As we got ready this morning the church bells rang across the valley calling everyone to Mass. It was Whitsun or Pentecost Sunday and we chose to spend it along the Slovenian Riviera. Yes, Slovenia has a Riviera! It runs along the Adriatic Sea for about 30-40km and is absolutely breathtaking in beauty. It’s not a sandy coastline, but instead has rocky white and cream boulders accented by aqua waters.

The Riviera was a little over one hour’s drive south from our Air BnB. The furthest southern point along the short coastline is home to beautiful vineyards, olive orchards, and Europe’s largest sea salt fields. After driving through the farmlands we drove to Portonoz and then to Piran, This seaside town sits on the top of a little peninsula that juts into the Adriatic Sea.

Piran was the ideal seaside town. The aqua colored waters lapped against the giant boulders along the coastline and gently rocked the boats in the marina, which was located off the main square. Passing through the square with it’s pastel buildings, we climbed uphill zigzagging through the narrow cobblestone streets until we reached the city walls, St. George’s Church, and the bell tower. We climbed an easy 140 steps to the top of the tower. From that height we beheld magnificent views of the sea, town, and peninsula! It wasn’t until we reached the top that we realized that it was almost noon! We braced ourselves as the four bells chimed the hour followed by a two-minute long musical ringing pattern.

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Next door to the bell tower was St. George’s Church. There was a little museum showing the four different eras of the building site’s foundations, from pre Roman through modern times. The church building itself had recently been restored. The lovely frescos offset by pure white walls with accents of gold enticed us to sit quietly in the pews and pray.

The physical and spiritual respite was nice, but it was time to eat! Rivia’s offered a nice selection of seafood. Faywen was particularly happy to eat fresh sardines straight from the nearby ocean. Our waiter was amused that a little American girl loved sardines. He complimented Faywen on her taste in seafood!  Just past the restaurant a bit further down the boardwalk was the old lighthouse, which is the furthest western point in Slovenia.

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We caught the bus back to our parking lot and drove another 20 minutes north to Izola Beach. The kids’ enjoyed swimming with the locals in the Adriatic Sea. However, due to the rocky bottom they ended up with a few foot and leg scrapes. Good thing the salt water acted like a natural cleanser!

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The final few hours of our day were spent just over the border in Trieste, Italy. The Grand Piazza is the largest in Europe to face the water. It was picturesque sitting in an open cafe, eating Italian food, and people watching.  Faywen even saw a GIBS classmate walk by! Our stomachs full of good pasta and wine we meandered to the piazza and the edge of the water to watch the giant cruise ship sail away into the sunset.  At that moment my Dad called from America and he and my Mom were able to enjoy an Adriatic sunset via Skype. It was a beautiful memory I’ll cherish my whole life!

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Gelato in hand, we walked back to our car and drove over the border into Slovenia.

Ljubljana! (luhb-li-yahnah)

Yes, this wonderful capital city was the beginning of our next long weekend adventure. The children and Robert had off the 10^th and 11^th of June so we decided to go and explore the little country just south of Austria called Slovenia (once known as Yugoslavia).  

Robert picked up our rental car at SIXT Automotive, where we’ve rented our other cars, and we were on our way to Ljubljana. Slovenia is about 50km south of Graz. At the border we stopped and purchased a vignette tag. Many countries in Europe have a little sticker that allows you to pass through toll roads.

As we crossed the border the rolling foothills of the Alps grew a bit and there were many little villages tucked into the mountainside. All the homes were well maintained. Since Yugoslavia was a former Soviet country we were expecting to see run down homes and villages, a time capsule of sorts. It was a wonderful surprise to discover that Slovenian’s took pride in their villages. We soon found that they were a very friendly, warm people too!

Before arriving in Ljubljana we briefly stopped off at the oldest Monastery in Slovenia. Unfortunately we couldn’t’ go inside because the community were honoring the local firemen with a banquet! However, in the same little village we ate at a local café called Donner King and the kebabs were tasty.

Up and over the hills we drove and eventually ended up in Ljubljana. It was a beautiful and charming city with the Ljubljanica River Kanal winding it’s way through the old city centre, beautiful bridges, and gorgeous 18^th century buildings. The first bridge we crossed had four green dragons on each corner. We later found out that the dragon is the symbol of the city. Legend tells that Jason of the Argonauts killed an evil dragon like beast in the river right where the dragon bridge stands today. Another folktale mentions that St. George chased a dragon into the river in order to easily slay the monster.

