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All set to leave Ilok at 10 am this morning, actually left at 11:15 am - a bit of a sad farewell, but, happy in many ways as we all are looking forward to catching up again in 2 years time. Family in Ilok is treasured as these people have suffered through being relocated from Herzegovina back in 1958 & later being spread throughout many parts of Croatia and Europe as a result of the 90s war of Independence. During out time in Ilok, we were welcomed with open arms by all my relatives most of whom are my cousins. They were keen to find out more about us and our way of life as we were to experience theirs and to share many experiences and stories about life with our parents who were brothers & sisters.
Overall life is tough for most of my cousins in Ilok & surrounds. I found that they live life more humbly yet seem to be more fulfilled than many of us who have an easier journey with more opportunities through the wealth we have.
Anyway, we are off on our journey back to Zurich via Slovenia & Austria. The car is packed with all our belongings and special purchases as well as lots of hearty food for our trip, lovingly prepared by Cvita who always sends family travellers off with Kifle - tasty savoury & sweet pastries which she makes freshly on the day of departure. Today she filled them with home-made spicy salami and the sweet ones with a walnut filling. Cvita also made sure that we had freshly made cheese, ajvar and fruit and vegies for our evening meal when we settled on a place to stay. She is caring, sharing & the mother figure for all her siblings & us alike.
We arrived at Ljubljana in Slovenia at 4pm and took a tourist train into the city centre, where we walked for a while & took in the sights & sounds. There was a huge march / protest through the city related to the current flow of Syrian refugees into Europe and the poor way in which they are being treated in their struggle to find a new home away from the fighting and terror they face in their homeland. It was peaceful, well controlled by the local police and we saw Amnesty International banners and thousands of people marching through the streets.
When we returned back up the hill we were most impressed with Ljubljana Castle that was extremely well preserved but unlike many other castles was not only a tourist attraction, but also a well used area. It had a café, restaurant, shops, and galleries and allowed us to explore many areas without an entry fee. Some areas of the castle were modernised, however, this was done tastefully and was mostly done to preserve the exterior structure.
Ljubljana is a pretty city with masses of gardens and green spaces as well as beautifully preserved old buildings lining the many cobblestoned alleys.
We arrived at Bled & found a lovely attic apartment in a quiet street & settled down for the night to rest before checking out the sights tomorrow.
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