Living in Bovec means frequent visits to Italy, especially Friuli-Venezia Gulia region. We go there many times a year and here are the spots we visited this year so far.
We did canyoning in Rio Sclusons: very beautiful 2.5 hour canyon, I recommend starting the approach early if you are doing it in summer. We were a bit late and very hot going up. The canyon is very beautiful.
The approach to the canyon:
In the canyon:
Photo by RickPhoto by RickPhoto by Rick
After that I had a dip in the Arzino river at Cerdevol Curnila. Very nice refreshment.
We got caught in a smaller storm, but we had booked a dinner in L’Argine a Vencò, so we headed that way.
It was a very nice atmosphere with a creative dinner – what they all did just from vegetables, was impressive.
Another day we went to the canyon Rio Fra i Giai, which is just over the border of Friuli, in Veneto region. The walk could have been a shuttle – on a winding gravel road, which seemed to never end. In the canyon itself we were basically less time than approaching it. Nevertheless it was worth it, very beautiful rock formations and many fossils to be seen.
The approach:
In the canyon:
Almost a month later we finally managed to visit Bike Arena Ravascletto. The conditions were quite wet due to recent rain, but the area is nice, new, shaped with 3 trails: one blue, one red and one black.
Photos by Rick
And then a week later – another Monday, we decided to visit Goriuda canyon. Honestly, if it did not have the cave at the start, the canyon itself is not impressive. It is very short and fluffy – due to the moss growing everywhere.
This was a travel to another world, to the magical Arab world. Omani people are the most kind, attentive and friendly people I had ever meet. Not only in Arab countries, but worldwide. The lengths they go to make you feel welcome and special is incredible. It is in the little moments of great meaning.
This was another trip with my mom. We organized ourselves, but joined various tours there. We stayed 8 days in Muscat. We stayed in a nice hotel next to Mohammed Al Ameen Mosque, which is beautifully lit at night. I took photos of it from almost every angle at different times.
On our first afternoon we decided to go on a sunset dhow cruise. Honestly, it felt expensive for just a boat cruise and some snacks. Anyway it was worth doing to enjoy the sunset and the views.
Full moon
Our first night we went for dinner to our neighbors, Al Luban Land Restaurant. The first night we tried some camel meat. We went there once more to have some seafood. It was nice and cheap.
Photo by mom, first visitSecond visit
There was another nice neighbor restaurant, Samakmak. There you had fresh fish on display and we chose what we wanted to eat. It was delicious. We went there twice more. The first visit was less than 20 €, the second two were less than 10 €. In both restaurants were many locals eating. That is normally a sign for good food in my eyes.
First visitSecond visitLast visit
Our first morning was diving (snorkeling for mom) at Daymaniyat Islands. The 2 dives were lovely. I saw a huge stingray and a peppered eel. There were 2 honeycomb eels, many fish, and 2 turtles as well. Unfortunately no leopard shark, but I still enjoyed very much. The dive masters from MolaMola Diving Center were very nice and friendly. They also took very well care of my mom when snorkeling.
Al Mouj MarinaPhoto by momPhoto by momPhoto by mom
Honeycomb eel
Hiding octopus
We used Otaxi app to get around Muscat. It is like Uber, convenient and affordable. We used it the next day as well to get to Qurum beach, where we had a nice walk around.
At the end of our walk we visited Ramssa restaurant for lunch. We ordered a set menu, so we tried some of everything traditional and local.
Tea & dessertsAppetizersMain dishes
After our lunch we took another taxi to visit Ghubrah Beach and Mall of Oman. It is the biggest mall in Muscat. They even have a hall with artificial snow.
We had some nice views from our hotel, in the night, for sunrise or for sunset.
The next day we had a private tour of Muscat. We visited the Sultan Qaboos Mosque, the fish market, old town of Muscat, Mutrah Souq and Al Alam Palace. At the end we went for lunch at Bait Al Luban restaurant. There we tried shuwa. It is marinated meat, traditionally made in a fire pit for over 6 hours. The tour was really nice and informative. Our guide Basheer was very knowledgeable and friendly.
Our next day we went on a trip to Nizwa and Jebel Shams. It is a 2 hour drive one way from Muscat. Although we had a peculiar guide that day, the trip itself was nice. The Grand Canyon of Oman was really impressive. I just couldn’t believe I am standing on 2000 m without any snow around me.
