Debbielynn

ANJJ, yes, both countries are amazing. I was comparing the mountains in both. In Slovenia, I noticed the mountains we drove past were all filled with trees and the mountains in Austria looked different. They had trees and open, grassy areas. I could tell I was in two different places.

KarenWoo

Debbielynn, it's so wonderful that you know so much about your family's history! And that you have visited the village. Love your family photos! My mom's parents are from Poland and Ukraine, but no one knows where exactly. I think that when they came to the US to escape WWI, they were so happy to be here that they didn't talk about home. What I find amazing is that my grandparents came to the US separately as teen-agers, and met in the US. They left their parents behind and most of their siblings, and never saw them again. So sad.

Ljubljana is a beautiful city. We loved the architecture, the bridges, the river, the food. We drove over the mountains to visit Lake Bled for a day. Stunning scenery and very green.

What was the problem with your husband's feet? Was it from the heat and perspiration because he only had closed-toe shoes?

Debbielynn

KarenWoo, I know about the history, a little from my father and more from my uncle. Yes, in the olden days, people left and perhaps never saw their families again. Such a scary thought. I would never have been brave enough to leave my family. I guess that was the way of life and everyone just accepted it. Nowadays, of course, it so easy to stay in touch with everyone.

we had to change our plans as the days progressed but did get to see Lake Bled also. The “feet” chapter is coming up!

Debbielynn

We ate at a typical Slovenian restaurant tonight, Sokol. I had the wurst platter and George was supposed to have the risotto with shrimp and octopus. Instead, they accidentally brought a barley and vegetable dish, which looked similar. They ended up not charging us for his dinner.



Restaurant called Sokol


Here you can see what you can order.






Tasted just like what I grew up with


A barley with vegetable dinner. It was very good and it is what I ordered 2 nights later when we came back.

Debbielynn

We ate at a typical Slovenian restaurant tonight, Sokol. I had the wurst platter and George was supposed to have the risotto with shrimp and octopus. Instead, they accidentally brought a barley and vegetable dish, which looked similar. They ended up not charging us for his dinner. For dessert, we tried the local cakes.

Debbielynn

Tuesday, June 28th

The plans for the next days were to be one day in Lake Bled, including a a boat ride to the island, a visit to Bled castle and a hike at Vintgar gorge. The other day we would head east to see one the large caves and maybe the castle in the rocks. That all went out the window when we woke up this morning.

Not only were George’s feet red and swollen but were now weeping. Yuck!! Being a retired nurse, I knew this wasn’t good. I told him we had to see a doctor. He really wanted to wait until we got home, which wouldn’t be until July 3. He blamed it all on his athletes foot and a blister he got.

In no uncertain terms, I told him he needed to see a doctor and we weren’t taking another step or leaving the city before he did! The hotel receptionist recommended several nearby clinics. George wanted to check with the pharmacist, so we walked across the nearby square and asked. One look at his feet and they also recommended he see someone.

We were staying in a pedestrian zone so the pharmacy tech advised us to go to the bus terminal, where we would find taxis. We had to walk several long blocks and when we arrived, we saw buses but no taxis. The first person I asked didn’t know where the taxis were but the second woman I asked was ever so helpful. Not only did she call the taxi for us, she walked with us to where the taxis parked, stayed with us until it arrived and told the driver where we wanted to go! Turns out she worked in the ER of the hospital and had just gotten off her night shift and was doing a little shopping before going home. Thank you to this kind soul!

When we got to the clinic, it seemed almost like an ER, with a check-in desk, info desk and waiting area. The receptionist took his name and complaint, said she would speak to the doctor and within 5 minutes had returned and told us what room to go to on the second floor. There was a small area with seats and several people waiting, and numerous closed and locked doors. Nurses scurried up and down the hallway. Essentially the layout is that behind each door is a small treatment room with stretcher bed, desk and nurse. Adjoining is the doctor’s office, with desk and also examining table.

