Magical Days on Bled

After Jessica arrived, we only had two full days to ensure that we completed as much as possible on our Slovenia Bucket List, and ensured that she got to see some of the country we had been enjoying for the past several days.  We had saved several of the local highlights for her arrival, and it couldn't have worked out more perfectly.

Lake Bled is a large, turquoise lake with a small island in the middle.  It makes for beautiful photographs from afar, but it is also well worth the visit to the island.  Over a thousand years ago, the island was used as a worship center for the goddess of love.  When the area was converted to Christianity, the island was then adorned with a small chapel.  I guess it is no wonder why brides and grooms choose this picturesque spot to say their vows.  There is one small glitch though.  Local legend says that in order to have a successful marriage, the groom must carry the bride up the 99 steps from the boat dock to the church.  It is said that 80% succeed, which, seeing those stairs, impresses me!  Although, another guide told us that it is often the bride's fault because in order to be successful, the bride must also remain silent.  Another legend says that if you can ring the bell in the church three times with one fell swoop, your dreams will come true.  The bell rang all day.  Truly continuously throughout the day, and you could hear it from around the lake.  And yet, somehow, when I rang the bell, it stopped ringing.  I would take that as a bad sign, but when you're in such a beautiful spot, well, I'm not totally certain your luck is bad.






The pletna boat, a boat only seen on Lake Bled took us back to shore.  The pletna boats have a sort of monopoly here as, years ago, when land was divided up, the boat captains were not given any land, but were given the honor of driving boats and told they could take payment for that without having to pay any taxes.  Sort of like a huge gondola, but with a two oars for the rower, besides the row boats you can rent, they are just about the only thing on the lake - motors are not allowed.

Before rain set in, I decided to take Jessica back to the viewpoint at the far end of the lake. It truly is the best place to get views of the lake, castle, and island all at the same time. The steep climb soon had us sweating, but once again, it was well worth it, and I was very thankful we went back for the stunning views of the marvelous vast scenery. Once again, though, while on top, the thunder started and so we rushed back down, making it back to the flat track around the lake just in time for a drizzle.

One of the best restaurants in town, Sova, was nearer to the other end of the lake, a walkable distance for sure, but perhaps not one that we wanted to walk to and from for dinner, and as parking in the area was very limited, we decided to make a late afternoon feast out of it, and man, it was delicious! The creamy truffle soup and the Sova steak were not only delectable, but works of art as well.

We walked home in the light drizzle of afternoon rain, had a quiet evening and then walked to the nice hotel in town where cream cake, the local speciality was invented. It has several layers on it, but is most similarly compared to a layer of custard, a layer of whipped cream and a crisp pastry to top it off. Quite delicious, and we knew we had to have one before leaving the area, or it would have been like we weren’t ever really there.

Our early night, and extremely early morning were completely worth the adventure that came next. Jessica had had hot air ballooning on her bucket list for sometime. I had only done it once, years ago in Aspen, but was eager to do it again. Months ago, we saw that there was a possibility and we jumped at it. It was actually, supposed to have happened Monday morning, but the weather delayed us, and thankfully we were able to take a beautiful ride Tuesday morning. 

We met our guides at 5:30am with a small group of fellow travelers. We were taken to a field where we watched in wonder as the balloons slowly filled up, showing their enormity. Paying careful attention, watching for just the right time that our guides had instructed us to jump in to the small pockets of the basket, we did our best to help hold it down as it stood up, almost ready for flight. I’m not scared of heights, although, I’d be lying if I said that my stomach doesn’t sometimes get a little queasy when I look down from high heights. Those feelings never came over me during our trip. It was incredibly smooth and did not waver back and forth. Lifted high into the air currents with ease and speed, we were immediately able to overlook the stunning castle, lake, island and surrounding countryside. Truly breathtaking, and a perfect place to take this ride.