Nizwa Souq:
At Nizwa Fort our guide made sure we also tried some Omani bread, which was very tasty snack.
The views of the Grand Canyon from Al Haym and Al Khitaym.
The next day was the nicest of trips, besides diving of course. We went to Wadi Shab and also Bimmah Sinkhole at the end. Our guide was super nice and we had some nice lunch. Wadi Shab consists of walking and swimming. Before starting there is a very short boat ride to the entrance of Wadi. The swimming part has 3 pools. At the end of the third pool, there is a very narrow passage. This leads to a smaller waterfall and a cave. My mom was a bit nervous of this last part, so to make it easier we rented life jackets. Wadi Shab is quite popular, also with non-swimmers. Having a life jacket saved us some stress. It was also easier for me to take photos. I had to hold my phone in my hands all the time, because my phone case didn’t have a string. We paid 2 rials for the jackets and left. Looks like they don’t have trust issues.
Some views of Tiwi Beach before reaching the parking for Wadi Shab.
The boat and walking part:
The swimming part:
The last pool with the cave:
When we returned to the van, we had some delicious lunch. After that we went to our last stop – Bimmah Sinkhole. There we had a fish pedicure. Some fish were already quite big, so it hurt a little.
Another 1.5 hours and we were back at the hotel. The next day we had another easy day, meaning no organized trips. We went to take a look at Mall of Muscat. There they don’t have artificial snow, but they have an aquarium. We went for lunch to McDonald’s, because we wanted to try it there. We had some peri-peri chicken wrap and burger. It said halal on it. We also ordered karak chai.
Photo by mom
On our last day we enjoyed a 4×4 jeep ride in Wahiba Sands. Before that we stopped at Al Mudayrib. It is a place where they are trying to keep the old settlement and atmosphere. Later, in the dessert we also enjoyed our last Omani coffee with dates. We loved it, we ate and drink so much of it every day. We said hi to some dromedary camels. It was fun. After that we went to Wadi Bani Khalid, which is much less prettier than Wadi Shab. The water is quite warm and dirty from people soaking in it. We decided not to have a swim there. We walked around a bit though. On our way back to Muscat (2.5 hours) we stopped for karak chai on a gas station. By the way, the fuel there is 0.40 € per liter.
Photo by our guidePhoto by our guidePhoto by mom
Our amazing 8 days of Arab world went by really fast. We are full of impressions and memories.
This December I was lucky enough to visit two Christmas markets and one Advent Trail (Adventweg) in Austria. They really know how to put the spirit in these places.
The first one I visited in Mauterndorf, which was situated in the Burg Mauterndorf. It was on for very limited time and it was tiny, but it was cute. There were only a few huts with gluhwein, gluhmost, maroni and wurst of course. Inside the castle there were artisans placed all over, selling their crafts and products.
Besides visiting Christmas market, I also did some skiing in the area – Grosseck-Speiereck, Obertauern and Aineck.
The other Christmas market I visited was in Graz with my friend. There were many smaller ones, some nicer than others, but very enjoyable. Although they all had many crafts and products, drinks, there was not much food choice unfortunately. My friend and I rather found some Austrian restaurants to have proper meals.
Schweinsbraten at Glöckl BräuWiener Schnitzel at Gösser BräuApfelstrudel at Gösser BräuGluhwein at one of the marketsBreakfast at Weitzer
Another Austrian highlight in December is also Katschberger Adventweg. It is an advent trail, where you pay the ticket and receive a thermos cup. On the way you get free tea refills, as much as you want. I visited it on the last day, on Christmas. It was magical, crispy cold and snowy. If you walk the whole way, you make 12 km there and back. There are beautiful lanterns along the way. There are also shuttle buses and horse carriages for some part of the way.
You hike between rustic hay barns and huts, enjoy contemplative stories, music and warm tea at various stations.
Musicians playing alpine horns, creating festive atmosphere.
The rest of December I got to ski some more and explore Mauterndorf. It is a cute little town, where it actually snowed so now and then, giving a very wintery feeling.
Spent our New Year’s basically up on the mountain. Seeing all those fireworks going off at once was really magical. Let’s hope this good magic continues in 2026! ✨
Time for a MinionVan trip. Rick planned for us 2 days of canyoning and 2 days of MTB. After the summer season we were not really fit, honestly. So, we went for 2 days of shuttling with Flow School.
