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To Slovenia where it the rain starts to pour


Home -> Europe -> Slovenia -> Travelogue Slovenia -> 18 September 2007

Tuesday 18 September, to Slovenia where it the rain starts to pour

Breakfast in the sunshineWe wake up with a cloudy sky, but when the clouds dissolve we can still have breakfast in the sun in front of our house. Soon we packed everything again and head for Slovenia where the temperature quickly rises to 29 degrees, although occasionally a drop of rain falls from a stray cloud.
Church near Kalce-Naklo Quiet on the roadNot far beyond the border we follow the signs Pleterje, because according to our ANWB travel guide this is an absolute must. Soon we are lost in the Slovenian countryside (signposting stops) and we buy a more detailed map of Slovenia so we do not have to wander too much.
Pleterje monasteryThe Carthusian monastery (Kartuzijanski samostan Pleterje) dates from 1407 and is closed to the public, and you can not get close by car. It is located in a narrow valley and only when we drive around we get a view of it from a distance.
Southern Slovenia Struga Castle near OtočecWe have already realized that the writer of the part about Slovenia (a Dutch Croatia-Slovenia guide) is very enthusiastic. The countryside here is indeed lovely with nice little villages but we do not really recognize the lyrical descriptions in the travel guide.
Castle Otočec, Slovenia Castle Otočec, SloveniaAt Otočec, where everything would revolve around the castle, we eventually find it a long way out of the village and although it is beautiful it is certainly not 'extremely romantic'. Too bad that we can not just drink a cup of coffee on the terrace because the luxury castle hotel is closed.
Rivier Krka near OtočecThe castle is located on an island in the river Krka and there is heavy traffic across the bridges. After a walk around the castle we drive a bit further through the area and when it suddenly starts raining we drive to Ljubljana where we want to find a campsite nearby.
The rain is becoming increasingly violent and it is now pouring out of the sky. Before, in and around Ljubljana we arrive in agonizingly slow traffic jams and the weather is getting worse. Setting up a tent is not really an option now, so we hope that the campsite we have in mind in Smlednik also leases cottages.
Rain in Slovenia, Smlednik Warm in our cottage, SmlednikAnd we are lucky: a beautiful house for € 38. Half of the campsite is already covered with water and when we turn on the TV (what a luxury!) all the channels are full of reports about the severe weather in Slovenia, there are even villages cut off from the outside world by mudflows. From what we understand, most disasters seem to occur in this area. Have the weather gods caught up with us again or have we just found them?
Until after midnight it keeps on raining and storming. It feels like autumn and it is less than 10 degrees when we go to bed in our warm and cozy cottage. Oh, how glad I am that we did not have to set up a tent!

 


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