Let it never be said that we are not adventurous. We left Slovakia for Slovenia. The journey was lovely and we had the most stunning views of the Austrian countryside as we passed through it. I had seen pictures of Slovenia online, decided it looked like heaven (with stunning lakes, mountains etc.) and decided it had to be part of the trip. The hostel I really wanted to stay in was a former prison – online reviews indicated that it was the best hostel in the city….plus there is something exciting about staying in a former prison. At the very least, it seems like the type of place that could inspire art. The hostel was not going to be available on the first night. We therefore stayed at a different hostel called Zeppelin Hotel. I don’t recall much about it other than the fact that it had the world’s most annoying showers. One turned on the shower by pressing a button. Water would only come out for five seconds – after which one would have to press the button again. How anyone thinks this is a good idea I don’t know. It must be good for economizing water though – trust you me, you get so bored of this shower and end up showering really quickly.
We heard about a karaoke bar and walked to the place. We found it closed. We were unsure what to do next until we walked by a bar called Parliament bar. This place drew us in. It was a lucky encounter. The place was fun, had lots of young people and everyone was really friendly. We clearly stood out (by this point I had not yet seen any other black people in Ljubljana – by the time we left – days later, I had only seen one). There is always that moment in a foreign country when you are not quite sure how you will be received. Luckily for us we were so warmly received. In no time at all, we were taking shots and selfies with strangers. People’s English in Slovenia was near perfect (if not perfect.) I was pleasantly surprised. I had thought that given its distance, it would be similar to Slovakia – where English was sometimes very heavily-accented or basic. We got home late and passed out.