Posts Tagged With: Solo Traveler

We Made It!!

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Travel with Jodi

take the leapI realize how infrequent my postings have become but believe me, it is not that I have forgotten you guys, on the contrary I think about you daily and have been dying to update you on my goings on. I read the title to one of Crazy Train To Tinky Town’s blogs which read “Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing” and I can assure you what I have lacked in the writing department I have surely made up for in the doing department. Before we even get to all of that, I feel so overwhelmed with gratitude right now and need to thank you all so much for always coming along with me because today marks a very important day for me and us. It is exactly one year since I took off from home for this adventure that we have been on. When I left and everyone asked how long I would want to go for, I said I would like to be able to make it to a year, and here we are! We made it!!

One year ago with my bags packed and my old life traded in, I boarded a plane to London a place I had never been to before with the idea of doing something entirely different than what transpired. What unfolded was a six month tour of Europe to sixteen countries all foreign to me and the adventure of a lifetime. From hotels to hostels to couch surfing you went on all these new experiences with me and were at times my only company. We lost my luggage with all my documents in Turkey and partied our lives away in the Greek isles and hiked mountains in Austria, took twenty hour bus rides to Romania, got fined in Switzerland and took water buses through Venice, had drinks with hitch hikers in Bosnia, went salsa dancing in Hungary and the list goes on. We even unexpectedly returned to the states because of identity theft, but then did get to enjoy lots of time with family and friends as well as time in two beautiful, big cities. Oh and lets not forget our little paradise that was the Cayman Islands.

So needless to say we got around (in a good way), we then returned to Europe, London and Greece specifically, and now on the one year mark have found ourselves in Australia! Yes the latter part has some missing details which in the following days I will get you all filled in on. Nonetheless this has all been way more than I could have hoped for and now for the million dollar question that I had no way of answering when this all began a year ago, “So what happens after the year, then what?”  Well now that I am there I can say I have decided to stay in Australia for a while and continue the adventures down under! I had no way of even fathoming that a year ago. All I can think is WOW. Many of you have been there from the very first post and stayed with me all the way through and I just want to send the biggest hugs and thank yous that I can. I can’t wait to see where else life and God takes me, but one thing I know for sure you will be updated every step of the way :)

Love JodiAustralia

Categories: Australia, Europe, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Happy New Year to the Princesses and Astronauts!

Posted on January 8, 2013 by Travel with Jodi

Take The Leap!

I hope everyone had a great holiday season, I know I have been a bit AWOL but since I have been back home I have really tried to maximize my time spent with friends, family and also myself. This however, has limited my time with you guys. So we haven’t spoken since last year!! Yikes! I have been back home for two months now and have been up to so much it’s unbelievable, will have to catch you up on all the mischief in another post though. This one is about a Skype conversation I had with a friend in Romania who suggested I write about it, and I felt no better time like the new year!

Do you remember when you were kids or even when you speak to children today and you ask them what they want to be when they grow up and with strong confidence they would say something like a princess and then maybe an astronaut after, or a ninja and a fairy, without even flinching? In their minds believing it to be something completely and entirely possible, not feeling as if it is even remotely absurd, which the chuckling adult obviously believes. When we are children there are no such things as impossibilities, this is something you learn as you grow older, but who teaches such a horrid subject. I mean who says these things are impossible, the world? The universe? Or just other people. I believe when you want and believe in something badly enough the universe, the world, God or whomever can show extreme flexibility in bending in your favor.

Who are these people that tell us our dreams are impossible, aren’t they just people who were told that their own dreams were impossible because, well, that’s just how life is. What a sad moment when a child who was absolutely sure they were going to be what they wanted is told it can’t happen and to be real and dare I say…grow up! I don’t subscribe to that and if you do I urge you to cancel your subscription and asked to be removed from the mailing list ASAP. A very good friend reminded me of a conversation we had about 2 years ago I guess, that had completely slipped my mind, where I said I wish I could just travel, not work, just travel. I guess It slipped my mind because I said it so casually it wasn’t even a dream at the time because I didn’t know I could even dream of such a thing. Yet I had exactly that amazing experience and trust me I know it’s easier said than done because once when I was commending a friend on their 3 month excursion through South America and they asked why don’t I do the same. My response was an exasperated “Oh come on I can’t I have so many responsibilities.” Don’t get confused no I’m not delusional and think everyone should stop working, but remember the saying when you love what you do you will never work a day in your life.

