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New Euro Adventure |
Subj: I'm Here!Date:Hey All…   It’s a flyin’ time!! Los Angeles to Newark to London and Gatwick International — all goes well. One jaunt left — Slovenia. I scurry about doing all the terminal stuff — picking up tickets, changing terminals, customs… 
The whole process goes so well it feels a bit routine. Hope it’s not an omen and this trip’s gonna feel routine. Work my way through Gatwick and get to the boarding gate B. There’s this little sign with Ljubljana written on it. It hits me. Where the hell am I going??? 
I stumble off the plane and in bit of a daze. But here I am — Ljubljana (lube-yawn-ah) Capital of Slovenia — once apart of the former Yugoslavia, which is now Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia. Apparently Slovenia got the ball rolling when Yugo land began imploding back in the 90’s. 
The Yugo heads in Belgrade sent in the army to keep them in line except no one bothered to check that most enlistees sent in were from Slovenia. Duhh??? Needless to say, that was an el floppo move and Slovenia became an indi country shortly thereafter. Hadn’t a clue how long I’d been traveling. It had been long — four cities — three planes. On off — on off… decent flights, ok food… 
Leaving LAX, I get the honeymooners — they needed their own space, a hotel room would have been more like it. Occasionally they’d take a break. They were so into each other —
it was sweet… kinda forgot what that is like — opps!! 
Then I draw a real winner to cross the Atlantic with — this Brit sporting his 2003 IRB Rugby World Cup cap and sunglasses complete with his Iron Maiden button. Iron Maiden?? — that stellar thrash-metal band from the ‘80’s?? O lucky me!! You could sense this guy had lighting bolts coming outta his head. The wrong word and he’ll pummel my face into the folding tray while singing “God Save The Queen”. He had a book on Trafalgar, which he stares into rarely turning a page. His demeanor was only enhanced by the 6 bottles of wine he had. He kept it in check the entire flight — u just knew not to bother him. 
Sat next to two young backpackers from England. They were going to L’jana as well. Smiley kids, everything is right with the world as they travel experiencing what they can — so would it hurt to try to have a little chit-chat?? 
Threw out a Hell, I was wearing my cargo pants. In fact we all had the same outfit — cargo pants and black t-shirts. Kinda like spinnin’ three 7’s on a slot machine… Perhaps I just looked goofy wearing the same threads as them! At least I wasn’t like the gent and his son a couple of seats
behind 
I get the pants however I Having a huge pair of It’s off the plane — my luggage in tact. Search out the Bankomat — aka ATM machine. Stick in plastic and get the local currency with the correct exchange rate! Works like a charm. I blow outta the airport and cab it to the hotel. 
Cabbie shows me a few sites on the way concluding with the “Crazy House”. Hmmm… I’m thinking some psych hospital especially with the wild statues out front — then he explains it’s the Slovene Parliament. 
Oh yeah… We got one too — it’s in Washington — big, white… “YES YES!! You have very crazy house!!” 
Dump off my stuff and then run out for a looksee. The entire place feels like a throw back to another era. The city seems to work with nature. Water, trees, stone… it looks almost too perfect — a twilight zone feel to it. No modern skyscrapers. 
Not sure the travel book does it justice. As an American tourist destination — the place is off the radar making it all the more interesting. I’m pumped — a quick look around then time for the payoff — an outdoor café, beer and some serious people watching. Now that’s what I’m talking about! I sit, drink me beer and watch this part of the world walk past my little table. 
Half a world away — nobody knows me and this is just great! 
Sitting next This guy has the biggest arms I’ve seen since Hulk Hogan and the WWF. Suppose for a tattoo it makes for an extra nice size canvas. Same tattoo on moi would wrap my arms twice. He’s with his biker buddies sitting and chatting it up. They’re all drinking some non-alcoholic stuff. No Buds for this crew — the difference between Easy rider and Euro rider, I suppose… I just sit, drink my beer and suck up the surroundings from my vantage point — it looks damn interesting.  
Suddenly biker boy gets up and returns with the ice. Ice cream?? O ma god — ice cream vendors everywhere. Just like in Vienna… 
This could be trouble!
Later,
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