europe

Day Two of Wandering

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Today was a big driving day because the weather was wet and windy and did not lend itself to walking outside a lot. I have realized that when one is traveling with a dog it limits what you can do indoors. I cannot sit in a restaurant (so takeout is the go-to) and when the weather is lousy I can’t lounge in a bookstore for hours on end.

Nonetheless we saw a lot. We left the hotel by 8 a.m. because the rain was scheduled to start at 11 a.m. This plan proved to be wise because Bandon Beach was BEAUTIFUL this morning and the sun was shining. We started at Cocquille Point, walked down the stairs and to the beach. Jutting rocks were everywhere. Pete was unimpressed by the giant puffin statue made from debris. Pete immediately rolled in the sand…over and over again. He truly loves the beach. We walked the length of the beach and then returned to the car to continue down the 101.

Port Orford was next. It was a quaint town focused on art. We stopped at the Battle Rocks Wayside Park for the stunning views and then moved on to Gold Beach. Gold Beach is where the Rogue River and the ocean meet. We stopped quickly at a viewpoint but then moved on as the weather was very wet.

On the way to Brookings we stopped along the Samuel Boardman State Scenic Corridor and decided it was time for fish and chips. Happy Clam did not disappoint.

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park was next on the route. We stopped at the ranger station to get a map and will do the Avenue of the Giants tomorrow. The trail I really wanted to walk was just too wet and muddy and I really wasn’t prepared. The stunning drive through the park was dark as the trees were amazingly tall.

Next up was Trinidad, which is a small town of about 300 people. It had a beautiful bay overlook but no access to a beach we could walk. By now my butt was hurting and Pete was tired of being a passenger so we found a hotel in Arcata and called it a night! Overall the drive along the 101 is mesmerizing with its stunning views, rock formations and crashing waves.

Slovenia

Posted on by Seniye Groff

After a day in Zagreb, we did the hour and half drive to Ljubljana, Slovenia’s capital. I loved this city! The Ljubjanica river runs through it and is flanked with a market and cafes on each side. The city is clean and easy to navigate and the architecture is beautiful. It seems the city has been very thoughtful about creating lots of green spaces throughout the city.

  • Ljubljana’s historic Old Town is where many of the city’s famous attractions are located.
  • Triple Bridge from Preseren Square. This triple bridge is a city emblem, stitching the modern center and the old town.
  • Ljubljana Castle. Houses several museums and exhibitions, a sweet little chapel and provided unbeatable panoramic views of the city and the old town in particular. I felt the castle was fairly commercialized but the view at the top of the tower was worth the ticket of entry.
  • After the castle tour, go down to one end of the Old Town, and stroll along its main street, known as Stari trg in one section and Mestni trg in another. This street, adorned with elegant buildings, also boasts intriguing and quirky little shops.
  • The Central Market has food vendors selling everything from fresh fruits and veggies to textile goods and souvenirs.
  • I ate lunch at the always-packed Julija Restaurant. It serves quintessential Slovenian food and although I don’t eat meat, I still managed to eat well. Slovenian wine is quite good and cheap, too!

We also drove an hour to Lake Bled. This lake is the picturesque and likely on every post you have seen of Slovenia. We were there on off season, so it was crowd-free. We walked around the lake and also visited St. Martin’s Church. We opted to not pay the $17 Euros to go inside the Bled Castle since we visited the Ljubljana Castle.