Central Europe 2019/20

December 2019 Read more

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Central Europe 2019/20
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Day 10
Sunday, December 22, 2019 at 8:11 PM
☁️ 9 °C
Altitude: 8 m
Slovenia Maritime Museum 45.52855, 13.5683745°31’43” N 13°34’6” E
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Sunday night alleyways
December 22, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C
Waiting for the rain to clear in our apartment watching the football game meant we could wander around streets of old town Piran in complete silence and peace.

We found a restaurant on the waterfront for dinner and had, as is only right given how close this town is geographically and culturally to Italy, a two course dinner of pasta and then main. I had my beloved spaghetti vongole followed by deliciously crispy squid, Rich had carbonara and a beef dish, and the nice waiter finished us off with a small glass of super refreshing lemon sorbet on the house.

A staggeringly steep hike back to our place, the windows flung open, to dry the sweat, and now we are ready for bed and an early rise to see Piran in the sun tomorrow.Read more
Traveler And it looks very Italian. Beautiful - F
12/22/19Reply
Traveler I can tell by the glint in your eye, you’re really going to enjoy that! - F
12/22/19Reply
Traveler Was this going down to dnner? - F
12/22/19Reply
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Day 11
Monday, December 23, 2019 at 9:06 AM
☁️ 9 °C
Altitude: 53 m
Slovenia Town Walls of Piran 45.5276, 13.571445°31’39” N 13°34’17” E
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Piran city walls
December 23, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C
We returned to the city walls in the morning before leaving Piran and wow we're glad we did - amazing views and an interesting, old, structure in itself, enjoyed for the bargain price of 1€. We also spied our first cat of the trip, a black one, which we took as a good luck sign from B for the day ahead.Read more
TravelerGreat photos
12/23/19Reply
Traveler This is a postcard one! - F
12/23/19Reply
Traveler Are they apples on the tree, below Richard? - F
12/23/19Reply
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Day 11
Monday, December 23, 2019 at 2:07 PM
☁️ 8 °C
Altitude: 547 m
Slovenia Postojna Cave entrance 45.78271, 14.20445°46’58” N 14°12’14” E
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Postojna cave
December 23, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C
We were blown away by Postojna caves today, via a train ride into the belly of the cave then an hour walking tour. Some quick facts that made us say wow:

- 3 million years old
- 24km long
- 100m underground
- Train built in 1870s
- Recipient of the first electricity in (what was then) AustriaRead more
Traveler Wow!
12/23/19Reply
Traveler100 metres is a long way under! - F
12/23/19Reply
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Day 11
Monday, December 23, 2019 at 2:20 PM
☁️ 8 °C
Altitude: 508 m
Slovenia Bukovje 45.815, 14.1283345°48’54” N 14°7’42” E
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Postojna Castle feat. Monty
December 23, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C
Impressive castle at the top of the cave network.
And Monty!
Traveler Looking good, looking happy xx
12/23/19Reply
Traveler Hello there 🤓
12/23/19Reply
TravelerThese sorts of castles amaze me! How do they build them? They appear to be part of the hill, and look at the tiny one underneath 🤔 F
12/23/19Reply
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Day 11
Monday, December 23, 2019 at 2:27 PM
☁️ 6 °C
Altitude: 450 m
Slovenia Bovec 46.33817, 13.5574846°20’17” N 13°33’27” E
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Driving day
December 23, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C
Traveler I love rivers - F
12/24/19Reply
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Day 11
Monday, December 23, 2019 at 6:19 PM
⛅ 4 °C
Altitude: 450 m
Slovenia Bovec 46.33817, 13.5574846°20’17” N 13°33’27” E
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Hotel Dobra Vila
December 23, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ⛅ 4 °C
One night isn't long enough somewhere this cosy but it's all we've got so we'll savour it.
TravelerThat looks so nice
12/23/19Reply
TravelerI'm giving this a 5 star like! - 🧡F
12/23/19Reply
Traveler 🧡
12/23/19Reply
Traveler Absolutely wonderful I love it - F
12/23/19Reply
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Day 11
Monday, December 23, 2019 at 8:25 PM
⛅ 4 °C
Altitude: 450 m
Slovenia Bovec 46.33799, 13.5574446°20’17” N 13°33’27” E
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The best mushroom risotto I've ever had
December 23, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ⛅ 4 °C
At one of the only restaurants we could find open in sleepy Bovec on a Monday - the day most places close. Then back to our place forba warming shower with an unusual set of knobs.
