Beautiful, Beautiful Bled

Before the post, apologies and some excuses for my tardiness here. I sum up the delay with a few points: 1) After Slovenia we traveled to Croatia and Greece – we were just having too much fun island hopping, taking boats and scooters to beaches and meeting awesome people – I’d say it was a great mix of partying and relaxation, modes in which I didn’t blog 2) We really ran into wifi trouble -apartments we rented didn’t have wifi and connections were to slow in cafes 3) This stop, Bled, was so beautiful and incredible we took over a thousand pictures and Aaron will tell you I am crippled by the thought of editing this gorgeous place on Earth.

Here goes:
Bled
Day 1
Arrived by bus but got off too early. We soon realized we didn’t have a clue where we were going. Bled, turns out is pretty small so
we managed to find our way to backpackers hostel – couldn’t find inn keeper so bartender gave us own room. We walked through a little town with other traveling hikers.
Headed up to castle – upset about cost, ugh the Euro! but amazing views up top. Bled is very green, serene, it looks like a place right out of a story book.

Snow capped mountains above the castle

Aaron at the castle

After the castle, Walked around lake which was sprinkled with
Lots of bikers, runners, kayaks, and families. It was still shoulder season, I imagine Bled is packed by July.

Local wildlife, so many ducklings for spring

So serene. A single boat in the lake

Walked into Lake Bled town for their famous Bled cake, which to me had a lot of the same texture and flavor of banana cream pie and had drinks overlooking the castle and the island. It was simply gorgeous and romantic.

Bled cake with local wine and beer

Went to dinner at local pizza place, which was quite good and cheap and took shots of the local brandy – I think it was some kind of berry.

Headed back to hostel, town was dead. Hostel’s downstairs bar, the George Best Bar was getting started as bartender was already wasted – in fact the bar had already ran out of beer and most alcohol. Bartender was out of control. We started taking shots, helping ourselves to whatever alcohol was left over behind the bar and djing using YouTube. The bartender would use the cappuccino machine steamer as a prop for a rock performance – Aaron got especially “animated” – unfortunately I only have a video, so no evidence to post here.

Our backpacker friends, we danced until 2am – I’m sure the nonparticipating travelers upstairs loved us.

Day 2
Woke up a little later than expected. Luckily our inn keeper was also late. We packed up and went to the local grocery store to pick up groceries/wine for row boat ride. We caught a ride with inn keepers friend and our hut was not ready so left our stuff at the front and picked up a row boat. It was a little chilly but the sun was coming out. We picked up a row boat and Aaron rowed while I poured wine and made ham and cheese sandwiches. We rowed around the island. Sun would peak in and out but the view was amazing – something from a fairy tale: glass bottom lake, swans with their ducklings swimming about, a castle above us, the forested hills and the snow capped alps in the background

Aaron’s side of the boat, Aaron working hard.

Jami’s side of the boat, indulged.

After the boat we checked into our glamping hut. I was soooo excited. I had been researching this place long before we booked and didn’t know if I was going to be able to make it a reality. I couldn’t stop jumping up and down when we saw it: a wooden hut with matching hot tub. The hut had stones that lined up to the door. When we open the door there was a bottle of homemade sparkling wine on ice, champagne glasses, and robes. The hut itself was so adorable having the entire back a window for the sunshine to come in during the day and to sleep to shining stars at night. This is my idea of camping!

Our little glampsite

Our welcoming

We didnt have much time but caught a quick nap before being picked up for horseback riding. Our riding guide picked us up and we took a drive to his home. We dressed in English riding gear and headed up to the mountains. Mostly we were at a slow pace but a few times we trotted. We rode by and through green glass lakes, up mountains, on top of rocky paths. And then the sun came out, it was a beautiful day. Our guide also took us to his friends bar that also contained a brown bear, that was odd. We took homemade blueberry schnapps shots – they were absolutely delicious – using local mountain blueberries, and we finished our ride and headed back to town to our glampground

Riding below the alps, next to green lakes

One of the green, glass bottom lakes

We took it easy, napping more and laying out on our shaded lounge chairs. We took a walk around the lake before dinner which we had on site – we had the local trout (so yum) and some more homemade blueberry schnapps. It seems the Sloves are very proud of their homemade schnapps as it is always offered with gratitude at the end of meals or as a welcome. At dinner we used wifi to book and plan Croatia and our next stops.
Before bed we got in the hot tub but it was obvious we did not understand the mechanics. You see, the hot tub was actually made hot by burning wood throughout the day and when we had tested it before dinner it was super hot as we dipped our hands in. However, as we dipped our bodies in we realized that, yeah, heat rises and the bottom of the tub was freezing. Still we got in and drank wine and honey brandy before heading in the hut to fall asleep under the stars.

Delicious fresh trout

Aaron hot tubbing drinking honey rum

Day 3
Well our beautiful weather did not last…we woke up to a downpour and while the glamping hut kept us warm, comfortable and dry, just like any other campground, this meant mud outside. We did wake up to breakfast basket at our door filled with yogurt, fruit, meat, cheese, bread, jam and most importantly a coffee pot filled with hot coffee, so we had breakfast in bed and there in bed until the rain led up a bit.

Picnic basket of Breakfast

Bled is an activity town. People go there to bike, run, row, hike, ride, etc. when it rains the city just sort of shuts down. We would see some people in their rain jackets walking but during the downpours, it was just no fun. We played cards and watched movies in our hut – there are worst places to be – and when the rain lightened up we got on our rain gear and hiked to the Vintgar Gorge, about 4-5 km away. The pictures looked gorgeous and we knew it was something we wanted to do but we were blown away! It was only 4 euro entrance and while it was raining on our hike up, the rain stopped just as we arrived. And I believe the weather worked in our favor as the whole gorge was practically ours. We walked on these wooden beams that carried us over clear turquoise water where we saw fish swimming about. There were rapids and waterfalls and the sun came out, we hiked back through the mountain and back through the country by residents houses. We headed back, hot tubbed and went to bed.

Our walk through the downpour

Breathtaking

Next to bright turquoise water

Hike back through the countryside – sun is out,

Day 4:

We had planned to go rafting this day and leave for Croatia around 5p but again the weather was cloudy, rainy and cold. The grounds were muddy and while I may have decided to keep our plans had it not been pouring. So instead we rushed to catch the earlier train to Zagreb. Loved Slovenia and especially Bled, so we commemorated our last moments on the train eating that delicious Bled cake.

Train to Croatia with Bled cake

When we arrived to Zagreb, this was our second time passing through, it was more of the same – rain and cold. We decided to just relax and we did not go out but to pick up a slice of pizza before bed.