The doctor did speak English, not as good as the people who deal with tourists everyday, but understandable. She asked his medical history and I asked she take his BP and Temp. Temp is taken under the arm, by the way! She took one look ar his feet, diagnosed 2 problems, athletes foot and cellulitis. She prescribed antibiotics, rest and to return if there was no improvement in 24-48 hours. The nurse put some sterile dressing on his weeping cuts. There was no charge for the visit!

The pharmacy was around to the back of the building and the medicine cost a whopping 10 euros!! And for the pharmacists out there, there was no counting of the pills or long waits; they pulled the box of medicine off the shelf, printed a label and you were on your way. All together, we couldn’t have been gone more than 1.5- 2 hrs.

George happened to find a taxi outside the building so we returned to the hotel. My hope was that he would heal and not get sepsis, gangrene or necrotizing fasciitis. His feet looked horrible. I was very concerned and nervous. I am now on my own. George put his feet up and napped. That was the end of his day!

Debbielynn

St Nicholas’ cathedral


Brass door

Inscriptions in German. I had a nice little chat with the man who took the money inside the church. I got a little history about Slovenia. He said it had always been under someone else’s rule- the Hapsburgs, the French, Russians, Yugoslavia





Very ornate inside














Funicular up to the castle


Model of the castle




You could climb up to see the views but I didn’t have the energy to go up,the stairs


A dark storm moved over the area, with thunder and lightning. I just made it back to the hotel, scurrying all the way, before it started to pour


Prison room

Debbielynn

Explanation of previous post.

I am now on my own for the rest of the day. I did some shopping to get ideas for gifts for the grandsons, visited the city’s cathedral, the church of St. Nicholas and took the funicular up the very steep hill to the castle. To be honest, I didn’t think their castle was anything special. Very few exhibits. Didn’t climb up by the tower as I was too tired for stairs.

Adelaidean

Sorry about George’s feet. How fortunate to have access to healthcare.

No wonder he was grouchy by then though, the heat, the driving, his feet.

Wonderful you were able to find so much historical information on your family background.

Seamus

You can take the nurse out of the duty shoes, but you can't take the nurse out of the nurse! Good work, Debbielynn.

Debbielynn

Adelaidean, he is doing better now. The healthcare in Slovenia was wonderful.

Seamus, once a nurse, always a nurse though cellulitis is not usually in my repertoire. I worked labor and delivery for almost 40 years.

Debbielynn

Slovenia is also known for its honey. In one of the gift shops, they had folk art miniature pictures for the hives for sale. So cute.
George felt a little better this evening so we had a nice dinner at this restaurant, called Pop’s Place. Probably one of the best cheeseburger I’ve ever had and the French fries were wonderful too. Serenaded by a traveling band.
Dessert at a cafe on the river called Lolita. I had the traditional Slovenian dessert call gibanica, made with poppy seeds, walnuts and cream, and George had an Italian hazelnut and chocolate cake. So rich and decadent!



Mini beehive front boards



Pop’s place. Very good ratings


Inside


A hamburger sounds good tonight





Matching band


Nice little cafe and bakery along the river


Gibarnica


this dessert was even better


square at night

thursdaysd

Very glad the feet are OK. (Another win for universal health care... )

So nice to see Ljubljana, one of my favorite cities (Art Nouveau AND dragons, of course it is!).

geetika

Sorry about George’s feet, but it looks like you had good medical care in Ljubljana. I hope he’s fully recovered now.

Thanks for the stunning pictures which I am enjoying greatly. We hope to make it to the area next year, probably May end/early June…

Debbielynn

Yes, Thursdaysd, this is not the first time he has seen a doctor in a European country. Many years ago he saw at MD in Rouen. Needed antibiotics for either a tooth or an ear infection, can’t remember which. Similar experience. I think it cost $20 for the visit and we followed him by car to the pharmacy that was open at that hour of the evening. We always had good experiences.

we didn’t really get out out of the center of the city so I can’t say anything about art nouveau. Everything we saw was lovely and I liked all the little restaurants along the river.