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Street musicians, gelato shops, and a charming store that sold local Slovenian crafts enticed us as we strolled down the pedestrian way and along the small riverbank. From every street in Old Town you could see Ljubljana Castle sitting up on the hill keeping watch over the citizens of Slovenia’s charming capital city.

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Late in the afternoon we drove an hour south to the town of Postojna and our Air BnB. Our host Androsh was very kind and gave us a recommendations for dinner. The restaurant was a blend of Italian and local Slovenian foods. I had a guinea fowl and dumplings. The local Pinot Noir wine was delicious.

Behind our BnB was a little playground with amazing views of the silhouetted mountains bathed in an orange sunset.

All the kids hugged Turah goodbye as they headed off to school. “I love you, big hugs, and a few misty tears” were felt and said by everyone. Over breakfast Robert and I had a nice chat with Turah and reflected on the past two weeks.

Around lunchtime we escorted her to the airport. It was rather hard to say goodbye! We all hugged tightly for a long time. We prayed together and then watched her go through security. On the other side of security she waved goodbye one last time!

We came back into town and went for lunch at a local place Seamus and his friend Nathanial told us about.  Burgerista is in Jakominiplatz and it’s the only place in town where you can get free refills on drinks! Yes, free refills don’t exist in Europe anywhere, well except in the UK. Seamus and Faywen met me in the Hauptplatz after school let out and we went shoe shopping. We ran into Liam on the tram. The tram and bus system is excellent in Graz and often the kids will ride to places by themselves. Often Robert and I or random siblings will run into each other on the trams coming from various locations throughout town! I think we will all miss the wonderful Graz public transportation system once we return to the States!

Robert had a special dinner with his colleagues up at the Schlossberg Restaurant. It’s a very high-end restaurant. The meal was purchased by the University and so the 4 professors drank 3 bottles of expensive wine and had full course meals! The Chair of the department insisted! Robert didn’t get home until almost midnight. I’m glad he is getting along with his new colleagues.

Even though Seamus’ half birthday wasn’t officially until June 6^th we decided to celebrate a day early while Turah was still visiting us. She and I went out for a last luncheon at a charming outdoor café called El Pasador. We both ordered Tuna Teriyaki. It was another lovely day to eat outside.

We decorated the house with signs celebrating Seamus’ half birthday. For dinner Dad made lomein noodles for Seamus and he had raw coffee beans and Austrian like Twinkies for his half birthday treat. Keeping in the half birthday absurdity, his siblings creatively presented him with unique gifts.  Liam gave Seamus an empty granola wrapper. Faywen made an aluminum foil “likeness” of Seamus, but Turah’s gift made us all laugh till our sides hurt! As a joke she had found him a cheap toddler’s play ice cream set, because he was always asking for ice cream on our trip! He did get one serious gift from me, a Hermann Teddy plush brown bear. He’s my Pookey Bear! Hermann Teddy is a well-known German plush toy maker. I had already given the other kids their special “animals” so it was Seamus’ turn.

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Despite the light evening rain Turah and Liam walked up the hill behind our house so she could see the lovely view of Graz and valley from our mountainside. Today was truly a wonderful family day!

Once again Turah and I spent the day out while everyone was at school and work. Today we went downtown, but strolled along the Mur River instead of staying in the Hautplatz. I took her to the artsy Murinsel Bridge in the centre of the river. It looks like a sparkling silver seashell floating in the river.

Later that afternoon the whole family went to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Schloss Eggenberg. This is the palace that is nearby to us. It shares a property line with the kids’ school. Since it was the last tour of the day there was only one other person on the tour with us. We practically had the beautiful gardens to ourselves as well. The Baroque Palace has a theme that is based on seasons, months, years, days, and minutes. Every aspect of the home was in balance with one of these themes. I personally love d the grand reception ballroom with it’s crystal chandeliers and black and while marble floors.

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After the tour we strolled through the gardens and had fun watching the peacocks. These are the same peacocks I’ve written about before. These majestic birds hop the fence that is shard by GIBS, the kids’ school. The peacocks know that the schoolchildren eat lunch and have snacks outside in the courtyard and drop yummy tidbits for the birds to eat!

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Rudolf’s is a family run restaurant right outside the Palace gates and we all enjoyed a nice dinner out on the patio. After dinner we walked through the Schloss Eggenberg neighborhood and admired all the pretty 19^th century homes before catching the tram back home.

While Turah’s siblings were at school she and I went downtown to do some shopping. We stopped to have lunch on the rooftop of K&O Department Store in downtown Graz. It was sunny and we had a nice view of the Schlossberg Uhrturm (clock tower) and the red tiled roofs of Graz. Turah enjoyed eating a traditional Flammkuchen, which is a kind of flatbread with savory food toppings.