Traveler Ha! Steve’s favourite, a radler!
12/24/19Reply
Traveler Wow! No wonder it was so nice inside 👌 - F
12/24/19Reply
Traveler Thrust the Brits to know how to make a tap 😉 - F
12/24/19Reply
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Day 12
Tuesday, December 24, 2019 at 9:22 AM
⛅ 2 °C
Altitude: 450 m
Slovenia Bovec 46.33817, 13.5574246°20’17” N 13°33’27” E
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Breakfast!
December 24, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ⛅ 2 °C
Despite being the only guests, Dobra Vila didn't spare any effort in putting on a beautiful breakfast. We enjoyed it next to the sun room and, surprise, another, even cuter, sitting area. Sigh, I don't want to leave, the lobby smells like cinnamon and clove!Read more
TravelerLooks delicious 😋
12/24/19Reply
Traveler It just looks amazing and so comfy! This has been your best place so far, as far as my vote goes 😍 - F
12/24/19Reply
Traveler Did you take enough for lunch? 😜
12/24/19Reply
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Day 12
Tuesday, December 24, 2019 at 10:45 AM
⛅ 6 °C
Altitude: 365 m
Slovenia Paljevo 46.03281, 13.6359846°1’58” N 13°38’10” E
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En route to Kranjska Gora
December 24, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C
We started seeing more and more white today! I had wanted to go via the Vrsic Pass but after google reported snow on the road, and that it's the highest road in the country, and seeing some signs for mandatory snow chains, which we don't have, we played it save and turned a different way....Read more
Traveler Gosh that water looks cold! - F
12/24/19Reply
Traveler Postcard, right there!
12/24/19Reply
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Day 12
Tuesday, December 24, 2019 at 11:46 AM
⛅ 0 °C
Altitude: 1,151 m
Italy Lago del Predil 46.41882, 13.5770446°25’8” N 13°34’37” E
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Don't tell the rental company
December 24, 2019 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 0 °C
But the safer choice involved a border crossing, for about 15 min, unless we wanted to backtrack all the way to Ljubljana, which we didn't. We thoroughly enjoyed our Italian quarter of an hour, particularly the not-crashing-in-a-country-we-aren't-insured-in bit. The border gave us a good opportunity to park Monty and frolic in the first proper snow we'd encountered.Read more
TravelerBeautiful ❄️
12/24/19Reply
Traveler 🧡 stunning view - F
12/24/19Reply
Traveler The cold doesn’t seem to be bothering you, which is good- F
12/24/19Reply
Traveler Cutie 🤗
12/24/19Reply
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Day 12
Tuesday, December 24, 2019 at 11:59 AM
⛅ 3 °C
Altitude: 1,013 m
Italy Lago del Predil 46.42266, 13.5701546°25’22” N 13°34’13” E
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Stunning sidetrack
December 24, 2019 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 3 °C
When in a strange corner of a bonus country, look at the lake.
Traveler Takes your breath away! - F
12/24/19Reply
TravelerGreat bonus, worth the little detour - F
12/24/19Reply
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Day 12
Tuesday, December 24, 2019 at 12:47 PM
⛅ 4 °C
Altitude: 808 m
Slovenia Velika Pišnica 46.48454, 13.7857146°29’4” N 13°47’9” E
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Kranjska Gora
December 24, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ⛅ 4 °C
Quick leg stretch, treated ourselves with these snazzy new lids.
Traveler Love your new lids!
12/24/19Reply
Traveler Beautiful 🧡
12/24/19Reply
TravelerHow are you finding the locals? Any problem with language? - F
12/24/19Reply
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Day 12
Tuesday, December 24, 2019 at 4:20 PM
🌙 4 °C
Altitude: 477 m
Slovenia Bled 46.36781, 14.1091646°22’4” N 14°6’33” E
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Bled Cake, AKA the Slovene Snotty
December 24, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ 🌙 4 °C
Had our first attempt at the much lauded Bled Cake today. It is all by all accounts suspiciously similar to a french vanilla slice but it was definitely invented here by the lake.