In reality all the reasons we can’t do things are mostly the ones society tells us. Sad to say misery loves company and there are many people who will try to distinguish your dream because well someone did that to them. Don’t believe the hype, it is not the world that will deny your dreams but yourself. The world is eagerly waiting if not begging for you to take advantage in all that she has to offer. Waiting for people to come alive and really live the lives they had only silently dreamt about, if they were even so brave to have dreamt it. So with this new year I would love for everyone to ditch the list of resolutions to just one. LIVE YOUR DREAM! So happy new year to all the Princesses and astronauts and fairies and ninjas as for the rest of you it may not be all that happy it will be just like last year!!

 

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Taking on Turkey

Posted on August 2, 2012 by Travel with Jodi

Entering Turkey from Greece

After a 12 hour bus ride from Thessaloniki, we finally arrived in Istanbul. It was now about 10 p.m. and the darkness of the night almost hid the chaos of this insanely busy city. However, whatever went unnoticed at night definitely came to light in the morning. But before I get to that, the first night we made it to our hostel, showered and then hit the streets with a new friend we met on the bus, to see what the city had to offer. After a few rounds of drinks, a couple games of backgammon (extremely popular there), smoking some nargile (exactly like hookah) and dancing to some awkwardly mixed music at a rooftop bar, we strolled back home. Only to head to the rooftop of the hostel to watch the sunrise and welcome a new day in Instanbul.

Latoya on our first night in Istanbul

Winning my first game of Backgammon

Night shot

I have never in my life been to a place so busy and moving so quickly and slowly all at the same time. The road leading from a main hub Taksim Square is forever filled with hoards of people and an unquantifiable amount of energy. I was both nervous and in awe. We walked from Taksim Square to the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia with a stop at the Spice market and New Mosque. Even though we were advised against walking I thought it would be an interesting walk and a good way to see the city even if it took a while. Okay so maybe a bad idea, not only was it blistering hot, but by the time we reached we actually made it to the Blue Mosque it was closed. Bummer! Needless to say we took the tram back this time and decided to return the next day, but would make use of the transportation the city had to offer.

Crowded streets of Istanbul

Hagia Sophia

Blue Mosque

Oh funny story, while walking around people would stop us every now and then to take pictures with them. I guess they were just as curious about us as we were about Turkey. So the next day we made it back to the old town and also went to the underground cistern, where we decided to do the photo opp they have where you can dress up like a sultan or sultana (touristy I know but hey!), where we were totally ripped off. So they say 5 euro for pictures and even though it was two of us we could still pay the same 5. When we finished our “photo shoot” however they had bunches of photos displayed on the screen only to then say it was 5 euros each picture but they would graciously let us have a cd with all of them for 20 euro. We’d been had lol! Of course being as vain as us girls can be at times, we took the cd.

Sultanas of Turkey. Surely you’ve heard of us!

Spice Market

Young boy in some sort of traditional wear.

Overall I spent 4 days and 3 nights in Istanbul a very interesting city which I am told gets even busier in the autumn with about 20 million people packed into that place. My cousin returned home to Miami at the end of our time there and I took yet another 12 hour bus to Cappadocia, Turkey where I am now!

My essentials: map and water

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Meteora and More

Posted on July 30, 2012 by Travel with Jodi

Arrived in Meteora

After leaving Mykonos (sadly) I spent another night in Athens, but a much better area than the first time I had arrived. This area allowed me to walk around at night a bit more freely. Then in the morning we took off for Meteora, a five hour bus ride away, in the town of Kalambaka.

Jump!!

Once I arrived in Meteora, meaning suspended in air, I was immediately astonished at the rock formations around the small town. The locals, expectedly, seemed completely unphased by them while I , in my wide eyed wonder, was amazed! At night the rocks that were by the hotel didn’t even look real. With the lights shining up on them they seemed like something from a movie set or some other artificial structure that would be at universal studios maybe. The first night we took a ride to the top of one of them and watched the thousands of stars twinkling above like lights on a Christmas tree, while looking on the little town far below. Then returned to the hotel (a cool family run place) and lounged with locals til the wee hours.