Seeing trees from above gives a whole new perspective to their shapes and formations. Flying above herons sailing around searching for a morning morsel was a new sensation. Our guide, a soft spoken man probably in his sixties, who shared small chuckles and warm smiles, would often lean over the side and spit. Not very attractive on something so seemingly romantic, eh? But, when he explained that he was doing that to see which ways the winds were blowing and catch the right air currents, well, that made perfect sense! A meteorologist by day, he sort of accidentally got into ballooning years ago when he was able to give more precise measurements of winds to balloonists. Now, he’s been doing it for 25 years. There is no steering wheel, but instead he adds heat to rise and can turn the balloon by opening up a flap in the top through a series of ropes. We landed a few miles away at the local airport. Having been taught the “landing position,” we assumed it was a just in case sort of thing, like knowing where the lifevests on an airplane are. Nope, it seems that landing the balloon is most often done, or at least during times of a little wind, by the bucket falling on its side. Perfectly safe, we found ourselves in odd piles in small compartments with our new found friends, and in some very contortionists sort of ways had to maneuver our ways out of the basket.

After, the pilots and the ground crew performed a ceremony for us where we knelt on carpet, in the middle of the airfield and repeated after our guide. I wish I could remember the words, but I know it started with “I was nothing,” and then went on to describe how we had bravely gone into the air. Dousing us with a little soil to remind us where we came from and then champagne for the celebration, we were named Barons and Baronesses because years ago, the king had offered these titles to people brave enough to go up into the air. Don’t think I won’t have my students start calling me Baronesse Smith next year - I even have a certificate to prove it!

As if that hadn’t all been enough, we were escorted to the rooftop bar in the nice hotel to enjoy some coffee and cream cake. Views were not as marvelous as they had been just moments before in the balloons, but they were still stunning. Our guides told us more about their craft, and their country that they were so proud of. One thing that stood out most to me was hearing about how recycling in the country works. Inka, our food tour guide had told us that bins at your house had scanners on them and were weighed so you paid for recycling and waste that you threw away. Our guides continued that and said that even the mixed garbage is sorted and only 5% of things thrown away in Slovenia end up in a landfill. We’ve got some real catching up to do!

What an absolute treat the whole morning was! And if I had known that all I had to do to get an official title was ride a balloon in Slovenia, it would have happened a lot sooner!

After a quick refresh, we drove up to the castle overlooking the lake. Quick tip courtesy of Rick Steve’s: if you make reservations for a meal at the castle restaurant (ahead of time!), you get free entry to the castle for your whole party which makes the exquisite meal with the excellent view incredibly reasonable! The castle itself, in my opinion, would have been a bit of a disappointment, minus the view that’s well worth the trip. Each piece of the castle now holds some sort of piece of history or showcase of Slovenia, often with purchasing possibilities and people dressed in period clothing. The castle is not all too large, but nevertheless is has a drawbridge, walls and turrets. Lunch was beautifully presented, once again a piece of art, and also delectable.

The non-motorized vehicle lake below had been dotted with row boats and paddle boards, and as the sun was shining and bringing with it, some heat, we decided to join in on the fun. At the far end of the lake is a beach with a campground (what a cool place to camp!). It had been fairly full of people and activity all week. There were people partaking in water activities, small children running around in the nude while parents chased after them with sunscreen, adults soaking in rays on some comfortable lounge chairs and a man, walking his pet ostrich. Yep. We didn’t understand it, nor were we really able to capture it on film, but a grown man walked, with his arm casually draped around the ostrich through the crowd of people, down the sidewalk along the beach, then back again around the lake. No sign asking for donations, no offering of rides for children, but simply looking like a man out for a stroll with his four legged best friend, but only this man brought out his rather large two legged best friend.

Jessica and I, amid all the activity, rented paddleboards for the hour and headed toward the middle of the lake. It was so beautiful, so peaceful just a short distance away from the crowd. Clear, turquoise water surrounded us and our setting between the island and the castle almost seemed surreal. The water (we chose to get in, we didn’t actually fall in!) was refreshing, but not frigid. A perfect last activity on such a magical time in Bled!

If you ever get the chance to visit Slovenia, you’ll be welcomed by warm, proud, hardy and delightful people. You’ll be surrounded by stunning scenery and fill yourself with tasty food. Go ahead, get there before the rest of the world discovers the perfection that is SLOVEnia!

