#hostels – Bri Right Back

Falling In Ljub With Ljubljana, Slovenia

May 3, 2021May 3, 2021 Brirightback

After Croatia, I headed to Ljubljana, Slovenia on a recommendation from friends. I didn’t know much about the country, but they insisted we needed to see Lake Bled. Now I’m here to tell you that you need to see it too! On the other hand, if you just can’t stand natural beauty and delicious desserts, you can go ahead and skip this destination.

My friends and I stayed at Hostel Vrba. This area has limited hostels so it might be one you’d want to book in advance. The rooms were comfortable and the owner was very friendly. It was also in a very nice area. Lake Bled has hostels too that might be worth checking out if you’ll be spending a majority of your time there.

Start off your visit by exploring the city. The city center is full of cute cafes and shops to check out. Ljubljana has several beautiful bridges to see, most notably the dragon bridge.

Take the funicular or the walk up to Ljubljana Castle to get great views of the city. You can get the best photos from up here, especially if you have a really tall friend to get those good angles. Thanks again, Lawrence!

While at the Castle, be sure to take a look at the art exhibitions there. I saw this beautiful textile exhibit when I was there, amongst others.

We were most excited to see Lake Bled in Slovenia and it truly didn’t disappoint. We took a day trip there but if I had a do-over, I would’ve stayed in that area itself so we could’ve spent more time there. It was just so gorgeous.

We rented some paddleboards by the lake and had a great time learning that we were not as balanced as we thought we were. You can walk up to the castle or take boats across the lake too.

I still can’t believe this place is real

If you have the time, take the trip to the Postojna Caves, a system of four interconnecting caves formed by the Pivka River over millions of years.

It was freezing in the caves but to me it felt like good ‘ol American air conditioning. I’d recommend dressing warm though as the underground train ride gets especially chilly.

We were budgeting pretty hard by this part of the trip, so we mostly ate homemade sandwiches and McDonald’s. However, you’d be missing out if you didn’t savor some of the baked goods Ljubljana has to offer. Štruklji is a pastry-like dish with meat and other fillings and was delicious. You should also try any type of pain au chocolat/ chocolate croissant-like pastries you can get your hands on. I don’t have any pictures of them because I ate them too fast.

I had an amazing time in Ljubljana and I can’t wait to visit again someday and maybe then I can finally learn how to spell it without spell check. Catch me in Venice, Italy soon!

Zagreb and Split, Croatia: Beaches, a Fortress and.. a couple trips to the Hospital

April 8, 2021April 8, 2021 Brirightback

After an amazing time in Budapest, some friends and I made our way to Zagreb, Croatia’s capital. We checked into Chillout Hostel, a cool place with a bar downstairs. Just a warning: Croatia allows smoking inside in bars so if you’re not a smoker or smoking bothers you, I’d recommend not choosing a party hostel when visiting. It wouldn’t normally be an issue for me but I ended up getting very sick my first full day in the country. I had some sort of allergic reaction to bug bites and respiratory problems with a fever. The added smoke killed my lungs when they desperately needed a break. I quickly realized I had to go get myself checked out but, used to the American “healthcare” system and without insurance, I was nervous about the possible cost.

After two hospital visits and a barrage of tests, I was told I had tonsillitis and some sort of allergic reaction. I’ve had both in the past but I think both were exacerbated by my being essentially alone in a foreign place and the lack of home comforts. At the expense of seeming like an ugly American, I seriously missed air conditioning. Taking a cold shower every couple of hours just wasn’t cutting it. All I wanted was to be home but I also didn’t want to cut my trip short. The expense didn’t end up being as bad as I thought it would be and, hey, that’s why a good traveler plans for incidentals. It can’t always go our way. After a few days in a feverish nightmare, I was so grateful to finally explore some of the city.

Apart from walking around the city and having a couple meals (when I wasn’t puking in an alley), I enjoyed visiting the Museum of Broken Relationships. This is the most unique museum I’ve been to, with items that are donated and displayed beside stories of their significance in relationships. The website explains it best: “It is a museum about you, about us, about the ways we love and lose.” Basically, I went here to hurt my own feelings (very on brand), because why not bring down my mental health along with my physical health? All jokes aside, I highly recommend a visit if you’re in Zagreb or LA or wherever else these exhibits pop up. You won’t regret it.

“We go to foreign cities in search of sensuality and possibly love. And vice versa: we get in love in search of making the city in which we reside unfamiliar. All love affairs happen in foreign cities.”
From “Undying Love, Love Dies” by Jalal Toufik

Delicious meal after I got out of the hospital but I couldn’t tell you where or who I was at the time

I didn’t eat much in Zagreb besides crackers and soup, but I had some great falafel at Zrno Bistro. Really nice place.

(Lower left): Me in that alley, brought down by the hubris of thinking I could eat a french fry

As much as I wanted to have more time to experience Zagreb, I’d been there a week, got my nose scoped and a steroid shot in the butt, so I was pretty ready to catch a bus, plane, boat, or windowless van out of there.