It has thus been dubbed the Slovene Snotty by me in reference to its striking resemblance to the humble snot block.Read more
TravelerYum, my favourite 🍰
12/24/19Reply
Traveler 🤣🤓 is that a layer of meringue on top of custard? - F
12/24/19Reply
Traveler I'll have a slice of the cheesecake please, top right shelf! - F
12/24/19Reply
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Day 12
Tuesday, December 24, 2019 at 9:11 PM
⛅ 2 °C
Altitude: 476 m
Slovenia Bled 46.36933, 14.1076246°22’10” N 14°6’27” E
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Christmas Eve
December 24, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ⛅ 2 °C
Saw a woman fishing with a dog lead...? Then realised her lil pupper fell in the lake. I laughed very much and have thought about it every day since.
Traveler Happy Christmas 🎅🏻
12/24/19Reply
Traveler Happy Christmas Eve!
12/24/19Reply
Traveler Did you try it out? - F
12/24/19Reply
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Day 13
Wednesday, December 25, 2019 at 10:38 AM
☀️ 4 °C
Altitude: 487 m
Slovenia Bled 46.37115, 14.105646°22’16” N 14°6’20” E
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Santa and sparkling
December 25, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ☀️ 4 °C
A surprise stocking on the door handle on Christmas morning, clemintines and biscuits, how cute.
Traveler Bubbles for breakfast, haha, love it - F
12/26/19Reply
Traveler Nice combo :)
12/26/19Reply
TravelerSo traditional and such a nice thing for them to do! Love your dress - F
12/26/19Reply
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Day 13
Wednesday, December 25, 2019 at 11:26 AM
☀️ 6 °C
Altitude: 530 m
Slovenia Laški Rovt 46.27726, 13.8847246°16’38” N 13°53’5” E
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Lake Bohinj
December 25, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ☀️ 6 °C
A little drive to the neighbouring lake, Bohinj, about a 30 minute drive into Trigaliv national park. When we arrived the fog was so thick you couldn't see anything but it cleared in the end. At its deepest, the lake is 44m!Read more
Traveler Even thought it's foggy, it's beautiful - F
12/26/19Reply
Traveler 🧡
12/26/19Reply
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Day 13
Wednesday, December 25, 2019 at 1:11 PM
☀️ 3 °C
Altitude: 821 m
Slovenia Medvedov Vrh 46.29279, 13.7965746°17’34” N 13°47’48” E
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Slap Savica
December 25, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ☀️ 3 °C
Slap in Slovenian means waterfall, and this one was reportedly only a 20 minute walk so in we went. The walk turned out to be near vertical but we are very outdoorsy so we got there.
Traveler Worth the walk obviously! - F
12/26/19Reply
Traveler Beautiful..... Richard looks pretty cool too - F
12/26/19Reply
TravelerI notice it was 3 degrees. Bit chilly!
12/26/19Reply
Traveler Trying a bit of magic were you 😊
12/26/19Reply
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Day 13
Wednesday, December 25, 2019 at 2:51 PM
☀️ 0 °C
Altitude: 1,527 m
Slovenia Ribčev Laz 46.26323, 13.8391846°15’48” N 13°50’21” E
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White Christmas
December 25, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ☀️ 0 °C
We took a cable car up to what we thought was only really going to be an amazing lookout and found a whole winter wonderland ski resort! We mucked about happily for ages in the powder soft snow (ate a bit too) and marvelled at what a good decision coming up here was.Read more
Traveler How pretty 🥰
12/26/19Reply
Traveler Gorgeous
12/26/19Reply
TravelerAnd what does snow taste like? - F
12/26/19Reply
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Day 14
Thursday, December 26, 2019 at 10:03 AM
☀️ 2 °C
Altitude: 484 m
Slovenia Bled 46.37106, 14.1053546°22’16” N 14°6’19” E
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Bai Bled Rose
December 26, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ☀️ 2 °C
Night three of luxury accommodation and it's time to break Richards spirit by checking out. It's been great here in Bled, right on the edge of the lake, in the newly renovated, very shiny, Bled Rose Hotel. We've been particularly taken with the weird blue tentacle thing, and the view from our balcony, both shown below.Read more
Traveler Hahahaha, and it is ??? - F
12/26/19Reply
Traveler Postcard!
12/26/19Reply
Traveler A jigsaw!
12/26/19Reply
Traveler Odd!