Taking in the View

Rocks at night

The next day we walked around and did some exploration of our own in the blistering heat of the midday (not so smart). We then went back up before sunset to get the view of the multicolored rays bouncing of the rocks and monasteries perched atop them. These were built in the 15th century, a total of 24 scattered around with 6 in use today. That place seemed so unreal, It sort of reminded me of the floating mountains in “Avatar”. After sunset we returned to the hotel and readied ourselves for dinner at a local restaurant, with three other girls we met that day. After dinner the owner’s son met back up with us in the garden area in front of the hotel, he brought his guitar and drinks and we all laughed, drank, danced and were merry. This is definitely my favourite part about traveling. Meeting and enjoying times with great people who become friends.

LaToya and I

Sitting on top of the world

Meteora at sunset

The next day, we left for our next spot, Thessaloniki, with only four or so hours of sleep under our belt. No worries, I trained well in Mykonos for this type of thing. Thessaloniki was really intended only as a stop over before leaving Greece and I had no real expectations for any type of fun there. Oh how I love to be proven wrong in such instances! Despite the little hiccup at the hotel (argh terrible ownership and place the Alexandria Hotel), the night ended remarkably. We went through some very questionable looking streets to find the social area of this town, with each corner looking shadier than its predecessor and then BOOM! You are surrounded by the cutest bars and lounges and restaurants a cool downtonish area, amazing! We selected one that seemed neat, the service was great and when we were ready to pay we were told that a shot at the bar was necessary first!

Learning Greek dances

Now this shot, lead into hours more of drinking and hanging with the bar staff. My kinda night! Oh did I mention they offered  me a job, but first I had to go through the interview process which was me downing a pitcher of alcohol in the form of multiple shots with the bartenders. The point where I ended up behind the bar making drinks (something I had never done in my life) I figured I passed! The night continued in this fashion until we had to leave, since we had another long (12hour) and early bus ride in the morning. They were not happy about this despite the fact it was now after 4 a.m. There you have it! I then left early the next day for where I am now…Istanbul.

Behind the bar!

Shots anyone?

Categories: Greece | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Attempted Robbery In Athens

Posted on July 24, 2012 by Travel with Jodi

So I have had limited internet access and thus have been a bit delayed with my posts, but after having been in Greece for almost a week now I think I owe it to you to make the extra effort. Not to mention I have been dying to get my initial Athens experience off my chest. So here goes!

My first day in Athens I followed the hotel’s directions from the airport to their location, which was pretty easy and straight forward. Even though the Greeks not only have a different language but alphabet also, there were quite a few concessions for English speakers. Plus the metro system is fairly well organized and easy to navigate, so no problem there. However, when I got off at my stop and began to ascend upwards on the escalator towards the street, I was pretty sure that somewhere between the Airport and metro ride I had been transported to a place that was entirely different than the stamped location in my passport. This after all was not the Athens I had imagined or dreamt about.

Looking out at the concrete jungle that is Athens

I was certain I had been teleported to a 5thworld country (yes I made that up). Not to be rude or anything but the area that the hotel was in was totally shady, I mean had I any interest in prostitution or dealing heroine I probably would have fit right in. So needless to say I didn’t pause in the streets to take any photos really. I was so happy to have flown in early in the day because there is no way I would have been caught dead (or maybe I would have been) on those streets at night. So as soon as I got to the hotel I pretty much retired for the day until my cousin arrived the next morning from Florida. She by the way, when asking for directions, was told by a local that it wasn’t such a good area. You think!! They must have forgotten to add that on the hotel’s homepage.  Nonetheless, I took it all in stride and walked as if I knew where I was going and looked forward to my visit to acropolis and the surrounding area.

The cousin walking around the Acropolis area

My cousin Latoya and I

Okay so, we get to acropolis on my day two and the area is a bit touristy but I am super stoked to be somewhere I can freely walk around the streets and not worry that I may become a witness to any illegal activity. We walk around go up on a stone hill by the acropolis to take photos and started chatting with some other Australian travelers. This was it, back to normal travel mode. Until I sat on the top of the hill to take in the view with my cousin and just chit chat when out of the blue this guy in a small group of about three or four others, grabs my bag and is trying to hand it off to one of his buddies. I was completely shocked and taken aback! I grab his arm and sternly tell him that it was mine and proceed to take it back from him. He looks at me, hands it back over and apologizes as if he had no idea it wasn’t his. Imagine, we are in an area with other people in broad daylight I was so absolutely stunned at the audacity of this guy. I couldn’t stop staring at him in awe at what he had just attempted to do. He then quickly apologizes again and moved to another area. I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs on that hill under the spotlight of the unrelenting Greek sun, pointing at him so that everyone knew what he had done! Total buzz kill. That moment stuck to me all day like gum on the bottom of your shoe that you can’t seem to scrape off completely.

