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.

Furmonster of the day - Patrick the Inn Keeper of Reka Hisa

 Patrick standing at the entrance of Reka Hisa guesthouse

Strange Slovenian church

 Pulling over to the side of a Slovenian country road, we found a strange old church

Reka Hisa in Slovenia

In Slovenia, we (Kristin, Grandma, Grandpa, ,me) all stayed at a spot just outside of Bled called Reka Hisa.  It is a guesthouse ran perfectly by a London couple named Clive and Myrn.  Clive is an ex-fashion executive who always had a dream of running a guesthouse and cooking for guests.  As a professional chef, he whips up the best meals we have had all trip.  We ate 3 courses every night at a big community table with everyone under the roof.  The homemade desserts were a favorite among our clan.  It was the perfect arrangement, and we will no doubt be back.

The house is right on a clear emerald river world famous for its fly-fishing.  The river is filled with trout and some of the biggest salmon in the world.  The Huchen Salmon that hunt these rivers grow up to 5 feet long.  Clive told me that when you kayak the river, the Huchen will swim with you downriver like dolphins.

Slovenian buckwheat dumplings

 Buckwheat dumplings stuffed with cottage cheese are a common Slovenian dish.  Here they are prepared with a buttery sauce and forest mushrooms.  These things are massive.

Furmonster of the day - strange slovenian

Look at that face.  What kind of dog is this?  Kristin thought it was a Neuf, but the hair is out of control!

The horses of Lipizzaner

So, I don't know crap about horses, but these white weirdos are the real deal.  A few years ago I spent a morning with the Sheikh's horses in Dubai, and I have to say that these white Lipizzaners were way cooler than his divas.

The Lipizzaner horses  of Slovenia are a world class breed.  This farm in Lipica, Slovenia has been producing the horses for longer than any other horse farm, undisturbed.  Many of the lines can be traced back 5 centuries.

The horses are typically used for dressage as they are very powerful, agile, and smart.  I did not get to ride one (thank god for that - I would probably fall off), but we hung with the big boys and they were definitely cool.

Bled Castle

Bled Castle is perched precariously on a cliff overlooking stunning Lake Bled.  We stayed 5 nights near the lake at Reka Hisa guesthouse with my grandparents.  It is such an incredible area.  Slovenia is probably my favorite country in Europe.

Škocjan Caves and a Slovenian underground cave river

In the Karst region of Slovenia is one of the largest cave systems in the world.  There is an underground canyon that is unsurpassed in size, a strange river that runs through the cave system, and a number of crazy cliffs and growths.  We walked through the cave and it opened up into this massive canyon - truly breathtaking. Unesco has even recognized the caves as a world heritage site.

Boo's Corner - Lots of Mykonos from guest writer KRISTIN

Thinking I am real cool at Super paradise..

Little Venice in Mykonos

Little Venice is an area of Mykonos just on the harbor that is famous for sunsets and being pretty. 

Windmill Mania - Mykonos

Mykonos has its fair share of famous windmills, and I probably took about 300 pictures of these things.  Just ask Kristin.  She probably has nightmares about me taking pictures of windmills.  Without further ado - here are some windmill photos.