Debbielynn

Thank you, Geetika. He is better though the skin on the bottom of his feet is still peeling. Podiatrist said it’s might take a month before they are back to normal. I hope this was the one and only time he ever has cellulitis. I find it odd that he seems to get sick when we are away. He had the flu on our honeymoon. Got sick in Venice and was sick when we got to Munich. He seems to catch something every time he gets wet! We got caught in drenching rain at Lake Garda one year and he got sick right after that. At home he is usually fine!!

Debbielynn

Wednesday we did an abbreviated version of our original plans and George came along for the ride. I went spelunking and George rested outside the caves. I had wanted to see the Skocjan caves, which are bigger and I believe a longer visit and more walking but I really didn’t want to do it alone so we went to the Postojna cave. You take a train ride deep into the ground, then you walk through the stalagmites and stalactites, up and down, and end up eventually where you disembarked the train.

It was a tour conducted in English but that was a waste because the guide hurried along and after I took a bunch of pictures, I lost my group. I know there was another group somewhere behind me but for a few minutes, I was all alone in the cave. I got a little anxious but knew if I kept walking on the path, eventually I would catch up. I kept yelling “hello, where is everyone” and finally found them! George waited for me outside in the cafe.

Went to dinner again at Sokol. Tonight George had the risotto with octopus and shrimp and I had the barley and a salad. We had desert again at Lolita but tonight I also had the hazelnut cake- too wonderful to resist.


The entrance








Stalactites and stalagmites








Wonderful ending to dinner

Debbielynn

Today George is doing much better. We are leaving Ljublijana and heading to Lake Bled. Originally the trip to Lake Bled was planned for an entire day. My plans had included a boat ride to the island, a visit to Bled castle and a hike through Vintgar gorge. Because everything was pushed back a day and We didn’t want George to do too much walking, we just stopped at the lake for an hour or so, took pictures and enjoyed a piece of the famous Lake Bled cream cake. It was like a giant cream puff between phyllo dough. Just wonderful! Lake Bled was so picturesque and beautiful. It deserved much more time.

We ended up not going to the gorge because we were told by the tourist office that they were doing construction in that area and the nearest parking lot to the gorge was closed. It would have been too much walking. Later in the day we drove to Salzburg.



so, so pretty



Lake Bled island. Tradition has it that when a couple marries, they take a boat to the island. The groom has to carry the bride up the 99 stairs to the church and ring the bell for good luck.










Should have ordered my own piece!! We ended up talking for a long time to several locals at the same little cafe. One of the men was formerly a taxi driver and he told us all about the area and and then told us about his garden and how he makes and sells slivovitz, which is a spirit made from some sort of fruit. He said he usually mixed various fruits together, like plums, peaches, grapes. My father and his work partner, also from Gottschee, made a big batch every year behind the auto body shop. They would drive upstate and buy whatever fruit was on sale. Most of the time it was plums. They had a homemade still. That stuff was wicked!!

KarenWoo

So happy to hear your husband is doing better. Good thing you didn't wait until you arrived home for him to see a doctor. The situation could have been much worse by then.

The cream cake and the hazelnut cake are to die for!

Debbielynn

Off to Salzburg, Austria. We stayed on the newer side of the city, at the end of a pedestrian zone. It was a pleasant walk to the Salzach River. My only complaint was that the door to the bathroom was solid glass and very heavy to open and the air circulation in the bathroom was non existant because you couldn’t leave the door open. Breakfast was included, parking was not. There was a big terrace/ patio outside where we could breakfast in the open air.

https://hofwirt-salzburg.at/













We didn’t do anything this evening except go to dinner at a nearby restaurant recommended by the hotel. Die Weisse
They are a wheat beer brewery with restaurant and beer garden. We didn’t have a reservation but they found a small table for us outside. I had a beer tonight, called a Radler, which is beer mixed with something sweet like lemonade or grapefruit juice. Mine could have been mixed with a lemon soda.

George had goulash and I had a salad with fried chicken strips and again pumpkin seed oil. We spoke a while to a visiting couple, from Germany, sitting on the next table A rather large storm blew in and we had to make a mad dash back to the hotel. If it had remained nice, I’m sure we would have ad more beer and dessert.

https://www.dieweisse.at/en/. The restaurant / beer garden was very nice. Food was good.