Woke up a bit late - 7:30. It was Monday and I had to exchange USD to Eur. Found out from the hotel reception that there is a post office in a tech park nearby - a couple of minutes drive and opens at 8am. Was there by 8:15 and looked for it. Finally found it after asking around. Lady at the counter rejected around five of the 20 USD notes telling they were damaged! Anyway exchanged the rest. Checked out of the hotel.
Started driving towards Postojna caves. Was a bit apprehensive at first on whether seeing some caves is really worth the time. Anyway decided to go. The entry into the caves was only through guided tours - in various languages. Had around 30 minutes before the tour and just walked around. Bought the ticket for the caves and a castle nearby.
The first part of the tour was a short train ride into the caves. Was awestruck within the first couple of minutes. The caves were not what I had imaged at all! The cave system is around 24 kms long and the temperature is a constant 10 deg C. The train ride took around 20 minutes and within the first few minutes started seeing stalagmites and stalactites. The lighting was done perfectly to just focus on these structures and not illuminate the whole area. We went through tunnels and a system of caves to finally reach the starting part of the walking section.
The english speaking guide was very good and explained the whole area well. Apparently the stalagmites and stalactites take 100's of years to grow by 1 mm and take a very long time to actually form a column. The air within the caves is supposed to be very good for the lungs and the humidity is at 100% and is very good for the skin. Apparently people who lived in caves had flawless skin and a more youthful look. At a certain part of the caves the guide also turned off all the lights to show us the actual darkness that exists there!
There was even a huge hall at the last cave and weddings and concerts take place here! The whole tour lasted 90 minutes and the whole scenery and the guide kept us entertained.
Drove to the Predjama castle from here. Also looked very unique and beautiful. The facade is the castle and behind it is a large cave system. Went in and explored all the rooms.
Went to the Skocjan caves next. Also a guided tour which started at 2pm. Had to walk for around 10 minutes to reach the entrance. Unfortunately no photography was allowed. The caves did not have as many stalagmites and stalactites as Postojna - they were apparently destroyed in an earthquake, but this time the scenery was very different. This cave system had huge canyons inside with a river flowing at the bottom. And a lake as well. The walk was along the canyons and the river within the caves. Very tempted to take pictures but couldnt. And I guess nothing would be seen in the pics as well.
Finished the tour and went outside. Noticed that fuel was low. Went into the nearest town and entered a petrol station - OMV. Had only two pumping stations and parked the car in one of them. Noticed that the pillars on both of them only mentioned diesel. Also there were only a couple of filling pipes at each station and they only mentioned diesel. Was very confused! Went into the shop and tried to ask for petrol. The guy didnt speak any english, but he mentioned diesel and didnt understand the word petrol. After a couple of tries he came out to inspect the car. Opened the fuel cap and examined the nozzle. Again told diesel and I tried to tell petrol. He then asked if its benzine. I told him petrol again. He didnt comprehend the word at all and confidently filled diesel. Now I think it was diesel that he filled! I thought maybe the Slovenians call petrol as diesel and I had no idea what benzine was! Anyway I paid for it and started the car. It started as usual and it also went ahead. Drove to the next destination - Piran. This was a city on the coast with an amazing old town jutting out into the adriatic. Found parking in a mlcp near the waterfront. Went into the old town and climbed the city walls to get the view.
Started driving towards Postojna caves. Was a bit apprehensive at first on whether seeing some caves is really worth the time. Anyway decided to go. The entry into the caves was only through guided tours - in various languages. Had around 30 minutes before the tour and just walked around. Bought the ticket for the caves and a castle nearby.
The first part of the tour was a short train ride into the caves. Was awestruck within the first couple of minutes. The caves were not what I had imaged at all! The cave system is around 24 kms long and the temperature is a constant 10 deg C. The train ride took around 20 minutes and within the first few minutes started seeing stalagmites and stalactites. The lighting was done perfectly to just focus on these structures and not illuminate the whole area. We went through tunnels and a system of caves to finally reach the starting part of the walking section.
The english speaking guide was very good and explained the whole area well. Apparently the stalagmites and stalactites take 100's of years to grow by 1 mm and take a very long time to actually form a column. The air within the caves is supposed to be very good for the lungs and the humidity is at 100% and is very good for the skin. Apparently people who lived in caves had flawless skin and a more youthful look. At a certain part of the caves the guide also turned off all the lights to show us the actual darkness that exists there!
