Slovenia

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Alpine Hut

As the sun shatters down over the mountains,

An alpine hut basks in the last flicker of the evening light,

Ready to depart its visitors and relive the day...

A Short Row's Distance

Inside the range of the Julian Alps

There lies a crystalline blue lake

And a short row's distance in

Or a long swim's

An island bursting with green

And many steps

To the tower

That bled the streets of sin

And its high watchpiece

It's ten till nine

Seven Lakes Valley

Also known as the Triglav Lakes Valley,

this Slovenian rocky hanging valley

nests between some of the highest peaks

in the country.

Despite the name, there are

actually ten lakes in the valley,

as well as several huts for

tired or hungry hikers.

Lake Bled

In the center of the northwest Slovenian town

of Bled like Straža Bled, or "Lake Bled."

And in the center of the lake lies the

"Assumption of Maria Church," which holds

regular mass- if you can row to it on time.

The church was built in 1142; its historic significance along with the crystalline waters of the lake attracts tourists from all over

the world. The more adventurous of the lot

can attempt to swim to church.

Sheep in the Summit's Shadow

Below the shadow of the summit

And above the ringing bells of the valley farms

I'm here for the hikers that flow down from the mountain

Or up from the glistening lakes below

I'm here for the sun's fall each evening

And the moon's rise

Above all the worries of the far-off villages

Edelweiss

The Edelweiss is a European flower rare enough to be

protected by several countries. The Edelweiss thrive

at altitudes around 1800-3000 meters. Because

only the peaks in the Alps reach this altitude, the plant

has become a symbol and challenge for mountaineers

to reach the summit of an alpine peak and find the

special flower.

Stara Fužina

This Slovenian town is known as Stara Fužina. It lies just outside of

Triglavski Narodni Park, where hikers and climbers can visit

gorgeous waters and the tallest peak in the country. But the

Julian Alps were no easy playground, and at the tail end of my

multi-day hike over Triglav, I was thankful for this town. I cooled

off from a long last day by jumping into the Mostnica river, pictured above.

And before heading out, I had to take a long exposure- of course!

Alpine Grubhub

In Triglavski Narodni Park, bed-and-breakfast type huts are strewn about the Julian Alps for hikers to sleep at after each day of hiking. These huts serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as drinks all day long. Because supplies cannot be driven to the huts, experiences like this one are not uncommon:

on the way down to the valley, we passed a horse carrying up loads of potatoes, a six-pack of soda, some flour, and lots of alcohol. Sometimes, the alpine huts also get their groceries delivered via helicopter.