Ljubljana, Slovenia

When I showed up in Ljubljana, I really didn't know what to expect. I had met some Slovenians in Prague who told me I have to check out Ljubljana. After hanging out for a few hours in Ljubljana, I meet my CouchSurfing host at a bus stop by her apartment. She turns out to be a CouchSurfing machine - throughout the rest of the week at least 7 people end up staying at her apartment. My night or two in Ljubljana turned into a week :)

Slovenians are really cool people. According to a tour guide that I eavesdropped on, Slovenians are hard-working like Germans, but like to live life like Italians. As part of Yugoslavia, Slovenia was the economic workhorse that subsidized some of the poorer parts of the country. But Slovenians also love to party. There isn't a single night in the week that there isn't something going on in Ljubljana. The coolest part in town is Metelkova - a self-declared 'Autonomous Culture Zone' with illegal bars and clubs. It consists of a bunch of run down buildings taken over by artists. So cool.

From Ljubljana, Slovenia

Ljubljana itself is a beautiful city. The city center is more Italian than anything I've seen in Eastern Europe. Of course don't dare to suggest that Slovenia is "Eastern Europe". Slovenians will tell you straight up that it's "Central Europe". And after visiting, I have to agree.

From Ljubljana, Slovenia

One night in Ljubljana I'm doing laundry at a hostel across town (the only place to do laundry) and I bump into a Portuguese guy I had met on the train. While the washing machine ran, I hang out in his room. I start talking to one of his Brazilian roommates at the hostel and it happens to be a CouchSurfer that was supposed to stay at my hosts place. We start talking and it turns out he rented a car and was planning on driving all around Slovenia the next day. I decided to join him.

The next day my Brazilian friend picks me up with his rental car and we head off to Predjama Castle - a castle from the 13th century built inside a mountain - pretty crazy. Then we headed off to Škocjan Caves which have the largest underground caverns in Europe. You feel like you're at the center of the earth. Then we headed to the coast from some seafood in Pilan. Basically we saw most of Slovenia in one day - it's a small country :)

From Ljubljana, Slovenia

I also met a real cool Portuguese dude who is hosting a dozen people at his place for a CouchSurfing conference in Lisbon at the end of November. I REALLY wanna go. Hope it works out.

Next up - Chilling with my good friend Beth at her place in Bologna, Italy.