BRIDGES OF LJUBLJANA

LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA     

      Ljubljana, Slovenia (pop. 280,000) is the smallest capital city in Europe and one of the most beautiful. The Ljubljana River winds through the city center providing enchanting riverwalks and interesting old bridges. The center of the old medieval city is car-free which means most of the bridges are for pedestrians only. It's not surprising that the city has been given the honor of Europe's 2016 Green Capital Award. In addition, the water gets high ratings and their recycling system is better than most in Europe and the US.

      I will be sharing photos of these special bridges starting with the Grain Bridge. The stroll along the river to view them takes about 30 minutes. 

GRAIN BRIDGE, 2010
NAMED AFTER A NEARBY SQUARE WHERE FAIRS WERE HELD
ARCHITECT: BORIS PODRECCA

DRAGON BRIDGE, 1901
DRAGON IS THE SYMBOL OF LJUBLJANA
FOUR DRAGON STATUES ADORN THE BRIDGE

BUTCHER'S  BRIDGE, 1930
THE RAILINGS ARE LINED WITH 1000S OF PADLOCKS,
SYMBOLIZING A COUPLE'S LOVE FOR EACH OTHER

TRIPLE BRIDGE,1929

TWO SIDE BRIDGES ADDED TO THE OLD STONE BRIDGE

ARCHITECT JOZE PLECNIK

LOCATED IN THE CENTER OF OLD TOWN

COBBLER'S BRIDGE
COBBLER'S WORKSHOPS USE TO OCCUPY THE BRIDGE
ARCHITECT: JOZE PLECNIK

ST. JACOB'S BRIDGE, 1915
REPLACED A WOODEN BRIDGE FROM 1824
ATTRACTIVE  VINES ON THE RAILINGS

HRDECKLY BRIDGE, 1867
NAMED AFTER  POPULAR MAYOR JOHANN NEPOMUK HRADECKY

ANTICIPATING A MONTH IN EUROPE

Studies indicate that people like to plan their vacations as much as they like to take them. I'm not so sure that's true for everyone, but I am one of those people that likes to plan. In fact, I'm probably guilty of overplanning, and I have a great time doing it. Years ago we traveled to Europe with no reservations, a Eurail pass, and one guidebook; we bounced from city to city. However, this vintage traveler now seems to need a plan that includes reservations and leisurely stops for a week or longer.

Six months ago I secured free flights using our United Mileage Plus points. We fly into Ljubljana, Slovenia, and depart from Zürich, Switzerland. The apartments and hotels were reserved through booking.com, except for one. I like to use booking.com because the reservations are cancelable, and I'm familiar with their website which also means that I am less likely to make a mistake. Ron likes the flexibility of hopping on and off trains as he pleases, so we purchased ($424) the five-day Switzerland/Austria Eurail pass when they were offering an extra day for free.

PAINTED BEE HOUSES
SLOVENIA

Now everyone is asking, why Slovenia? I've had it on my radar ever sense I heard Patricia Schultz say that it was one of her favorite places. That's saying a lot when you are the author of the bestselling book 1,000 Places to Go Before You Die. It has alps, mountain lakes, caves, castles, painted bee houses, and the old capital city of Ljubljana—sounds enticing to me. Our base is Ljubljana for the first week followed by three nights in Piran on the Adriatic Sea. Our guidebook will be Rick Steve's 2014 Croatia & Slovenia.

HAY BATHS - FIEALLO SCILLAR

From here, we are planning to take a ferry across the Adriatic Sea to Venice, then transfer to a train, and head to the Dolomites in Northern Italy. We have a reservation for one week at an apartment with a mountain view in Castelrotto, Italy. We are anticipating leisurely walks through the alpine meadows with views of the jagged gray spires of the Dolomites. Many years ago we passed through this area, and have always wanted to return. There are many small villages to explore, and I'm anxious to find out about traditional hay baths in nearby Fieallo Scillar. Fortunately, we will also be there during the annual Oswald-on-Wolkenstein Riding Tournament, a three-day celebration and parade.

