I arrived in Ljubljana last night after a 14-hour Flixbus ride from Kraków. Of the travel options – train, bus, airplane – trains and polluting flights involved transfers and layovers with fire-drill-like windows of time to schlepp and recheck luggage. I opted for the long bus ride, a slower but less stressful trip with beautiful scenery along the way.
I thoroughly enjoyed Kraków and its surrounding areas, but felt the urge to move on to Slovenia. There wasn’t enough time to post blogs about all the experiences in Poland, so some memories remain in my heart and head. I learned much about the Polish people and their complex history.
Slovenia
This will be my third visit to Slovenia. Short-lived visits in 2013 and 2022 were rushed and unfulfilling. Ljubljana is a beautiful place that keeps pulling me back. This time, I’ll spend a month in Slovenia, exploring Ljubljana and enjoying spring festivals and interesting daytrips around the countryside. Returning to Lake Bled and visiting Škofja Loka – known as Slovenia’s “best preserved medieval town” – top my list.
Flixbus
Flixbuses are roomy, modern, and clean with huge windows and WiFi. They’re an inexpensive alternative to trains for exploring Europe. For a small fee, I booked two seats in front, so there was room to stretch out. I overheard an eclectic group of passengers speaking Polish, German, Italian, Czech, and maybe Russian. Music played on the bus varied from hip hop to Polish instruments, like the suka, accompanying folk songs.
The bus route began in Ružomberok Slovakia (Ružom), and after I boarded in Kraków, it continued to Budapest and Graz Austria on the way to Ljubljana. The last stop was Trieste Italy, an hour or so drive from Ljubljana. During the bus ride, it seemed like we passed through half of the EU!
Two Polish drivers took turns at the wheel. They chatted and laughed like school girls. My only complaints were maybe a few too many rest stops and the absolutely terrifying tailgating. At times, you could almost read books lying on the back seat of the car in front. I tried not to look, and ate an entire bag of popcorn – before realizing I forgot to put dental floss in my backpack…
I booked a FreeNow taxi (Europe Uber) from my Kraków apartment to the bus station. With an early 5:15 a.m. pickup, I was relieved when the driver arrived promptly and even a few minutes early! The bus departed Kraków at 6:00 a.m., and a magnificent pink, purple sunrise delighted everyone on board. Sadly, it was on the wrong side of the bus, so no photos.
Villages, Churches, Scenery
Scenery along the way was spectacular, especially the mountain ranges. Poland has several noteworthy ranges, so not sure exactly which ones framed the vistas outside Kraków – most likely the Tatras, the highest range in Poland and the Carpathian chain.
We passed picture-perfect Polish mountain villages with smoke floating out the chimneys of small Zakopane Style cottages. I tried taking photos from the bus – ha – and a few sketchy ones are attached. Often, just as I was getting my iPhone ready, the bus went speeding past the image, or window reflections clouded and obscured everything. Each village was a special gem, with churches appearing as the prominent feature in the middle of each town. Some were amazing examples of ancient Greek Catholic and Eastern Orthodox architecture. Traditional architecture is unique, with many Polish churches dating back to the early 16th century.
Performing Arts Ljubljana
Other than its stunning natural beauty, a favorite feature about Ljubljana is the easy access to high-quality performing arts. I’ve already booked ballet (Swan Lake), opera (Madame Butterfly), and live jazz performances! Tickets to Slovenian Philharmonic concerts are a bit more complicated to reserve. Many European cities sell season subscriptions to locals, and performances are often sold out in advance. I’ll investigate, and with luck, squeeze into a philharmonic performance or two. There’s an international film festival and live cabaret and theatre – usually in Slovenian. Even so, it would be interesting.
Ljubljana is a city of around 300,000, and my apartment is a short 10-minute walk from almost everything. The landlord is super nice. He even picked me up at the bus station. The apartment is quiet, comfortable, and twice as large as the one in Kraków. I slept well last night. The weather today is rainy and in the upper 40s to mid-50s. Hope to experience warm Slovenian sunshine and an early spring before departing.
More later…