SLOVENIA (4/10) - Piran

I arrived in Piran on Thursday afternoon, and the process of getting there and checking in was a bit of a hassle. To enter the car-free old town area, you have to pass through a barrier. After passing the barrier, you have 30 minutes to unload your luggage, check in at the hotel, and drive to or from the hotel. There are no parking options nearby, so you have to leave your car somewhere along the promenade and hope it doesn't block any other vehicles. Additionally, I had trouble finding the entrance to the hotel. With each passing minute, my electronic ticket for the barrier was ticking away, and I imagined a delivery truck not being able to get past my parked car and honking loudly. On this hot afternoon, I was sweating profusely. However, unloading and checking in was relatively easy. The charming young lady at the reception gave me clear instructions on where and how to park my car: in a gigantic 7-story parking garage outside the city, which looked like a concrete monster devouring cars and their occupants. I had to navigate through the dimly lit floors of this bunker for a long time before finally finding an empty space. Parking my wide car in one of the very few and narrow parking spots required some skill in reversing. To get out of the car, I used the passenger side, and then I took an overcrowded shuttle bus back to the city. At least all the passengers on the bus were wearing masks, and I managed to keep my standing position in the sardine can after many people got on at each stop. In any case, I reached the hotel without getting weak knees or experiencing any specific discomfort in my spine. However, I must clarify that my enjoyment of traveling as a whole has nothing to do with the charming young lady at the hotel reception.

I spent the following days lazing around, strolling, and taking lots of photos. I loved swaying gently in the waves of the sea. I enjoyed being in such a beautiful place. Every day, I allowed myself a nap at noon, and in the afternoon - my dear readers, you know what's coming - I had the obligatory espresso. In the Mestna kavarna at Tartinijev trg, where you can find perhaps the best Gibanica in all of Slovenia.