Lake Bled and the Julian Alps

We were planning a day trip to Lake Bled; Jay had the inspired idea to make it an overnight. We rented a car and off we went.

We arrived before check in time at our hotel, so we dropped off our bags and caught a boat across the lake to the island to see the church. The boats that ferry visitors are called Pletna boats. They were first used in the 17th century, and like the gondolas in Italy, are steered by a single skilled oarsman.

Crossing Lske Bled

Below, a view oF Bled Castle

When we returned we had a nutritious lunch of creme cake, one of several Bled specialties included on Jay’s list of 100 Dessers to Eat Before You Die.

A group of friendly locals was taking pictures of each other and obligingly took several of us. Here’s my favorite, sure to be this year’s holiday card.

We spent some time at the lake dozing and dipping, and as we were about to head back to get ready for dinner Jay announced that he really, really wanted to go on the luge that we had seen.

He had been thinking about it, this was something he’d always wanted to do, this was his chance, etc.

Reader, we both went on the luge (comfortingly referred to by the operators as the ‘summer toboggan ‘). Our pictures were taken remotely. Here is Jay.

We purchased this picture. We did not purchase mine.

After the necessary cocktails we had a lovely dinner by the lake, soothing music included.

The following day we had breakfast at our hotel and then headed to Triglav National Park to get a look at the Julian Alps.

Here are the three peaks of Mt. Triglav

At one of the turn offs on the way up we stopped to see this chapel, a remembrance of Russian prisoners of war who died while building the road. Many of them were killed by an avalanche that occurred during construction.