There was even a huge hall at the last cave and weddings and concerts take place here! The whole tour lasted 90 minutes and the whole scenery and the guide kept us entertained.
Drove to the Predjama castle from here. Also looked very unique and beautiful. The facade is the castle and behind it is a large cave system. Went in and explored all the rooms.
Went to the Skocjan caves next. Also a guided tour which started at 2pm. Had to walk for around 10 minutes to reach the entrance. Unfortunately no photography was allowed. The caves did not have as many stalagmites and stalactites as Postojna - they were apparently destroyed in an earthquake, but this time the scenery was very different. This cave system had huge canyons inside with a river flowing at the bottom. And a lake as well. The walk was along the canyons and the river within the caves. Very tempted to take pictures but couldnt. And I guess nothing would be seen in the pics as well.
Finished the tour and went outside. Noticed that fuel was low. Went into the nearest town and entered a petrol station - OMV. Had only two pumping stations and parked the car in one of them. Noticed that the pillars on both of them only mentioned diesel. Also there were only a couple of filling pipes at each station and they only mentioned diesel. Was very confused! Went into the shop and tried to ask for petrol. The guy didnt speak any english, but he mentioned diesel and didnt understand the word petrol. After a couple of tries he came out to inspect the car. Opened the fuel cap and examined the nozzle. Again told diesel and I tried to tell petrol. He then asked if its benzine. I told him petrol again. He didnt comprehend the word at all and confidently filled diesel. Now I think it was diesel that he filled! I thought maybe the Slovenians call petrol as diesel and I had no idea what benzine was! Anyway I paid for it and started the car. It started as usual and it also went ahead. Drove to the next destination - Piran. This was a city on the coast with an amazing old town jutting out into the adriatic. Found parking in a mlcp near the waterfront. Went into the old town and climbed the city walls to get the view.
Walked to the church and into the old town for a while.
Decided to start the drive towards the next hotel at around 6:30. I was planning to spend the night in a tourist farm in the Logar valley national park in the northeast region of Slovenia. The Govc Vrsnik tourist farm was in the Robanov Kot valley and I fed the address to the GPS. It gave an estimate of 2.5 hours for a distance of 130 kms. Sounded strange but anyway started the drive. And the car was still going strong with whichever fuel it had!
Entered into the mountains at around 7:30 pm. It was getting dark, there were rarely any vehicles seen and I couldnt spot anyone - only ghost towns! The gps finally took me to a house in a small town and indicated this is the final destination. Didnt look anything like the picture that I had seen on the internet. Went upto the house but was dark. Decided to get back the main road and fortunately spotted 2 ladies on the road. Stopped and went to them with the address. One of them could manage to read and speak English and they knew the place I was talking about! Told I need to go back around 6 kms and reach a bridge. There is a sign board indicating Robanov Kot and will take me into a narrow road into another mountain. Decided to follow the instruction and reached the bridge. Found the road and took it. Was very narrow and a uphill drive with curves. I cant imagine what anyone should do if there is another car from the opposite direction. I could soon spot signs for the tourist farms. I had reached the Robanov Kot valley - between huge mountains.
Old lady at the farm was actually surprised to see me. She used the phrases "You are here" and "You actually came" multiple times! She of course had the booking and the room, but I guess she didnt expect to see me. Asked if I wanted dinner and I told yes if she can manage something vegetarian. She told will manage and I went to the room to keep my bags. Came back to the kitchen and she offered me some schnapps as a welcome drink. Was a strong drink and I was having that for the first time!
Then there was some soup, vegetables and dessert as well. Everything tasted very weird including the dessert. I couldnt even recognize a couple of those veg. Anyway managed to eat something and decided I am not cut out for living in a Slovenian farm!
The room was quite ok with a balcony and a view that I guessed I would see only in the morning. Had wifi as well and tried to check on google on what would happen if diesel was filled in a petrol car. Got mixed answers but mostly people told either the car wont start or if it does then it would go for a while and then stop. Decided that I have passed the first hurdle as the car anyway started. Now how far it would go before it stops is yet to be seen.
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