12/26/19Reply
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Day 14
Thursday, December 26, 2019 at 11:55 AM
☀️ 6 °C
Altitude: 495 m
Slovenia Lake Bled 46.35896, 14.0916546°21’32” N 14°5’30” E
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Cya Bled
December 26, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ☀️ 6 °C
We walked the 6km perimeter of the lake as a final, beautiful, hurrah before hopping into Monty (and his heated seats, so thoughtful Mon)
Traveler Nice shot! - F
12/26/19Reply
Traveler Such a perfect backdrop! - F
12/26/19Reply
Traveler Beautiful
12/26/19Reply
Traveler Dog??!
12/29/19Reply
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Day 14
Thursday, December 26, 2019 at 2:59 PM
☀️ 5 °C
Altitude: 362 m
Slovenia Škalce 46.34601, 15.4249346°20’46” N 15°25’30” E
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Zlati Gric
December 26, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ☀️ 5 °C
A 15th century winegrowers mansion for tonight! We're staying on the grounds of Zlati Gric vineyard, about 100km east of Ljubljana. It's a public holiday here - Independence and Unity Day, not to be confused with statehood day, which marks the separation from Yugoslavia. As such, everything is closed so we're staying in our heritage home with the bottle of wine, pasta, and the football. Cheers!Read more
Traveler This looks interesting. Is that Richard hiding way up there, I can’t tell - F
12/26/19Reply
Traveler Ha! Quite the landmark 🧡 - F
12/26/19Reply
Traveler Brilliant idea - F
12/26/19Reply
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Day 15
Friday, December 27, 2019 at 1:01 PM
☁️ 5 °C
Altitude: 275 m
Slovenia Ljubljana 46.05729, 14.516646°3’26” N 14°30’60” E
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Metelkova
December 27, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C
Metelkova is fascinating from social and cultural and economic perspectives. An online summary is as follows but if youre interested, do more research -

Metelkova is an autonomous social and cultural centre in the city centre of Ljubljana, Slovenia's capital city. Formerly, the site was the military headquarters of the Army of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, then it became the Slovenian headquarter of the Yugoslav National Army. It consists of seven buildings (military barracks) extended over a total area of 12,500 m², which have been squatted since September 1993.Read more
Traveler Impressive artwork! - F
12/27/19Reply
Traveler Love the window security bars - F
12/27/19Reply
TravelerVery interesting! No getting those squatters out now 😉 - F
12/27/19Reply
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Day 15
Friday, December 27, 2019 at 3:41 PM
☁️ 5 °C
Altitude: 291 m
Slovenia Ljubljana grad 46.04789, 14.506246°2’52” N 14°30’22” E
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Back in Ljub
December 27, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C
For one night before getting the train to Budapest tomorrow. We said a fond farewell to Monty and checked into our place metres from the Dragon Bridge, then snagged a booth at Cafe Romeo for a cocktail. Later we'll get in probably the last great pizza of the trip (thanks to bordering Italy, Slovenia knows good pizza) and say goodnight to this beautiful city.Read more
Traveler Nicely framed 🧡
12/27/19Reply
Traveler Looks like the perfect place to do a bit of people watching! - F
12/27/19Reply
Traveler 😊🧡
12/27/19Reply
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Day 15
Friday, December 27, 2019 at 7:12 PM
☁️ 2 °C
Altitude: 288 m
Slovenia Šujica 46.04724, 14.5141446°2’50” N 14°30’51” E
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Verace
December 27, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ☁️ 2 °C
Said amazing pizza at Verace - which has a certificate of authenticity from the AVPN (True Neopolitan Pizza Association) which means it complies with a strict set of regulations (available here for the interested: https://www.pizzanapoletana.org/en/ricetta_pizz… )Read more
Traveler Yummo, the crust looks amazing! - F
12/27/19Reply
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Day 16
Saturday, December 28, 2019 at 9:30 AM
☀️ 0 °C
Altitude: 269 m
Slovenia Spodnja Zadobrova 46.05956, 14.6070446°3’34” N 14°36’25” E
En route to Budapest
December 28, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ☀️ 0 °C
On a train that reminds me Slovenia used to be part of Yugoslavia, with no power points, no WiFi, and limited food, for 9 hours. Here we go!
TravelerDoesn’t sound great- F
12/28/19Reply
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