sLOVEnia part II

Slovenia rules.  Things went much smoother for us after the first few days and it ended up being a really nice little non-vacation for us.  I call it a non-vacation because Brian still had to go to work, but we managed to find some time for fun :).  What an amazing country!  The capital, Ljublana, is very small but has fantastic architecture, a beautiful river that runs through the city, and as the perfect backdrop - a castle  that sits on top of a hill.  It was fabulous.  And luckily for us, it’s only an hour and a half drive from Zagreb! 

The language there is Slovenian, but everyone we talked to (except maybe 2 or 3 people) spoke near-perfect English.  So it was very easy to get around.  The food was delicious, yes Brian ate a horse burger and he liked it!  They have much better ethnic food there – like Indian and Mexican – than in Zagreb, so that was a major plus.  The shopping was great as well – they had an H&M (in addition to other fun stores) and we went to an Ikea in Austria that was only an hour away.  

So what do we sLOVE the most about sLOVEnia?  Lake Bled.  Oh my gosh, it was breathtaking.  Any lake with the Alps behind it is going to be beautiful, but there are 2 things that make Lake Bled extra special.  1:  the castle that sits on top of a huge cliff at the base of the lake, and 2: the island with a church on it.  It’s hard to describe just how beautiful and peaceful it really was.  

We also went to Lake Bohinj which was very nice.  It was more enclosed by mountains than Bled, and the water was crystal clear – pretty impressive for a lake, but we both liked Bled the most.  We can’t wait for the weather to get warmer so we can go back and swim! 

The beautiful Lake Bled: with the island and the castle behind it.

 

A closer picture of the castle at Lake Bled

 

Lake Bohinj

 

Ljubljana

Slovenia Part I

Well we made it to Ljubljana this past Sunday- but we definitely got off to a rough start.  We were initially planning on leaving Friday afternoon so that Brian could meet everyone at the Embassy and we could settle in and have the weekend to hang out in the city.  So when we lost hot water in our apartment Thursday night and lost the heat Friday morning, we didn’t think much of it.  They don’t need to hurry out to fix it- we’ll be leaving soon anyway……not smart on our part.  We got a call mid-morning Friday  and we were told that the weather was terrible in Slovenia.  It was snowing and the highway was down to one lane, so they recommended that we not leave until Sat or Sun.  It was still snowing on Sat.  When we finally left on Sunday we were so cold and so dirty that all we cared about was getting to a warm apartment with a hot shower. 

The roads were fine, but there was a lot of fog- in fact it was the thickest fog I have ever seen, so it ended up being about a 2 hour drive (usually about an hour and a half).  So not too bad. 

As soon as we got there (about 4:00) I started unpacking and that’s when I realized that I had forgotten some things……. a lot of things…….a lot of things I couldn’t spend 2 weeks without.  I blame it on being so cold.  My sweet husband tried to talk me into staying at the apartment and taking a long hot shower while he drove back to get my stuff.  (I love him!)  But I didn’t want him to make the drive to Zagreb and back again by himself –  and he didn’t want me driving back by myself the next day, so we both got back in the car.  We found an Indian restaurant in a guidebook that said it was open until 10 pm, so we left hopeful that we’d make it back in time for that. 

What should have been an hour and a half trip turned into a 7 hour day.  When we finally made it back to Ljubljana, it was about 8:45.  We found a parking spot and ran (shuffled) through the snow to the restaurant.  The lights were on, the door was open, but when we walked in they were folding the table cloths.  Not a good sign – they had just closed.  I felt so bad.  Brian had been looking forward to Indian food since we found out we were going to Slovenia and after such a long day of traveling, and after being so sweet and not once giving me a hard time about us having to go back, I really wanted him to have a great meal.  It was just not meant to be.  Instead we found a bakery and both got what looked like a pizza bread.  Well it was actually a pizza bread surprise, the surprise being a hot dog in the middle.  It was pretty weird, definitely not delicious Indian.  
                -We went back to the restaurant Monday.  It was very good!

So Tuesday rolls around and I find out that the cable here shows the Bachelor on Tuesday nights!  We decided Brian would grab some Chinese take out on the way home and we would stay in and have a Bachelor night.  When he went to get the food, the restaurant wasn’t there- it had either gone out of business, or the internet gave him the wrong address.  Plan B: he came home and we tried to find delivery.  We couldn’t find anyone that delivered, so after several phone calls it was time for plan C.  There is a Thai place pretty close to the apartment we’re staying at, so Brian said he’d run over and grab some Thai food to go and hopefully make it back before the show started.  This is what he said to me when he got home: 

       “You can’t depend on a Slovenian Chinese restaurant to be where it’s supposed to be; you can’t depend on a Slovenian Thai place to have food (it was actually a spa- we just hadn’t noticed the small print); but you can always depend on McDonalds!” 

as he pulled two McDonalds bags from behind his back.  Thanks for saving the day McDonalds!

We made it through the rest of the week fairly smoothly and I’m optimistic that next week will be great.  Ljubljana really is a beautiful city!  We’re planning on going to Lake Bled tomorrow - and really looking forward to that!  Stay tuned for part II of our Slovenian adventure. 

