Michael Tyler

If you are planning to go to Slovenia expect to take the following basic costs into consideration:

ESSENTIALS

> Flight to and from Ljubljana

(£124.98)

Booked through – easyjet

> Accommodations in Ljubljana & Bled (5 nights accommodation)

(£105.64)

Booked through – lonelyplanetexchange.com

> 1 Pizza

(£4.30)

> 1 Beer

(£1.19)

> Bus ticket

(£0.78)

OTHERS

> Walking tour

(£4.68)

This is assuming you stay in Ljubljana eating beer and pizzas every night. Obviously, the more illustrious your weekend becomes, the more you can expect to pay.

Till next time…

In future Ljubljana’s leafy boulavards are sure to bring competition to the likes of Prague, Budapest or Bratislava as a cheap weekender for a few drinks.

However, Slovenias best attractions lay outside the capital; in its hills, mountains, lakes and rivers. This is where you are likely to find the ‘real’ Slovenia and those attractions which make it stand out as a unique and worthwhile destination.

TUESDAY

Taking a walking tour is usually a good idea in a foriegn city. Meeting a real local gives you the opportunity to get information first hand, tap them for info. on good bars or nightspots or other aspects little known outside the locality.

Our tour guide was a Slovenian fine art student.

We took a walk from the town hall down to the cathedral, through the market and into the main square where we caught a miniature train to take us up the hill castle overlooking the town.

Our guide was more reflective than flambouyant, but the tour was enough to draw conclusions about the Solvenian capital, the country and its history and heritage.

MONDAY

Have found my way down to the lake Bled and managed to pick up a rowing boat. The weather is hot and sunny.

I am going to find this easy.

Bled is surrounded with mountains some of which are the alps. In the middle of the lake stands a geographical anomoly, (island), on top of which they decided to build a church.

Over the years the church and island have often been independent from the locality. At times of fuedalism and war, the church and has remained a seperate enclave.

I took my boat and decided to row out to investigate this church.

Opposite from the town, if you walk round the lake, is a hire place where you can hire a rowing boat to make your way around the lake independentely.

Being a bit of an independent type, i decided to hire this boat.

Disembarked on the island and climbed up to the mystical church.

As mentioned in previous post, this church has a bell with some mysterious properties.

A wishing bell.

Having hired the boat rowed to the island and climbed to the church and reached the rope, I pulled and pulled again nothing happened. Not wanting to embarrass myself I left it.

I got back to my boat, I thought perhaps they had decommisioned it or it had jammed or something gently putting together what had gone wrong in my head.

No sooner had I pushed off when I heard the bell sounding in the background.

Couldnt think of a decent wish anyhow. Im pretty well kitted out as it is (thanks mum)..

TUESDAY

Must investigate caves of Postojna.

Here we will find the human fish.

Deep within the caves of Postojna lives the human fish feeding on prawns, snails and what remains it can find.

As well as that, the caves are the second deepest in Europe spanning to a depth of 20km.

Took a guide with with a huge group of Germans.

Must say I was duly impressed.

We took a train down for 3km down to the river ljubljana, and investigated these 3 levels of formations. Some where pure white, others pink and a few brown and other coloured devices dotted around.

Luckily there was none of this talk of faces of famous people, Martin Luther King or Monica Lewinsky appearing from the formations, which so often happens.

The guide pointed out one mysterious camel to us right at the end but luckily we were spared the pleasure of gawping at non existant shapes and faces. I swear people that spot these shapes should stick to their lituim, or share their drugs with the other visitors before going into the caves.

Have made my way back to Bit Centre and intend to get drunk and have a pizza.

FRIDAY + SATURDAY

Have been staying in the Bit Center economy hotel, Ljubljana.

Its a mix between a hotel and a sports center.

Booked it through the website so its turned out pretty cheap.

Got a much needed haircut on Saturday afternoon and the hairdresser recommmended a couple of prime spots. Due to poor weather, didnt bother with either.

I suspect there are many interesting historical facts to learn about the Ljubljana but because its the weekend, many things are closed.

Im going to move on.

Have decided to hire a car and move to Bled which is a 1/2 hour drive from Ljubjlana.

SUNDAY

Went out last night with Aussies I met to pub close to the hostel.

Aussies have developed hybrid card game called arsehole, which i thought might be a variation on shithead, but turned out to be nothing like.

In my drunken stupor, I became confused, lost patience and climbed into a bunkbed which was really comfortable.

Awoke in the morning to be told horror stories about my behaviour the previous night.

Aussies are going hiking, i have not been invited. I suspect this may be punishment for my raucos behaviour.

Never mind.

Bled has a famous lake pictured in the Lonely Planet guide.

In a churchtower on the island in the middle of the lake, there is a wishing bell.

Today I will seek out this bell.

Arrived in Ljubljana yesterday night.

Nobody is able to agree on how this city is pronounced.

In flight, it varied from stewardess to stewardess.

The brits call in lublana.

Flight was ok, went with easyjet from stansted.

This is the first time ive flown from stansted, and it seems to be like a kind of mecca for budget flights, idols of stelios and michael oleary adourn the travellator, toilets and other parts of the airport.

It was starting to hail as we boarded the plane, so the 20c bright sunshine (in lublana) was a welcome relief from the bad weather in the UK.

I notice that easyjet dont use the old machanical platforms to elevate their passengers (in the style we are accustomed) many aussies where rushing for cover as the hail broke out, and this seemed like a bit of a novelty as i watched them filing in all wet and shivvery. however, i sense this novelty may wear off fairly quickly with further tripping using the jetsters.

Got off the plane into lush green contryside backdropped onto mountains with snowed peaks.

Grass drying in racks (for hay), bohemian houses.

All is green and pretty.

ahhh.