Roaming Brood

Velika Planina, in a Nutshell This could have been Heidi's village Ever wish you were Heidi ? Well, it turns out, you can find the backdrop you need for your make-believe at Velika Planina in Slovenia. You can hike (a few hours) or take a cable car up to a high-altitude plain where you will find a village nestled on the lee-side of an ever-present windy peak.  A hearty people live here - a tribe of herdsmen.  They build unique huts, in an ancient way, and allow tourists to explore their space/land. This is not an adrenaline jolt, but it is quaint and unique and undeniably historical.  Come for the views, stay for the peace and quiet. Getting Here The cable car runs fast and saves a lot of time and effort... we'd recommend it You can hike up to this peak from the valley, but it is pretty high at 1600m - a good slog on a service road.   Alternatively, you can take a cable car up from  Kamniška Bistrica .  We did the latter - the kids wanted to 'save the...

Mt. Triglav - At the Top of Slovenia Parker at the summit of Mt. Triglav The last major hike we did as a family was up  Mt. Catamount in upstate NY.    Actually, that hike was in preparation for summiting Mt. Triglav - the kids got new hiking boots, so we needed to make sure their new gear would work for each of them during Triglav's long haul of 12km in and 12km out. Mt. Catamount in upstate NY - June 2023 Triglav is Slovenia's national symbol - it is the highest peak in Slovenia (and was the highest peak in the former Yugoslavia).  It's on the Slovenian national flag - the mountain peaks at 2,800m (9,200ft). Note the emblem in the upper left corner - the tri-peak of Triglav This is not the world's highest peak by any means - Mt. Kilimangaro, for instance, peaks at 5,900m... but Triglav is a very respectable climb, and one that puts you well above the clouds most days of the year. Some fun with a topside pic Most of Triglav is a hike... but the last leg is a climb...

 A Long Time Coming... COVID wasn't much fun for anyone. We fared well, but amongst the things COVID destroyed was our wanderlust - we stayed close to home, and leaned into Canada . Well, with COVID gone(ish), we've started to feel the "itch" again... so we're back on the road - this time on a Euro travel leg.  We pickup our adventures in Ljubljana, Slovenia.   Why Ljubljana (Slovenia)? Slovenia is  beautiful .  It's northern alpine regions are spectacular, boasting emerald lakes, rugged mountains and a notable lack of traffic.  The entire country feels under-sold - like tourism is about to beat down its door... and that's why we came. Ljubljana is in the center of Slovenia, wedged between Venice and Zagreb.  It remains a quaint, friendly, accessible, well-organized and authentic experience.  Ljubljana is a great place to decompress after overseas travel.  Once you've reset your circadian rhythm, Ljubljana becomes an incredible launch po...