June 2017
Because of the vaguest of family connections, Lake Bled has always been on my travel list. And I finally made it.
It was just as pretty as it seems from all the photos. A crystal clear lake surrounded by towering mountains with your eye being drawn to the tiny little island in the center. I loved that you can walk all around the lake – it only takes about an hour – and the numerous places to stop and enjoy the view.
I was very jealous of the people who chose to swim to the island – I’m not a good enough swimmer and I’m also very cautious about wild swimming when I’m alone. So I did the sensible thing and took the boat. Similar in design to a gondola, a poor man was responsible for punting me, and about fifteen other people, across the lake to the island. He was a third-generation boatman as apparently it is a profession that is pretty much only passed down through families.
The island is quite small and quickly walked around but the main attraction is the church that sits at the top. A small, attractive church where, legend has it, you can ring the bell and make a wish. (I did and I’m still waiting to see if it comes true.)
My time in Bled was all about the outdoors. Walking around and up and down and around. I never tired of looking at the views of the lake (and you should be grateful that I haven’t included all the pictures I took but I didn’t want to break the Internet). Oh, and the cream cakes.
A typical Bled speciality and so, so tasty.
Slovenia as a whole quickly became one of my favorite countries but Lake Bled is a magical place on its own.
Leave a Reply