PIRAN

Drove  down to the coast of Slovenia  to PIRAN. They say it is built in Mediaval times. The beach has no sand, just rocks. So off we went checking out the town, including climbing the high wall. We enjoyed a lovely lunch with a view of the ocean and was entertained by our comic waiter. We braved the rocks and went in for a quick dip in the warm water, the rocks made walking a bit tricky without anything on your feet.
Then back on the road to check out the local salt pans. On our way back to Jezersko we called into the Postojna Caves. We took a tour beginning with a train ride in and a walk around about 5 klm of the network of 20klm of passages full of stalactites and stalagmites. Living in these caves is a creature called an Olm or 'the human fish' because of its white skin colour. It looks more like a little lizard as it has legs. We weren't allowed to take photos of it.
We were told it can last up to 12 years before it eats and can live for 100 years.

The ladder on the beach to go into the water

THE rocky beach

View from the top of the wall

Building In town

Train ride Into cave

This one Is called Brilliant

the Olm or 'human fish'

SOME EXTRA PHOTOS

The overpasses for the animals to cross over.

There is also an underpass for frogs to go under the freeways.

SIGN SAYS THERE ARE NO KANGAROOS IN AUSTRIA (I think not)

Special shoes for the horses to walk on the cobblestones.

There are windfarms everywhere also a huge amount

of solar panels.

Munich, Germany

Our last night on tour, so a farewell dinner barvarian style. Typically sausage, sauerkraut and mash. Followed by apricot dumpling and vanilla ice cream. After that we had a walk around Marienplatz Square enjoyed hearing the glockenspiel in the tower in the New city hall. Then up early next morning to catch up with Clint & Alta for train ride back to Ljubljiana. Very enjoyable trip making lots of new friends. Our Italian Coach driver Aldo and Hungarian tour guide Tunde did an amazing job to make the trip the best ever and one to remember.

Tunde 

Aldo & Tom

Melk, Austria

Heading to Salzberg we stopped in the village of Melk. Home of Melk Abbey. A very impressive church full of gold and beautiful artwork.

Salzburg

Salzburg, Austria     Birthplace of Wolfgang Armadeus Mozart.

And the home of the Trapp family.   I learned a few home truths here....

The infamous rotunda..

The Trapp family home.....

The steps Maria run up to the Nunnery....

Some random sculptures and sights around Salzburg

 

The home of Mozart

Budapest

Budapest, Hungary.
Originally was two cities on each side of the Danube. Buda on the east bank and Pest on the west Bank. They United and become one city in 1873.

Heroes square has statues of the seven chieftains of the Maygars and other important national leaders as well as the tomb of the unknown soldier.

A night cruise and dinner on the Danube was terrific.

Parliament house all lit up.

A traditional Hungarian evening. Dinner and entertainment again.

What fun.

Matthias Church, over  700  years old

 

Vienna

Vienna, Austria

We were entertained by a small orchestra, a couple of opera singers and a couple of dancers. We were not allowed to take photos during the concert. Then we went off to a traditional Viennese

Dinner with snitzel and apple strudel. Another great night.

Schonbrunn Palace. The Summer palace. Just so swish inside. Everything is very well preserved. Unfortunately no photos allowed inside.

The gardens of the Schonbrunn palace were huge and beautiful.

Our poor tour guide nearly freaked when she came back with our tickets to find her group "on the meadow" there were 2 small signs at either end saying not allowed on the grass. Nobody saw them!!

Hofburg Palace. Currently serves as the residence of the president of Austria.

Unfortunately we didn't get to see the white horses as they were in

the country for the summer as it is too hot for them in the city.

Prague

A bit behind in blogging, our Bohemian Rhapsody tour was extremely busy, day and night so here is some quick pics.

We finished off the day with a typical Czech dinner

and entertainment. It was a lot of fun.

The Astronomical clock first 

installed In 1940 And is the oldest working Still.

