Monday, May 27, 2019

Balkan Road Trip - 20. Gorgeous Lake Bled


Three nights in Ljubljana afforded plenty of world-class excursions including breathtaking Velika Planina, the UNESCO-listed Skocjan Caves and the most popular tourist destination in this pint-sized nation -- the iconic Lake Bled that graces the cover of nearly every Slovenia guidebook.


Nestled in the Julian Alps an hour north of Ljubljana, this sapphire-coloured lake and its fairytale island have long been considered an obligatory pilgrimage for first time visitors to Slovenia, from Paul McCartney to the North Korea's infamous Kim Il Sung.


Since its transformation into a luxurious health resort for 19th century Austro-Hungarian elites, Bled has served as the preferred venue for diplomatic conferences and retreats for aristocrats and celebrities. Its hotsprings still entertain an upmarket clientele at Park Hotel on the lake front, though the town has largely been popularized as the vacationing backyard for Ljubljana's citizens.


Right off the 75-minute bus ride from Ljubljana, we stopped by the 100-year-old tavern of Gostilna Pri Planincu (see map) for a quick lunch of wood-oven pizza topped with Slovenia's famous cured prsut/prosciutto from the Karst region. At 8.8 euros for a pizza and less than 4 for a green salad, prices were astonishingly cheap for a world-renowned resort town.


Across the street stands another local institution dating from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The highly revered Slaščičarna Zima (see map) -- formerly known as Šmon -- has churned out Gibanice and other confections for its generations of diehard fans since 1880.


The delectable Blejska Kremšnita -- Bled's famous contribution to Slovenian gastronomy -- originated at the Park Hotel in the 1950s. Since then every cafe in town has developed its own interpretation, all invariably topped with a signature thick layer of airy chantilly creme.


Slovenia's premier resort by a country mile, Bled owes its year round popularity to its rare combination of winter sports venues (three ski hills including a World Cup slalom run at nearby Kranjska Gora) as well as summer aquatic activities and hiking trails. For those who have trouble circumnavigating the lake on foot, the old-fashioned horse-drawn carriage is a lavish option.


More active visitors can race down the grassy hill in a one-man summer toboggan on a rail, or perhaps rent a rowboat to circumnavigate Bled Island at the lake's centre. The option of renting a kayak was no longer available during our 2018 visit, much to the disappointment of this Canadian.


As noisy motors are strictly banned from the lake's glassy waters, most tourists visiting Bled Island opt for a traditional ride in a flat-bottomed Pletna, Slovenia's answer to the Venetian gondola -- minus the serenading oarsman.


On a summery day it is just as easy to circumnavigate the lake, 2 km long and barely 900m across, on foot in less than two hours. From the opposite shore one gains a good view of Bled's 900-year-old castle -- the oldest in Slovenia -- perched on a rocky cliff above the old peasant town.


This postcard panorama of Bled would require slightly more effort in the form of a 25 minute hike culminating in a steepish approach to the local hill of Ojstrica above the lake's western shore. The reward? Breathtaking 180 degree vistas from a little park bench installed at the peak.


The legendary island of Bled appeared afloat in the lake's blue glacial waters, cradled by the snowy peaks of the Julian Alps. This would be the northernmost point of our 22-day Balkan Trip, bringing us closer now to the Austrian border than Ljubljana.


An easterly view revealed an impressive terraced pavilion rising above the shoreline and overlooking Bled Island. Once part of the Yugoslavian royalty's summer palace, the complex served as one of President Tito's favorite residences before being reinvented as Slovenia's top hotel in recent years.


The descent took another 20 minutes before we returned to shore, next to the Bled Rowing Club and its 2 km course to the north of the island. This is the site of the International Rowing Regatta held every June, when the serene lake transform into an aquatic arena hosting thousands of rowers from around the world.


Further east we passed the imposing stairs to Tito's old residence, designed by the great Slovenian architect Joze Plecnik who single-handedly transformed Ljubljana into the seamless marriage of classic and modern aesthetics that the city is known for today. The state guesthouse has since been reincarnated as a 5-star hotel, with prices starting from 250 euros in low season at the time of writing.


While pletnas make frequent departures for Bled Island in tourist season, the lake does become completely frozen once every few winters when visitors could simply walk up to the island's baroque church.