First day was canyoning day – Prialunga (V3A3IV). We spent 4 hours, car to car. Nice flow, awesome views, beautiful rappels.
After finishing the canyon, we returned to Pietra Ligure for a gelato and the beach.
Next day – shuttles! We did Toboga, Kill Bill 1, Madonna della Guardia, Val Nava, La Rete, DH Borgani, Ca Bianca, DH Donne, Briga Destra and Briga Sinistra. In the afternoon I managed to have a small crash, because I was tired. But it was fun.
Photo by co-riderPhoto by co-riderPhoto by co-riderPhoto by co-rider
Barbaira (V2A3II) was the canyon of the next day. I liked this one very much! It took us less than 3.5 hours, car to car.
First we had to walk through an old town to get to the start of the canyon.
And it started with the most beautiful bridge. I love bridges, so I might be biased.
Photo by Rick
Although there was some walking in the canyon, I did not mind. It had beautiful pools and some narrower sections. I only missed some verticalness of the rappels.
After a nice day out, we returned to Pietra Ligure and enjoyed a nice dinner at Machettö.
The next day we had the backcountry shuttle day, which I liked a lot more. We did Ca du Campo, Euforia, Super Canaletta, Tobogazzo, Rientro, Roller Coaster into Cacciatore.
This is how our 4-day trip to Italy finished and we drove home. Bella Italia, grazie!
My mother’s wish was to see Cappadocia. After 5 years or so her wish has finally come true. This was our trip. I was very happy to see it too. The formations there are out of this world. We stayed in a hotel in the center of Göreme. Our first sunrise there was magical.
Photo by mom
That morning I did so many photos, but still not one photo could describe the real beauty of it.
Here is another video from when the balloons were still warming up.
This video was made a bit later, when most of the balloons were in the air. There were probably more than 150 balloons up there.
It was magical. We were also lucky, because the next 2 mornings the balloons were not going due to the strong wind.
The rest of the day we took it easy around Göreme.
Because later I had my sunset MTB tour around Rose Valley. Although the trails were not the greatest, the landscape and the views made up for it. Well, the Red Bull part of it was fun. Another magical moment! We started around four or five and it was still very hot to pedal.
Photo by tour guidePhoto by tour guidePhoto by tour guidePhoto by tour guidePhoto by tour guidePhoto by tour guide
Of course I had a rental bike, I did not want to pack up my bike for only 1 ride. It was alright, but I sure missed my Switchy. The tour was nice, I’ve seen a lot and the guide stopped in some interesting historical spots as well.
Photo by tour guidePhoto by tour guidePhoto by tour guidePhoto by tour guide
After a long day, I really wanted to try Turkish Ravioli. Where better to try them than at Turkish Ravioli Restaurant? Besides ravioli we ordered peravu and bulghurball. When ordering ravioli, be mindful that they do not serve it hot, but medium temperature. Bulghurball is made of bulghur wheat and filled with meat and walnut, great as hot appetizer.
The next day we went on the “Green Tour”. It stops at Kaymakli Underground City, Selime Monastery, Ihlara Valley and Pigeon Valley. Unfortunately it does not avoid the crowds, but if you have only a few days there, it is practical.
The next day we went on the “Red Tour.” We visited Zelve Open Air Museum, Pasabag (Monks Valley) and Uchisar Castle. These were the better stops. We also saw Devrent Valley (Imagination Valley), Avanos (pottery) and Love Valley.
Besides the amazing landscape, we also enjoyed some nice Turkish food these days. Besides the kebab & Turkish ravioli the first night, I had them again at a different restaurant.
Çokertme kebabChef’s greetingKofteTesti kebabAside (dessert)Ambience at Topdeck Cave RestaurantTurkish ravioli at Kilim Cave restaurantKayisi tatlisi kaymakli (apricots poached in syrup with walnuts and cream)
Paris was not on my bucket list, at least not anytime soon, honestly. I got an email with concert dates from Beyoncé for her Cowboy Carter Tour. Going to Paris made the most sense for me to actually make it. After that my mom and I decided to make a short trip out of it. It was fun, hot and the concert was out of this world. Also very tiring for me, but worth it.
We stayed in a cute b’n’b in Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine. It had good metro connections to the famous sights and to the concert location. We had a bakery with delicious treats just around the corner.
