The photos from yesterday show sun, but it was brief - a few hours before the black clouds rolled in again. Today, from coast to mountains, it has been nonstop rain. And cold! Until a couple days ago, I had been kicking myself for packing jeans and a sweater on this trip, and even long sleeves - thinking my bag could have been much lighter, but I am glad I did. My rain jacket, sturdy umbrella and a rain cover for my bag have also come in handy!
Since all I have with me is my Nikon SLR camera, I didn't bother trying to take photos in the rain. Hopefully tomorrow will be clear, and I can show what Ljubljana looks like, because it is quite lovely, even in the rain. (I included a photo of the resident cat at my B&B in Piran just for flavor).
The bus ride here was not long (a little over 100 km), but it took us through lush green valleys, and over a pass that advertised skiing in the winter. Ljubljana is in a little valley, below a medieval castle on a hill, and even though it is the capitol of Slovenia, it is home to only 236,000 people.
The city has a rich history, dating from at least the 7th century BC. There is a myth that Jason and the Argonauts may have originally founded the city, which would make it much older. In 15 AD the Romans founded the city of Emona on the site, and occupation has been well documented ever since.
I had time for one museum, so I tried the City Museum of Ljubljana, housed in a 15th century palace and it turned out to be one of the best museums I have ever visited. The displays covered early periods, but also the rule of the Hapsburgs of Austria, the city’s brief role as the capitol of Napoleon’s Illyrian provinces, all the way through the creation of Yugoslavia and Slovenia’s declaration of independence.
Over time, this city and Slovenia generally has often been at a crucial point in the continent, and has suffered the consequences.
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