Bled, Slovenia, Thursday June 26th

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Alan had tossed and turned all night in the heat too, but we were off to Bled so we were all in high spirits. It is world famous as an alpine resort, but we found that it was the ideal combination of tamed and wild environment for a sunny summer’s day. Two very friendly tourist information people set the tone and we set off to visit the castle, high on a rock overlooking the lake. The pathway there wound through some stretches of forest and at last we saw a squirrel - the most enchanting little creature, peeping at us around a tree trunk and looking like a very intelligent and not overweight stuffed toy. I had been sleeping not more than five centimetres from his relatives when we were in Bosnia but I had never caught a glimpse of one of them then.
The castle itself looked just the part, and was set on the hill so that it would be impenetrable and it still was if you didn’t want to pay 3.5 Euros to enter (Au$6). We decided to wait and ask some people when they came out, and the verdict was that the view was very nice and worth it. Not to us, who would be climbing a mountain and would have our fill of free views, so we circumnavigated the hill top and then climbed down to the path around the lake. Really a clean lake is just the best thing, and clearly a few hotels and businesses thought so too and had fenced off parts to add slides and amenities to, all at a cost. But at Bled the lake doesn’t need anything other that the shady trees, the many inlets and clear swimming patches, the ducks and other water birds, the teeming schools of fish near the banks and the stretches of lawn to laze on with a book. We had lunch in a beautiful spot where springs bubbled up around our bare legs, cooling us off. Nearby there was a list of regulations that seemed extreme, and included no swimming, no shouting, no washing cars and no riding bikes. The citizenry were all out disobeying every one of the rules except the car washing one, and it would have been a brave municipal officer who tried to enforce them.
Our climb up the mountain was fairly steep and on tracks which were obviously running streams when it rained; we even found frogs on the path. Many birds called and we noticed different plants and took lots more photos of flowers. At the top we had a view that on the commercial market would have been worth 1000 Euros at least – all around the lake and surrounds, to the mountains in the distance with streaks of snow still lying on them. We stayed there for some time, drinking it all in, and so glad that we had climbed to see it all. The way down involved many steps and some near vertical sections, so it was very quick. We popped out of the forest at the lake’s shore and from then on I was really dying to have a swim. I had my swimming outfit but it was in my bag and to have a swim would mean two changes, without changing facilities. Finally I stopped to test the water and it was perfect, just not perfect for swimming at that spot. A little further on, opposite the church that crowns the island in the lake, we found the right spot with a stone wall for Alan to sit on and dangle his legs in, and partial cover for me behind a tree. Partial was the correct word so I needed to be speedy. Not so bad for changing dry clothes but it was to prove a challenge later when changing back, with a clammy body resisting the dragging on of clothes and pressure of a sudden influx of strollers on the path. But the swim was the best I have had for years – no waves, cool water, shade – and for me, no need to protect my eyes from glare so for once I had the opportunity to go underwater and to feel completely free. I convinced Keith that he should come in, which he did, but he was cold after a short time. At last one of the patient men was not so patient, and Keith suggested that I get out so that we could catch the five fifteen bus. I wish that we had arranged to stay at Bled so that I could have lazed around reading, taking dips whenever we got hot, and setting out on little explorations of the mountains and surrounding walking trails whenever we felt energetic.
On the bus trip back we were on the alert because Alan had seen a family of deer on the way up and we were keen to see them too. Of course Alan was right in thinking that they wouldn’t have stayed in the one place posing until our return, but it was still disappointing. At our drinks session with Alan, we decided to have a day of ‘whatever’ the next day, and to meet for a leisurely meal at seven o’clock, beside the statue of France Preseren and in the shadow of his muse.