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| Finally! A Piano!! |
I exited the train in Ljubljana, glanced at my phone to try
and imprint Zrinka’s image in my mind, and began looking around the platform for
my host. We made eye contact and walked toward each other. As we approached
arms length, I was actually greeted with a hug. For the first time on this
trip, I was welcomed with a hug instead of a cold, bustling train station.
Zrinka did not know, but this friendly embrace from a stranger—somehow already
a friend—actually meant a great deal. I always walked past fellow passengers
embracing their family or friends, but for once, I had a friend there to greet
me.
For the first time in nearly two months, I felt at home in
Ljubljana. Zrinka and her roommates opened their doors and invited me into their
lives like a friend who happens to live on another continent. Even a task as
mundane as driving to the grocery store to buy some food before it closes was a
simple reminder of life back home. Home. Like many things in life, it’s a
concept appreciated far more when you are away. It’s not just the food or the convenience
of grocery stores being open all night, or not having to pay for the toilet,
home is about the people and the comfort and security associated with the good
memories created there.
The great conversations filled with stories, hopes and
ambitions (and some politics…of course) coupled with the friendly welcoming
arms of my new friends has left a soft spot in my heart for the small country
of Slovenia. I knew this before this journey started, but I continue to be reminded
that while the locations are great and the sites and sounds are fantastic, the
people and the stories we create with them are far more memorable. Locations
can be photographed or recorded; the people are where the memories are truly
created.
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| Ljubljana |
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| Ljubljana Dragon on Dragon Bridge |
In Bled, I was hosted by Eva and Blaz. Bled, famous for its Lake
Bled, provided an opportunity to experience the tranquility of nature without
massive crowds. Eva and I hiked the famous Vintgar Gorge, a beautiful and natural
air conditioner generated when the icy, sapphire water crashes over and around
the rocks. Conveniently, we arrived minutes before a large tour group, so we
could walk unabated through the gorge. The walk back to town, just the two of
us—and the cows mooing under the shade—was a welcomed relief to the constant
movement I had been living over the previous few weeks. The peacefulness of the
view and the uninterrupted calmness of the area allowed me to just…breath.
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| Vintgar Gorge |
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| One of the views after Vintgar Gorge |
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| Lake Bled at Sunset |
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| Lake Bled from Above |
Marlen and Simon generously brought me on a tour of the Soca
Valley. The incredible scenery reminded me of New Zealand and the sheer amount
of green was inspiring. The views of the lush forest-covered mountains topped
with snow surrounded by a clear blue sky were fantastic. I know every time I look
out over these picturesque sceneries, some of the worry in life goes away.
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| Waterfall in Soca Valley |
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| Soca Valley |
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