Bicycling around Ljubljana is the best way to see the beautiful city. Wish I had discovered that from day one. You can rent a bike for 5 Euros a day and hop on and off when a site takes your fancy. You have to be cautious of other bikers, joggers, dogs, baby strollers, and tourists.
Today I spent time enjoying Tivoli Park. It seems about the same size as Golden Gate Park in San Francisco and was full of glorious greenery and other amusements.
Yesterday I hiked up to medieval Ljubljana Castle. Settled in 1200 BC, the castle’s summit was originally a Roman army stronghold.
In 1905 the Municipality of Ljubljana bought the Castle. The mayor, Ivan Hribar, planned to set up a city museum but his plan was never carried out. Instead, the city settled poor families there and they stayed until the mid-1960s, when the castle’s renovation began. The renovation took more than 35 years.
The castle is a favorite place for locals to spend time with their families. Beginning in the 1990s, the castle became popular for weddings and cultural events. There were several wedding parties there when I visited.
Just as I’m getting comfortable in Ljubljana, it’s time to move. Early tomorrow I take a train to Budapest. I thought about changing my itinerary after the flooding but decided Budapest was well worth visiting. It’s a ten-hour train journey – departing at 6:30 am and arriving at 4:00 pm.
Constant moving is hard. It’s helpful reading posts by other travel bloggers I follow and / or who follow me. The stress of constantly moving is a common ailment of the long-term traveler. I’m not complaining, as this trip is a fantastic learning experience!
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