Ljubljana Day 2

I had every intention of waking up at 7 this morning, eating a quick breakfast, and then renting a bike and seeing all of Ljubljana. While my time in Zagreb was nice, I tired of my own lazy behavior (even more so than the rest of my trip). I was ready for a fresh start in Ljubljana.

I did wake up at 7 this morning. And then again at 8. And finally rolled out of bed around 9. I took my time showering (the best, warmest shower I have had since I have been in Europe), eating breakfast, drinking 2 coffees, etc. I finally realized it was almost 11 a.m. and time for me to get my butt of this hostel. So I rented a bicycle, walked outside, and it started pouring rain.

So...now I am STILL in the hostel, drinking my third cup of coffee, and catching up on all internet-related things with the hope that the rain will stop or turn into a more mild drizzle. I am actually incredibly disappointed - both in myself for not waking up earlier and enjoying the sunshine of this morning and with the weather for not cooperating. If it doesn't clear up, I will still go out and enjoy the city, but I will probably be slightly grumpy the whole time about it.

I had actually JUST decided this morning that this area is beautiful, and I should forget about Budapest and do a lot of hiking in Slovenia the next few days. Today could potentially change my mind back in favor of going to Budapest.

Last night I went out with Mateja - a friend that I met while in Zagreb. She and I met up and had a beer at one bar and then had another beer at another bar. It is great to hang out with her for several reasons. 1. She is a woman. Other than her, I haven't hung out with women since I was at Paganello. It is nice to switch it up and talk to another woman, instead of hanging out either by myself or with a bunch of dudes. 2. We both really enjoy talking about cultural differences - how Slovenians perceive Americans, how Americans perceive Slovenians, how western Europeans perceive Slovenians. She and I have the same sense of humor, so we can laugh about things but also get into some pretty serious conversations.

I am staying at the hostel Celica - one of the most unique hostels in Europe. It probably best to just go to the website to check it out:
http://souhostel.si/en/index.html

The atmosphere here is really unique. The most impressive thing is its sheer efficiency. It is a big place, with people constantly coming and going. Yet everything seems incredibly well organized. It is very different than the few other hostels I have stayed in which were tiny. This one has a huge eating space, a restaurant (separate than the eating space), an outdoor courtyard, a meditation room, several common kitchens, and other spaces that i haven't even explored yet. I haven't really talked to any of the other travelers that are staying here. for the most part they seem to be traveling in groups with friends. But people are friendly and the staff is nice.


ok - i think the rain let up a bit, so I am going to go try and explore.

Kate