September 23, 2010
Lljubjana
Trojane is an unusual little village it is on the col between Llubljane and Celje with the motorway running in a tunnel deep below it. Because of its close proximity to Llubjand via the motorway it is very popular as a drive either by car or tour bus. The little village seems to be completely divided. At one end tour buses and cars pour in and disgorge their passengers who go to the toilet, que for the ATM, eat at the restaurant or café, look at the beautiful view and then leave with a huge bag of donuts. Trojane is famous for its donuts - they have been being made by the same shop for over half a century (not that that seems very long to someone of my age). In fact it is so famous that the first thing the hotel receptionist said to me today in the hotel in Llublijane when he heard I had ridden from Trojane was 'Did you have some donuts'. The place is a hive of activity and the staff in their bright apricot uniforms are rushing backwards and forwards across the road between the restaurant and the café and bakery. At the other end where our lovely hotel is all is quiet. Some new houses are being built (the donut industry is obviously lucrative). Farmers on their small farms are hand cutting their hay and tending to their animals, people are working in their gardens and cats are out hunting. The only strangers that stray down to that end are guests at the hotel who sit in the terrace enjoying the view or take a walk down the near vertical road to the little church. Last night we ate at the 'donut restaurant'. We tried to pick food that would have been typical of the region. Ken had barley, broad beans and smoked meat with a side dish of saurkraut. I had veal stew with barley polenta and a side dish of vegetables (I fear I may get scurvy on the diet I am having). The food was good but the helpings enormous (mine came on three plates and Ken's on two). I could eat less than a third of mine but Ken valiantly struggled on and finished his - the donuts had to wait for another day.
This morning we packed up and went through the village to pick up our donuts then flew down the hill, it was an exhilarating ride and we were glad Steve had fixed our brakes. At first the motorway was either way below us in a tunnel or soaring above on pylons. At the bottom we were at the same level as the motorway and freezing. We had to warm up with coffee before tackling the difficult task of riding into the centre of Llbljana. Like Auckland it is a city given over to the motorcar - the GPS on an appropriate setting was our savior. Eventually we found the centre and accommodation (expensive). Llubljana has a lovely little central part free of traffic but the rest looks like chaos to me
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Today's ride: 47 km (29 miles)
Total: 2,566 km (1,593 miles)
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