• A drive-by photo enroute from Zagreb to Ljubljana

• City Hotel Ljubljana, our lodging in Ljubljana

• Our room at the City Hotel

• After our first night in Ljubljana, we visited both Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj. This is a drive-by photo of the Julian Alps while enroute to Lake Bled.

• The Church of the Assumption of Mary on the island in Lake Bled

• Our transport to the island. All twenty of us fit on one boat.

• Photo courtesy of Donna Megy

• On the boat

• Bled Island

• Approaching Bled Island, home of the Church of the Assumption of Mary

• Long staircase to the top of the island

• Entrance to the Church of the Assumption of Mary

• Bill is pulling the rope to ring the bell in the church. If it rings for you, your wish supposedly comes true. A few other members of our group are in line waiting their turn .

• Doug rings the wishing bell

• A view from Bled Island

• A view from Bled Island

• Departing Bled Island

• This villa on Lake Bled was one of President Tito's vacation homes. It is now a hotel and restaurant.

• From Lake Bled we bussed to Triglav National Park.

• Lake Bohinj in Slovenia's Triglav National Park. Lake Bohinj is the largest natural permanent lake in Slovenia. It is of tectonic and glacial origin.

• Lake Bohinj

• Doug and Kathryn at Lake Bohinj

• The Church of St John the Baptist in Triglav National Park was built in the mid-11th century or late 10th century.

• The Sava Bohinjka flows out of Lake Bohinj

• The village at the east end of Lake Bohinj

• Doug is sampling the blueberry sadni sladki liker ('fruit sweet liquor') for which this area is noted. It is the strength of a port (20 vol % alc) and is very good.

• Gostilna Rupa restaurant, our lunch stop after departing Lake Bohinj.

• Enjoying lunch - Photo courtesy of Adrienne Guy

• The colored panels on the wall of this building are ...

• ... bee hives.

• A small ski area across the valley from the restaurant

• There are many pedestrian bridges in the center of old Ljubljana, Slovenia

• Restaurant row along the canal with the Ljubljana Castle looming above

• This statue of national poet France Prešeren stands on the eastern side of Prešeren Square, Ljubljana's main square. The statue faces across the square to the window where his adored Julija Primic used to live.

• Sculpture of Julija in a window, across the square from the Prešeren statue.

• The Franciscan Church of the Annunciation on Ljubljana's bustling main square

• Congress Square, Ljubljana's largest, includes Park Zvezda (Star Park). It is less busy than the smaller main square.

• The Slovenian Philharmonic Building on Congress Square - Ljubljana Castle, atop Castle Hill, looms large over the city.

• The Ursuline Church of the Holy Trinity with the Pillar of the Holy Trinity on Congress Square

• A milk machine in Ljubljana. A person may purchase then fill an empty bottle at the machine.

• A couple we saw make a milk purchase

• A sign of the times

• Dragon Bridge (1900-1901) - Architect: Jurij Zaninović

• A dragon, the symbol of Ljubljana, guards one of the many bridges.

• The Art Deco Hotel Union in Ljubjiana

• The Art Deco Hotel Union in Ljubjiana

• The Art Deco Hotel Union in Ljubljana

• Inside the Hotel Union lobby

• Inside the Hotel Union lobby

• On a day trip from Ljubljana we visited both the Predjama Castle and the Lipizzan stud farm.

• Predjama Castle - 'Predjama' literally means 'in front of the cave'.

• Approaching an entrance to an escape route from the castle

• Moving along the escape route from the castle through the cave

• Looking back down the escape route

• Getting closer!

• The end of the line (for tourists)

• The Predjama Castle torture chamber

• Another torture chamber

• A view of the valley from the castle

• We enjoyed lunch at this agriturismo, where we saw goats and a stork.

• Enjoying lunch at the agriturismo - Photo courtesy of Adrienne Guy

• Lipica is the home of the Lipizzan horse and the biggest Lipizzan stud farm in the world. Kobilarna translates to stud farm. So this is the Lipica stud farm.

• Mares returning from the pasture to the barn at a full gallup

• Grand Hotel Bernardin, our lodging in Portorož

• On a day trip from Portorož, we visited the Škocjan Caves and enjoyed wine and lunch at the Razman Winery.

• The entrance to the Škocjan Caves - Photos were not permitted in the caves.

• A river flows through the caves. The caves consist of both limestone sections with stalagmites and stalactites and stone caves carved out by the flowing water.

• As we exited the caves, photos were permitted.

• The rver flowing out of the caves

• The last leg of our climb out of the cave was via this funicular.

• An overlook above the caves

• Kathryn and Doug at the overlook (Thanks, Jessica!)

• We tasted wines and had lunch at the Razman Winery

• Tasting wines at Razman Winery - Photo courtesy of Jessica Broadley

• Tasting wines at Razman Winery - Photo courtesy of Jessica Broadley

• Sitting down to lunch at Razman Winery

• The town of Piran was a short walk from our hotel in Portorož.

• The port at Piran

• The main square in Piran

• The Church of Our Lady of Health, also known as the Church of St. Clement, in Piran