Saturday, May 15, 2010

Castles, the lake & some churches

Not quite so much breakfast this morning - we seem to be getting later each day!

Bled is a composite of old and new - of modern and mediaeval. It is a very touristy place with opportunities to swim, walk, bike ride, ski and gamble, all in the one spot! The two main attractions are the castle, perched on a rocky outcrop 120 metres above the lake and the mediaeval church on an island in the middle of the lake itself.

First stop - the castle. Here we had more than enough Japanese moments as several coach loads of tourists arrived at about the same time. The castle has been well preserved and offers a superb view of the lake and the surrounding districts. One of the highlights is a visit to the wine cellar, where visitors can bottle, cork and label their own bottle of wine for 12 euros. Liz, our gallant tour leader soon had that exercise under control. The manager of this little venture plays the part of a monk, complete with habit and a sense of humour. He regaled us with tales of Jennifer Hawkins visiting his establishment and, when he discovered that we were Aussies, he asked us to remember him to Ms Hawkins when next we meet. If only! A large part of the castle has been turned into a museum which provides information about the history of the Lake Bled area - from geological times through to today. Most interesting indeed!


After a brief coach ride, we were left by the lake’s edge and given 3 hour’s free time. Of course, everyone wanted to visit the island, so we all clambered aboard one of the small wooden boats which dot the edge of the lake and our young rower propelled us towards the island as fast as his aching arms would allow. These guys certainly earn their keep - one man - two oars - a heavy wooden boat - twenty passengers. You do the maths! Charging 12 euros per person for the return trip certainly buys plenty of linament for an aching body!

Once on the island, Jill wanted to do the Getaway thing where Catriona (or was it Jennifer Hawkins) glided down the broad staircase to showcase this quaint spot to Aussie TV land. So, it was with some initial disappointment that the staircase which greeted us when we disembarked, was a narrow and somewhat decrepit affair. After some deliberation, we discovered that we had been delivered to the back door of the island, not the front. All was OK when Jill finally came to the stairs she had wanted to see. However, it must be noted that neither of us chose to walk down the stairs (100 of them) and back up again. We left it to Dave, one of our intrepid Aussie travellers to take Jill’s camera down to the water’s edge and take a picture of us lazy ones waiting up top.














The old church is no longer used for services. Weddings and special occasions are celebrated, but the main attraction is the wishing bell. Inside the church, a long bell pull hangs down from the ceiling. If you can manage 3 rings with one pull, then your wish will be granted. Neither of us could manage just 3 rings and the bells tolled out almost endlessly. Needless to say - no wishes for us.

After returning from the island, it was decided that we had enough time to partake of a Creme Schnitte - a rather fancy vanilla slice from this area. Very delicious it was too. We tried to get the recipe but it is only available on pain of death.

We then boarded the bus for a longer journey to Skopje Loka, a well preserved medieval town some 20 kilometres away. This was a fascinating stop. The region was first settled during the 8th century and was ruled over by bishops for some 9 hundred years until the Venetians arrived and took over. The town shows the distinct demarcation between the haves and the have-nots with the lower part being the area where the workers lived and worked, and the upper section where the nobles lived and played. The difference between the building and the width of the streets is a clear indication of rich versus poor. Sitting above the town is, of course, another castle. This has also been well preserved and turned into a museum. One of the highlights here was a display of the birds and animals which inhabit the region - from brown bears to field mice, all preserved and looking very life-like.

The perfect finish to the day was the evening meal - or should I say banquet? Perched high on a ridge overlooking the valleys below, the resaurant served traditional food - from pates, to 3 different soups, the salad, to venison and finally an apple cream concoction that was too sweet for some of our Aussie palates - not mine, however! Needless to say the 40 minute ride home was spent quietly snoozing.

An alpine adventure tomorrow!

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