Fifth Journey Day 157: Bridge Beneath Itself

Date: October 12, 2025
Location: Ljubljana, Slovenia

Today’s walk traces the banks of the Ljubljanica through Ljubljana, in Slovenia—a compact capital where bridges, riverside cafés, and Plečnik-era details turn autumn drizzle into a gentle rhythm. Between light rain and pale afternoon sun, the city’s quiet scale invites unhurried looking.

Between Bridges on the Ljubljanica

I walked along the river today, going from one bridge to the next, with no specific destination. The water was greenish-gray, and its surface was covered with small, steady ripples that seemed to match the sound of footsteps on wet stone. The air smelled like coffee grounds, damp wood, and something faintly metallic, like the old railings. It reminded me of early mornings in Kyoto, when silence wasn't an absence of sound but a part of the environment.

A City in Sync with Rain

Ljubljana feels closed off, as if each street was designed to gently connect to another. The scale calms me — after the wide Adriatic horizon, the compactness here feels almost protective. People speak softly. Even the trams seem to glide rather than arrive. I walked past a line of small bookshops and a flower shop. The flowers were hydrangeas, and they had turned a rust-pink color for the fall. The petals looked like they were remembering summer.

Reflections Under Stone Arches

I stopped by the river and watched the water reflect the underside of a bridge. The stone arches of the bridge looked dark and wet, and their shapes seemed to tremble with the movement of the water. A man sat nearby sketching, his lines simple and precise. I didn't look at his work, but I understood that we were both recording something that wouldn't last.

Choosing Stillness Over Sketching

Later, when the light began to fade, the city glowed softly, as if seen through old glass. I didn't feel like taking pictures or painting. It was enough to stand still, to be the paper that was pressed against.

Nightfall: The River’s Breath

Tonight, I can hear the river again from my window. It sounds low and steady. It sounds like the sound of breathing.

Travel Notes

• Weather: Overcast morning with light drizzle, clearing slowly to pale sunlight; about 15°C. Wet stone underfoot and a greenish-gray river marked by steady ripples.
• Scents: Coffee grounds, damp wood, and a faint metallic note from old railings; rust-pink hydrangeas holding the last warmth of summer.
• Sounds: Footsteps on wet paving, soft-spoken conversations, trams that seem to glide, and the river’s low, steady breath at night.
• Reflection: After the wide Adriatic horizon, Ljubljana’s compact scale feels protective; today I chose to be still rather than paint, letting bridges and water write their own record.

Continue the Journey

You may also enjoy the lakebound quiet of Fourth Journey Day 148: Lacustrine Vistas, or another Ljubljana moment in Fourth Journey Day 147: Worn Scrolls.