Lovely Ljubljana

Slovenia, as a country, is younger than I am.  She's a beautiful country, with a lot of pride, independence, identity and a unique culture all her own.  But, as any young soul, she's still trying to find her way in the world and find her balance.  Today, we traveled to the capital city of Ljubljana, about 45 minutes south of Bled.  It is described as the place to be in Slovenia and a terribly underrated city, and I see why.  About twelve years ago, a new mayor was elected that had big ideas and wanted to bring about a lot change.  He closed down streets around the downtown area to make a large portion of the old town a pedestrian city.  Of course there were gripes and complaints, but it sounds like it has made locals enjoy their city even more and it certainly draws in the tourists.  Restaurants spread out tables and chairs into the wide openings, artists line the river with their goods to sell, children ride scooters, and locals walk their dogs.  For us tourists, it made wandering the city to window shop and admire the colorful architecture much easier and very pleasant.



Besides wandering the town, there was not really anything specific that we wanted to do in Ljubliana, so we decided that taking another walking food tour with a local would be a great use of our time, and well, it was.  Inka met us and two Australian girls currently living in London at a local fountain and then took us to four different restaurants followed by coffee at a cafe and then ice cream.  We ate a tuna pate on toast, warm cucumber soup, sausage, grilled zucchini with pumpkin seeds, squid stuffed with cottage cheese, pasta with truffles and the most tender gnocchi I had ever tasted.  The food was truly remarkable, and I loved the wide variety.  To top it off, we went to a gelato bistro with unique, local flavors that were all made in house.  I had parmesan gelato and pumpkin seed oil gelato, and would not have guessed how much I would have enjoyed them both!  Sure, parmesan ice cream sounds odd, but think about it... you like cheese, right?  And you like ice cream, right?  Yep, delicious.





The food was divine, but what I enjoyed even more was the company.  Speaking to the locals to truly learn about a place is one of the perks of traveling, one of the best ways to learn about a place.  Inka had grown up in Slovenia, was proud of her country, and teaches at the high school that teaches about tourism.  She was honest, open and eager to tell us about her country.  Her first explanation of the regions may have been the most helpful.  Slovenia is sort of shaped like a chicken.  Sure, it takes just a tad of imagination to see it, but when you do, it makes sense.  From then on, she was able to explain, "this food comes from the head of the chicken," or "this wine comes from the back foot of the chicken." We learned that each region uses a particular oil for salads, such as pumpkin seed oil, grape seed oil or sunflower seed oil. She described Slovenia as a “spoon” country, saying that they always had to have a soup and/or hearty stew with their meals. It is apparently a social faux pas to serve a Sunday meal, or a wedding feast without hot beef and noodle soup, no matter the temperature outside. Just as a meal would be a disaster if there were no bread, and oh, how delicious the breads have been! Many Slovenian meals are heavy - gravy, meat, potato and breads. The people here, though, are also incredibly hearty - mountain climbers, farmers, etc., and well, a salad just doesn’t give you the energy needed to complete these difficult tasks. 

I loved learning from Inka about the everyday life of Slovenians. The country is very small, about the side of Massachusetts, and as such, locals can be in a whole new country in a very short drive. Because of this, they refuse to commute long distances to work. The argument seems to be that if you can be in another country in an hour, why in heaven’s name would you drive an hour to work? Love it! A common tease about Slovenians is that they learn to ski before they can walk. What did I tell you? Hearty people! About 70% of the holidays they take are by the sea, and the rest are hiking and camping. They love to be outside, and aside from torrential rain or bitter cold, they will frequently join their friends for a coffee outside at a cafe. Inka talked with a bit of sadness about changes in the country, and how she felt that focus over the last few years had turned to productivity rather than family and time for self. For years, she said the twenty four hour day was divided into eight hours of work, eight for sleep and eight for free time, but she said that businesses and companies are beginning to expect more and working hours are now longer than school hours which makes picking up kids from school and family time a true struggle. We talked about healthcare, politics, education and even maternity leave. I’m always fascinated to hear how other countries operate and remind myself that we can all learn from one another.

