. They seem to empty straight into large bins under the pavement that can presumably get emptied.

One of the buildings facing the square has a balcony from which independence from Austria, then Italy, then Nazi Germany then the death of Marshall Tito, then independence from Yugoslavia was announced. They obviously don’t anticipate any more announcements as that former government building is now the University. They have high taxes (the highest rate is 50%) but have free education and health and all tertiary students get a daily food allowance.

They were setting up for an outdoor performance of Swan Lake and you could hear the choir practising in the Academy of Philharmonia which is the oldest opera school outside of Italy. Barbara had the presence of mind to record it.

When the tour finished we took Jiga‘s advice and found a cafe (“found” perhaps gives the wrong impression. Let’s say ‘selected’) to try some Slovenian wine. Seriously, it was obligatory even if was only 10.15am. We had a coffee also and a croissant. 3 croissants, 3 glasses of wine and 2 coffees for €12.40 was pretty good also. I mention the coffees and croissants just to downplay the wine.

We had a bit of a wander through the shops. Barbara checked out the market and Mike and I got a Slovenian fridge magnet and wooden Christmas decoration.

We’d definitely be keen to go back to Ljubljana for a few days. It feels great. The river was crystal clear and you can drink the water there and everywhere in Slovenia. The people are European leaning and outdoorsy. It’s a bit like a mini NZ but cleaner and greener.