From Slovakia to Slovenia. Part III: Ljubljana

I’ve been to Slovenia many times. This time I was especially excited to do so: the small country of about two million people figures prominently in the sequel trilogy I’m currently writing to Keepers of the Stone. However, my intended destination on this trip — the capital of Ljubljana — presented a problem of its own: actually getting there.

Slovenia’s small size and varied geography — some of the same things that make it unique — can cause reserving transport to the country in a timely and cost-effective manner to be challenging. In the past, I’ve endured nine-hour train rides, overnights on the outskirts of Belgrade (coming from Belgium, no less!), or have had to pay prices for intra-Europe plane fares that could rival a trans-oceanic ticket. Coming from Vienna, I ran into similar problems. Even though the two countries border each other, there’s no direct train. Anything resembling a direct bus on the day you need is far from guaranteed. The solution was to reserve a spot in a minivan run by GoOpti — a private firm that’s apparently been quite successful in offering transfers of this type to and from Slovenia.

It was a bit disconcerting simply waiting by the side of the train station,  waiting for a minivan to appear. But it did, and we were off. The ride takes about five hours; I settled into the van’s back seat, allowed the scenery to flow by and got to writing (Though, note-to-self, typing in a bouncy minivan is A LOT more difficult than on a bus or train).  We crossed the border without even stopping.

The view from the Ljubljanica towards Prešeren Square

Upon arrival, one of the other two in the van asked in Slovene if I knew the city. I replied that I did, and set out for where I was staying. On my way, I walked through the old town — partly designed by architect Jože Plečnik — and passed the statue of famed Slovene poet, France Prešeren. The monument serves as one of the main meeting points for Ljubljana’s residents in the city center.

Ljubljana Castle dominates the cityscape from almost any angle; as seen from Zvezda Park

 

 

I kept going. Only a fifteen minute walk south of the city center lay the much quieter neighborhood of Trnovo. There, my accommodations awaited: an apart-hotel located on Teslova Ulica. If you don’t mind the slight walk these areas offer the advantage of being much quieter and less crowded than the city center, while still being in close proximity.

Peaceful Trnovo lays just south of the center (& apartment’s kitchen in the reflection, above!)

Venturing down into Trnovo, or up into the expanses of Yugoslav-era construction, north of the center,  offers a bit more of an authentic experience of Ljubljana life, beyond Prešeren square. It was relaxing  to spend a morning writing in the neighborhood along the Ljubljanica river.  Families strolled or biked along its shores; above, the city’s castle rose on a rocky knoll.  Legend has it that the castle hill where is  St. George slew the Dragon, or at least that the city is somehow connected with that myth.  This bit of lore that can be seen embossed into the city’s seal and architecture.

After two days of catching up with friends, I found myself  in Pogačar Square at  Odprta Kuhna. Meaning ‘Open Kitchen’, this open-air food market opens every Friday afternoon during the summer-ish months. It starts as early in spring as good weather is forecast.  At that time, the area in front of the cathedral becomes Ljubljana’s living room.

Every year I’ve come to Slovenia, I’m told that there’s a new fad taking storm throughout the city. This year was no different. This time its apparently craft beer. But, know that if you that if you try one of the two major Slovene brews, you could be judged by your choice. Even though they’re now both owned by the same company, Union is from Ljubljana, while Laško comes from a town with the same name. There’s something of a rivalry (Though very friendly one — Slovenia’s national anthem, “Zdravljica” (Lit. ‘A Toast’), could even be considered a drinking song!)

The next morning, I awoke up early. My trip was coming to an end. I made my way to Ljubljana’s airport, by way of another minivan.  Flashing my ID card as I went through security, I boarded my flight back to Belgium. Over the past week, I’d traveled between four separate European countries. At no point did I have to change money,  go through customs, stop at a border crossing, show — or even bring — a passport. My mind wondered back to the anxieties, dangers and difficulties that  my characters face in Keepers of the Stone whilst questing through the Europe of one hundred and twenty years ago.

We enjoy now what wouldn’t have been believable then. And isn’t that great.

Next Stop: MINSK

From Slovakia to Slovenia. Part II: Vienna

With my meetings concluded, I had some time left over for a walk. I lived in Vienna  for about a year during 2013-14. Rediscovering my old neighborhood near the Westbhanhof was enjoyable. It was also the first time I’d been able to travel to a location that the characters in KOS go to, since writing the books. It was almost surreal to walk in their footsteps.

