Bathing Optional

The Balkans: August 2003

Continents

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Slovenias capital, Ljubljana, is a beautiful small town.
Fountains, churches, and lots of color.
Great style in Ljubljana.
More great architecture in Slovenias capital.
One of Ljubljanas important dead guys.
Looking out at Presernov Square, one of Ljubljanas main squares.
Symbol of Ljubljana, the dragon.
Starting off on our 4-day Mt.Triglav summit hike in Slovenias Julian Alps.
Near mid-day on day 1, after a trail that switchbacked literally hundreds of times, weve gained some serious altitude.
Valley views.
Rocky peaks surround us.
More Julian Alps scenery.
Another valley view in the Julian Alps.
High altitude sheep.
The triple peaks that Slovenias Mt.Triglav its name.
View down onto the Julian Alps from the Triglav summit.
More views from Triglavs summit.
Us on the westbound trail down from Mt.Triglavs summit.
The trail down passed a series of 5 or 6 alpine lakes.
Our camping spot for day 2 of the hike.
View down to our campsite along the lake (can you see our tent?) and the site of one of the most scary nights of our lives: an incredible lightning storm hit this high-altitude valley that evening with lightning hitting the rocks around us.
Day 3 begins cloudy and wet following the massive lightning storm the night before.
Julian Alps scenery.
Another of the many small alpine lakes we passed on our way down from Mt.Triglav.
Another lake.
Ashe washing up in a cold stream.
Maciej relaxing on top of a boulder.
Our final descent from the Julian Alps, done with the Seven Lakes, and almost at fabulous Lake Bohinj.
Almost at Lake Bohinj but still far from Athens, Amsterdam, and other spots...
After noticing that we were on the naturalist shore of Lake Bohinj, we joined the crowd.
Swimmers enjoy the crystal clear waters of a river feeding Lake Bohinj.
A boy jumps into the frigid waters!
A castle and church sit over the waters of Lake Bled.
Boats ready for rowing out to the great little church-on-an-island in the middle of Lake Bled.
Split, our first stop along Croatias remarkable Adriatic Coast.
Another look at Splits Old Town.
Splits well-preserved Roman tower.
Details in Splits ancient Roman square.
Statue of ?? with the Roman tower beyond.
Old meets new in Splits back lanes.
Typically Adriatic -- white brick, colored shutters.
Maciej taking a drink from a local fountain in Split.
Hvar Town on Hvar Island is one of Croatias hottest tourist traps.
Sunset over Hvar and its beer tents.
A look across Hvar town right to its hilltop castle.
A look back across Hvar to the harbour and islands beyond.
Relaxing by a palm near Hvars harbour.
Looking down on the main town on the island of Korcula from our hilltop campsite in the woods.
Korcula.
One of Korculas city wall turrets.
Korculas central church.
Relaxing on one of Korculas tiny beaches.
View over incredible Dubrovnik, called the Jewel of the Adriatic for very good reason.
Dubrovnik -- all red-tiled rooftops and white marble.
More of Dubrovnik as seen from its city walls.
Dubroniks buildings rise with the rise of the ocean boulders and rocks the city is built on.
Following Dubrovniks city wall along the Adriatic Coast.
Ending the day with a quiet walk along Dubrovniks city wall.
Dubrovniks central square and clocktower.
Everything matches in Dubrovnik.
More fabulous matching facades in Dubrovnik.
Tiny chapel along one of Dubrovniks newer streets.
A local mosque in central Dubrovnik.
Fountain.
Outdoor eatery, Dubrovnik.
Rub his head for good luck.
Beautifully intricate carvings adorn many a building in Dubrovnik.
Hand rail in Dubrovnik.
Looking out on Dubrovniks buildings from inside one of old Dubrovniks jail cells.
No explanation necessary.
We were quickly escorted from the bus station in Kotor, Montenegro, Yugoslavia by this old lady hoping to make a few bucks by charging us to sleep in her living room. Once settled into her apartment, she laid the $20 price tag on us and we were out of there!
Aptly named, Montenegro is a region surrounded by black mountains.
Kotors ancient town clocktower.
From the mountain trail above Kotor the winding fjord (southern Europes longest), at whose end Kotor is situated, could clearly be seen.
Looking down the way I had come -- climbing the ancient stepped wall above Kotor.
An old, now abandoned, monastery sits above Kotor.
Following perhaps the scariest and most emotionally-draining day and night of our lives, we finally arrived in appropriately dismal Belgrade.
McDonalds, always the first sign of Westernization.
Many war-damaged buildings still sit untouched in downtown Belgrade.
Tanks and guns at Belgrades War History Museum.
More at the War History Museum.
Following our mishaps in and the depressing air of Yugoslavia, colorful Sofia, Bulgaria was a very welcome and upbeat place!
Coming soon to a mosque near you: The Hulk!
Sofias grand Opera House is one of nicest weve seen.
A closer look at the intricate details of the Opera House.
A sunday in Sofia meant that lots was happening in and around the citys many orthodox churches.
Ironic.
One of Sofias more grandiose orthodox cathedrals.
A lion watches the steps to one of Sofias more grand public buildings.
Beaux arts?
Another of Sofias more influential cathedrals.
Golden entrance to the cathedral.
Inside the cathedral.
A symbol of Sofia, this statue stands high on a pillar in the city center.
Great colors in those frescoes.
Images of saints, an orthodox favorite.
A scene we particularly enjoyed...
Deep in Bulgarias densely-forested Balkan Mountains sit many remote monasteries. Our destination was the most well known: the Rila Monastery.
Nothing feeds the spirit like a monastery hidden away far from civilization.
Exposed stairwells surround the monasterys inner courtyard.
A priest in black robes.
Fantastic frescoes fill ceiling cavities.
Plovdiv, Bulgarias second largest city feels more like a tiny town. We were there during the art sale in its local square.
The sun rises over the medieval town of Veliko Tarnovo, our last stop in Bulgaria.
Sunrise colors on Veliko Tarnovos old buildings.
One of the newer cars we were able to find in Bulgaria.

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