Lake Bled, Slovenia

Contrary to the impression several family members have of me, I like to go go go when I travel.  I say 'contrary' because I was known for loathing family walks back in the late 80's/90's, and my dad and step-mom used to refer to me as a cat (I love sleeping, chilling and being loved...is that so bad?!), which was a joke and I very much took/still take it as one.  I shot all that down the first time I went backpacking in 2003 when I walked all over Paris, never used public transport in Rome, only used it in Athens to get to the Piraeus, etc.  So a week to see Lake Bled, Ljubljana, Venice and Verona - no matter which was it was split, I was going to be busy.

So it started in Lake Bled.

I wandered off the train at Lesce Bled station around 8am.  I had no idea how to actually get to Lake Bled other than maybe a bus would be there (on an early Sunday morning, my expectation wasn't high on that one), a taxi...or I guess I would walk the 5km?  I crossed the train track and walked toward 2 Korean girls waiting at what appeared to be a bus stop.  Within moments, a taxi shuttle that had been parked next to the train station pulled up and gave us a ride to Lake Bled.  Free.  Sunday morning shuttle, perhaps?  I'm not entirely sure.  Note: I would not have gotten into that shuttle had those backpackers not been there.

I walked down the street toward the lake.

Bled Castle perched on the cliff.

The photo above is the first one I took.  Not great, but it was 8am, I had been up since 5:30am and barely slept the previous 2 nights.

Church of the Assumption with the Julian Alps as a backdrop.

Stunning, right?  It's one thing to see photos, and another to see it in person.  It's about a 6km walk around the lake and I did it three times (twice on the Sunday, once on the Monday).  I couldn't stop taking photos the first two times.

The bustling part of Lake Bled from Bled Castle

I knew, via Lonely Planet Slovenia, that there are three ways to get up to castle.  One is steep, one obscure and one via a road.  I saw a sign for "grad" (castle) and figured, why not?  So I followed it (this was closing in on 9am Sunday).  I thought I was taking the steep track.  Not so much...I was on the obscure path.  Thankfully signs with "grad" popped up here and there and I found myself at the castle.  8euro and well worth it.  The view was stunning.  The coffee was good, albeit expensive.  The castle has been turned into a museum, about Lake Bled history dating back to the Neolithic period.  It was small but informative and certainly worth visiting.

Bled Island from Bled Castle.

My new "thing" is to go up as high as possible.  The different viewpoint is always worth it.

Inside the Church of the Assumption on Bled Island.

Bled Island is reached by gondolas available from a few docks around the lake.  They don't leave until they're full, so I think I waited about 15min for mine to leave.  It took about 30min to get there, we had 30min on the island and another 30min back.  The gondola cost 12euro and entry to the church was 3euro.  The dock outside my hotel offered the shortest transport time, whereas I chose to take one of the furthest routes.  Same price, why not?

I got off the gondola and found myself buying cheese from a vendor on the street.  That was my 'dinner' around 2pm.  I timed a much needed nap with an hour of rain and then walked around the lake again.

Shall we assume that this is town hall?

On Monday morning, I took full advantage of the free breakfast at my hotel (I had been complex/bad carb free for 3 months prior to this trip, but I indulged as it was much needed).  I left my bag behind the counter after check-out and set our around the lake again.  In this day of smart phones and facebook, I find myself documenting every little thing - most especially because I live so far away from my family and many friends.  I'm guilty of living [the good aspects] of my life on Facebook.  So this time I took no photos and just took it all in.  And I loved it.

Speaking of my hotel, I stayed at Pension Mlino.  My room was tiny, definitely not room for more than 2 adults, but it sufficed.  There was hot water in the shower (unlike in Villach) and I had a lake view.  It was what I expected from a 3* on the continent (which is about a 2.5* elsewhere).  I would stay there again if it was just my husband and I.

I returned to my hotel to grab my little carry-on suitcase and set out on the 1.5km walk to the bus station.  I was early, but that's generally how I travel.  I people watched and read my book (Watership Down) until the bus to Ljubljana arrived right on schedule.

Next: 2 nights in Ljubljana.