Our crossing into Slovenia is easy and uneventful. Slovenia has a small length of coastline and the tourist jewel on the coast here is the 16th century Venetian built town of Piran. Strangely the only road into the old town has a police car blocking vehicular access. We are on foot and very quickly discover what is happening. There is a distinct tell distinguishing the locals from the tourists today. The locals are wearing gumboots!
The waterfront promenade has the sea initially lapping up to the very edge of the road. Further in the waves actually surge onto the road until there are areas where the road is a couple of centimetres underwater with houses sandbagged. On questioning, this is not an unusual event throughout winter and the locals have just gotten used to it.
The town is picture postcard perfect with a sunny Italianate central square and colourful buildings lining a maze of narrow alleyways.
An hour drive north has us close to the capitol and we visit Postojne Cave. I love limestone caves and will take any opportunity to visit any one that comes within range. On arrival we are told that these are the largest in Europe. The cave has an unusual feature a little train that takes us to the depths of the cave where we proceed on foot for a 1 hour tour. The train ride is surreal. I expected a short run through blasted tunnels but instead it takes us down through chamber after chamber of beautiful limestone decorations. I have visited many caves all around the world and this is the largest I have ever been to. Unfortunately the tour commentary was in German but I have listened to so many in the past that I am sure I was not missing anything. At least it allowed me to wander around and enjoy the photographic opportunities.
Late afternoon has us at Predjama castle, a ridiculously unlikely castle built on a cleft in the cliff face over a network of limestone caves some 800 years ago. There is an interesting story about a robber baron called Erasmus. The full story is too long to relate here but he survived a siege for 1 year and 1 day utilising his caves to get out and acquire food to outlast the siege. Eventually the besieging army bribes a servant who points out the castle toilet. When Erasmus utilises the toilet next the servant signals the army who catapult a rock up there and destroy the toilet and kill Erasmus literally while he is on the throne. Erasmus is buried under a tree near the church. Six hundred years later parts of his tree are still alive.
