Last Call in Ljubjana, Slovenia

Each lock had the name of a couple on it. Pretty cool tradition.

OCTOBER 21, 2012

"Whatever I have suffered in the months past has been nothing compared with the beauty in which I have steeped my soul, so to speak.  It has been a priceless experience - and I am glad it is not over.  I think it would have given you a new lease on life to have ssen what I have seen."
 - Everrett Reuss, in the collected letters from the book Everett Reuss: A Vagabond For Beauty 


Won't be long now until I get back to the US and don't have to worry about walking in the wrong pisser. 

 

Moski?  Zeske?  I wouldn't be more confused if there was Rupal's face on one and SNL's Pat on the other.

Cross your fingers and hope there's a urinal on the other side.

 

As the last town on my stop, it would only make sense that I make one final amazing connection with fellow travelers.  Becca and Lenny were checking in the H2ostle the same time I was.  This trip of theirs was to look similar to mine – Eastern Europe backcountry follow by rambling in the US – with a couple major exceptions.  They were Kiwis and had yet to be to the states.  And instead of doing the bs LA to NYC route that most visitors to the US did – mistaking those cities for the real US – they will dive right into the heart of it spending a couple seasons through hiking the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mexican border to Canada.  How effing epic is that?  Something that few Americans do, these two would just dive right in and go.  Inspiring.  I don’t know how, or where, yet I have a feeling I’ll be driving up the Left Coast next spring and run into these two.  Don’t ask.  I just know.

Lubjana is a wonderful city.  I wandered around the old town area and was treated to my first Indian food in weeks.  Curry!  Salt!  Flavor!  Amazingness all around.

 

The next morning, a trail run.  I could have crammed a million other things into my day to take advantage of my last day east of the pond.  But, really, did I need to.  Any day that begins with foggy single track and ends with raw chocolate desert, hot tea, and a book shouldn’t be pressed.  It was a perfect finale.