LAKE BLED 2

I think we broke our brother today! The last 4 days have been so jam packed with adventure but today we walked so much. 

Our day started at an attempt to see Vintgar Gorge--but, alas, upon arriving there it was closed due to falling rocks and men doing maintenance. Crazy narrow, winding roads caused Mike a bit of stress but now I know what a chicane is: a formula one term for an 's' curve. And Mike enjoyed driving those!

          (Crazy tight lanes!)

So, thwarted by nature we carried onto Triglav National Park's Lake Bohinj--the very popular destination for those wishing to swim, hike, kayak, fish, boat...a beautiful lake that takes 3 hours to walk around. 

Our hike started beside the statue of Zlatorog--"the golden horn"--a mythical chamois-like creature native to the Julian Alps

Passing John the Baptist's church just over the bridge, we walked about 1/2 way around the lake which reminded me very much of the surroundings of Adam's Lake near Barrier, BC. I thought I'd be brave enough to take a dip (Jon would have!) but just waiting for the picture to be taken was quite enough time spent in there! It was really cold but the thought of spending a summer here was very enticing. 

What a lovely lunch we had here--the mushrooms seem to be a local treat, and the homemade bread was fabulous--almost biscuit-like. I tried to get the secret recipe from the waiter but he was coy and I failed to my great disappointment. 

Flying quite by the seat of our pants, Dianne suggested the cable car ride at Vogel to be our next stop. If you're a downhill skier you MUST go here! The cable car ride delivers you at 9 meters a second (in about 4 minutes) to the top of the mountain, and spits you out onto the most beautiful ski hill. The views right off the cable car are not for the faint of heart if sheer drops frighten you. I couldn't coax my feet to the edge to take the panoramic photos of the Triglav mountains. 

It wasn't too chilly at the top but there was still snow on the slopes and an incredibly dangerous drop off guarded only by mere tape and a sign of a person falling off a sheer cliff face. But what fabulous views in all directions!!

After spending a 1/2 hour at the top, we headed down and drove a wee bit further to Slap Savica (slap meaning waterfall). The trees along the road were a green so bright and lime colored! We walked through the beautiful greenery to get to the entrance to the falls. 

    (Filled up with "the water of life" before ascending) 

We thought the Lake Bled island stairs were a bit of work but we walked five hundred and fifty three stairs!! Let me repeat: 553!! Up them! 

Totally worth the energy expended! The water actually flows from a fault in the cliff, drawing its water from a horizontal, Triassic limestone cave. 

The marble monument commemorates the visit by Austran Archduke Johann in 1807. below the pool, there's a dam built for the power plant. Yes, I can read signs...

Stopped on our way back through Bohinj to take a photo of a climbers paradise for Bonar & Lea to check out. 

Did we have time to see Bled Castle that we can see from our hotel balcony you wonder? YES, INDEEED WE DID!! 

    (Declared mom queen of the castle--can you see her?)

            (Tree on the second level)

            (There's a forging shop there!)

Finished the day on our balcony listening to church bells with takeout pizza from Rustica--our favorite pizza joint--a bottle of Slovenian cab sav and tried the famous cream cake we'd read about (we concur with the guidebooks: a must try! delicious). 

What a day...