Towards the end we discovered that we didn't need to circumnavigate the entire lake just to catch the return bus -- there was another bus stop (Bled Mlino, see map) conveniently located below the Straza hill on the lake's southern shore. By 18:00 we were back in Ljubljana's old town, perfect timing for a night market dinner at the outdoor culinary event of Open Kitchen on this Friday evening.

IF YOU GO

Highway buses departing Ljubljana Station reach Bled in roughly 75 minutes, stopping first at Bled's bus terminal on the north side of the lake near Slaščičarna Zima and Bled Castle. But if you remain on the bus, it will stop at Bled Mlino on the south shore for access to Tito's old residence (now Vila Bled) or a short walk to the trail head for Ojstrica. The return bus can be caught at either bus stop.

Thursday, May 16, 2019

Balkan Road Trip - 19. Skocjan Caves


One of Ljubljana's unique attractions is its proximity to some of the world's most spectacular underground caves accessible to tourists, tugged away in Slovenia's legendary Karst region that became the namesake of limestone landscapes around the world.


Even with the luxury of three nights in Ljubljana, we were faced with the difficult decision between two world-famous caves for an optimally paced day-trip, or attempting to fit both into one long and hectic day. It was the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Skocjan versus the immensely popular Postojna, or both if we're content to return to Ljubljana after dark.


It may surprise some readers that we picked Skocjan which, despite its magnificent underground canyon, receives only a tenth of visitors to Postojna, one of Slovenia's major tourist draws since the late 1800s when the caves received Slovenia's first electrical lights ahead of Ljubljana. Two years ago I made another tough choice of declining a chance to visit the Akiyoshido Caves in Western Japan, opting for the annual Yanai Festival instead as we already had Skocjan in our sight.

Getting to Skocjan was supposedly a breeze with regular trains and highway buses both making the same trip in about 90 minutes to the local train station of Divaca, where a free shuttle bus from the Visitor Centre was to meet the train's arrival ... except this wasn't quite Switzerland and trains don't always arrive on time. We were lucky to have taken a highway bus that connected seamlessly with the shuttle which, despite being operated by the train company, took off before the train's arrival.


With three tours being offered by the Visitor Centre, we join the classic Tour #1 with multi-lingual guides leading hundred of visitors to the underground canyon though a well-maintained yet slightly claustrophobic tunnel. The initial 20 minutes was your typical show cave of stalagmites and other dripstone formations, fascinating but nothing compared with the upcoming canyon that made Skocjan a UNESCO World Heritage Site.


No photos were allowed, but everyone's jaw dropped as we crossed the man-made bridge over the magnificent canyon, a precarious 50m above the raging rapids and cascading waterfalls and still another 90m or so below the airy ceiling of a ginormous cavern reminiscent of Tolkien's Middle-Earth dwarf kingdoms.


Aside from its touristic appeal, the Skocjan Caves' unique microclimate also harbours its own ecosystem of endemic subterranean species, the most famous being the endangered cave salamander considered the giant panda of Slovenia in terms of cultural significance. Just look at the popularity of their plush toy versions at the gift shop.


The trail back to the Visitor Centre would swing by the collapsed cave entrance known as Velika Dolina where the Reka river seemingly funneling into the underworld and would not be seen for another 34 km, before resurfacing and emptying into the Adriatic Sea.


The return path also passed by the Tominc Cave inhabited by prehistoric cave dwellers some 10,000 years ago. It is hardly surprising that a furious river draining into an abyss would be associated by ancient civilizations as the entrance to afterlife, attested by the discovery of a cultic cave temple in the park.


The guided tour lasted for 60 minutes, followed by a 20 minute walk back to the Visitor Centre. Those interested in exploring the course of the underground river could move onto Tour #2, but we decided to grab some lunch before returning to Ljubljana for an afternoon visit to its 12th century castle.


Lastly I must commend Skocjan's Visitor Centre for bucking the trend of overpriced souvenirs and bland cafeteria food at national parks everywhere. 13 euros for an entree of grilled baby calamari was refreshingly reasonable, and I still regret not purchasing another bottle of truffle-infused olive oil at its souvenir shop, priced shockingly cheaper than most epiceries in Ljubjlana.


Before returning to Ljubljana I took a picture of the elusive shuttle bus timetable outside Divaca's train station. With only 5 buses per day even in summer tourist season, it does take some planning -- or a taxi call -- to make a good connection with the return bus or train.


It was only after reviewing the highway bus timetable that I decided to quickly hop on the next train back to Ljubljana. Buses however would be ideal for travelers connecting to the Postojna Caves or to Koper on the Adriatic Coast, as a springboard to lovely Istria.


