20 years ago today - Day 189

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Sunday, September 8th - Bled - 10,887 km

What a delight is to wake up here! I go out to the lobby and greet my smiling hosts and take my breakfast of rolls, coffee, jams and fruit and talk to them about what Slovenia’s struggle for independence has been like. They have suffered terribly with the lack of business but so has the rest of the country. They know it is a necessary step the country must live through on its way to independence, but they hope business will boom again next year. They tell me there is no reason people should not be visiting as there is no longer any threat of war here. They play down the threat in Croatia too, which is reassuring.

After our chat, I walk though the small town of Bled and buy some groceries. There is not much in the town. Since its economy has been based on tourism, many of the shops have been closed temporarily or permanently.

I walk by the lake edge and photograph the castle perched high above the town on a rocky bluff. Then I ride four kilometres to the Vintnar Gorge. It is a nice outing, pleasant and scenic without
being spectacular, which in some ways describes Bled itself. The wooden walkways that follow the half kilometre gorge hang over the crystal-clear waters and bridge from side to side in places. There are a few others here, but mostly it is deserted. Today has been what I have needed – a tourist-worthy beauty without the tourists.

In the late afternoon I walk around the entire lake at a slow pace that takes and hour and a half. Beginning at the town, I walk counter-clockwise to pass under the castle, which sits high on a bluff over the lake. I would walk up to see it if my legs did not need a serious rest. I continue on to the far end of the lake where a monastery sits on a small island in the lake. From a certain angle the monastery, castle and tower of the town hall can all be framed in one picture, the most famous view of Bled and the one that impressed me to come here.

I have dinner in a lovely Italian restaurant with excellent food. It too is deserted. I am feeling slightly lonely in spite of having really enjoyed this day. Beauty seen alone brings these feelings on in me. Beauty is something to be shared.


PHOTO 1: beside Bled Lake (Blejsko Jezero)
PHOTO 2: Bled Castle
PHOTO 3: start of Vintgar Gorge
PHOTO 4: Vintgar Gorge
PHOTO 5: Vintgar Gorge walkways
PHOTO 6: Bled Monastery in the lake
PHOTO 7: the monastery with castle and town in background
PHOTO 8: Bled just after sunset