Acropolis in the background

I was safe however, had everything with me and was calmed back down by the short, balding but charming Greek waiter on my walk back and his shower of compliments. Oh, yeah and the fact that I was leaving for Mykonos in the morning.

Beautifully lit at night (took this from a different part of town)

 

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Montenegro and A One Night Stand in Serbia

Posted on July 18, 2012 by Travel with Jodi

Amazing Views

I arrived in Kotor, Montenegro around midnight after leaving Croatia. I was anxious to get things going as I only had three short nights there including the one on which I had arrived, but exhaustion got the better of me that first night. So once I made to my hostel after a short taxi ride (by the way I was totally ripped off) I hit the sack and was out for the night.

Restaurant/lounge outside old city in Kotor

The next day I was completely awestruck by the view. The hostel was right in front of the water, and nestled in the cozy shadows of large blue mountains. I loved it already. I met a cool Australian girl at the hostel and we left to explore the old city and hike up the fortress walls both UNESCO world heritage sites. The old city is so cute, that’s the best way I can describe it, even with the heaps of tourists and blistering heat, it’s hard not to fall for Kotor. I wonder how you hardly hear about these countries as travel hot spots (well I don’t anyway). Montenegro is this little country that is just a gem filled with diverse natural beauty. I wanted to shrink it and carry it around with me in my pocket lol.

Peek inside a church in the Old City, photos are illegal (you’re welcome)

Stores in the narrow allies in the Old City

So back to the trekking up the fortress walls, yeah, not so easy for out of shape me. We stopped every 5 minutes for a rest break but had a lot of fun, I would advise however go early morning or late evening to avoid the scorching sun. Something that occurred to us mid hike! As you ascended the views just kept getting better and better with every step and it was nice to make it up to the top. Their marketing is great too because the price of water sold by locals with a little cooler, gets more expensive the higher up you go lol. When we were done we headed back down to the old city grabbed a bite and local beer to cap off the evening. I really enjoyed Montenegro the people were also very lovely and it is a beautiful place I was sorry to have had such little time.

Found my initials (JM)

Views of the city while ascending

Yaay made it to the top!

My last day I took it easy strolled around had lunch met some people and just hung out. I had a 6:30 am 12 hr bus ride to catch the next morning to Serbia. This bus ride was so easy and very scenic, I got to see areas of both countries I most likely would have never made it to. Although only having about 4 hrs of sleep the night before, meant me nodding in and out of dream and awake state which really doesn’t constitute as rest I found. Oh how could I forget, okay so I have this weird thing where I just detest public bathrooms especially if they are unkept. I mean to the point where I frequently have nightmares of having to use them (weird I know). At one of our rest stop en route I discovered a bathroom far worst than any I have ever dreamt about. I literally stood there frozen, kinda like when we had a rest stop in Thailand and I went in the stall to only find a hole in the ground where I assumed the toilet was stolen from. To then find out, that was the toilet!!!

Streets of Belgrade, Serbia

Approaching Sava Temple

Anyhow, we finally made it into Belgrade later in the evening. I checked into my room and then went for a quick stroll to Sava Temple, which is being renovated inside. It was really cool to stand in this almost empty church and really be able to feel the scale of it. As night began to fall I quickly made my way through a few streets and stopped at a side walk restaurant for dinner. This very quick rendezvous with Serbia was not to my liking I would have much rather have had more than just the one night. I was sadly there only to catch a flight in the morning and didn’t get the opportunity to really enjoy this energetic city. As I sat for dinner the lady in front of me had the widest uncovered yawn as if she was demonstrating what happens to food after its swallowed. Thanks for the visual but I took biology for a number of years, I’m good. So that was it for me and Belgrade the next morning (today) I hopped on an airport shuttle with a member of the Serbian Olympic team and was off. Oh and for those who were expecting a different kind of one night stand story… naughty naughty!

