Tina took Brent and I into her house and has bee such a hospitable host. Her family was so sweet to us and really made us feel welcome and at home. On the 20th, Tina met us at the train station and brought us to her house where we met her parents and brother and were shown around the guest quarters where we would stay for a couple nights. They had a complete FLOOR for us to stay on and they had even filled the fridge with groceries for us! We crashed onto the most comfortable beds of our lives after a full day of traveling.
The next morning, Tina took Brent and I to the city center of Ljubljana. What a beautiful area! We strolled through a flea market that lined the streets above the river that ran through town and took in the crisp cool weather. It was a nice change to breathe in fresh clean air--it felt like Lake Tahoe! We also noticed that, for being in the city center, the landscape was hardly littered by trash. Of course, there was the occasional graffiti, but red hearts and the words "green dragon" seem more of an attempt at vandalizing.
After making our way through the flea market, we climbed up a pebbly path, lined with rich green trees, up to the Ljubljana castle. Seems so strange to have an ancient castle 15 minutes from your house. We climbed up the bell tower and discovered a great view of the city. Tina pointed out a couple universities, a huge library, and the "triple bridges", which we had crossed over when we walked through the flea market.The castle had an adorable square at the center that happened to be dedicated to a children's craft fair that weekend. Tina even mentioned that families often visit the castle for the afternoon on the weekends to enjoy the nice weather and activities for their children. We made our way back down from the castle and soon found a chocolate shop filled with large bowls of chocolate covered dried fruits. (Dad, you would have LOVED it!)
We filled a baggy and continued along the older district of Ljubljana. Tina brought us to the university library and to an outdoor ampitheater, where concerts and freshman orientations are held. Eventually, we all haeded back to Tina's house where we were warmly greeted with a traditional Slovenian lunch.
Brent and I enjoyed sitting around the table chatting with Tina and her family. They seemed truly interested in us and we felt bad there was a slight language barrier. I wish we could speak Slovenian! We started the meal with a soup similar to chicken noodle, minus the chicken. Then Tina's mom brought out a huge and very tender pot roast that had been cooking all morning and was glazed with marmalade. Yummy! We also had salad and potatoes with onions that had been baked in the oven. Everything was absolutely delicious!
After lunch, Tina and Spela and Brent and I drove over to Lake Bled (BLIT). What an amazing landscape! The lake is a cool turquoise color with translucent water as you peer over the edge. It is surrounding by lush forests and deep green grass along the edges of the lake. There is a rocky cliff along one side of the lake where a castle majestically overlooks the lake from a couple hundred feet above the water. It looks as if the castle was built right into the cliff. Perhaps the most exquisite part of the lake is the small island that sits in the center. The island is extremely small, but somehow a church fits perfectly and is a popular site for weddings. (The pictures would be amazing!)
After we hiked up to the castle to see the view, the four of us just spent a couple hours talking and walking along the edge of the lake. It was so peaceful and relaxing. Before we left Lake Bled, we visited a cage along the lake where we indulged in the original Lake Bled cream cake. This famous pastry has a phyllo-dough base, then a thick layer of cream (similar to a light custard), then another layer of whipped cream, all topped with a crunchy flaky thin crust, sprinkled with powdered sugar. Amazing. Tina and Spela even brought home some slices for their families.
The four of us headed back towards Ljubljana, where Brent and I said our thanks and goodbyes to Spela with a promise to return to Slovenia. Brent and I were surprised once again with ice cream sundaes from Tina's mom when we came in the door. We really couldn't believe how incredibly sweet her family had been. We felt like they went completely out of their way for us and we just couldn't thank them enough. It's so great to meet such sweet people across the world.
We turned in early after a long day of exploration, sad that we had to leave the next day. Brent and I are looking forward to repaying the hospitality when Tina comes out to California next summer.
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