5 May 2024
I must have been crazy tired from yesterday’s activity, excitement, fresh air…you name it. I slept the sleep of the dead again, waking only to use the bathroom.
I hit the breakfast room around 8:15 and shook up the breakfast selection this morning, instead choosing the traditional sweet (not savory) struklji. I wasn’t sure exactly what I was getting myself into but enough people had told me how good it was that I was game. I waited while it was prepared by having some granola and yogurt with OJ and my daily cappuccino. When the struklji arrived, I realized I should have been eating it all along! It was a pastry dough with cottage cheese rolled up like a jelly roll and the sliced and fried (I think!) then topped with butter and brown sugar. Oh my goodness. That was pretty darn good! I took another cappuccino to go and got ready to head out for the day.
It looked to be another warm start to the day so I went out without a coat, a choice I did not regret. I would not end up getting as hot as I did yesterday because both a strong breeze and some clouds kept it a tad cooler today, but it was nice and comfortable to walk around.
My first stop was the Plecnik house, the home of Joze Plecnik, the architect who redesigned Ljubljana as well as other cities like Vienna, Prague and Belgrade. I’d heard on a couple of tours that he was not just a genius but also a character. A loner, Plecnik made no bones about not wanting guests or visitors. His waiting area had benches with seats that slanted forward under a roof that was missing. If visitors stuck around through discomfort and rain, they weren’t getting his message. It’s always interesting for me to be in a historic house and especially one where artists live. His was meager and simple. He took elements from other sites and integrated them into his home design, from a perspective of being frugal as well as not wanting to see things go to waste. He worked for free on all of his projects and was a harsh self-critic. He is now one of the two most celebrated names here in Ljubljana (along with poet Preseren). I also took in two exhibitions on about him while at the house. It was an interesting stop and one I’m glad I made.
I then headed back toward the city center and just strolled around a bit until I came across a road race. I was curious what it was all about and looked it up on the web. From what I could gather, there is a course but no finish line. Runners start and a half hour after they start a chaser car sets out after them, increasing speed every 30 minutes. When the chaser car catches you, you’re done. Last person to be caught by the chaser car wins. Interesting concept. I stood and watched the race unfold on the big tv screens in Congress Square. I then went and had lunch and returned closer to when the chaser cars were going to be setting off. I was hooked but also trying to mentally calculated how far I’d get at my current race pace before the chaser car caught me. Hmmmm. The female winner of the race ran 33 miles before she was caught, the male 42 miles. That’s crazy. I can’t times or paces for them but I am curious.
Lunch was at a riverside cafe. I had a Beefeater G&T and a bowl of stew with fregola sarda pasta and spring veg (peas, carrots, zucchini, onion). It was really filling and tasty. Also I think I needed the liquid to rehydrate from yesterday.
With the Chicago ladies last night, we’d stopped by a place where they had learned had the best struklji in town. It looked so good that I decided to go get a piece after I’d checked in on the race again. It was at Moji Strukjli over by the market. It was a nice sunny seat with a slice of triple chocolate struklji and a cappuccino. Delicious. I could get used to this….
I ran back to the hotel for a bit before heading out to join the 3 p.m. Old Town tour given by Ljubljana Free Tours. I was psyched to see Helena was doing it, as I had done the classic tour with her Thursday and really liked her. This tour focused only on the Old Town and covered different subject matter and time periods than the first tour. As I expected, it was a very fast 2 1/2 hours and I learned a lot. It also included a climb back up to the castle but a much less steep route than I found on my first day here. She took us through the castle complex, most of which is open for free to all since the city owns it now.
I was still full from my earlier lunch and dessert, so I just popped into a riverside cafe for a Bloom G&T and a mozzarella and tomato panini. The sandwich was passable but the G&T was excellent. Funny enough I looked it up and I can get the Bloom gin at home! Here I was savoring it as if it was novel.
Damiejn had recommended Zvezda (meaning Star) ice cream parlor near my hotel, and having accidentally on purpose stumbled on it walking around today, I stopped there for a small dish of chocolate and pistachio, and it really was quite good. I’ve certainly done my share of eating the good stuff on this trip!
I was back at the hotel by 7:00 and fully packed by 7:30. I ordered the taxi to the airport for tomorrow and am calling it an early night. I’m ready for the UK! The Elbow fans who went to last night’s warm up show are ecstatic but keeping lips sealed on the setlist. I can’t wait to get to Brighton for Tuesday!
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