Photo of the Day (2.15.09)

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Flickr user Pirano got this great shot of the clock tower in Ljubljana, Slovenia reflected in a nearby window. There’s a lot to like here, particularly the way the window panes break up the original image into sections. It’s also interesting how the dirtier panes also change the reflections, adding additional tone and texture. It reminds me of an old cubist painting by Braque or Picasso.

Have any great travel photos you’d like to share with the world? Why not add them to the Gadling Pool on Flickr. We might just pick one of yours as our Photo of the Day.

Top 10 Hostels Around the World

by Justin Glow on

Our friend Benji over at the Guardian has compiled a list of the top 10 hostels around the world. “When I say I’m staying in a hostel instead of a hotel, they think I’m subtlety telling them I have a drug problem,” he writes. “But things have changed, people. Not all hostels are grubby dives run by people called Starchild.” It’s true; some of the cheapest and most unique places to rest your weary travel legs are hostels, even if you do have a drug problem. Here’s Benji’s picks:

  1. Villa Saint Exupery, Nice, France
  2. Hostel Celica, Ljubljana, Slovenia (pictured)
  3. Casa Caracol, Cadiz, Spain
  4. Art Hostel, Sofia, Bulgaria
  5. Backpack Guesthouse, Budapest, Hungary
  6. Backpackers International, Rarotonga, Cook Islands
  7. Long Street Backpackers, Cape Town, South Africa
  8. Casa Esmeralda, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  9. Sleeping with the Enemy, Sydney, Australia
  10. The Gershwin, New York, US

I haven’t been to any of these, but I’ll be looking for hostels to stay in next month in Ljubljana, Budapest, and Sofia, and each of his recommendations in these cities looks promising. Make sure to head over to the Guardian to read details — including website links — of each one of the hostels listed. [via]

Slovenia’s Mini-Riviera

by Iva Skoch on

With all the publicity the coast of Croatia has been getting lately, it makes you wonder why not many people talk about the coast of Slovenia. Perhaps because it is only 46km (not quite 30 miles) long? Croatia, on the other hand, has over 200 miles of coastline. Somebody got ripped off after the split of Yugoslavia!

I happen to be a fan of Slovenia. I have even heard people compare the Slovenian coast to the French riviera, just not as crowded and pretentious. A few budget airlines fly from a bunch of European cities to the capital, Ljubljana, which is only an hour away from the beach.

(Don’t get the country mixed up with Slovakia, as G.W.Bush once did. Slovakia is land-locked.)

Ljubljana Film Festival

by Adrienne Wilson on


Yes, I’ve been a bit off posting on film festivals as I promised I would and it looks as though I’m only finding out about this one in Slovenia mid-way through. Better late than never though and considering what little I know about Slovenia I’m making this selection because its so far-out there on my own travel radar. In it’s 17th year the Ljubljana International Film Festival looks like an event worth attending if you’re in and around town at the time from November 10-24, 2006. I’m going to make the assumption many of the readers here won’t be attending the fest not because they wouldn’t want to, but like I noted before this is last minute. If you’re still interested in seeing what films are listed on the program check out the official site here.