The upper lakes were closed. Only A&B we’re open with the boats just starting Saturday to run again. I wondered if they gave refunds when we debated about going or not. It was gorgeous esp with falls being so full. We’ve had pretty lousy weather for most of 3 weeks. And it doesn’t look to be improving. 😫

[QUOTE=KarenWoo;16921800]. Perhaps I misunderstood, but I thought I was supposed to receive a voucher by email, and then turn that voucher in at the park for the actual tickets. Did you get a voucher before you left home?

Yes, you will get a voucher. If you haven’t gotten one in a few days get back in touch with them. I had to make a change and found them very responsive. You must print off your vouchers. As you said, you take the vouchers to an office and get your ticket. Then you go with your ticket to the park entrance. It’s not a very effficient system and I bet they modify it as time goes by.

Entrance 1 is only a 5 minute drive up the road from Entrance 2. If it really matters to you, they were very good about exchanges. I made 2 changes with no problems.

Weather overall has not been great-we have missed the flooding, but have had a ton of rain everywhere. It’s pouring right now in Split. We saw footage of the floods and damage in Zagreb and it looked awful. Women at our pension in Plitvice said it had rained heavy almost everyday for weeks and flooding was very bad that many had lost their homes. The falls were even more spectacular due to all the rain,

KAREN- yes, it was very wet and could easily be slippery. Some of the areas were slightly flooded. Be sure to wear proper footwear. You can also choose where you walk so you can select a shorter trail that might expose you to less water.

Stcirq- weather is weird everywhere. I’ve heard DC is already in the 90’s!

onto our next chapter in our TR

In Search of Sunshine

Tire resuscitated, we began our drive to Piran on the miniature Slovenian coast. (Slovenia has about twenty five miles of coastline on the Adriatic between Italy and Croatia.) Our review of weather sites indicated that our best chance of sunshine was there. The weather outlook looked bleak for much of our three hour drive; it was in near constant rain that alternated between downpour and mists. Miraculously, as we drove into the outskirts of Piran around 1:00 p.m., the rain disappeared. We arrived in sunshine.

Piran is a very Italian feeling town spread around a small harbor. Automobile traffic is largely banned for both residents and non-residents. We drove into town on a temporary pass. Our on-line research had identified a couple of likely hotels. I waited in the car in an alley by an ice cream parlor while YT went into the Art Hotel Tartini, the first of our candidates. She was shown a high floor room and was so taken by the combination of view and sunshine that she immediately booked the room. I, in the meantime, was being nagged by the staff of the ice cream parlor. She eventually returned, we moved our luggage into the lobby, then I departed for the immense municipal parking garage on the outskirts of town. I walked the kilometer back to town.

Once there, YT and I bought ice cream cones at the parlor to make amends for my park-and-wait crime. After walking around town in the sunshine, we were so taken that we adjusted our schedule, cancelling our first night in Lake Bled - rain was in the forecast - and adding an additional night to our stay in Piran. We spent the next day and half exploring the wonderful town. There are no specific sights other than great sunsets, Tartini Square, Saint George’s Church & bell tower, a Franciscan church & monastery, some miscellaneous Venetian architecture - and a photogenic labyrinth of narrow Italian streets. We also had our first truly memorable meal of the trip, our first night out in Restaurant Neptun. We loved this cozy little dive with its fishing net ceiling, colorful art and friendly staff. Our smoked salmon appetizer and grilled shrimp (YT) and grilled calamari (GT) entrees were superb. The wine recommendation was perfect. Recommended and commended - I wish we’d gone back our second night. We also recommend the Art Hotel Tartini and its bright rooms, helpful staff and great location.

It was with a tinge of regret that we took the free parking shuttle to the municipal garage, drove into town to load our car and set off early for Lake Bled. Our two days of sunshine had been what we needed. And rain was forecast for later that day at our next destination.




Sent from my iPad

Yep, I agree, a walking stick would be very useful.

For some reason our photos won’t post. We’ll try tomorrow.

Glad you were able to finally get some sunshine. The sunset looks beautiful.

BTW, I love how Fodor’s is connecting us the way it is. I am reading about your travels in Slovenia and Croatia while on the road myself in Georgia.

The weather has been weird cloudy quite a bit, then raining and some sun now and then.
Yes, it’s very cool to connect with people as they travel. I’ll be interested to hear about your travels.