We only had 2 full days, so we were on the roll. The first day we made around 15.000 steps. We’ve seen all the major sights. We explored Avenue des Champs-Élysées and everything it has to offer. We visited Arc de Triomphe and Place de la Concorde. We saw Musée du Louvre from outside only. On the way we had some lunch and macarones from Pierre Hermé.
After that we slowly made our way to Montmartre. On the way we stopped at the rooftop of Galeries Lafayette, where the view is amazing. After we finally came to Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre. We had some coffee and continued to lose our way around Montmartre.
Galeries LafayetteGaleries LafayetteGaleries LafayetteGaleries LafayetteGaleries LafayetteGaleries LafayetteMontmartreMontmartreVigne du Clos MontmartreMontmartreMontmartreMontmartreEscalier du Mont-CenisMontmartreBasilique du Sacré-CœurBasilique du Sacré-Cœur
That night we have booked Moulin Rouge. It was my mom’s wish to have a dinner with a show. Honestly, I was excited to go too. So, after a long day out it was nice to sit down in the most famous French cabaret. Obviously, you are not allowed to take photos of the show. But here is the setting and delicious dinner.
The next day we visited Tour Eiffel and went on a cute boat ride on la Seine. I only had a sweater because I got sunburn the day before. It was very hot.
Breakfast at our bakeryEscargots at De La TourDuck breasts at De La Tour
Finally, the time has come for Beyoncé. I was excited. But again, it was very hot. Luckily, my seat was in the shade. The daylight was also extremely long. At 22.00 was still not completely dark. The concert was amazing! Here are some photos and a few shorts. Enjoy!
Paris was the only location where Miley Cyrus joined, you can imagine my excitement.
Blue Ivy killing it.
Wouldn’t mind going back to Paris for her concert again.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi were not on my list, honestly. It is not really a destination I would choose. But my mother has wanted to visit for a very long time. Due to her cancer, corona and me mentally preparing for it we were deciding for it a very long time. Finally, in January of 2025 we were both ready for it. 😊
Just when we were leaving, I found a spot on my skin. It looked like the start of Lyme disease. So I had to start taking antibiotics. And I was sick with a cough for the third week in a row. So, I had to say bye bye to diving, which I was really looking forward to. Nonetheless, we still went on a snorkeling trip in Fujairah. Life rewarded me with at least 6 turtles in one spot and 2 black tips swimming right by me.
Fujairah was a nice one day trip. So was Abu Dhabi. The highlight of the trip was Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. We visited several other stops. We were not really impressed by Ferrari World Yas Island (outside only). The Abu Dhabi Dates Market was nothing special, as were Marina Mall, Miraj Museum, The Corniche, and Emirates Heritage Village. Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental was the most interesting of these ones.
Photo by tour guidePhoto by tour guide
In Dubai we visited the Old Town, where we joined a short tour. So we saw Dubai Spice Souk, Grand Souk, Souk Al Seef and Dubai Gold Souk. We even took an abra ride along Dubai Creek (a traditional boat ride). At the beginning of the tour they offered us some Arab tea and at the end camel milk with saffron.
Another day we visited Jumeirah beach and Dubai Marina, which is already much more luxurious than Old Town. On the way we spotted the Dubai Frame.
But of course nothing says “luxurious” more than the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa. There is nothing money can’t buy here. You just have to have it. We didn’t spend lots of euros to go up Burj Khalifa. Instead, we went up Sky Views Observatory and Museum of the Future. In both I was actually impressed.
The view from Sky Views ObservatoryEarly morning selfie, no crowds
What impressed me the most and freaked me out as well was Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo. I decided to do a Shark Walker Cage, since I couldn’t dive. Otherwise I would dive in an aquarium for sure. Just because you can. That is the whole idea of Dubai basically.
Dubai has everything. The same with food. You can have whatever you want and your money can buy. But you need money.
Restaurant at Wyndham Dubai DeiraRestaurant at Wyndham Dubai DeiraDynamite Bites at Jumeirah BeachSALT CAMPSALT CAMPSALT CAMPThe original Dubai chocolateTime Out Market Dubai
We loved this Japanese restaurant Miyako at Hyatt Regency Dubai. We went there twice, since it was also close to our hotel.
Dubai was an experience like no other. For once in your life I recommend to see it. A place like no other. Also it is very clean everywhere. OCD approved.