I was definitely ready to “Split.” Sorry, not sorry, for the pun.

Something about the ocean air always makes me feel better so arriving in Split was an instant jolt and I felt energized for the first time since Budapest. However, the uptick in my mood may have been due to the lovely air conditioning at the Airbnb.

We checked out Diocletian’s Palace, both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Game of Thrones location. The Cathedral of St. Domnius was a highlight of the trip. Game of Thrones fan or not, the Palace is worth a visit.

The Klis Fortress was also used in the filming of Game of Thrones, as the city of Meereen. The views from the fortress are gorgeous. There’s also a room with excellent acoustics to practice your rendition of the theme song, not that we would have ever done that of course.

We took a ferry to Šolta to find a cool secret spot our friend knew about. It was a longer hike than we’d planned for but if you look at the picture below, you’ll see it was more than worth it to swim in this clear blue water.

My friend Jay/ How I felt after hiking in Šolta

Bonus points if you time your daytrip to Šolta to catch the sunset from the ferry ride home.

Croatia was full of ups and downs for me personally, but I’m so glad I was able to see just a portion of what it has to offer. I’d love to return and see Dubrovnik one day and more of the islands off of Split.

Next stop, Ljubljana, Slovenia!

Naples, Italy: More than just great pizza

May 22, 2020May 22, 2020 Brirightback

Italy was always at the top of my list of must-visit countries. My love for pizza led me to the city of Naples. I’d always heard it was a little dangerous there but it turned out to be less sketchy than Paris, as in zero attempted muggings rather than the two I’d witnessed or been told about during my stay in Paris. I was thrilled to get to Naples to be able to enjoy some beach days for the first time during my trip.

I took an eighteen hour bus ride from Lyon to Naples. I would strongly recommend against this. It was late June during a heatwave and I might’ve been the only one wearing deodorant on this packed vehicle. Also, my lovely neighbor woke up from a deep slumber and full-on sneezed on me. I bathed in Purell. Looking back on that during the time of coronavirus, I’m even more horrified but I have never had much faith in people’s public behavior. This experience was no exception.

When I arrived in Naples, I made my way to meet my friend at Six Small Rooms Hostel. Once I found it nestled in an alleyway off a piazza, with the help of a nice local, I loved it there. The owner and staff were wonderful. The rooms were big with no bunk beds so they weren’t as cramped and overcrowded as some hostel rooms can be. They also have free breakfast every day, which is such a help when you’re trying to stick to your budget. It also encouraged me to try and wake up at a reasonable hour (emphasis on the word try). More than anything else, there was just a sense of community at this place. We left our doors unlocked a lot of the time, took day trips with our new friends, and enjoyed some drinks on the piazza nightly. Get acquainted with Mario at the liquor store- he’s an actual angel and will brighten your day. If you’re looking for a hostel in Naples, this is the place you want to be.

I usually save the food for the end of the post but this is Naples we’re talking about. I’ve gotta get straight to the important stuff: the pizza. I ate a shameful amount of pizza during my week-long stay in Naples. My friend’s recommendation was Pizzeria & Trattoria al 22, which was dangerously close to the hostel. We had a pizza party one night and I’ll never forget the group of us bringing back about fifteen pizzas to the hostel. You also can’t miss out on the fried pizza at Sorbillo. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. It’s more calzone-adjacent than pizza-like but I’ve never been one to shy away from cheese so I’m a big fan.

I mostly ate obscene amounts of pizza during my stay but the pasta I had was also incredible. My friend and I went to La Taverna Del Buongustaio Napoli my first night for some pasta and the food and service were amazing. Another obvious recommendation is gelato. It’s as delicious as you think it’s gonna be.

So, if you’ve been reading or know me personally, you won’t be shocked at my last food recommendation. There’s a place called Taco’s in Naples that makes some great burritos. I stumbled upon it very hungover and was enticed by their inclusion of fried chicken in their burritos. I know I’m kind of an embarrassment getting Mexican food in Italy, but I didn’t regret my choice.

Naples is an awesome home base for day trips all over southern Italy. You can easily see the Amalfi coast, Pompeii, Capri, Vesuvius, and Sorrento. Myself, I only visited Sorrento. Blame it on the heat or the carbs, I was feeling pretty slow. It only takes a little over an hour to get to Sorrento from Naples. It was a little touristy and crowded but the coastline was beautiful. If I could do it over, I’d definitely check out some other areas before Sorrento. As the self- proclaimed sweatiest person in Italy (brag) though, I was just always happy to be by a body of water.

If you want to see Naples from high up, you can take a funicular to see some panoramic views of the city.

When I wasn’t eating, I just wandered the city in pursuit of cool street art and, you guessed it, more food.

I had a really hard time leaving this place (and not just because I’m a massive procrastinator) and I know I will return someday and see more! Thanks for reading!