After our Gate 1 tour ended, Chuck and I went to Ljubljana, Slovenia for a couple of extra days. We rented an apartment within easy walking distance to the center of town.
Ljubljana is the largest city and the capital of Slovenia. It is a university town so it is very lively with young people. Lots of outdoor cafes lining the river that runs through the middle of the city.
Of course when we were there it was off season for tourists. Many trees were yet to leaf and it was sometimes a mite windy and cold. But we can definitely say one thing, we never got too hot and it was never too crowded.
Here are some views of Ljubljana. (To pronounce this city just substitute an i for j)
The Ljubljana river that runs through the center of town.
Below is the Vurnik House, a very unique building that was built in 1922, and was designed by an architect who wanted to create a distinctive Slovenian style. Although the style did not catch on, this colorful building is still maintained.
This is the Preresen Monument located in the main plaza. It is where most tour groups meet up at the end of their free time. It honors France Preseren, a beloved Slovene national poet.
Below is the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation. It is located in right on the central plaza, along with the statue Preresen. Also the central plaza is located right beside the river. There are three walking bridges that connect this plaza with the older part of the city.
All of the central tourist area is pedestrian only.
The man below got a lot of attention while he had his fancy dressed ostrich out for a stroll.
This is the top of the Ljubljana Cathedral.
And here is the interior. A real awesome church.
And like so many tourists spots these days, there were love locks on the bridge.
Below is a dragon (one of four) that adorn a bridge of the city. The dragon is a symbol of the city.
We really enjoyed the market area.
Our trip getting home was a easy as going. We flew from Ljubljana to Amsterdam in the afternoon. Here is a photo of Amsterdam below and the setting sun on the horizon as we were landing.
We spent the night in Amsterdam and had a humane departure time on KLM for Quito at 10:00 am the next morning.
Below is a picture I made out the window as we were leaving the UK behind and heading to Ecuador over the Atlantic.
We flew for about 12 or more hours and it stayed daylight the whole trip. Here is a picture of the clouds below and the beautiful open blue sky above them. This was the scene for most of the flight.
My favorite photo though, is the one I made as our airplane was banking to land in Quito, Ecuador. What a beautiful place we live in and I felt like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz....yes, there is no place like home.
Love,
Nancy
