Woke up this morning to sunshine…….hallelujah! Just good to see it as it has been a little dark in these parts but we didn’t allow that to dampen our spirits or energy but the sunshine has us all pumped and ready to move before we lose it again. First stop was Vintgar gorge, a mile long ravine north of Bled which was carved by the rushing waters of the Radovna river, and discovered in 1891. There’s a narrow wooden walkway all the way in and visitors have been taking this route for over a hundred years…….quite amazing and even in October it was busy with tour buses and visitors and we all commented we were grateful we were not doing this in July. All the way in there were sheer cliffs and extremely strong rapids and at times you got wet from the spray but never you mind it was so worth it!

Next stop was Lake Bled with the oarsman to the Island…….we were told to do this in Ljubljana by the beautiful young waitress at the restaurant…….she said it was a must and so we did……..and I highly recommend it for anyone coming to this country.  The lake was extremely placid so the trip over was about 20 mins, we spent 40 mins on the Island and then 20 mins back.  The Island is famous for its little ancient Church and the many weddings that are performed there…..people come from all over the world to get married there and the day we were there we were witnesses of another beautiful ceremony………beautiful and extremely expensive I am sure!

So smooth and steady -hardly knew you were moving

Smooth sailing!

After our return from the Island, and a walk around Lake Bled, we had time for one more touristy event so off we go to the Bled castle.  It’s at the top of a sheer cliff overlooking Lake Bled and began as the 11th century stronghold of the Bishops of  Brixn who were the  rulers of the area until 1803.  Nowadays it has a museum, restaurant, wine cellar, frescoed Gothic chapel and an iron works shop.  It was here that I practiced one of my few words of Slovenian and needless to say the young apprentice didn’t have a clue what I said and asked me to repeat myself, which I did.  He then said I had a very different accent and was having trouble figuring out where I was from.  He said he knew I was not an American, European or Canadian so where was I from?  When I told him Canada he was very surprised and said “you speak different than most Canadians I have met.   What part are you from?”   So I told him Newfoundland, where the Irish had settled, and he said “that’s it, you sound Irish but different!”   Not the first time we Newfoundlanders have heard that!

Island on Lake Bled taken from Bled Castle while the sun interfered with my amateur photographic skills

Correction:   A picture of the five of us on my previous blog said it was Lake Bled……..actually it was Lake Bohinj – just want to be clear in case I am ever challenged by a couple of you followers who have been there!