Crossing the Julian Alps

I believe Slovenia is the prettiest country in Europe, as far as natural beauty is concerned.  This year, Kristin and I have driven in 15 European countries and on some of the most picturesque roads in the world.  Slovenia takes the cake.  Check out these pictures of us traveling by car through alpine Slovenia.

 Driving past the Julian Alps and the highest mountain in Slovenia - Mt. Triglav

 This guy bought the highest mountain in Slovenia and all he got for it is this statue of him pointing at the mountain

 Slovenia is one of the greenest countries in Europe

 An old bridge 

 Over one of the craziest clearest rivers I have ever seen 

 Hay stacks with no hay 

 The longest ski jump in the world 

 Some random Alpine building 

 The crew on front of a lake 

 Hoisting 

 This does not do it justice 

 A man and his furmonster 

 The frisbee sank, and now he cannot find it 

 We began our climb of 20 something switchbacks to the Vrsic pass

 A small church for the Russian POW's that built the pass

 There is a small hole in the upper right hand corner of the rocks that "the statue of liberty would be able to climb through"

 CLose-up - still looks small 

 Lazy day 

 After days of rain, we were met with acceptable weather.  The pass is not navigable in poor weather.

 A cursed village girl's face allegedly graces the side of this mountain - Can you see it?  It is in the tan area.

 At the pass, parked 

 Looking down the other side of the pass

 Long way down.  I did not use my gas pedal for about thirty minutes - a personal best 

 Abandoned house 

 Alpine stream 

 Love the ALpine houses here - look how close the door is to the road 

 Kristin goofing on a bridge 

 The clear rivers of Slovenia never get old 

 Abandoned 

 The river gets wide 

 An old Italian army base 

 We decided to head to Italy, just to dip our toe in 

 It was filled with high roads 

 Valleys 

 A small shrine 

 Very picturesque village near the Italian border 

 The Italian border crossing - abandoned 

 We drove into Italy and busted a u-turn - back in Slovenia now

 A strange castle rises from the forest 

 Never caught the name 

 A sleeping lion

 The odd waterfall

 That is like Maldives blue 

 The wilds of Slovenia - home to many bears

 A lake at the end of our drive 

Approaching the car train