5 The Heart of Lublijana

As we entered the dense downtown area of Lublijana, we were greeted by a colorful flea market filled with make-shift booths selling everything from fruits to meats to toys to shoes ... European women love their shoes. We exchanged USD for EUR at a local bank. In Croatia we used Kuna currency but since Slovenia was the first Slavic country to join the European Union they now use Euros. With the dollar weak at the time, we figured about $1.40 per EUR. We walked along the Ljubljanica River that was lined with souvenir stands displaying handcrafted wares. The river runs through the town with multiple pedestrian crossing points. One such point is the Preseren Square with three bridges that span the river. It's commonly referred to as the triple bridge. In this a statue of France Preseren (Slovenia’s greatest poet and influential thinker) stands prominently watching over the city ... but wait, his eyes are point to an interesting statue across the square ... a lovely lady, a lovely naked lady at that. Indeed the rumors flew of his scandalous affair with this beautiful creature who was only 10 years old when they first met. Historic towns like Lublijana are filled with wonderful tales that a well versed guide can reveal. Perhaps on our next visit.

Crossing back over the triple bridge we were entertained by a live Mariachi band. It was peculiar to see a Mexican Mariachi band playing in this Baltic capital. The horns section was terrific and the voice blend was wonderful. Further down we marveled at the 10-foot “Athens of the North” cone fountain. I wanted to throw a coin into the fountain for a wish so I reached into my pocket and pulled out a batch of coins. Being the cheap person that I am, I was confused at which coins were valuable and which was I could waste on a wanton wish. I passed.

Further down, David pointed out the "coffee pass-through" of the Monastery. Centuries ago, a narrow rail was installed between adjacent buildings connecting windows on the second floor. Monks would pass coffee along the rail from one building to the other. Just beyond the monastery was St. Nicolas Cathedral. We stood in front of a remarkable door the framed the entrance to this 18th-century Romanesque church. The church was dedicated to the patron saint of fishermen and protector against floods. The door was dedicated to Pope John Paul II’s visit in 1996. He was the first Slavic Pontiff. Like many European Cathedrals, St. Nicolas in Lublijan is stunning. Detailed, colorful fresco paintings on the ceiling look down upon bright ornate altars. For me, I take this expression to be a deep devotion to God, a reverence to God. There is a fine line between worshiping the Creator and worshiping the creation. It comes down to the heart. True worship is defined by what's in the heart, not what's on the hearth.