Categories: Montenegro | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Croatia

Posted on July 15, 2012 by Travel with Jodi

Okay so I feel badly that I have been in Croatia for 5 days now and have not reported to you guys what’s been going on. Not only that, but I am actually leaving today. Good thing is, I have had full days and so much to tell. So I am here now and all yours :) This is where thunderous applause erupts!

Streets of Zagreb

Flower vendors at the entrance of the farmers market

First I arrived in Zagreb the capital and stayed there for two nights. The first day and night I was underwhelmed by the city especially after the high I was on from Slovenia. However, the following day proved that Zagreb did have more to offer, although it is obvious that most of tourism dollars are infused into the popular coast and islands along it, not the city really. So let’s skip day one! Day two I met up with a new found friend from London to explore a bit. The day was spent looking for a lake in Jarun where the locals go to swim and hang out. It’s basically their beach, that’s even what the sign said. It would have sucked if I was genuinely following it looking for a beach! Only to find a stony embankment with with a man made lake, but whatever, when in Croatia…

“The Beach”

Museum…I’m so cultured.

Some sort of night fest

Later that evening after a wardrobe change and freshening up, we hit the city again and detoured a bit ending up in the museum of broken relationships. That was very cool. This originated in Croatia, where it resides permanently but also tours internationally. So see, I am cultured I go to museums! After leaving we saw there was an outdoor movie being shown and an open street beer fest it seemed in the same area. We then had dinner at a great restaurant tucked into the side of the hill before retiring for the night. This was a great day I realized how much energy there was in Zagreb and variety. The next day I was off to Split along the coast about 5 hrs south with a stop at Plitvice lakes a UNESCO world heritage natural site. We stayed there for 5 hours. That place is really beautiful I could have spent a much longer time there, if I didn’t have the driver waiting to continue our journey to Split.

Plitvice National Park

Plitvice National Park

Plitvice National Park

Even the dragonflies at Plitvice look exotic

The next three days and nights in Split were great and HOT! One thing though, traveling during this time of year, Croatia as well as many other European hot spots, are over run with tourists. I would much rather have come before or after the great boom! So avoid July/August if you can. Unless your 18 and really want the packed young party vibe. Nonetheless I was very lucky to have met a lovely, young local family through one of the other travelers who also came on the trip to Plitvice and Split from Zagreb. He had met them 6 years prior on a previous trip to Croatia. So even after he had left they continued to show me around. I decided having this local experience and new friends was better than going to the islands with bunches of tourists, so I decided to hang out with them instead and I am so happy I did. We enjoyed great food and sea swims and last night we went to a gypsy band performance. Not to mention the Countless laughs and good times including sipping homemade wine and liquors while having her father-in-law tell stories of when he traveled on cargo ships all over the world before I was born. He often interjected many moments with random American songs he remembered.

Riva Promenade in Split

Streets in Split

The people in Croatia have been pretty nice too, while on a packed hot bus yesterday an old man sat next to me ( in a seat I am pretty sure was made for one) he spoke to me in Croatian and occasionally flashed a mostly toothless grin that made me smile. Later when I got off at the wrong stop (I had gone one too far) I saw that he also had gotten off. Because the road was so narrow and winding I couldn’t walk back along the road, without it being considered suicide. He however, realized what was going on and gestured for me to follow him, he had a house on the sea coast, and let me through so I could walk back along the coast up to my friend’s place. I thought that was nice then we exchanged names all the while speaking two completely different languages but understanding each other completely.

New friend Maijca

View from their back terrace

So that’s it for now! Well as much as I felt could be jammed into one post! Now I am getting ready to take off for Montenegro on a 7 plus hour bus ride into the town of Kotor. See you there!

Croatian sunset

P.S This was written yesterday so I am now safely in Montenegro :)

Categories: Croatia | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

So long Slovenia

Posted on July 8, 2012 by Travel with Jodi

Ljubljanica river that runs through the city

I have now been in Slovenia for about 7 days and the charm of the place has not yet faded. Every first time visitor I run into echoes identical opening lines, “This is not what I expected Slovenia to be like.”