On a different note.  Brian did have 2 classmates from his A-100 class who were posted in Haiti, thankfully they are both safe but please keep them and everyone who was in or affected by the earthquake in your prayers.

The Best of the District

2009 was a GREAT year!  It was one year ago yesterday that Brian and I left Oklahoma bright and early and headed to DC.  We left not knowing how long we would be living in DC or where in the world be would be moving to next (it could have literally been anywhere).  All part of the Foreign Service fun!  We ended up spending a little over 9 months in DC and absolutely loved our time there.  It’s such a cool city!  Here’s looking back at some of our favorite things/moments in DC.  

Top 10 favorite things about DC 

"The Bowl"

10.  Ben’s Chili Bowl 

What’s better than a good, greasy chili dog?  Ben’s Chili Bowl is awesome.  If you look in the guidebooks they will tell you that Ben’s has been around since 1958 and was and is a dining staple for some very famous historical figures including Martin Luther King Jr., Redd Foxx, Bill Cosby, Bono, and Mayor Anthony Williams.  There is a sign posted inside that says “the only people who eat here for free:  Bill Cosby and President Obama (but he paid).”    

9.  Arlington Cemetary 

We loved the sense of calm and serenity one feels at Arlington Cemetary.  It’s a truly beautiful, lovely place that really causes you to reflect on life.  We particularly liked the view from Arlington House, which is an old house that used to be owned by Robert E. Lee (as was a good chunk a the cemetery grounds), and is perched on  a hill with a beautiful view of D.C.   Other great things about Arlington Cemetary include:  the Tomb of the Unknowns, where you can watch the changing of the guard; the Kennedy gravesites; and the Iwo Jima Memorial (which is nearby).

8.  The Smithsonians 

The museums in DC are fantastic, and thanks to James Smithson who in his will wrote that if his only heir, his nephew, died without children, he would leave his fortune to the United States of America to found in Washington an establishment for “the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men.”  It’s also interesting that Smithson was British and had never even been to the US.  What a generous gift!!  The Smithsonian is not just one museum, but 19!  Out of those 19 (not that we made it to all of them), our favorites  included the National Museum of American History, National Gallery of Art, Portrait Gallery, and the Museum of Natural History.  Another reason these museums are so cool- they’re free! 

7.  Georgetown 

Georgetown is one of the best places to walk around, shop, and/or have dinner (or just dessert at one of the many delicious bakeries).  Lonely Planet describes Georgetown as Washington’s cheerleader: “Bubbly, beautiful, brainy, and only a little bit mean (when it comes to your wallet).”  We also love Georgetown because it’s home to our favorite restaurant (#2 on the list). 

6.  The 4th of July 

It was so cool to spend the 4th of July in our nation’s capital.  We watched fireworks sitting on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial with the Washington Monument and Capitol in the background.  It was beautiful.  

 

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

5.  Screen on the Green  

Screen on the Green has been a DC summertime tradition since 2005.  On Monday nights (usually in July or August) movies are shown on a huge, theater-sized screen on the National Mall.  It’s a blast!  People get there really early to claim the good spots and bring lots of food to have a nice picnic before the show starts.   When the music that precedes the movie starts playing, everyone gets up and goes crazy!  There’s dancing, jumping, clapping, shouting, getting pumped up for a fun evening (it’s also an opportunity to stretch your legs one last time before having to sit on the ground for 2 hours).
 

4.  The Washington Monument 

Whenever anyone asks what my favorite DC monument is I don’t hesitate.  It’s the Washington Monument.  (And Brian would agree.)  We love its height, no building in DC is taller (it’s a federal law).  There were times when I would be far from the National Mall, sometimes even driving outside of the district, and still be able to see the monument standing tall and proud.  A few facts from Lonely Planet:
-The Washington monument is 555 ft tall.
-Construction began in 1848.
-It’s made from marble.
-A lack of funds during the civil war stopped construction and it was not finished until 1888.  Unfortunately, when they re-started construction, the new marble didn’t match, giving the monument a two-toned look.
-When it first opened the elevator to the top viewing deck wasn’t considered safe for women, so men could ride the elevator while women had to take the stairs.  

  

 

Pictures from the top of the monument

 

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

3.  Inauguration 

We were at President Obama’s inauguration.  What an amazing day!  It was held at the Capital and there were so many people that Brian and I only got as close as the reflecting pool (thank goodness for jumbo-trons).  It was very emotional - there were people crying, hugging, celebrating, forcing their children to stand in the cold for hours so that they could witness such a historical day.  The energy there was palpable.  

Inauguration

 

2.  Taj of India 

I think one day we may go back to DC just to eat at this restaurant!  We probably ate there once a week.  It’s delicious- best Indian food EVER!  If you’re ever in DC you must go there.  It’s in Georgetown on M Street.  You won’t regret it.  

  

  

1.  Cherry Blossoms 

The cherry blossoms were breathtaking.  It might be hard to plan a trip around them because it’s hard to predict exactly when they’ll bloom- but it would be worth it.  That was by far our favorite day in Washington.