Postojna to Štanjel

Wednesday 18 September

Amazing news about Cathy McGowan winning the safe Liberal seat of Indi!!

A beautiful morning in Postojna. We had breakfast and then I set off on bike to Štanjel which should have been a reasonably straightforward ride.

However, I ended up off-off-piste (Harry: eat your heart out!). Up and down I went - after missing a turn at Senožeče - and definitely rode the peaks today (and I probably don't have much left in the way of brake pads either...).

Interesting little villages tucked away in the hills.

Some interesting signs too!

I don't think that last one applied to me!!! And these bird hides are everywhere!

It was lovely riding (probably about 50 kms) - no traffic to speak of, great views. Overcast now, after the nice morning in Postojna. Saw life up close & personal as I passed through villages. They certainly love their vegie gardens.

Thought of Ali today as I toiled up the hills and thought she might be doing the same on the Camino and wondered how she was mentally and physically.

But was definitely pleased to get in to Štanjel and see My Friend (who must have gone on his own off-piste as I never saw him in 4 hours, despite "plans" to meet at certain spots ...). I definitely needed my paper map today.

Well, here at Štanjel, we are in spitting distance of Trieste, over the border in Italy. We are now in SW Slovenia and Štanjel is in fact an old Roman fort.

Our very cute B&B is a stone apartma behind the village church, high up behind the medieval castle which dominates the town.

We enjoyed a good coffee at the very nice cafe at the castle and then unloaded our stuff from the car to enjoy our picnic lunch outside.

After settling in, we walked back down to the "village" (such as it is) to buy some groceries for breakfast in the morning and then returned via a lovely walkway around the castle through Ferrari's Garden, a unique masterpiece of the architect Max Fabiani. This came out at the little village of Kobdilj past the Villa Ferrari (Ferrari was a well-known doctor from Trieste) and it is through this village that I in fact had earlier entered Štanjel by bike.

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Oh, absolutely super evening.

Walked down (only 5 minutes! - along the narrow rocky path that is typical of the town) to the castle for dinner about 6 p.m. and had a glass of their traditional local red wine (Izbrani Teran* professional notes below) whilst enjoying the view over the village and valley from the castle windows. Very nice (and the wine only costs €1.20 per glass!).

Dinner had been organised here for us by Vesna (the owner of our apartma) and it was just the one dish - a simple spaghetti, nice cheese sauce and the local pršut (air-dried ham - like Italian prosciutto). But first we had an antipasto of pršut, cheeses, rocket, olives and lovely home-grown tomatoes. We finished off with a most delicious lemon sorbet mixed with vodka and sparkling wine served in a champagne glass with a straw. DIVINE! And the sun went down with the most beautful light. Best light of the day!!!

Amaaaazing! This is the most distinctive landmark of Štanjel (apart from the castle): Cerkev sv Danijela (the Parish Church of the Prophet Daniel) built in the 15th century.

* Izbrani Teran:

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