Round 7: Rambling on..

Postcard from Ljubljana

I'm kind of pleased to have looked up this place. I'm a bit of a fan of Slovenia in case you haven't already guessed. Ljubljana came well reviewed and actually seeing the place now it’s the kind of town you could roll up to on the bike, have an Ice Cream and a wander round and then head onwards so the sort of place you could check out en route somewhere. It's very compact and easily accessible.
Little green Golf Carts roll around the centre of town. "Ljubljana: The Friendly City" they proclaim on the side. I don't know where they're off to or what function they perform but they make a fair point, the place has a very friendly vibe about it.

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It’s the final of the European Basketball Championships in town. Basketball features everywhere- in the shop fronts, in the bars, the restaurants, obviously a huge deal for Ljubljana and we've arrived in the middle of it.

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Tonight Slovenia will be playing Greece in the tournament.

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Out and about. Arty shoe thing going on.

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A very enlightened 'café culture'..

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And its very easy to navigate using the simple principles..

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Well what do you know. A beer shop.

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An excellent selection here from far and wide.

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Brew Dog Tokyo Imperial Stout for sale (at 11 Euros a pop I should add) :eek

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Rob we need a pic of you with a big shit eating grin as some of those pics you look a right Mizzog :D:D:D:D:D

Ah! There's a photo of me actually smiling, see? I knew there would be one at some point.

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On the Tromstovje, the triple bridge. I think this is the reaction of getting stuck into the red wine last night.

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At this point I'd like to reassure you that I do actually own more than one shirt although most of the recent pictures seem to suggest otherwise.

In the evening we find a beer bar with a screen so we can see what goes on in the Basketball and have a few good beers. It looks like Ljubljana folk know their ale so we see what is on offer. Answer? A fair bit..

Local beer: Union, pronounced 'Onion'.

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Something not local but fancied..

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Didn't try it but might track it down back in blighty.

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Local again..

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More from somewhere else..

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The girl behind the bar is incredibly knowledgeable about beers.

Local..

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Not local..

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Not local, but not too far off.

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I know hardly anything of basketball but the match was entertaining especially with the locals very much into it.

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Slovenia win so all the better.

Finish the night three parts Oliver Twist and buy a slice of pizza on the way back to the hotel.

:beerjug:
 
Btilliant Rob, keep it coming mate :clap

I was in Morrisons and i'm sure this was on the Beer shelf.....will look it up next time :thumb

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Btilliant Rob, keep it coming mate :clap

I was in Morrisons and i'm sure this was on the Beer shelf.....will look it up next time :thumb

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It is - It's reasonable drink - not exceptional, but okay.

:beerjug:
 
Ah Rob so we get to the nub of what really makes you smile :D:D:D:D

good on yah mate , i was only ribbing ya i know deep down your a smiler :beerjug:
 
Ljubljana to Sainkt Michael im Lungau

The promise that the bike would be untouched out in the street is a promise met aside from there's a flower seemingly neatly placed on the seat this morning (?). Curious. Hmm. Damn you, you crazy basketball hooligans.

A mellow packing up of the bike and getting out of town is easy: Straight, turn right. No, really.

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And that's pretty much the long and short of it. The city is left behind in under ten minutes. We’re taking the opportunity to nip onto the Motorway so a very early coffee break can be taken at Lake Bled about half an hour or so up the road.

It's a beautiful spot and here very easy to park the bike down by the water. In the summer you can park the bike up and take a dip.

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Great place and a lovely spot for a spot of refreshment.

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The chaps rowing the boats back from Bled island return groups of tourists from Asia someplace. They politely applaud their return.

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Back to the main road. More 'adventure towing' :)

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Into the Julian Alps we go. Just short of the Austrian border we trundle off towards Kranska Gora. It's a lovely morning and not too cold at all.

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We have a run across the Vrsic pass, heading back South again. A terrific little winding run up. The Plateau up at the top. A couple of hundred meters up the road there are some stunning southerly views, however there's much jostling about in the nice spots for pictures so we don't bother.

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We take it easy and just drift down the other side. Listening to a bit of music, taking it easy. For some reason Tangerine Dream sticks in my mind as the ears pop everything goes quiet and I can just hear the music in my headphones, no background noise. Mellow, quiet, peaceful, lovely :thumb

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At the bottom of the pass we find a tiny shop that seems to sell everything so I sort out a picnic lunch for us. My, they really do seem to have everything here. I was thinking about asking for an alternator for a 1994 Saab 900 Turbo, but the woman didn't speak any English so I made do with bread, ham, cheeses, crackers and Yop.

Nipping back through Italy again.

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We cross into Austria. The couple of passes thus far have put us in the mood for more so let's see what we can see.

Having a casual spy at the accommodation on offer around here. Woof. A freebie giggle.

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Later, via facebook, after posting the picture I'm informed it is ran by the Wankers :D

On the road..

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We head for the Nockalmstrasse. For some reason the woman says that we've got a discount on the normal price. No idea why but won't complain.

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What exactly are road services? Tea hut at a guess.

Up at the biker point.

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There's a couple of these parked up.

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There are very helpful little maps all around with suggested bike runs.

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Drive slowly and quietly according to the moose.

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We're intending to keep cracking North but I'm greeted with digs in the ribs. 'I've had enough, let's stop'. The next town we stop.

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Accommodation found simply and we mingle with a large gaggle of American pensioners on a cycling holiday.

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Don't bother with beer today. That can't be right, can it..

And so to bed, zzzzz
 
OK, repeat to self..

"I am going to finish this.."
 
Apologies again folks.. am sorting it.. :drums
 
Sankt Michael im Lungau to Berwang

A very pleasant morning, but of a nip in the air but not a bad day for riding at all :thumb

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Being close to the main road we nip on for a few miles to much.

Through the Tauern Tunnel. Big bugger.

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And then a trot in a Westerly direction, nothing particularly remarkable but nice enough.

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Going a little bit out of the way to get a vantage point of the Krimmler Waterfall.

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And trundle over the visit the Waterfall. At the time of year, well, there's not very many bike visitors..

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The waterfall..

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Is impressive..

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Watch out for low flying hedgehogs.

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And we're handily located for the starting point of the Gerlos pass.

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Comfortable motoring for those of the 'loaded up' condition, well surfaced and wide roadway, all pretty easy stuff and quite enjoyable.

Over the top as it were and in as predictable turn of events whenever you go over a pass, the weather on the other side is crap. We plod on for a while. Cold now. Traffic gets heavy and we shelter in a petrol station for a coffee and a thaw. We're joined by two dozen or so Austrian bikers, a club group on a ride out, a very loud and sociable bunch.

North-ish now and we're looking for somewhere to stop. We land on Berwang, a ski resort close to the border. I leave the main drag as I'm just sooo so bored, heavy weather, limited opportunities to get going, the riding just not flowing at all.

Berwang is a ski resort, and being just out of season a very sleepy one, but we get a ski-lodge venue that is warm cosy and lots of space to dry stuff, this is the ticket.

Evil skies, snow up on the peaks.

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The events of the latter part of the day put me in the mood for some hearty fayre.

A beer that is just the ticket, one of many that is disposed of..

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..and some local food that was just incredible.

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Evening in summary: Fairly pissed and very well fed.

That's all for today :)
 
Enjoying your writings, Roberto, was in that part of Austria this year and the Gerlos Strasse was WET, Very WET with , if I remember correctly, lots of man hole covers :eek: :eek:
 


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