Chakra Shakers Eastern Europe

We rather accidentally found ourselves in Ljubljana. Austria was simply too expensive judging by prices on booking.com. and who wouldn't want to stay in a place with a j following an l, not just once but twice?! We changed trains in Salzburg and it immediately felt wonderfully different. An old compartment style train. It was such a blessing that we had missed that bus. Chugging through the mountainous, lush terrain was stunning.
We arrived after dark in Ljubljana without a hotel reservation. How wonderfully old school. We had read about AKC Metalkova an autonomous cultural and arts centre and squat that is just by the train station. Of course it was magnetic to Joe. What a gloriously fascinating, unique and free space. My knowledge of squats is squat but I will say that I have been blown away by the genuine love and sweetness of the old punks that we continue to meet all over the world. I will always be a square but apparently I'm now also cool by musical association, so I'm welcomed without suspicion.
I had my first drink in a squat bar.... (exciting to me because of the reference in the Chakra Shakers song, 'Underground'). The young punk girl was all hard edges but we cracked her. She said that the choice of beer was a red can or a green can but they both treated the same. So, we had one of each and yes, they tasted the same! Then we went in search of a room. The hostel in the AKC space was full but they suggested other hostels to try. There was a band playing free jazz.... wonderful to hear some live music even if it was mostly squawking. We walked through the park to another recommended hostel, also full..... and to another along the river front. Yep, full, apparently the Italian holiday period had just started and Ljubljana is a convenient overnight on the way to the coast.
I was starting to eye up benches in the park, my choice compared to sleeping under a bridge but as a last resort we checked for a room in the park hotel. They had rooms and the sweet receptionist even advised that booking directly online was cheaper so we secured a hotel room for 2 nights. The 120€ a night is frighteningly expensive to me but the hostel room with bunk beds was only marginally cheaper. It was a good reminder that home exchange is literally life changing in allowing us endless travel on our budget.
Ljubljana is a wonderful city. Not as many tourists as Prague, and it's pretty, welcoming and interesting. There are only 2 million people in Slovenia and the lovely people that we met were keen to welcome us and to explain more about their culture. There was another art spot along the river converted from a bicycle factory into small units for start-up innovations looking to get a foothold in the commercial world. Interesting to look around and chat to the entrepreneurs but way out of my interest or price range. What would you even do with a hand painted silk scarf? We perused some menus for a snack and then bought picnic items from a convenience store instead. It may be a stopover spot but the prices match Prague.
The hotel had a bee haven on the roof and a wonderful spot to watch the thunder and lightning storm roll in. Unfortunately, it was so mesmerising that we waited too long to move and got rather stuck in the downpour. We ended up sheltering in a Chinese restaurant. I ordered boiled chilli beef expecting a red hot sauce.... instead it was a brown sauce full of szechuan pepper but it was tasty enough.
There are 2 live music venues in the squat area. There was an American noise/psych band playing in one but tickets were 18€. We got chatting to the doorman, who was excited to tell us all about the venue. He was thrilled to learn that Joe had played in the area 20 years ago and remembered the club.... and Lada, the female bass player of 'The Bambi Molesters' who set up Joe's show. More about her in Zagreb.... that interaction gained is free entry to the club later but sadly the band had already finished. What a cool stage though. We'll definitely be back there to play.... probably with LDH, the new name for the aforementioned Bambi Molesters.
The next day, we found a Banksy exhibition, which was fascinating and inspiring. I loved the video of the painting shredding as soon as the auction hammer fell, 'going, going, gone' indeed!! The parrellels with music are so obvious. Both are so beautiful when produced not for fame, recognition, or commercial gain, just for abandon, freedom and expression.
Time to go to Zagreb and another home from home, home exchange.Weiterlesen