2 Hour Road Trips

In less than two hours, we can drive to four countries (maybe more). We can get to great beaches, hiking, skiing in winter, and historic cities.

In Padova: A boat in a moat

This year, we have vowed to get to those places.  Our car gives us freedom to do just that.

Last Sunday, we woke early ready for a hike in the mountains of Slovenia.  The weather had other plans.  There was rain to the East (Slovenia) but it was beautiful to the West.  So we changed plans and visited Padova (Padua) instead.  Padova is an old University town, and still has that feeling. Some beautiful churches, artwork, and outdoor cafes make it feel totally Italian. We also enjoyed the botanical garden, where they have been collecting and studying plants from all over the world for hundreds of years.  There is even a palm tree that Goethe visited and they named after him (just that one tree, not the whole species).   I didn't really get why they named the tree after him, but when an author's most famous work has your last name in the title, and then you see a palm tree that he sat under a few hundred years ago, it's still pretty cool.

A famous cafe where intellectuals drink coffee and have intellectual conversations

The Botanical Garden

"Goethe's" Palm

Tom kisses drinks from a fountain

A sunny day in Ljubjana

Yesterday we went to Ljubjana, Slovenia's capital.  We didn't know the European Basketball championships were there this weekend, so it was quite busy when we arrived around lunchtime.  The weather was perfect and we enjoyed a fried cheese burger for lunch.  It wasn't what you think--it was literally fried cheese.  No meat.  Not sure why it was called a "burger" but it did taste good!  We spent the day wandering the streets and poking around in little shops.

NOT ice cream and coffee?!?

Later we stopped for coffee.  I asked the waiter about a picture on the ice cream menu.
"Is this ice cream and coffee?"
"No, it's ice coffee."
"Ok, I'll have that."
I watched them make it. . . three scoops of ice cream, coffee poured over the top, with whipped cream and chocolate syrup.  I don't know how that isn't ice cream and coffee, but it was delicious!