Slovenia - Bled

---

Bled

Sunday 24th April

The small town and lake at Bled are very picture postcard. I’m trying to meet up with Martyn here who is Inter-railing with some friends across Europe in the opposite direction. We’ve arranged to try and meet up in Bled today.
The journey from Ljubljana is again quite easy. There is a bus every hour and the journey takes about 80 minutes. Most bus fares in Slovenia seem to be around the €6 mark.
The bus passes through quite a few picturesque villages on the way but it is Bled that seems to pull the tourists in with its location by the lake, its castle perched on top of a cliff, and the island-with-a-church in the middle of the lake.
I manage to find Martyn and his friends {I don’t know how I ever managed to organise such meetings in the days before mobile phones!} and while they opt to go horse riding I set off for a walk around the lake. Unfortunately I set off in the wrong direction and soon meet up with a large group of German walkers complete with walking poles. I slow down and let them get a long way in front of me.
A gentle stroll around the lake including lots of stops for photos takes me about an hour and a half. I’m sure that the Germans with their walking poles power-walked much faster but if you factored in some sunbathing time you could probably spend the day strolling around the lake.
After a picnic lunch by the lake we hire a rowing boat and head out for the island in the middle of the lake. I’m quite happy to let the younger generation do all the work with the oars! There is a church on the island and legend has it that if you ring the bell 3 times a wish will be granted. My wish to the Santeria priest in Cuba worked out so I feelthat I’ve got nothing to lose {except for the €3 I have to pay to get into the church!} in wishing for a cup-final ticket.

---

Photos

Rowing Out To The Island
But letting the younger generation do the work

Ring The Bell Three Times
To be granted a wish

Bled
The Castle and the Lake