I hope to bring Ljubljana to life for you here on Inside the Travel Lab, piece by piece, over the course of 2012 as part of my #IronRoute Project. Yet to spare you the overload experienced by my hard drive, oh long-suffering reader, I’ll start with this bite-sized list and fill in the gaps later.

Seatbelt fastened, tray tables stowed and seats in the upright position? All right, then. Let’s go.

1 Ljubljana: What it is and where it is.

Perhaps you know this, perhaps you don’t. To spare your blushes, I’ll tell you myself.

Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia, which was part of Yugoslavia when people my age were growing up. Before that it was part of the Habsburg Empire but before we disappear down the rabbit hole of history for this part of the world, let’s stop and make sure we’ve got our bearings.

This is where Slovenia lives, landlocked between Italy, Croatia, Austria and Hungary.

2 Its nickname: White Ljubljana

Apparently, Ljubljana earned this nickname thanks to the pale churches & mansions that appeared during the Habsburg era – but I have another theory.

Wander along Ljubljana’s riverside Christmas Markets and you’ll find that the mulled wine scorns the traditional reds found across the rest of Europe – for an unmistakeable Ljubljana white.

3 Ljubljana’s Art Nouveau

4 Ljubljana’s Chic Boutiques

5 Ljubljana’s Fine Food:

Ljubljana’s gourmet restaurants offered up some of the best meals I found along the #IronRoute. Alas, there were too many to taste them all! Here’s Restaurant Spajza, which I’d highly recommend if you ever find yourself in Ljubljana…

6 Ljubljana’s Hearty Food…

Though simple jota warmed me up a treat as well.

7 Ljubljana’s “Traditional” Street Art

Wander around the streets near Hostel Celica (which itself used to be a prison) to catch up with plenty of street art and edgy living.

8 Ljubljana’s “Unusual” Street Art

Yet you can find sweet street art like this as well…

9 Ljubljana and the Dragon

Ljubljana has not one but four dragons guarding the, er “Dragon Bridge” (one of the earliest asphalt bridges in Slovenia, if you’re into that kind of thing.) From paper dragons in China to scarlet flag-emblazoning ones in Wales, to patriotic dragon slayers called George in England and Jordi in Catalunya, I’ve never quite worked out why so many different cultures have such similar takes on this mythical, fire-breathing creature.

10 Ljubljana and the Iron Curtain

OK, here’s where we get serious again. For all the above-mentioned frivolity, the iron curtain is the real reason why I came to Ljubljana on this particular trip. Apologies if you know this already, but I’d started in Istanbul and travelled by InterRail up to Berlin in order to zigzag across the former iron curtain, the barrier that carved up Europe while I was at school.

Slovenia, and hence Ljubljana, and to an extent all of the former countries of Yugoslavia, formed a vital part of this route. But not, perhaps, for the reason you might imagine.

To be continued…The story continues over here with The Cold War, the Iron Curtain & Somewhere In Between
. To put the iron route into context, visit the #ironroute page or watch the video.

Disclosure: #IronRoute was sponsored by InterRail at www.interrailnet.com. As usual, I had complete editorial control.

Ten Things You Never Knew About Ljubljana, Slovenia first appeared on Inside the Travel Lab. Head over there for more juicy fresh travel goodness. Or, you know, something you might like to read...

Cologne Dazzles

They say that you never forget your first time – and for me that was in Seville. While strolling along in the unfiltered sunshine, sharp flashes of light caught my eye. This was it, this was what I had heard about: the bridge of locks, the bridge of hearts, a new trend that was somehow already a tradition.

For the uninitiated, lovers sign their names onto a padlock and then throw the key into the river below. Authorities subsequently remove the locks.

A few months later in Paris, I had my second taste.On the intimate Pont des Arts, in the world’s most romantic city, a string of metal locks shimmered from the railings.

Then I visited Cologne, where passion, not to mention, imagination runs wild.

Cologne doesn’t limit itself to padlocks. The Hohenzollernbrücke Bridge excels itself, not only in terms of the length of its name, but also in terms of declaring undying love.

Cologne Says It With Handcuffs

Hohenzollernbrücke has padlocks, alright. It also has handcuffs, tin cans, bicycle chains and padlock formations. Glitter, gold and gratuitous gemstone stickers. Wilting roses, weathered writing and rusting romance.

A modern blacksmith-of-love sits at one end of the bridge, carving initials into padlocks, while a rose-seller approaches from the opposite direction.