Monumental buildings tower near the end of Lindengasse

Former Imperial park, opposite the Austrian parliament on Vienna’s Ring Road

In KOS, I also mention the battle of Vienna. In the timeframe during which the books are set, it was true that there was no monument to Jan III Sobieski, the Polish king who masterminded the city’s defense against the invading Ottoman Turks in 1683. However, in the present day, one can be found on the narrow Augustinerstrasse, tucked onto the side of a church in the old town.

When returning  to a city that I’ve lived in, I often find that I enjoy staying in a completely different part of it. This time I based myself in the city’s second district near  Prater park. I was able to get to know the area a bit later in the day, after walking back through the city center.

I also had a chance to poke my head back in the Votive Church near the main university building. In it, you can see the various seals of Austro-Hungarian regions, some of which are reminiscent of present-day countries’ national emblems.

Next morning I awoke and  made my way to the Hauptbhanhof.  I was intent on catching my transfer from Vienna to one of those countries — Slovenia.

From Slovakia to Slovenia. Part I: Bratislava

I grew up coming to Europe almost every summer. Doing so,  I developed a quick appreciation for the unique blend of cultures that find themselves enmeshed into the area of one small continent. At the time, I viewed the borderless space nebulously being created by something called ‘the EU’ as placing that uniqueness under threat. It wasn’t until after I began living in the EU that I began to realize how beneficial this integration is in terms of movement and  travel.

Some of the positives can be demonstrated by comparison with the sections of Keepers of the Stone that take place in 19th century Europe. Without (I hope) giving too much away, the characters often encounter difficulties  in moving from one place to another, simply because of administrative or national barriers. Yet, in the Europe of today, many of these problems would be virtually unrecognizable to many of its citizens. Recently, I took a trip that  demonstrates how this is becoming the case:

I was planning to head to Vienna, for a few days of meetings. I’ve heard it griped on more than one occasion that Vienna doesn’t have discount airline flights. Looking at Vienna’s airport, it’s true that you  won’t find any such arrivals. Still, they do exist . Just in another country: Slovakia.

Discount flights to Vienna depart for Bratislava.

I began my journey by flying from Brussels to Bratislava. Slovakia’s capital city finds itself just on the other side of the Austrian border. You can take a bus from Bratislava’s airport directly to Vienna’s Erdberg metro station in about an hour, just like going between two cities. No border check required. Incidentally, Vienna’s airport serves as the non-discount hub for the Slovak capital, if you’re coming from further afield than Europe.

I didn’t have time to visit Bratislava on this trip. But, its definitely worth it. The price/quality ratio of hotels in Vienna is better than in Bratislava (I’m told this is the case with housing in general, too) . But, there are frequent bus and train connections that make it quite feasible and cheap to go for the day. Both countries are Eurozone members, so no need to worry about changing money. The bus from Vienna will drop you in the depot under the SNP Bridge, built right in front of the cathedral’s main doors by the Czechoslovak era authorities. The good news is that this also makes it centrally located to the old town and the citadel, as well as the cathedral, where a number of Hapsburg monarchs — who knew Bratislava by its German name of Pressburg  — were crowned.

Taking in the view

from Bratislava Citadel

Local buses also depart from the same depot for Hrad Devín: A ruined castle directly on the Slovak-Austrian border. In addition to its imposing mid-evil walls, the place is also known to Slovaks for being a lookout point, from which families could gather to wave across the border at their relatives, who’d escaped/defected to the West, during the Czechoslovak times.  Now, aside from a small monument, its hard to tell where one country ends and  the other begins.

While the old town may be nice to look at, I have it on good authority from Slovak friends that some restaurants in the city center tend to water down the quality of their meals. So, if you’re feeling slightly adventurous , wonder out towards the new Slovak National Theater/Opera (As an opera fan, I feel obliged to point out here that the price/quality/seat availability ratios of the Slovak national opera compare favorably with the Wiener Staatsoper, even though the later is more famous). In the neighborhood around the blue facade of St Elisabeth’s church, a few less touristy establishments are on offering. In particular, I enjoy the  Bratislavský Meštiansky Pivovar,  a local brewery with traditional Czech and Slovak dishes.

Bryndzové halušky: national dish of Slovakia and so heavy that anyone who can finish an entire plate deserves a medal!

Dining outside the center

All of this is doable on a easy daytrip from Vienna. If you come to Austria’s capital,  definitely don’t forget  to hop across a now non-existent border of  the former Iron Curtain, to see its smaller sibling. For other locales in Slovakia worth visiting, the city of Košice and the UNESCO world heritage  old town of Bardejov are also good bets.

Košice, city center

Bardejov, old town

As it was on this trip, I continued my journey onward to Vienna.