Baylor Family Croatia, Slovenia and Trieste 2019, Chapter 8: Weird circular Yugoslav garage architecture and an invigorating walk by the river.

Wednesday had ended with a tour at the Pivovarna (brewer) Union.

At sunup on Thursday, something strange happened because the sun actually came out. It did so again several times during the day, although we were destined to glimpse only a few patches of truly blue sky until arriving in Trieste.

Our chosen sleeping spot, the Hotel Park, refers to itself as the "most urban and green hotel in the centre of Ljubljana," and this description seems fairly accurate. We enjoyed it.

View from the hotel
window on Thursday afternoon.

It's an extensively remodeled late 1960s-era Yugoslav high rise in the middle of a regular neighborhood, quiet and well-situated near the epicenter of town, as well as only a short distance from the railroad station. As already noted, the hotel restaurant is quite good. In addition to a menu of Slovenian standards, there's an entire selection of Indian food. It turns out the chef is from the subcontinent.

With the weather finally clearing, we resolved to spend a casual day walking, resting and snacking while deciding where to partake of Thanksgiving dinner. This brought us back to Slovenska hiša, this time for breakfast.

Nice eggs.

We began our stroll in the old town below the castle, by the market, river and downtown shopping streets.

See the knives and forks?

Then had a morning coffee.

The underground bins are one component of a comprehensive municipal commitment to reducing waste. Learn more at The Guardian: From no recycling to zero waste: how Ljubljana rethought its rubbish.

The longer 25-minute walk riverside walk then began.

Now about that strange double circular structure. It is a parking garage, not a place of residence.

It was confusing at first sight, as it's not easy to see actual automobiles without looking closely. Rather, the individual spaces have all manner of stored items stacked near the windows. Consequently the notion of "parking garage" in this sense seems more about replicating one's home garage rather than temporary hourly or even longer term parking.

TGH-48 Car Park
Garažna hiša TGH-48

Architect: Savin Sever
Address: Ambrožev trg 4, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Completion: 1969

Here the problem of parking in the city was solved with the extremely efficient use of space. Sever developed a system whereby the number of car parking spaces could optionally be increased by adding new stories. The only limitation on adding the stories is the height of the stairways and length of the vehicle access. The two-way traffic system, internal communications, and spacious parking spaces allow safe and simple parking.

I was fascinated by these nearby structures under repair, which turn out to a former sugar refinery dating to 1834 called the Cukrarna.

Our original walking destination was a second-hand shop, which offered this old radio among numerous other trinkets.

By the time we found the shop, the scene had turned almost suburban.

Returning to the city center, we ambled past houses, a hospital and an old industrial space subdivided into art studios, performance venues and a skate park.

For my pal Roz.

A late lunch followed, just salads and drinks. LOO-BLAH-NAH is a local craft brewery; I had a pale ale as well as an IPA, both solid. Diana's choice was rum tea.

Passing through the market again to buy souvenirs, we smelled a stall: fresh kraut.

Nearby is the place that sells wine and fish.

And always another castle view.

After a siesta, Thanksgiving dinner in Slovenia.

Baylor Family Croatia, Slovenia and Trieste 2019, Chapter 5: Spectacular views from Ljubljana Castle.

Last time, past and present in Ljubljana.

We arrived in Ljubljana at 3:00 p.m., walked to the Hotel Park from the train station, and took some time to get situated. It was a ten-minute stroll to the center of gravity in the city, the main square of the old town by the cathedral and river, at the foot of the hill where the castle lies. We got there just before dusk.

Dinner was at Druga Violina.

Druga violina specialises in good locally grown produce, a simple short menu of Slovene classics and a top location in the city's old town, but there's a twist in the tale with the 'other violin' (as the English translation of the name goes). It's actually a project for people with disabilities, who produce much of the food on a farmland near Ljubljana and also work as waiting staff in the restaurant itself.

The food was excellent, and we highly recommend this establishment, both for the quality of the meal and its special mission.

There was a local coldcut and salami board, unfiltered and regular Union lager, schnitzel for Diana and my Štruklji, which are rolled dumplings. They can have savory or sweet fillings; mine was a main course of mushroom with gravy. Another time we sampled Štruklji filled with apples -- like your Slovenian grandma used to make.

On Wednesday morning we visited the market for breakfast and coffee, then went to the funicular for a ride up to Ljubljana Castle. I hadn't been to a castle of any sort in a good while, and this experience was memorable. Following are a mix of both our photos.

The lowdown, courtesy of Wikipedia:

Ljubljana Castle (Slovene: Ljubljanski grad, German: Laibacher Schloss) is a castle complex standing on Castle Hill above downtown Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It is a key landmark of the town. Originally a medieval fortress, it was probably constructed in the 11th century and rebuilt in the 12th century. It acquired its present outline with an almost complete overhaul in the 15th century, whereas the majority of the buildings date to the 16th and 17th centuries. Initially a defense structure and since the first half of the 14th century the seat of the lords of Carniola, it was since the early 19th century used for various other purposes and today is used as a major cultural venue.

After a light lunch, it was off to the National Museum of Contemporary History and nearby Union brewery.