Thursday 7th may 2009 A very warm sunny day, clear blue skies. We headed for the snow line first heading for Pokljuka, we drove up to 3600 feet where we found snow it was quite strange shorts and tee shirts in the snow, Barney thought we were mad!!! We then backtracked and took the road to Krma well more of a track really. We came across a village that had been torched by the Germans in the war killing 22 people. The National Park authorities have partially rebuilt one of the buildings and have a monument to villagers memory The rivers [View Full Entry]

---

---

Wednesday 6th May 2009 After pegging out the washing we decided to head back the Museum of Hostages at Begunje- words cannot describe what we saw. During the period of 1941 /1945 12,096 hostages including women and children were held, many were then transported onto concentration camps, many were tortured, and many were hanged or shot. The Museum is set in 9 original cells - it was so cold the pictures told a million stories the visit was a very moving experience. We recovered our mood with the aid of a coffee en route to the Vintgar [View Full Entry]

---

---

Tuesday 5th May 2009 We drove into Bled and parked and walked around the Town. It is obviously geared for tourists as there are many large hotels. We made our way around the lake and had coffee with Bled Cream slices- Delicious! After a little grocery shopping, we set off to the Museum of Hostages which is in Begunje, Initially we missed the museum as it was in the grounds of a large psychiatric hospital and carried on up the valley we came across a graveyard of partisans mostly killed in 1941 - 1944. On returning down the valley we parked [View Full Entry]

---

---

Monday 4th May 2009 awoke to blue skies we had coffee at the Campsite restaurant overlooking the Lake then walked around part of the lake to the rowing club HQ, they have previously won some Olympic Medals. Barney enjoyed several swims and also chasing the ducks, mainly Mallards; some already have young. A horse drawn cart passed us We managed a lunchtime beer in the bar by the rowing club before returning to Site- just in time as the heavens opened and it rained most of the afternoon. David negotiated with the Boatman a figure to row to the Island [View Full Entry]

---

---

Sunday 3rd May 2009 We departed Camping Miramar which had become a seething mass of people and caravans over the holiday weekend. Much to the amusement of the Italians watching us using the motor movers to extricate the vans from the pitches- to be honest we were so hemmed in that it was a good job we had them!! Initially the landscape was lush with market gardens, vines and peach trees however we climbed up into the Julian Alps reaching 2,700 feet. Leaving Italy and for a short time travelling through a corner of Austria eventually reaching Slovenia and into [View Full Entry]

---

---

More pics of Venice [View Full Entry]

---

---

A photo that needed to be added to the Venice blog [View Full Entry]

---

---

Friday 1st May 2009 Having negotiated with the owner of Raffaello Boats in allowing Barney on the trip to Venice (All Dogs in Italy should be muzzled on public transport) We boarded the Calamari @ 8.45 am ready for the 9am departure from Chioggio together with 200 others including 2 Priests!! For the one and half hour trip 14 euros each no charge for Barney!! We sat up top outside near the stern. The Lagoon approx 200 square miles of it is littered with dozens of Islands some deserted and others supporting bustling communities - like Murano which is famous [View Full Entry]

---

---

Thursday 30th April 2009 Today we initially walked into Sottomarina returning with fresh prawns for dinner! Then made the short car Journey to check out the boat trip to Venice that departs from Chioggia we plan to do the trip tomorrow leaving a 0900 and returning at 1700. We then walked around Chiogga, It is a large port for fishing, has narrow streets, small squares, palaces and canals that reminds you of Venice. we had missed the market but sat by the Ponte Vigo which is near the Lagoon at the end of the main square. The bell Tower of [View Full Entry]

---

---

Saturday 25th April 2009 Today is a bank holiday in Italy - Independence day. We set off to Siena and travelled through the lush Tuscan countryside, plenty of vineyards and Olive Groves. Managed to park outside of the old city walls in Siena. Hilltop Sienna is built on three ridges. The city was very busy but a truly lovely place, we walked to the Piazza Del Campo - Europe’s greatest medieval square surrounded by palaces and forming the City’s heart. We were greeted by a huge tiled square which sloped very gently down to the magnificent Torre del Margia. We lunched [View Full Entry]

---

---