The rest of our time in Ljubljana was spent wandering around the colorful pedestrian part of downtown which straddles the river.  Merchants set up tables of treasures and creations along the river and in open market stalls.  Locals sat sipping coffee and chatting.  Tourists struggled to get the perfect photo with the statue and church at the intersection of the three bridges.  And then, there was the bubble man.  I do not know his story at all, but what I know is he is living life well and spreading joy.  From a block away, we watched bubbles, lots of bubbles, rise up and amongst the buildings.  We love bubbles.  Mom spent a whole lot of time trying to capture bubbles in photographs, and Dad spent a lot of time perfecting his blowing techniques to help her.  We had spent so much time watching bubbles, that we even noticed patterns in the colors they gave off and how that pattern repeated before they burst.  This young man, with a homemade bubble wand and bucket of soap, had a sign that simply said, "money for traveling around Europe."  He had drawn a crowd the way street performers in Central Park do, only his youngest audience members were active participants. Somehow, bubbles break all sorts of barriers, so that young, old, male, female, and from all different continents watched in wonder, amazement and smiles as small children giggled in anticipation of popping a bubble.

We took a funicular to the castle hill and meandered around the castle grounds, overlooking the city and watching as a storm approached the city.  The castle, although charming, was fairly recent, and so missed much of the old world charm that holds such importance in a castle.  We snuck under a tent on the pedestrian mall for some local pizza (how we could fit anything else in our stomachs, I'm still baffled), before going to the airport and picking up my travel partner extraordinaire, Jessica!

Bohinj vs Bled

Besides driving through the stunning surrounding mountains, there are two main lakes in the area that are  destinations for tourists and locals alike. We are staying at one of them, Bled, and we decided we also needed to visit Bohinj to compare the two. Bohinj is apparently where the locals go, and I can see why. It, too, is stunningly beautiful, but a bit more rugged, and certainly less developed as a “destination.”  Driving around Lake Bled, whether in your own car, a horse drawn carriage or the adorable "train" is possible, even if there are sometimes you are not right next to the lake.  At Lake Bohinj, a steep mountain runs alongside one side of the lake, so the sheer drop off makes any such activities impossible.  Both have opportunities for camping and renting man-powered water crafts.  Bohinj has far less to do just around the lake with incredibly few restaurant choices.  I believe I am happy where we are because there are some fine restaurants, but I'm also very thankful that we spent the day in Bohinj.

We first went up the cable car to the top of a mountain where in the winter, skiers traverse amongst the multitude of buildings that were somehow constructed up here.  During the summer months, hikers take on challenges from here, and the rest of us find lovely swings and benches with nice views and even refreshing cold beverages.  Once on, what seemed like the top, you could take a chair lift to even higher up.  The chair lift was a high point (literally and metaphorically) for each of us.  We sat in a comfortable seat, dangling our feet over the ground below, feeling the cool breezes come off the mountain as we climbed smoothly up the cables.  And once we reached this even higher destination, there was even a restaurant up there.  Truly, a small community high on the peaks, another far away world.





I had read about a hike in the area that sounded perfect for us, and looked beautiful, Mostnica Gorge.  The problem was that the little town was doing road work, and so a drive that should have taken five minutes, included a thirty minute detour through some tight roads.  These roads, meant for two cars were in between homes and buildings with barely enough room for one car to squeeze through.  Thankfully, we never met a car coming our direction in these narrow passage ways.  It turns out that the round-about way of arriving was completely worth it.

Mostnica Gorge follows a crystal clear, blue water river coming down from the surrounding mountain peaks.  Scattered along the comfortable, mostly shaded, and mostly level pathway were moments when the water was fifty feet below us in a well carved gorge, shaped just so after years of wear and tear.  There were also perfectly situated rocks along the river, where the land and the river were more level with one another that we could sit on the rocks, stick our feet into the frigid water and be surrounded by only the sounds of rushing water.  A truly lovely hike for a hot day as the cool water sent breezes rushing by, and simple bridges allowed the path to be circular.  Another huge bonus to this hike was the remarkably few tourists that accompanied us on it!








While Bled does not have a cable car, it does have a chair lift up to an alpine slide, and well... why not!  Years ago, when I had been in Salzburg on a Sound of Music tour (I get to do another one in about a week!!), our tour guide stopped at an alpine slide and said, "I know this has nothing to do with the Sound of Music, but it's fun."  I had been a bit nervous about it, but absolutely loved it.  My parents were a bit unsure, but happy to accompany and cheer me on.  When we arrived and saw the wide variety of people who were coming down the slide, they decided they might as well try.  My stomach got a little less stable the higher up the chair lift took us, and certainly when I sat down in the small "sled" overlooking the beautiful lake below.  But the second I was released, and realized that I had complete control over the speed, the ride was nothing but enjoyable.  We all survived, with smiles on our faces, and decided we'd be more than happy to go back again.