When we leave this area, we're heading north to Interlaken for two nights before traveling by train to Gunten, Switzerland. Gunten is a small village on Lake Thun with two restaurants, one bakery and a fancy hotel. We have a ground floor apartment on a hillside overlooking the lake—rented through Airbnb. It looks lovely, but it may be a bit isolated for us. There is a free bus to the town of Thun (pop. 43,763), six miles away. In addition to the nearby mountain hikes, I'm looking forward to gentle walks along the lake with the Bernese Alps in the distance. I was pleased to discover that the Way of St. James, a pilgrimage route to the grave of St. James in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, actually transverses Switzerland where it is called Via Jacobi. It happens to pass right by our apartment in Gunten. Perhaps, I will finally get my chance to be a pilgrim for a day.

Our final three nights will be in Constance (Konstanz), Germany, located on the scenic Lake Constance (Bodensee), the third largest lake in central Europe. It also borders Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In 2012 we stayed at in Wasserburg, which is at the opposite end of the lake and a much smaller town. (See April 27, 2012 post.) The university city of Constance (Konstanz), with a population of 80,000, is the largest city on the lake. It has colorful painted frescoes adorning the buildings that date back to the tenth century. Just a short ferry boat ride away are the spectacular gardens of Mainau Island that I will try not to miss this time. Another benefit of staying here is the direct train service to the Zürich Airport for our return to the US.

I expect we will be tired and ready to come home as usual. However, all of this anticipation makes me wonder if I could ever be ready to head back.

SWITZERLAND

PAINTED BUILDINGS - LAKE KONSTANZ

EMBARCADERO MARINA PARK NORTH & GRAND CARIBE SHORELINE PARK - San Diego Waterfront

 SAN DIEGO MARRIOTT MARINA
VIEW FROM THE EMBARCADERO MARINA PARK NORTH

      This is a continuation of my series on the waterfront parks of San Diego Bay that are maintained by the San Diego Port Authority. There are twenty-one public parks stretching along miles of scenic San Diego Bay shoreline which vary widely in size and amenities. Details can be found on the Port Authority website.                                                       

      Embarcadero Marina Park North, 500 Kettner Blvd, is the quintessential San Diego city park on the bay. Located directly in front of Seaport Village, the park is hard to miss. However, with so much to see and do in this area, it's easy to forgo the lovely circular walk that leads out to the end of the peninsula.

       

The 20-minute stroll provides a panoramic view of Coronado on one side, starting at the bridge, extending past the Ferry Landing and to Naval Air Station North Island, with Point Loma in the distance. On the other side, looking toward the city, there is a large marina with hundreds of yachts and a fine view of the San Diego Convention Center with its Sails Pavilion that is reminiscent of a ship at full mast.

VIEW FROM SOUTH END OF PARK

      My favorite stopping point is at the south end (leave the path and walk on the grass to the point). You can see the Embarcadero Marina Park South with its pier and the Coronado Bay Bridge in the background. This is also a good place to sit on the grass and take in the beauty of the bay with the ferry boats passing by. If you stay long enough, you will see many other seagoing vessels such as cargo, fishing and Navy ships, heading in or out of the calm waters of the San Diego Harbor.

MORNING BY DONAL HORD

      Like many of the other waterfront parks, there is a large sculpture near the entrance: Morning by Donal Hord, a San Diego-based sculptor. It depicts a man stretching as he awakes to another glorious morning on the shores of San Diego Bay.

      When I left the park, I stopped at the Upstart Crow Bookstore, 835 W. Harbor Drive, which I consider a gem in touristy Seaport Village. It has good coffee and books to peruse, along with cozy little sitting areas. The store also carries a unique assortment of greeting cards and small gift items.

                                                       * * *

Adjacent to the Coronado Cays, about seven miles further along the bikeway from Tidelands Park, is the small Grand Caribe Shoreline Park. It offers benches with a pleasant view of the south end of the bay, a meandering ¼ mile path, and native plants, like the California wild roses, island tree mallows, and the Hottentot figs.

VIEW OF SAN DIEGO BAY
 GRAND CARIBE SHORELINE PARK

Near the entrance, there is an impressive bronze sculpture of two blue herons entitled “Sheltering Wings” by Christopher Slatoff—a tribute to the rare bird that can be seen feeding and resting here.

I appreciate this place because it is quiet and a contrast to the other waterfront parks with their lush grassy areas and massive trees. This is the place to appreciate the native plants and flowers and remember that southern California is a desert which means brown and scraggly ground cover. There is a sandy beach here. However, with the Pacific Ocean just on the other side of the causeway, it's not popular.

"Sheltering Wings"  Christopher Slatoff

WALKING PATH - GRAND CARIBE SHORELINE PARK

BENCH TO ENJOY VIEW