What a cute, small, tidy, lively, colourful city Ljubljana is!

Preseren square for April 22nd
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The train was taking me directly to Ljubljana, via Zagreb and teh trip took around 8 hours. As soon as I left the sunny Pannonian plain on the day of April 21st, just behind Zagreb, at the border, it started raining and getting harder as I was approaching Ljubljana. Wasn't a good sign, really. I tried not to think about it watching beautiful countryside and villages with all the characteristic folk architecture, kozolci hayracks and other household items and structures that makes Slovenia, much more different than my lovely flat plain. The railroad is situated next to Sava river on its full way, through valleys, over bridges and under tunnels. I was enjoying the view, enjoying the light blue-green colour of it as a result of its purity and relation and respect to the nature and its beauties. I arrived to Ljubljana just as it was written in the timetable, in a minute! Jasmina waited me at the station, just finished with her job that day. We took a bus to her house in Brezovica, outside of Ljubljana. As I arrived to her house I was welcomed with a great hospitality and a traditonal Prekmurska gibanica, dish from Prekmurje, region of Slovenia next to Hungary. It consist of many various layers of apple, poppy, cheese, wallnut one over another, so it looks like a real sculpture of different colours. It was so delicious and I got fed fast so I left some of it for the next morning. After a short recovery from the trip we picked up Irena and went down to the city for a drink. Irena is also a girl who came to Belgrade with Jasmina, so I wanted to see her as well. Its been a while since they were in Belgrade and Jasmina spent a semester in Germany so we had what to talk about with some good cocktails at a local pub in Ljubljana. They showed me some of the city that night, but the real sightseeing came few days later during daylight.

Dragon bridge - cross if you dare
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My plan was to go to Maribor next day and spend a night there before I continue to Graz. But as I couldnt find a host in Maribor, I spent one more day in Ljubjana, rainy Ljubljana. I went to Voluntariat, Slovenian branch of SCI, voluntary network, where I have good friends I met before on various meetings and reionprogrammes. They have a well located office, easy to find, so all I needed i was a map. They were very suprised seeing me, as I have came unannounced. I spent a whole day there, while it was raining all day long. Anyhow I had great time with them, meeting some new staff and old friends. Some of went for a lunch break to a nearby brewery. Jasmina, by the way, was working at the Ministry of internal afairs as a part time employee, so I met her after her job at the train station where she was making a reservation for a trip to Sarajevo, where she will spend the May 1st holidays at her friends. That day was April 22nd, Earth day. Just like in every other city, this day was used in Ljubljana as well to point at the most common problems and troubles humans do towards Earth and environment. Ljubljana NGO activists focused on air pollution. Baby dolls were hung over the square with gas masks on their faces. I found the idea interesting because it makes sense and makes people think of why is that and if they are the cause! Since that night Champions League was played, it was reserved just for that, so I spent it at Brezovica with Jasmina's borther and father.

Sunny Alps, flat Pannonian plain and green Mediterranean. All in one!

Ljubljana castle
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It was Saturday April 26th after I returned from Maribor, Graz and Celje. That day was reserved for watching a Man Utd Premier league game against Chelsea. So after a great previous night we slept a bit longer and woke up around 11.30. After the game, around 16.00 we went to Ljubljana for a real sightseeing, finally. We actually revisited some places like the main square and "tromostovje" a conjunction of three bridges over Ljubljanica river that flows throug Ljubljana. The conjuction is pointed to the main square named after the most famous Slovenian poet - Franc Prešeren. His statue is placed so he can look at the window of Julia Primicova, his lady. And Julia Primicova is still there on the window, flattered, looking at Prešeren. Beside his statue, there is one old Franciscan church on the square. Now there is one name, I will never forget, not because its funny or anthing like that, but famous and beside Prešeren the most famous Slovene person. Maybe I will remind him because Jasmina told me his name at least 10 times visiting different buildings, but more likely because he projected those 10 buildings, bridge, Krizanke theatre, city stadium and other sights in Ljubljana, but even in Prague. Belgrade and Vienna. He is the most famous Slovene architect - Joze Plečnik. Down the river, some 100 metres, is situated the Dragon bridge, symbol of Ljubljana and Slovenia as well. It has 4 dragons, 2 on each sides of the bank, protecting both ways across the bridge. Then I wanted to see something alternative, something that is not shown on maps. Metelkova mesto is an alternative place, abandoned parking, perfect for gathering of different subcultures and enjoying their way of life. Its illegal place, of course, but that is what this place makes alternative. Since we came there during day, nothing was really going on, even there are regularly organized concerts and performances. Just like every other city so far had its own castle or something that reminds of it, Ljubljana also has Ljubljanski grad (Ljubljana castle) just above Prešeren square. While we were getting up to the castle we were going through the old part of Ljubljana. The castle is well turistically exploated, with many different entrance fees and having no unused part, chamber, room or tower of the castle. What makes this castle even better and more beautiful is the town underneath the catle. Cobble stone streets, narrow, full of cafes and restaurants, old fountain and shade. Perfect for a walk. Afterwards we went to the city park Tivoli, that is just 15 mins from the square. On the days I was in Ljubljana, a local eco-NGO ˝Zivi˝ (Live) organized an exhibition of wildlife and animal close-up photos combined with many concerning environmental facts as a result of different surveys in many countries. In the park is also situated a sport centre named after the park Tivoli.

Preseren square
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My last day was spent visiting my friends at SCI Slovenia office and doing some shoppings. But more important is that, that that night was a Champions league night again and Man Utd was playing its 2nd game against Barcelona at Old Trafford. Jasmina and me were watching it along with her brother and his friend. It was a great night for all of us, since we were all supporting the Reds as they made it to the finals! I packed my stuff for tomorrows trip home, actually Zagreb first. Jasmina was also hitting the road next day, to Sarajevo, as I mentioned it before somewhere ... I made that stop in Zagreb to visit some good friends there and took a full night train to Novi Sad, where I had to stand in the lobby all the way to the border.

I have never visited more places, saw more things and sights in a shoter period before. In the end, as I am finishing this story I look back at those days spent in various cities and sights in Slovenia and remember the beautiful countryside, green meditteranean, sunny Alps, edge of my Pannonian plain and especially the dragons who actually let me in to discover this beautiful world.