One final advice to fellow travelers transferring from the Istrian Peninsula (e.g. Rovinj) to Ljubljana. In retrospect we could have saved a return trip (3 hours total) from Ljubljana by fitting Skocjan into an overnight stay upon entering Slovenia. All it would have taken was to hop off the Rovinj-Ljubljana bus at Koper's Bus Station and transfer to the next bus to Divaca, check into a local hotel and leave the heavy suitcases either at the hotel or at the lockers at Skocjan Visitor Centre, and pick up the baggage after visiting Skocjan before taking the next train or bus to Ljubljana. If this sounds too complicated, leave me a message below with your questions.

IF YOU GO
Skocjan's visitor centre is connected by free shuttle buses from the small train station at Divaca, 90 minutes from Ljubljana by trains or highway buses. From Divaca it is also possible to connect to Postojna for more subterranean adventures, or to the local transport hub of Koper where one could easily transfer to Slovenian (Piran), Croatian (Pula, Rovinj or Porec) or Italian (Trieste) cities along the Istrian coastline.

Friday, May 3, 2019

Balkan Road Trip - 18. Ljubljana, Slovenia


After traveling 1300 km through 6 countries, our road trip was approaching its end as the scenery transitioned from turquoise Adriatic shores to lush sub-alpine meadows with wooden church spires surrounded by chalet villages. It could have been the Vienna Woods, except the highway signs were still in Slavic.


Is this still the Balkans or are we in Central Europe now? The Slovenes themselves might say Central Europe; Croats, Serbs and other former Yugoslavs might vouch for the Balkans; and Wikipedia says both. Debates aside, our highway bus had arrived at the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana.


Nearly equidistant between Graz, Venice and Zagreb, charming Ljubjlana has always served as the crossroad between its German-speaking neighbours to the north, Italians to the west and its Slavic siblings to the southeast, presiding over a small mountainous nation only a quarter of the size of Austria.


With the nation's farthest corners within a half day's drive, Ljubljana's central location makes for an ideal homebase for day-trips to the rest of Slovenia including world-famous Lake Bled and the UNESCO-worthy stalactite caverns of Skocjan. Here we chose to spend three nights -- the most among all cities on our 22-day itinerary -- in addition to a final afternoon prior to our flight home.


As our daily routine was centred between the train station and the historic quarter, we booked into a cheap hotel (Rooms Ambrozic) right between the two, a minute's walk from the Dragon Bridge, two from the Central Market and ten from the adjoining train and bus stations.


Extensively rebuilt in late 19th century following an earthquake that flattened much of the city, Ljubljana features a compact historic centre with a 12th century castle rising above its spacious squares, the most prominent being the Congress Square that spawned the Slovenian Spring demonstrations that precipitated Slovenia's independence and the breakup of Yugoslavia.


60 seconds in a glass-walled funicular zips visitors up to Ljubljana Castle, a 2000-year-old stronghold that hosted Celtic tribes, Roman legions, Carniolan nobility, medieval prisons, 20th century social housing and now lavish weddings in its airy chambers.


Despite its unremarkable exhibits, the castle does offer excellent panoramas at its viewing tower for a price. Alternatively one could have a similar view for free just outside the castle, overlooking the Congress Square, the University of Ljubljana and the Slovenian Philharmonic Hall.


At the foot of the castle stands the baroque Town Hall and the historic Robba Fountain, or more precisely, a replica of the 18th century fountain that graced the Slovenian banknote prior to adoption of the Euro. We're now at the epicentre of Ljubljana's entertainment district, where a 500m radius would cover the most popular cafes and restaurants on both sides of the river.


The 400-year-old belfries of the Franciscan monastery mark the Preseren Square along with the city's signature architectural gem, the Triple Bridge with two pedestrian bridges flanking a wide centre bridge designed for trams that used to cross the Ljubljanica.


Much of the harmonious aesthetics can be attributed to the genius of Joze Plecnik, the city's favorite architect who reinvented Ljubljana with his elegant bridges and open squares, a legacy now recognized by the nation as a candidate for UNESCO World Heritage Site application.


Just east of the Triple Bridge is a 21st century glass footbridge named Mesarski Most, or Butcher's Bridge after the meat vendors on south shore. Aside from its peculiar collection of bronze sculptures, the bridge is now known for its thousands of love padlocks a la Pont des Arts of Paris.


