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| LAKE BLED, SLOVENIA |
I believe it was the photo of Lake Bled with its
picturesque island, Gothic church, and the Bled Castle, perched on a
cliff directly above, that really made me want to travel 6,000 miles
across the world to visit Slovenia. I didn't even realize at the time
that Lake Bohinj, just a short drive or hike away, is even more
majestic.
Both are a little over an hour north of Ljubljana, where
we were based for seven nights. We chose two separate days to visit,
making sure the weather forecast was good. We walked around Lake Bled
and along one side of Lake Bohinj. The walks were gentle and as
beautiful as they get. They were good vintage traveler walks, not
many hills and plenty of benches along the way. May is a good time to
travel because most of the tourists haven't shown up yet, the days
are long, and the weather is mild (rain is always a risk).
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| BLED CREAM CAKE PARK HOTEL CAFE |
Our first side trip to Lake Bled was an easy bus ride
from Ljubljana with a scenic view from the front seat. Upon arrival,
we walked down to start our 3.5 mile hike circling the lake. It was
one of the prettiest among the many vintage walks on our month-long
journey to Europe. I loved the mountain fresh air and the lush green
forests and views of the snow-peaked Alps. We stopped along the way
to take photos and appreciate the lake views from different
perspectives. Ending at the Park Cafe which overlooks the lake, and
claims to serve the best Bled Cream Cake. It was scrumptious and
well-deserved after our long walk. This vanilla and custard-cream
cake is popular in several central-European countries. It is
commonly associated with Bled in Slovenia where they have been baking
it at the Park Hotel since 1953.
When we were heading out, we stopped at the tourist
information only to be informed that Lake Bohinj is even prettier
than Lake Bled. With good weather in the forecast, we were on our way
to Lake Bohinj the following day.
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| LAKE BOHINJ |
Bohinj is an extra thirty minutes by bus from Bled and
is worth the trip even if just for the scenic bus ride along the Sava
River and views of the quaint villages, mountain pastures and
meadows. Lake Bohinj, with steep mountains projecting straight up
from the edges, is located in the Triglav National Park, and is even
more serene and natural than Lake Bled. We rode the cable car to the
top of Mount Vogel for a panoramic view of the surrounding Julian
Alps and Mount Triglav (9,400 ft.), the highest peak in Slovenia. It
is also a good starting point for hiking trails, including the Bohinj
cheese trail which offers samples of the traditionally made cheese to
hikers starting late June.
After the ride down, we walked along the side of the
lake for 2.5 miles. It was peaceful and we could see fish in the
clear water. There was just one small rowboat carrying a few tourists
on the lake, and it was so quiet that we could hear their voices.
When we arrived in the uncrowded village of Ribcev Laz at the
southwest end of the lake, we found a restaurant where we enjoyed a
plate of fresh local cheese, warm homemade bread, and freshly turned
butter. It was a fine ending to another unforgettable day in the
mountains.
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| LAKE BOHINJ |
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| MT VOGEL |
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| LAKE BOHINJ |
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