 

Statue of King or Duke Wenceslaus the one the Christmas Carol is 

about. Apparently he was a good bloke. He was killed by his younger brother who wanted to rule.

Charles bridge started 1300 finished in 15th century. Crossing the Vltava river.

Prague via Nuremberg

We were up early, put our cases out by 7.00am, had a big breaky and headed for Prague.  First stop was Nuremberg, a city in the German state of Bavaria. We stopped in the Centre of town for lunch. Had a bit of a walk around town the old city  within the wall checking out some beautiful old buildings.
Then headed for Prague.

Munich

Catching the train at Kranj for Munich.   We started our next adventure on our own having booked the tour online a few days earlier. When asked which platform the train was leaving from we were told "no idea." So we waited for train and it pulls up on the far side of station. We ran across the tracks, said quick goodbyes to Clint and Alta, and barely lifted our luggage on and jumped in, the train took off. We walked along looking for a seat and somewhere to place our luggage. We found a cabin that had room for the two of us and had to ask people to kindly take their feet off the seat so we could sit down. This train was like our red rattlers of old times. It was comfortable though. There is also a power socket but a backpacker claimed ours most of the time. I don't think his worked.
We had beautiful views of the countryside and climbed high up in the Austrian Alps. We came across some interesting names...
FAAK AM SEE  was my FAVORITE. 
Who would name a town That!
We stopped at somewhere in Austria, the train did a bit of shuffling to and fro and headed back the way we came. PANIC !!  Did we have to change trains! I am sure we would have been told. We need to go to Munich not back to Slovenia. I went into carriage next to us and asked them if this train was going to Munich. They hoped it was as that was where they were going also.
Nev assured me we were as we were on the other side of the river.
So I settle  down and enjoyed the view again. Our backpackers had left so we had the cabin to ourselves and a lovely german lady who didn't know much English. We were then joined by the lady I had spoken to in the next carriage. She had dropped in for a chat. She was the wife of the German ambassador living in Slovenia on her way to Berlin for the next 2 weeks to visit her son. She kept us very entertained most of the way to Munich. She was disappointed she wouldn't be back in Slovenia before we headed home.
We pulled into Munich and with a little help purchased our ticket for the train to our hotel at the airport. We waited for our train to come and I double checked with someone that we were on the correct train. They assured me we were when a young girl came over and advised us to get on the back of the train as at one point it splits in two and the front half heads into another direction. Great... HOW FAR BACK IS THE BACK OF THE TRAIN!  So we walk a long way up the platform, wait 2 mins when the train arrives. We jump on and I verbalize my hope we are on the right part when we start chatting to a  young couple from Perth who were hoping the same.
The train splits in two and we arrive at the airport. I immediately go to the information and ask for directions to our hotel. Through that door ahead and shuttle bus will pick you up from bay 7 was the reply.  SO EASY.
We had arrived in time to meet our tour guide and group members by 6 pm Whew!! People had told us the Germans were friendly and helpful and they were..

The Baron and Baronesse of Bled

It's official we are now the Honorable Baron and Baronesse of Bled.

KRANJ

Tuesday we checked out the city of  Kranj. The 4th largest city in Slovenia. It actually dates back to prehistoric times. Armed with our map we walked within the wall trying to find historical points of interest. In the Center we came across a huge statue of France Preseren, a poet who had a bit of an impact on Kranj. It is a very clean city with some lovely little shops. I didn't get to shop though as it took most of our time to walk around the city. There is the church of St Kancijan, known as one of the most beautiful gothic churches in Slovenia. We sat down for a rest on a seat beside the church when we noticed some glass placed amongst the pavers. Underneath the church was a cemetary from the medieval times. Known as the ossuary. A bit of a spine chilling experience. Under the city  is lots of amazing tunnels but they opened too late in the day for us as we had planned to go up one of the mountains to a restaurant for Nev's birthday lunch. On top of the restaurant we were told you could see 20% of Slovenia. Simply beautiful.