The Hohenzollernbrücke Bridge excels itself, not only in terms of the length of its name, but also in terms of declaring undying love.

Perhaps things have got out of hand, especially given that Federico Moccia only invented the “tradition” a few years ago as a handy plot device for his novel and subsequent film Ho Voglia de Te.

The Padlock Bridge, Cologne

Creative Padlocks

Love overflows in Cologne...

Ah, well. True love conquers all, as they say.

Or does it? Perhaps I’m not alone in raising an eyebrow of cynicism at so much symbolism.

Stencilled onto the tarmac walkway lies the following message: “Love is only a four-letter word.”

...but not for everyone

I travelled to Cologne as a guest of the Eurostar Explorer team, although as usual, all opinions are my own. I have no relationship with any padlock sellers, engravers, florists or gemstone sticker salespeople, which is probably just as well.

This post on padlocks in Cologne has also joined the happy ranks of the Lonely Planet’s Blogsherpa carnival Love on the Road, hosted this time at Barefoot Inked. Head over there to read more traditions about love from around the world.

In Cologne, They Say It With Handcuffs first appeared on Inside the Travel Lab. Head over there for more juicy fresh travel goodness. Or, you know, something you might like to read...

Most riverside walks in Seville take in the city’s historical sights, such as the Torre del Oro or the notorious bullring.

A little further out, however, Seville reveals its modern face, the lights and the energy of a city on the up. Starting in the Parque del Alamillo, by the Olympic Stadium, we navigated by following this striking metal symbol: the Puente Alamillo.

Known locally as the Harp Bridge, this landmark formed part of the regenerative Expo 92, designed to transport people to and from a formerly deserted island. Today, it’s also an impromptu playground, with children scrambling up the central pillar and sliding back down.

Back on dry land, meanwhile, Seville’s urban artists decorate the concrete walls in their own way.

Puente del Alamillo - A Modern Landmark in Seville

Twilight at the Alamillo, Seville first appeared on Inside the Travel Lab. Head over there for more juicy fresh travel goodness. Or, you know, something you might like to read...

Except that with a moment’s pause, I can think of so many bridges that became global icons: Sydney Harbour, the Golden Gate, Brooklyn and London. What’s the missing word in that ensemble? No, I’m not going to state the obvious. Oh, alright, I am – it’s bridge. It seems that when engineers and architects combine robust service with art, they create a legacy that touches our souls.

The Pont du Gard in southwest France scores highly on both counts. Not only does this Roman aqueduct still stand after 2000 years, built from stone without mortar, carrying water for over 30 miles while only dropping 17cm in height and capable of delivering 5 million gallons of water per day, but…it is beautiful.

A riverside walk at sunset reveals the artist’s palette of flaming oranges and reds glowing against the creamy arches. UNESCO listed this bridge as a World Heritage Site in 1985 and my only criticism against this decision would be to ask – what took them so long?

Bridges Are The New Black – The Pont du Gard first appeared on Inside the Travel Lab. Head over there for more juicy fresh travel goodness. Or, you know, something you might like to read...

Clifton Suspension Bridge by Night

Even geniuses get frustrated by administrative problems…

The Clifton Suspension Bridge stretches across the Avon Gorge to form one of Bristol’s most well-known symbols. I’ve stood here before, gazing through 76 metres of air to the churning river below. I’ve also driven across its narrow, delicate frame, as one of the 11 000 or so vehicles that shudder from one hulk of dry land to the other each day.

Incredibly, this bridge was designed over 150 years ago for horses and carts, not impatient commuters. A wealthy wine merchant funded a competition through his will, inviting engineers to submit their plans for crossing the gorge. Years of political squabbling followed until a 24 year old man convinced the judges that a suspension bridge would be possible. His name was Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a genius who would go on to design much of the Great Western Railway and the first steamship to cross the Atlantic.

This was Brunel’s first major commission and the foundation stone was laid later that year. However, bureaucracy and administrative headaches frustrated progress and the city abandoned the scheme. Brunel moved onto bigger and better things, creating a legacy of his own. After his death, Bristol regrouped and construction began again. Clifton Suspension Bridge opened in 1864 and has been functional ever since.

An ‘Interpretation Centre’ is open most days at the Leigh Wood end, although parking can be difficult. A stroll along the riverbank gives the best views of the bridge, flanked by rows of coloured houses and showing those 76 metres of air.

Bristol & The Clifton Suspension Bridge first appeared on Inside the Travel Lab. Head over there for more juicy fresh travel goodness. Or, you know, something you might like to read...