Butchers still occupy the covered arcades south of the bridge, overflowing into the open-air Farmer's Market with bewildering selections of Klobase sausages and various charcuterie items. As a Canadian I'm forbidden to bring home pork products such as prsut and klobase, instead settling for some sun-dried porcini mushrooms.


While charcuterie stands may still be your best bet for Slovenia's famous prosciutto and cured pork neck from the Karst Plateau, nowadays every franchised supermarket carries its own selection of Kraski prsut, our breakfast of choice served with fresh pastries and our favorite yogurt.


The best time to visit would be Fridays during the summer when the Farmer's Market transforms into a culinary festival known as Open Kitchen (see map), featuring dozens of food carts serving everything from Slovenian venison pate to Argentine beef asado to honey mead and elderflower water, all in a boisterous ambiance under the Cathderal's twin towers.


The longest queue of this evening belonged to the smoky spectacle of Superhrust, patiently roasting an entire pig on the spot with its custom-designed mobile roaster fueled by charcoal.


The primal smell of charred meat and fat drippings instantly brought back memories of another festive pig roast that we attended on the opposite side of the Alps with a much crunchier skin. This was only passable in comparison, but a lively start to our informal dinner nonetheless.


More traditional fare could be found across the aisle at a pop-up outlet for Gostilna Pri Kozolcu, serving its Eastern Slovenian recipe of homemade Pečenice veal sausages, sauteed and served with mustard and sauerkraut.


Many local restaurants have joined Open Kitchen with their own fast food outlets, including the nearby Valentin with its deep-fried calamari and sardines. With my wife craving for soup, we decided to bypass their stall and make the 2-minute walk to (the restaurant) itself for a couple of sit-down courses.


Valentin's cream of scampi turned out much better than the exceedingly fishy sardines. Between the pig roast, Pečenice sausages, sardines, soup and a couple drinks, we ended up spending more than 40 euros for dinner at this night market, another proof that night market grub are rarely as cheap as people may think. I guess we should have learned from our seven night market dinners in Taiwan last year.


For an authentic Slovenian dinner at dirt cheap prices, the no-nonsense sausage joint of Klobasarna (see map) served us hearty barley porridge, two Kranjska Klobase, local soft drink (Ora!) and beer for about 15 euros -- and from its prime location right below Ljubljana Castle.


A short stroll over to the popular Vigo (see map) for some outstanding gelato, and it completed our three course dinner in Slovenia at near Albanian prices. With artisan flavours such as Alfonso mangoes, Magdagascan vanilla and Sicilian pistachios for less than 2 euros a cup, Vigo instantly became a daily routine for the rest of our stay in Ljubljana.


On our last evening in Ljubljana we finally sat down for a proper Slovenian meal at Hisa Pod Gradom (see map), housed inside a 400-year-old mansion at the foot of the castle and known for its modern take on traditional Slovenian ingredients.


As the confluence between Slavic, Italian and Central European culinary influences, contemporary Slovenian cuisine is much more than just goulash and klobasa. On this evening we decided to sample a few of Hisa Pod Gradom's appetizers before sharing an entree, starting with a succulent smoked goose breast served with a refreshing spread of pear puree.


Slavic touches were hardly noticeable as these dishes could have been served anywhere from Madrid to Berlin. That said, both the goose breast and the pictured duck pate with truffle honey turned out excellent and surprisingly affordable at about 9 euros each.


Topping up with a plate of melt-in-the-mouth veal cheeks in red wine, a green salad on the side and a couple glasses of Teran, and the meal ended up only a few euros more than our night market dinner. And of course, a stroll to Vigo for more gelato was in order.


Fellow travelers may be surprised by us spending more time in Ljubljana than cities with more tourism credentials such as Dubrovnik, but Ljubljana features such a wide range of day-trip opportunities -- Bled, Skocjan, Postojna, Triglav and Velika Planina to name a few -- that we could have easily spent a week here. Three nights were barely enough.

IF YOU GO

Ljubljana Airport is served by major airlines as well as low-cost carriers such as EasyJet, and is connected to the city by frequent buses. The train station and bus terminal are conveniently situated next to each other, offering connections to Zagreb (2.5 hrs), Venice (4 hrs), Vienna (5 hrs) and Budapest (6.5 hrs), as well as domestic destinations such as the popular Lake Bled and the Skocjan Caves.