A quick visit to Slovenia

After looking at the weather forecast we decided to head east. The amazing thing about Europe is that sometimes it seems so small. We had breakfast in Italy, morning tea in Austria, then dinner in Slovenia. It was only a 3.5 hour drive. The morning tea in Austria was memorable as we went off the highway and found a traditional bakery in an old village square. The range of cakes was stupendous, and brought back memories of our visit to Kitzbühel in 1986.  Staying in Austria would carry a great risk of stomach expansion. 

Fortunately we crossed over the border into Slovenia and were soon at our Air B and B in Bled. This pretty tourist town is on the shore of Lake Bled, and has all the features of a fairy tale.  Cliff-top castle, wooded island with a beautiful church, green forests, blue lake, and mythical lake monster. 

Dara really scored on the Air B and B. We were greeted by our friendly hosts and plied with espresso, and homemade biscuits, lemonade and liqueur. Our apartment is a fully modernised 180 year-old house, with tasteful knick-knacks and carved wooden shutters. 

It was only a 10 minute walk to town, where initially we went shopping at a local supermarket. It is much cheaper here than home, with most wine under EU6 ($10) a bottle! It was easy to find a busy restaurant, full of people and at least four dogs. We have noticed a lot more smokers here (and in Italy). I tried the local sausage, which seems somewhat of a specialty here.

Our host, Danica, had insisted she do our laundry.  I'm not sure she knew what she was taking on as we'd been wearing mostly the same stinky clothes for 6 days on the trek. In the morning we woke to find a basket of absolutely sweet-smelling neatly-folded clean clothes outside our door. She is a saint.

We spent the day exploring Bled, which is tiny, and circumnavigating the lake. It was only 6 km and there were loads of others doing the same thing. A few fishermen trying their luck (apparently there are giant catfish up to 2m long!).  There were crowds of locals watching rowing and kayaking races, with loud music playing at the rowing sheds. Apologies for the number of castle and island church photos! So photogenic.

The weather hasn't completely cleared since the storm a couple of days ago, and when we were hit by raindrops we happened on a lovely cosy restaurant, which was perfect for soup and coffee. Despite the wintery scene, a younger couple stripped off in front of the cafe and went for a very brave dip in the lake.

The weather became even colder and windier after lunch, and we didn't venture far from our little home. We ate in: local grapes, craft beer, wine, cheese and bread, finishing with a creme custard square which seems to be another specialty of Bled. Yummy. 

A Slovenian IPA - not bad!

We have noticed things are a little unkempt compared to Cortina, which makes it a little more relaxed. There is a good sense of humour evident.

When your pooch jumps off the boardwalk for a swim.

We spent our second day in the Bled area walking to the medieval village of Radovljica. It was about 7.5km through open fields, woods and over a large river Suva Dolinka. 

Note the carved post tops.

Suva Dolinka.

The 1000 year-old old town centre was really a castle on a hill, fortified with stone walls and a moat. The buildings in the main street had some of the original frescos exposed and the church was amazingly ornate. 

After having lunch there we walked back a different way, up the river Sava Bohinjka, then through fields of ripe corn and sunflowers. Although it was fine the surrounding hills were still shrouded in mist.

Some roads are flood-damaged from the storms about a month ago.

It was sad to leave such a nice B and B, but we drove west, across Italy, for 636km, with the cruise control on 130km/hr.

At times the slow slow lane was jammed with kilometre upon kilometre of big trucks. Dara scored again with the overnight stop at Vercelli, which was another medieval town, narrow streets with cobble stones, old buildings with small windows and balconies. We had a welcome beer in a small bar across the square from our Air B and B, then promenaded the classically Italian lively streets until it was late enough to eat. 

Local IPA and Aperol spritz.

Vercelli.

Marble stairwell in Vercelli.

 The atmosphere in the little restaurant just outside our apartment was brilliant; hand written menu, excellent wine, just one waiter (the owner) and his chef.

The following day's drive was much shorter, only 4.5 hours, to reach Gap, in France, just south of the Ecrins National Park.

The colourful pedestrian tunnel at Bardonecchia, our morning coffee and croissant stop.