Holiday: Party in Ljubljana, Slovenia

[chialc]

I was looking for a more affordable=cheaper holiday in Europe and I chance upon Croatia and Slovenia.

The transport is not so good so I decided to rent a car and zoom around the country sides.

Plitvice Waterfalls is a beautiful cascades waterfalls. The best part is the park is open free for all in the evening. You could save the entrance fees by going for early dinner before going into the park:

[Image: plitvickaJezera.jpg]

Small Alpine church along the romantic road. The air is so fresh, the tall Alpine surrounding the small hill which house a old church and farm. Your heart feel so light that you sing out "Sound of Music" as you dance up the hill:
[Image: 6917714665_55c94ee189.jpg]

Lazing with alps in front of me is really luxurious. I chance upon staying in a farm directly opposite the alps. Initially, I spend my time walking to the glaciers etc. Busy busy busy. Only time that I could settle down is after the farm stay dinner (half board). As I sit idling at the pouch, my heart beat slower and slower and my breath took longer and longer... I become part of the earth. I am nobody. I does not exist any more:
[Image: 025.jpg]

Capital Ljubljana Street Party. Everyday and night, there are performances or events in the city center. The best thing is, it's free. Enjoy:
[Image: prince.jpg]


Thank you for reading

[karlmarx]

Looks beautiful. Do they speak English?

[chialc]

Yes.
German and France has strong national pride but not the Eastern Europe.

Croatia and Slovenia young people is always looking to move out into the west, as such, they are keen learner of English.

[yeokiwi]

Beautiful countries!

Actually, most of the times i can get away with hand signs + digital camera + simple english words in non-english, non-mandarin speaking countries.

By the way, how affordable is that?
Air tickets?
Local transport?
lodging?
food?

[chialc]

Actually, most of the times i can get away with hand signs + digital camera + simple english words in non-english, non-mandarin speaking countries.
>> Yes, I get away with this too. Learning a few local phases helps tremendously.

By the way, how affordable is that?
including air ticket: S$ 3K per person for 2 weeks holiday if there are at least 2 pax and you're driving. budget type, then S$2.5K.

Air tickets?
There is actually a trick. Most people chosen their holiday destination & date and then book air ticket. The trick to save cost is actually the opposite.
First, you watch out for air ticket promotions from all airlines. When the promotion is out (from a few airlines), you choose the one which is cheapest and destination is exotic enough for you.
For example, if Slovenia cheapest air ticket is S$1200 and Athen is S$999. Then go Athen law.

Local transport?
The price is similar to what the local pay aka cheap.
If there is a need to move from town to town, then bus and train will be most convenient and economical. The ticket price various upon the distance and S$20 can get you from Rome to Venice again if you catch the promotion. If you says, what if there is no promotion, what's the price, then you must change your mindset.
Have a look at man-at-seat-61 http://seat61.com

lodging?
cheaper than Singapore hotel! S$100 can gives you a double bed in safe hotel with breakfast included.

food?
Restaurant food is for celebration and it cost $30-40 per person per meal. Go for the local food eg when in Rome eat Pizza; when in Istabul eat Kebab and that will cost you max S$10 per meal. Go for foodcourt, it cost S$20 at most. Instead of buying drink at foodcourt, I usually just get plain water besides being FOC; it's of Evian quality too.

[chialc]

I wanted to go to Eastern Europe because it's cheaper than western Europe but also I wanted a taste of RAW Europe instead of commercially packaged Europe.

Slovenia and Croatia is a nice choice.

As most of the places I'm going will be out of way, I decided to drive during the trip and rely on bus and train when I move between cities.

To ease my anxiety, I decided to bus into Croatia...settle for one night before picking up my rental car.

*********
At Trieste/Italy Train station...
>>>>>>>

I wanted to train into Croatia but unfortunately there is no direct train available. Instead, I'll stop at the last train station in Italy and then take a bus into Croatia... a small seaside town called Koper.

From map, the bus station should be just beside Trieste Train station and I just need to walk 5 minutes to get to the bus station.

Everything is familiar... as I walk inside Italy train station... signboard, Supermart... mmm... hungry, let's get something to eat... pizza, bread roll and something to drink. I eat at the Supermart and watch my time carefully...

I licked my lips with satisfaction and continue my walk to the bus station. easy easy.

Cross a road and I reach another building which looks more like a warehouse or aged shopping center.

Dazzled by neon signboard and a few booth selling bus tickets.

I approach one of them and show my destination KOPER.
One shake his head and pointed to next booth.

I continue until I found a booth that willing to sell me a bus ticket.
Cheap cheap...

Following the direction, I found my bus. I shown my ticket to someone next to the front door and confirmed that it is indeed my bus. I show him my luggage and then shove it into the bus belly which is quite empty. Careful, I reminded myself to seat a a place that I can see my luggage (just in case someone took it accidentally. ha ha)

It's different stories when I boarded the bus. It's full. Ok, not really full, there are a few seats available but the one next to the window are all taken. I am very surprised by the crowd.
You see, the luggage compartment is empty....

