Koper is a small but growing city on the Slovenian coast.  From here, many people take excursions to places like Piran, Ljubljana, or the Slovenian caves. Koper’s old town is tiny – you can walk from one side to the other in 15 minutes.  I looked at many options for our final port, but in the end decided just to have a short walk and an easy day.  We decided to head out separately and wander as we pleased – but challenged each other to a “best Koper cat” photo competition.

Trying hard to banish the melody of Copa Cabana from my head, I disembarked and set off.  The first thing I noticed was a string of locals lining the top of the wall opposite the port, taking photos of the ship.  This was a first for the trip – cruise ships are obviously not too common here.  The next thing I noticed was how quiet Koper was – not many people or cars. Very enjoyable.

I took the funky mirrored elevator from the waterfront up to the top of the wall; I have climbed so many stairs that I’m very happy to avoid them where I can.  Planning to follow the signs to the central square, I got distracted by some colourful houses and a nice park with a modern fountain.  Then I got distracted by some narrow lanes and interesting courtyards.  It took me much longer to get to Tito Square than I imagined, as I kept diverting myself.  Koper’s main attraction, this cute little square has a turreted palace, a church and a bell tower.  The bell tower had only stairs so I decided I didn’t need to climb it.

Leaving the square, I was on the main street, decorated with bright flags.  No doubt the shopkeepers and cafe owners were welcoming some extra business.  I pressed on to Preseren Square on the north side, and left the old town via the Muda Gate.

I’d spotted a large lake on the map, which looked to be within walking distance.  I quickly found myself in modern Koper – huge roundabouts, traffic (all very polite), and a bunch of big box shops – Maccas, Decathlon, and much to my surprise, Harvey Norman.  Was I suddenly back in Nunawading?  This reminded me that all of these places we were visiting had a modern town or city outside their medieval walls, but we mostly choose not to see it.

The lake was surrounded by thick vegetation, and I could only catch a glimpse of it through a bird hide.  I saw swans and egrets.  So far I had not seen any cats at all so my chances of winning the competition were looking slim. I did notice that there were bike paths everywhere, and lots of cyclists.

Retracing my steps back to the gate, I circled around the outside of the walls, passing the market (most stalls now closed), and reaching the rather pleasant seaside promenade – much less crowded than the one in Split.  Lots of people were enjoying a splash and paddle at the small beach near the ship. I was sorely tempted.

Ian meanwhile had also walked through the town, but continued north and uphill.  It didn’t take long to leave the suburbs behind, and he climbed onto a ridgeline where he found orchards.  He also claimed to have found a cat – but his feline was a Caterpillar tractor on a building site.  Points – nil all.