Another gorge hike is advertised, but this one closer to our neck of the woods, just a couple miles outside of Bled.  Vintgar Gorge is another stunning natural landscape, a true piece of wonder.  The turquoise color of the water was similar to Mostnica,  but instead of often being well above the gorge, this hike had been built into the gorge.  This hike, about the same length as the previous one, cost a fair amount more, but it was understandable as the walkway along the gorge was built into the rock and hung out like a narrow boardwalk, winding along next to the river in many places.  A true feat.  Just like the day before, cool breezes from the air, and mist from a couple of large waterfalls kept us cool, even on warm days.  The only difference was, for whatever reason, this gorge was overrun with tourists, while the other had practically an empty parking lot.








So, to summarize, if you get the opportunity to visit this part of the world and are choosing between Bohinj and Bled... choose both! :)  I'm very happy that we chose Bled as it is more convenient to more jumping off points and has more choices of restaurants, but I'm also thrilled we chose to spend a day in the beautiful town just down the road.

Julian Alps

Triglav National Park sits just on the edge of Lake Bled, a large national park full of adventurous hikers, brave rock climbers, tenacious cyclists, and happy, car-driving tourists like ourselves. Named for the tallest peak in these Julian Alps, Triglav means three heads, or three peaks as the mountain truly has three peaks. We set off on a long drive through the park, and were almost instantaneously in wonder of the beauty, particularly in the sea-foam green color of the water.

Dad was once again a trooper and drove us on the main road through the park which included fifty, yes fifty, numbered and well marked switchbacks that climbed up the mountain pass and back down into the valley on the other side. Along the way up there were places to pause and photograph the Austrian-like scenery of open fields dotted with wildflowers, snow capped rocky peaks and tall green trees. There was a church built to recognize the hundreds of Russian POWs that died in an avalanche while building the road we were driving on during the First World War. A restaurant at the top of the pass welcomes weary hikers and casual passers-through alike. We sat in the warm sunshine with occasional strong mountain winds while enjoying some schnitzel and watching as seemingly insane climbers practically ran down the mountain side as the steep climb gave no other option. Sheep casually grazed, crossed the street and even meandered into huts and amongst parked cars.

The drive down, and along the Soča River, was also lovely as the turquoise waters accompanied us, and were frequently dotted with suspension bridges.  Tiny communities where hearty people chose to make their lives and produce hay often had small churches in them.  We noticed that many churches were on top of hills, and it was said that they were sometimes used to communicate, one hilltop church to another, not just to ensure that you were truly committed to the service by walking up as we had assumed.  We also encountered graves of thousands of soldiers who were killed during the battles in the area during World War I.  A huge cross in the hillside acted as a memorial behind a church and small graveyard in a community the size of speck on the map.  Just in front of it were the graves of soldiers in the same families who fought just three decades later in another world war.  There was a massive mausoleum, honoring the Italians killed in the area that we reverently walked around, pondering with heavy hearts the countless lives that were lost.










The drive home was found simply through maps that had roads leading in the right direction.  I should state that Apple Maps does not show the height of the road, nor how many tractors travel it.  We ended up on narrow country roads, that although were two way seemed meant for only one small car.  Rural roads meant life moved slowly and tractors were frequent interruptions as we climbed the hillside, enjoying breathtaking views and drops down to the valley that made me a bit queasy.  (And we even spotted some Highland Cows!)  But, after a long day of driving, we made it back to our home away from home, just as the sun was setting, outlining the mountains, and surrounding them with pink hues all around.

Caves

Driving out of Croatia today was difficult, not just the sometimes narrow roads that kept us guessing if we were on the right path, but saying goodbye to the country that has been an incredible host to us for the past two weeks.  Croatia is beautiful, and the people are incredibly friendly, going above and beyond to make us feel welcomed.  But, I'm always excited for a new adventure, and so, Slovenia, the 37th stamp in my passport, is our next home away from home.