After I settled down, I look around and was greeted by smiling faces. mmm... not too many asian took the bus, right? I beam back with a bright sunshine too.
On further inspection, I realized that they seems like workers.
Yes, I read about Croatia people coming to Italy to work as domestic helper or factory worker. They bus-in in the morning and bus-out in the evening.
No wonder the bus fare is so cheap.

The ride to Koper was smooth and no traffics. We did not even stop for immigration check. The bus just drive thru the checkpoint without stopping.

We ride thru mountainous area and suddenly, there is a clearing on the right and we are on a cliff. Drop down 100m below and stretch far beyond is the clam Mediterranean Sea... The sea that we read so much in our Geography lesson in school... Fond memories of studies come back to me and I'm mesmerized by the charming MEDITERRANEAN SEA.


The bus come to a complete halt at Koper (I think this must be Koper law).
Not many people alighted because most of them alighted in the various stops along the way.
My fellow passengers are very lucky, most of them has someone pick them up with cars and quickly, I'm alone in the bus station (more like a big empty car park than a building, you get what I mean?)

Nobody's around, so I drag my luggage towards the entrance where my bus come from (because I think that's the exit too).

Once outside, I found one person and asked for direction to my hotel...mmm... this guy smells like alcohol...
He looked at my hotel name and signaled me to follow him.
We walked for about 1 km, did not exchange a word. He walked in front of me.

When we reached a building, he signaled me to go inside and then sits outside the pavement.

"Grazie!" I said. I think his job is to bring tourist to this hotel.


[Image: Veolia-Transport.jpg]

[sgd]

20 days around the balkans vice travel guide



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDQ7Vnq72A8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K15LKh4L6Sk <-- from 8min
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5pEa1KPR08
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnHbk2drLkU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAT1KTHcgo0

[chialc88]

I enjoyed a relaxing evening in Koper.

Next morning was a drag...(I should had anticipated... I am in east Europe)

My car rental company was not ready to give me my car. It's being clean... so the counter staff told me.
He was engaged in a heavy argument with another customer.

After a long wait, then he led me to the car park and it's there UNCLEAN.

What can I say?

I loaded up my luggage and bid goodbye to Koper... not so fast....

Just outside the town, I found a hupermart ... huge one ...

I stopped and get my supplies ... water, dry fruits to munch while driving, fresh fruits, etc enjoy...

After I load up my 5 L water, I am ready to go...

I hit the first traffic junction and wait for my turn to turn right.

The traffic light turn green and I start to drive off slowly....

Suddenly, the car on the opposite direction also flying towards me...

Honk, honk, honk... I emergency break!

I should had waited for the right turn green arrow....

Lucky and I reminded myself again that I am in east Europe!



A Life not Reflected is a Life not Worth Living.

[chialc]

Today, I'm going to drive for 100km to Rovinj (my hotel).

I'll make a stop in Piran which is a famous holiday beach town in Slovenia.

[Image: fotogalerija%2Fnove_2010%2Fpiran%2Fpiran-panorama.jpg]

When I drove out of Piran's carpark, I could not find my parking ticket.

Mmm... must be because I dropped my book just now.

Nevermind, pay 50euro fine and off I go.... take it as a sightseeing entrance fees.

Instead of parking in Rovinj old town, I choose to park outside for a very simple reason.

I wanted to capture the famous Rovinj million dollar view when you walked into the old town (definitely not by driving).

This is it:
[Image: Rovinj.jpg]
picture googled from internet.

Enjoy reading...

[chialc]

was very busy recently and hence did not post here.

My questions on why bluechip drop so much and yet penny stocks kept rising was not addressed but everyone know by now that penny stocks suffers big loss after SGX designated the three infamous stocks.

Billions had wipe out and now we are waiting for MAS to provide a review report.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Walking into Rovinj is a must do activity.
With Adriatic Sea on your right... sea breeze blowing your hair and your shirts... sunshine and yet as cool as in a aircon room...

This is life.
We had worked all our life and all the while, we are searching for happiness and rewards for our hardwork.
Little that we pause and appreciate what is surrounding us and admire their beauty.

I says slowly strolling into Rovinj (dragging along my luggage) is so peaceful that even today, I still feel so strongly.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The first stop I hit is a market... fresh fruits market.
Not our usual fruits but the atmosphere sure feel like being in Singapore.
A warm feeling when I see so many fresh fruits... yummy yummy.
My mind flesh back to our wet market fruits stalls...

Next to the market, I saw a van selling bread...
and I saw a long queue of people lining up to buy...
Again, a warm feeling overwhelm me...

[Image: 073156_56_782841.jpg?seek=1377002548]
Picture googled from internet