In the evening we headed back downtown to eat at Faywen’s favorite restaurant, Gyradiko. It serves incredible Greek food! Nearby was the funicular, which took us up the Schlossberg. It was a beautiful evening to ride up the funicular and walk around. The city was alive down below with voices, plates tinkling, and glasses toasting. The sunset over Graz was a beautiful purple-pink.

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Robert, Faywen, and I came home while Liam took Turah for a Pint of Guinness at his favorite Irish Pub, O’Caroline’s, Graz actually has four Irish pubs! In Austrian the legally drinking age for beer and wine is 16 and hard liquor is 18, however you cannot get your license to drive until you are 18 years old. Turah was pleasantly surprised to see how independent, confident, and friendly Liam was. She noted that the pub staff knows him and was excited to meet his big sister. Some of the staff were Austrian and the owners are Irish. I’m glad she had an opportunity to spend time with her little brother.

This is just a quick little entry about Turah’s first long European train ride. We arrived at the Vienna Hauptbahnhof just before noon. Turah enjoyed her first long distance train ride through the Austrian countryside. It takes about 2 ½ hours by train from Vienna to Graz. Once back in Graz we purchased groceries and went home. The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing and unpacking.

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St. Stephen’s Cathedral is the heart of Vienna. It was important that Turah also got to see this magnificent gothic church.  Since the rest of us had seen the church back in March, Liam volunteered to take Turah on the guided Catacomb tour and into the center part of the sanctuary.  It was lovely to see the main sanctuary again and also hear the choir practice for Mass. The rest of us went shopping in the main square while Liam and Turah took the tours. She enjoyed the tours and special time with her brother.

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We hopped onto the subway towards the Hofburg Palace and Museum Quarter.  Our first stop in this district was the National Art Museum. The museum contained masterpieces by Van Dyke, Rueben, Dürer, Holbein, and Raphael. My favorite was a portrait of “Rest on the Flight to Egypt”. Not only did we see great works of art, but also there was an exhibit with artifacts found in and around Vienna within and the last 2,000 years. I liked the solid 2,000 yr old crystal pitcher, the backgammon board from the 1400’s, and the 16^th century musical doll.

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The National Treasury was next on our list. The jewelry, robes, and tapestries of the Hapsburg Empire were visually stunning. The largest single emerald in the world is there. It’s roughly 2600 carats. It was made into an unction vessel. Supposedly the museum has the crown and sword used at the coronation of the first Christian Emperor Charlemagne. Holy relics were also present with supposed splinters from the Cross, fabric shards of the burial linen, and the spear that pierced Christ’s side were on display. These items have never been authenticated, but stand in good favor purely on historical tradition. The treasury was full of richly embroidered herald and clerical robes and stunning jewelry pieces, including a magnificent opal set with flanking Hapsburg Eagles.

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From the National Treasury we walked through the various courtyards of Hofburg Palace. In these courtyards were iconic sites like the church where the Vienna Boys Choir sings every Sunday and the Lipizzaner Horse Stables, which are the homes of the horses used in the Spanish Riding School.  As we left the Palace grounds we took a moment to admire the small Roman ruins excavated right outside the majestic portico where guests were received at Hofburg Palace.

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A few blocks from the palace brought us to the Abbey of the Scots market. I purchased a handmade shopping basket in the style commonly used in Austria. Nearby an open pedestrian walk was alive with people enjoying open-air cafés and shops. There was even a brass band playing in the square!

At 6:00 we arrived at our favorite restaurant in Vienna, the Augustiner Keller. Built in the 13^th century it is charming and serves traditional Viennese food. Our accordion friend, Mr. Peter, was there and he remembered us from two months ago and immediately was singing duets with Faywen and the family. He tried wooing Turah with French love songs, played Sinatra while Robert and Liam sang, and even got Seamus to clap along to a traditional Slovakian folk tune. But Faywen loves Mr. Peter the most, and they sang several “Sound of Music” selections. He’s always been impressed with her singing voice and musicality! He is a Professor of Accordion at the Vienna School of Music, but is originally from Slovakia.

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In order to walk off dinner we headed toward the Stadtpark. The kids wanted to show Turah the “golden statue of the six nippled man” a.k.a. the statue of Johann Strauss Sr. in a six buttoned waistcoat! We crossed the Nose Statue Bridge over the stinky canal and the kids enjoyed playing on Viennese “danger” playground equipment. As the sun set the buildings cast a creamy glow on old Vienna!

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