Cafes lining the streets of Ljubljana

I can’t express enough how delighted I am by this country and its charming people. I feel so at home and welcomed here and the beauty of this country can be found lurking around every corner. Two days in a row this week it rained quite a bit in the afternoons, but that just added another dimension of character to the place. When it started pouring my hostel owner cheerfully exclaimed “It’s raining, that will cool the place down.” If it’s sunny everyone is happy and seated outdoors, if it’s raining everyone is happy and waiting to head back out into cooler temperature. Slovenians are just happy people. As I sat at a nearby restaurant I have now become a regular at, it began to pour again followed shortly after by hail that were small and plentiful and almost looked like snow. Of course the waitress with the smile and excitement of a child says to me, “Look! The little ice from the sky!”

Ljubljana

Bikes and buildings

The capital city Ljubljana’s beauty is second only to the people here. There are wide cobblestone streets with only pedestrian and cyclists traffic. I was told today by a local that as of last year they no longer allowed cars to be able to drive throughout the center areas of the city. It is a really lovely idea because people are able to roam with children in tow comfortably and leisurely without having to worry about cars. Which is extraordinary when you consider this is the capital. I did a free walking tour of the city yesterday, oh and while on that tour we all got a very unexpected surprise, one that left our guide a bit flustered. While he was explaining to us about a bridge we were standing on at the time, the mayor who happened to be passing by popped in for a listen. We were all delighted to meet him and he was just lovely, but then left as quickly as he came. On the tour however, we were able to learn the history behind many of the monuments and buildings I had been seeing throughout my stay.

Ljubljana’s mayor (in blue). Flustered guide in yellow lol

I’ll share two with you. First, there is a statue in the main square (Preseren Square) of Preseren who was a Slovenian romantic poet in the 1800′s, this in itself tells a lot about the Slovenian people our guide shared. The fact that it is not the statue of a general or monarch erected but a romantic poet that is erected whose poetry (well a line or two) has even made it into their anthem. Speaks volumes about the people I think. Anyhow, he was madly in love with a rich merchant’s daughter who did not reciprocate his feelings, a hurt that he carried to his death, so as a tribute, far across the other side of the square is a cast of a woman (his true love) who appears to be looking out of a window , that is fixed to the side of a building. So that he would always be able to gaze at her. Until it was pointed out I had never even noticed it (the woman that is). The other is the dragon’s bridge that has four large dragons (a national symbol here) two on each side. It is said that when a virgin crosses the bridge the dragons wag their tales. A theory our guide told us he was tempted to test on his wife, but knew better lol!

Preseren below his muse

Gazing across to his beloved Julija

I haven’t even gotten to the music yet! Meandering through every alley way are the sounds of all types of music. Up one street and you may be greeted by the symphonies of an orchestra, down another and the reggae tunes of a solo guitarists and around yet another and the synced notes of a trio may grab your ear. It is just wonderful. I would not consider myself to be an emotional person but the moment that brought a little dampness to my eyes was when a street performer was singing “Hallelujah” the song originally released in 1984 but covered multiple times (my favourite by Justin Timberlake at the Hope for Haiti Now televised event following the earthquake). While he sang to a growing crowd people went up and dropped donations in a bag he had on the ground but there was a homeless man (it appeared) who obviously had no money to donate but loved the music. So instead he went and picked a few flowers tied them together and put in his donation pile. That touched me deeply.

Band playing in congress square

Side walk stores in Ljubljana

So that is it, well no but I could write forever about Slovenia which may bore you. So I leave tomorrow for Croatia and will miss this country which has taken the spot as my favourite country in Europe thus far!

Unassuming church in a narrow alley

Gorgeous interior. Church of St. Nicholas

Categories: Slovenia | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

This is Slovenia? Part 2

Posted on July 6, 2012 by Travel with Jodi

Anyone going to the Gorge?

Alright so I am dying to share more of Slovenia with you I have been here for a few days now and I go to bed at the end of each one loving it more and more! I cannot explain how spectacular this place is. Again however, I will try. So I left off last time telling you about Vintgar gorge which was where I visited on my second day trip to Bled. It is part of the Triglav national park and its natural beauty is overwhelming and calming all at the same time.