It was a beautiful, sunny, winter Saturday in December. My best friend, her partner and I agreed to hike up to Vošca (Woschza). It is a 1737 m high mountain in the Karavanke mountains. It was snow everywhere, making it very magical, but also harder to walk of course.
We took less than 2.5 hours up and a bit more than 1.5 hours down, around 8 km and 800 m height difference.
Almost at the topPhoto by SimoPhoto by Simo
Very nice and easy walk, even in Winter. I would say it is also a good tour skiing spot, but I’m no expert.
After that we went for the best pancakes around – 76 Surf food in Kranjska Gora.
It is an alpine valley, stretching between Bohinj & Trenta. The number of lakes is debatable. Some disappear and some look more like puddles. Still, it has been agreed to be 7. Vesna and I started our hike from Planina Blato. It started off very foggy or actually cloudy. We were right in the clouds.
We were getting worried, but soon after we were rewarded. Not only that the sun came out, but also the clouds started to clear out. And we saw the most gorgeous view of the Double Lake.
To the Triglav Lakes Lodge we needed around 3 hours. We had a short stop, had a sandwich, some sugar and took some more photos.
Then onto the next one – Lake Ledvica, i.e. Lake Kidney. It is obvious where the name is from. It is apparently the biggest and the deepest.
Panoramic view of the Lake Kidney.
Before we reached Central Sava Lodge at Prehodavci, we saw the Green Lake and the Brown Lake. These are honestly more like puddles, but they are still beautiful.
The view from the Lodge was just incredible. Just before we got to it, an Alpine chamois kept us company for a while.
We arrived to our goal, but the day was not over yet. We still had to get back to the car.
When we were descending we were gifted with the most beautiful sunset and views of the valley below.
It was the most beautiful day with 29 km hiked, around 1500 m elevation done and 10 hours elapsed. After that, we went for a well-deserved dinner at Hiša Pr’ Pristavc. We had delicious food. The kindest person made us the yummiest bread to go with our dishes. They also surprised us with the sweetest treat. Thank you, sir, for making our day even better. Great day with a great ending. Thank you, Vesna, for your company and a great vibe.
My friend and I wished to travel somewhere for “potato” holiday as we call it in Slovenian. We both wanted to go somewhere warm, not too far and somewhere different. In the same breath we decided for Malta.
Malta is an interesting mixture of European and African, which I have not encountered anywhere before. We did not rent a car, but rather used public transportation and it is totally doable. We decided to stay close to Valetta, in St. Julian’s area. We chose it because of variety of restaurants, bistros and bars. Our first night we started off with a dinner in a One Star Michelin restaurant – Rosami. The building itself is grandiose when you arrive. The simple, elegant but cozy ambiance on the inside makes you feel comfortable. And the food was just superb.
St Julian’s at nightSt. Julian’s at night
The next day we went on a free walking tour of Valetta. I believe this is the best thing to do in capitals or cities. You see and learn much more than on your own. Maybe also see some secrets you wouldn’t have otherwise.
After the tour we continued to walk around by ourselves. Filigree is a Maltese craft, where artisans weave silver wires into stunning patterns, making all kinds of jewellery. I bought myself a pair of earrings.
FiligreeLots of movies filmed in MaltaTriton’s fountain at sunset
The following day we went on a boat trip. We visited Comino and Gozo. It was a lovely day with some swimming and exploring.
On the way to Comino.
Comino.
Our boat
After we visited Gozo, where we had time to explore around.
They drove us to the main sights on Gozo with a shuttle bus. Have to say there was enough time to see and even eat some traditional pastries – very yummy.
PastizzImqaret
On our boat ride back we had some more beautiful views of the island.
In the evening we returned to St. Julian’s and went to Gululu, because I wished to try Fenek Imtektek – traditional Maltese rabbit stew. We also tasted Fwied tal- fenek moqli, which is rabbit liver with gravy.
Fwied tal- fenek moqliFenek Imtektek
Our last day we went to see Marsaxxlok – Malta’s little fishing village. Very quaint. We had some fishy lunch there of course.
Our next and last stop was Mdina. We saw the Game-of-Thrones famous Mdina Gate. We also visited St. Paul’s Catacombs – which are a must to visit.
Mdina GateMdina GateBasilica of St. PaulSt. Paul’s Cathedral
Malta is definitely worth a visit with lots to see and explore. One day I can go back and also do some diving. It was short and sweet, with many delicious foods.
Anjability 