Our northern neighbors are extreme perfectionists in all aspects, even when it comes to building long and tidy cycling paths. Ana and I decided to check out this famous "Murradweg", which starts at the spring of the Mura river (1800m), runs down the valley for 350 kilometers and finishes on the Austrian-Slovenian border close to Murska Sobota. Besides some afternoon showers and a difficult 4th day, where I miscalculated the distance, it was probably the best biking adventure until now. The trip took us from the high Austrian mountains, through endless meadows, forests and picturesque towns.
We also didn't miss Austria's specialty - medieval castles and churches, which pooped up as we descended. We made a small detour to the Riegersburg Chocolate Factory, where we observed the chocolate manufacturing process and tasted about a zillion different variants. This tourist attraction in the middle of nowhere is a great example of excellent marketing - a quality attribute we are still to learn from our neighbors. This place is so popular that I suggest you make a reservation before you visit, otherwise you might be left outside. (We were so concentrated on chocolate tasting that we forgot to make photos)
On the final day we crossed the border, enjoyed traditional Bograč in Murska Sobota and nested us on the train for Ljubljana. It is hard to paint this 3,5-hour romantic experience, which most definitely brings out nostalgia from any (not too young) Slovenian. The trains still have the old compartments (kupes), which can be closed-off and transformed into giant 2x2 meter beds. I think the Balkans will be the last to say goodbye to this luxury. Ana celebrated the trip with a very long nap, while I simply laid there, meditated and enjoyed the last moments of a great adventure.
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