Log Thirty Eight – Lake Bled and Slovenia

25 September 2017

Our travels have taken us inland and away from the balmy weather of the Dalmation coast. The weather has turned from sunshine and warm days to overcast skies and showery days.

Some random observations:

Buidings

The buildings throughout Eastern Europe are of a very solid construction generally masonry with a finish in stone or alternatively solid stone.  This makes for very solid homes which are very quiet and warm.  Putting speaker wires through those walls or a new power outlet however must be a challenge.

The entrance to our apartment in Zagreb

The apartments we have stayed in have been recently renovated and are fitted out with very modern fixtures.  However they are generally in old buildings with a street frontage that gives no hint to what the apartment might be like. You often enter through large double doors into a entrance hall from which you then ascend the stairs or if you are lucky there will be a lift.

Train Travel

Village of Lake Bled

Customer service has a slightly different emphasis or meaning in Eastern Europe.   Our train arrived in what turned out to be our destination.  There were no signs on the platform announcing the name of the town that we could see, nor were there any announcements on the train.  A casual enquiry of a the conductor as whether this was our destination brought forward the exclamation ‘yes, yes, you must get off, quickly’.  Always good for the relaxed ambience of the whole travel experience.

We virtually threw our suitcases off the train which continued to sit at the platform for several more minutes.

Adoption

During our visit to Split we were invited by a young woman at a souvenir shop to adopt her and take her back to Australia.  When prompted she agreed washing and cooking for us would be part of the deal.  When her mother arrived she just shrugged off her daughter’s ambition to migrate to Australia; it seemed to be of no concern to her.  I think the young woman wanted to avoid going back to her university studies in the next couple of weeks.    I wonder did we just miss an opportunity for a live-in house keeper?

Accommodation in Lake Bled

Our digs at Lake Bled was once one of General Tito’s residences.   It seems he had many throughout the old Yugoslavia but this one he used to entertain foreign heads of state and other senior diplomats.  The villa is now owned by the Slovenian government and its a very comfortable place to stay; very old school.   The hotel has retained some of the old charm including doors  that you lock with a key.  Imagine a modern hotel where you used a key to lock your door.  Our suite included an entrance hall, a bedroom, lounge and bathroom.

Lake Bled

Lake Bled is located within the Julian Alps or so they say.  Our time at Lake Bled aligned with a weather pattern  that ensured the mountains were covered in cloud and the days were wet and cool.  These are the risks you face when travelling for several weeks, the weather is never going to be perfect.

More to come as the adventure continues…….