Slovenia is known for its honey-making, stunning scenery, wine regions, friendly people and can-do spirits.  All of this sounded like a place to visit, and already, she has not disappointed us.  Slovenia is about the size of Massachusetts, and you could drive across it in a few hours, but, well, you shouldn't.  It is nestled between Austria, Germany, Italy and Croatia, taking in and melding together some of the best of each country to make something truly unique and beautiful, whether it is the food, the culture or the language.

In planning our route, I had wanted to visit a castle nestled into a cave, but in researching a bit further, it sounded like the nearby cave, where the temperature is constantly cool, even on a balmy summer day might be an even better first stop in our new host country.  Postojna Caves were discovered, well, re-discovered, in the early eighteen hundreds and were soon a popular tour destination.  There are miles of trails and passage ways underground that lead into chambers large enough for professional basketball games to be played (and even observed) in.  Thirteen miles in all, and in our short tour, I believe we only saw a small fraction of the wonder underground.

The tourist attraction truly feels a bit like Disney World.  There are lovely flower beds, manicured lawns, and friendly people guiding you along.  A smattering of restaurants and gift shops line the walkway to the entrance of the cave.  At particular times, with particular languages, large groups, probably between 50 and 100 people, hop on a train.  Yes, a train, underground.  The most remarkable part was that the railroad in the cave has been operating since 1872.  While only a smidge more thrilling than the train ride at the zoo, the setting was phenomenal.  The train scooted past small chambers and under over-hangings that tested your height.  Stalagmites reached tall trying to reach the narrow stalactites gripping onto the ceiling.  The train came to a stop and the English guide led us through a walk through part of the caves where we got a bit more information, but could also wander a bit on our own pace along the concrete walkways.







The cave has been changing and evolving for about two million years.  It continues to evolve due to the moisture it collects and the underwater river flowing below it.  Even today, the "icicles" from the ceiling and "drip castles" from the floor continue to inch closer to one another, about one centimeter a century.  So, that means just a few inches apart from one another could take about a millennium to fill the gap.  The train ride back took us back to the bright sunshine and warmer temperatures, but the travels through the cave were fascinating.



We also learned about the olm, an aquatic salamander that lives only in caves in certain parts of Europe.  The pink creature can grow up to a foot long (but the tail is about half of the body) and can live for 100 years, only eating every few years.  Blind, but having fingers and toes, the creature is well adapted to live in complete darkness in the underwater river, feasting on cave shrimp and well-adapted beetles.  With red tufts acting as external gills, the creature is reminiscent of a dragon, which is why the very first mention of it, back in the seventeenth century, was a fear that deep in the cave lived a dragon and these were its' hatchings.

Predjama Castle was only a few miles down the road, away from the hoards of tourists.  Not being able to resist a castle, we ventured into the countryside a bit further and enjoyed a delicious schnitzel lunch with the castle in view behind us.  Rick Steves said the castle was certainly worth a look, but the interior was not worth it, so instead, we gazed at it and read the harrowing tales of the nobleman who lived here.  The castle has been around for centuries, beginning mostly in the cave, but slowly being moved to the mouth.  In the 15th century, a nobleman, Erasmus, who had some disagreements, let us say, with the emperor, lived here and used it as a hide-out where he stole from other nobles, making peasants happy just to see the nobleman suffer, not because Erasmus in turn shared with them.  Eventually, soldiers were sent to raid the castle, but as the only entry was through the caves, Erasmus and his men had a huge advantage because they knew the caves.  The soldiers froze and were starved trying to lay siege on the castle, despite the fact that Erasmus' men kept sneaking in and out of the castle.  A new plan was finally concocted which included using a spy in the castle to let soldiers know when Erasmus used the toilet, the outer most section of the castle.  He was "de-throned" by a cannonball.  The castle is not in a really defendable place and was used more as a retreat than a defense in more recent centuries, and after Erasmus’ embarrassing end.





Our drive up the motorway was uneventful, but strikingly beautiful as we approached snow capped peaks in the distance and beautifully manicured fields of hay in lush green valleys.  Despite the torentual rain that hit at just the wrong time, we were able to find our next Air B & B, where for the first time on this trip, our host greeted us, gave us tips for the area and even left us several thoughtful gifts of snacks and fresh fruits.  Despite the seemingly violent name of Bled (pronounced closer to blade), I believe we are going to love this friendly little place!