Ljubljana, Slovenia

I didn't take any pictures tonight, but Ljubjana is beautiful.  We left Vienna around 3:11pm today.  We had planned to leave around noon, but things seem to take much longer with us than we plan.  I packed things up this morning, then everyone headed to a local park.  It was a very nice, clean park, with lots of options for things for the kids to do, including a playground and a skatepark.  The sun came out for the first time today, so it was really pleasant to just hang out and watch the kids having fun.  If we had had ping pong paddles and balls with us, we could have used the tables that are installed in the park.  The park was very clean.  It made us wish that Worcester took care of its parks so well.  But, that takes money.

On the way home (just a couple of blocks), we stopped and got take out at a Chinese restaurant.  At home, we managed to fit all 9 of us around the table, and everyone was happy with the food.

When it came time to say goodbye, it was a sad moment for everyone.  We only got a small taste of Vienna, but we had a good time.  The kids especially liked being on this adventure with their friends for a few days.  It's not often that they get to have such a prolonged "playdate".  In the car, later, Luke asked if we could do it again next year.  He liked the cool apartment, scootering around town, taking the trains and the super-yummy Chinese noodles that he had 4 different times.

The kids and I fell asleep for a bit on the drive today.  I probably slept for an hour, the kids for at least 2, which is good.  We are all behind on sleep.

Last night Ursula's brother came over again (he hung out with us each night we were in Vienna).  We really enjoyed his company and stayed up til 3am talking and laughing.  We did the same thing the first night we were there, and then Ursula insisted (really, she insisted) that she and I go clubbing.  Luckily, last night we did get some sleep (3am-8:45am I think).  But, anyways, talking with Andreas and Ursula was a very special part of our visit.  In our busy lives, I often don't get to talk to her in a relaxed way without interruptions, and it was nice to get an insight into her past.  I am hoping to get updates on Andreas' life, to see how things turn out...

So, anyways, the countryside of Austria is very pretty, with quaint little houses and towns in the hills.  We started to venture into Graz, but changed our mind, as the kids were still asleep.  The countryside of Slovenia is even prettier (sorry, Ursula!).  The quaint houses are closer to the highway, so it's easier to see them.  They have a specific character - almost a cross between the Austrian houses and swiss chalets, without the wood.  The countryside is very clean, and looks European.

We were tired and decided to try to find a hotel in Ljubjana, the capital.  We got to town around 8pm.  The first hotel I tried (3 stars) was around 170 Euros/night ($225).  I asked for advice on where to find a cheaper hotel.  The next one I tried (as recommended) was full.  Then I followed directions to a hostel and got lucky.  We got a room with 3 beds in it at a hostel called h2ostel (h2o hostel), which is located right on the river in the pretty/historic part of town.  It's perfect.  The room is a little small, but it's all ours!  It feels nice to be able to spread out our stuff and see it all (which will be useful when I pack things up tomorrow for the plane).  We were very relieved to find a place, and I was happy that it was in the part of town that I had wanted.  Searching for a hotel reminded me of the trips I would take with my father & stepmother during high school (in Europe).  We rarely had reservations and would have to go looking for a hotel or room to stay.  That experience had helped me have a little piece of mind, but I was a little worried since I had 3 tired, anxious people waiting on me to come through for them with a hotel room.

After we brought our stuff to our room, we took a nice stroll along the river.  There are tons of cafes and outdoor bars lit up along the way.  Many of them had the soccer game on a large screen for their clients to watch.  Luke and Nathan kept trying to see how the game was going.

We got a bite to eat at a place near a square/public garden.  The buildings in the square were old, beautiful, and very European.  It was exactly what I was looking for.

Now we're back in the hostel.  The kids are ready for bed.  Luke just did some math homework and Nathan has been reading.  We're hoping to get a good night's sleep.  Luke had a croupy cough last night.  We've got our fingers crossed that they both sleep and don't get sick tonight.