Just beginning my trek through the gorge

Amazingly colored water everywhere

It took about 35 minutes to walk there from a friend’s hostel in Bled. Left up to my own devices I would have taken a taxi, but looking back I did appreciate the walk both there and back as it provided great views and additional photo ops. Once we arrived at the entrance there was a 4 euro charge and the narrow, wooden trails along the edges of the gorge were yours to explore. With every step an “Oooh or Ahhh” escaped me, I wanted to take a picture of everything. Every waterfall, every area of still transparent emerald and sapphire pool, every fish, every rock face, every everything. This was just a beautiful place and I was so happy I made it there. I kept wondering if the locals appreciated it as much as I did or if the novelty had worn off long ago.

Water rushing through

There is this surreal feeling of when you have looked up a place and seen photos online or in print and think how lovely it is and then to actually be there. I was thinking to myself that I couldn’t believe I was actually there, it is an awesome feeling. I felt that way too when I was at lake Bled rowing to the church on the island. This is a place I would for sure visit again if I ever returned to Slovenia, which I am pretty sure will happen.

Lovely views all around

Tempted to enter my birthstone (emerald) tinted pools

After making our way through the gorge we headed back to Bled, another hike. Europe has provided me with many of these, I just hope the end result of some amazing legs is birthed from all these hikes! When we finally hit the downhill approach we made a quick stop at a small, lone restaurant and had a bottle of Radler, a grapefruit flavoured beer that I haven’t gone a day without so far. I had plans of hitting another close by city Bohinj and going for a swim at the lake there but was so exhausted and sun drained that I took a bus back to Ljubljana (pronounced Loob-Lee-Yana) instead. The hostel was having a live jazz band perform so I figured I would rest up and then go listen, which I did after treating myself to a lovely little dinner at a nearby restaurant.

Another waterfall

Leaving the gorge headed back to Bled

Next time we will delve into the lovely Ljubljana, which I will continue to explore, until then love life!

Reminds me of Heidi for some reason

Views on the way back down

Categories: Slovenia | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

This is Slovenia?

Posted on July 4, 2012 by Travel with Jodi

Welcome to Bled, Slovenia

Let me start off by screaming “Oh My Goodness Slovenia!”  I have not been this excited to share my experiences in a country with you since Finland. I think because like Finland, Slovenia has completely surprised me! I find  that when I have no expectations or don’t know what to expect, is when I am the most pleased. Slovenia has confirmed that train of thought. This place is simply amazing, and that’s putting it mildly.

Admiring the water

Tour boats on Bled Lake

I don’t even know where to begin, but I’ll try. I am staying in the capital, Ljubljana, but have gone to a city called Bled for the past two days. This place knocked my socks off. My hostel roommate and I went down there yesterday to visit lake Bled. We rented a row boat and took off on our own to the church on the island at the end of the lake. I completely suck at rowing and as I said to a friend of mine, I wouldn’t quit my day job if I had one! Lets put it this way they told us it should take 15 minutes to row there…so 40 minutes later we were docking our little boat, finally. The view however, was so breath taking that it left little room to notice that we were rowing with the back of the boat facing forwards. I constantly found my self repeating just how beautiful that place was and I just could not get over the fact that it was so amazing. I couldn’t believe this was Slovenia, a gem of a place that you rarely hear about.

Row boats like the one we rented

The face of an amateur

Finally docked by the island

When we got to the island we explored on foot as it is quite small, and needless to say took about a million more photos, give or take. I felt so absolutely grateful for having the opportunity to see this place and everywhere else I have been. You can’t stand among such natural beauty and not experience immense feelings of gratitude and awe. Then we headed back to our boat had a local jump in the water to help us get off in the right direction. That’s another thing, the Slovenians are such friendly and warm people always willing and ready to help and accessorized with a smile. After returning the boat, we went to have have dinner by one of the very chic restaurants by the water. Oh and perched above us on a cliff was a castle over looking the gorgeous waters filled with graceful swans.

At the church on the Island

Walking the plank

Heading back to the boat

My roomie then stayed in Bled and I returned to Ljubljana by bus, feeling so content with my day. I returned to Bled today as well and visited Vintgar Gorge, which I originally intended to tell you about now, but I feel that needs its own time in the spotlight. I also plan on telling you all about Ljubljana, a lovely city. For now I hope you consider Slovenia as a place to add to your “must see” list. It’s worth it!

At the restaurant with my daily fix since being here

Food is always so nicely presented

Categories: Slovenia | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

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