Bled : Going Home

Craft Stall, Bled, Slovenia
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A major benefit for getting a flight from Saltsburg today is that we don’t have to leave Bled until 1pm. This means we can get up late (and we do), have a leisurely breakfast (and we do) before taking that last opportunity to see the town and spend our remaining euros (and we do!). We stop by a rather impressive civic building at the very head of the lake, with the word BLED spelt out in red flowers in front. I’m really taken with the frieze that’s painted beneath the roof and want to take some photographs of it. I do this whilst Y studies her new camera’s instruction manual.

View from our Balcony, Hotel Jadran, Bled, Slovenia
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The day before yesterday I had discovered a mystery setting on her camera that seemed to help me take some good shots with it. I thought it was probably an automatic setting, whereas Y had been trying to use it manually – she’s a proper photographer, not just a happy snapper like me. When I finally get back to her she’s had enough, unable to find any mention of it. She’s even more fed up when in two minutes I’ve found a whole chapter dedicated to its use – apparently she missed it because it said it was for beginners!

We’ve been here a whole week, I think we should have statue!

Detail of Frieze on Civic Building, Bled, Slovenia
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We notice that we’ve been sitting on a fountain that was built to celebrate a European Union summit. The dates of this historic event are recorded on the monument, 30 June – 1 July 2002. “Hang on, that’s just two days!” Amazingly the building seems to have been renovated, and this fountain dedicated, for effectively a one night stay. We’ve been here a whole week, I think we should have statue!

Wandering on through this pretty little park beside the lake we spot a squirrel on the ground running towards us. Y assumes it’s a grey squirrel like the ones at home, but of course these are invaders from America. It’s actually dark brown with a pure white bib under its chin, but sadly it’s too fast for us to get a picture (even on automatic).

Fountain Commemorating EU Summit, Bled, Slovenia
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Just as we round the corner and reach the shop I’m heading for, we are stopped in our tracks by the sight of a little craft fair in the park opposite. Now this looks like the perfect shopping opportunity, I may yet be bringing something back for my family!

In the end we both manage to spend our leftover currency. I get a necklace of wooden beads for my brother and a pretty little hand decorate bowl … for myself. Y goes nuts buying bits and pieces and a very pretty handmade necklace … for herself. Apparently she wouldn’t have bought the chicken yesterday if she’d known about this, “ah well I can do without food for a couple of days!” she jokes (I hope).

Alpine Countryside, Austria
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My bowl is from the stall owned by the little shop I wanted to visit but we still go in just to see what else they have. I decide to forgo the usual collectable thimble for my mum and instead get her a china bell with a painting of the church on it. Goodness knows how I’m going to get all this home in one piece. We finally call it a day and head back to the hotel to claim our bags and try to stuff the last of our purchases in. I literally don’t have any gaps by the time I’ve finished with my hand luggage and frankly I daren’t open my suitcase again for fear of not being able to close it. One day I really will get to grips with this travelling light idea.

Walking to the Airplane, Salzburg Airport, Austria
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The coach trip is very pleasant, just us and the sisters, Marion and Barbara. We spend the journey chatting away, comparing notes about our trip and gently ribbing each other. It’s also an awful lot cooler, particularly when we stop for a break somewhere in the Austrian Alps.

The airport is really incredibly small and we have absolutely no problems checking in. We literally have a desk each. It’s only as we turn to leave that we realise that an entire coach load of Thompson holidaymakers have followed us in. A few minutes later and we would have had to queue! Now we just have an hour and a half to kill wandering around the small number of shops, still I expect dad will like his Sound of Music calendar.

I’ve really enjoyed my stay in Slovenia. I’ve loved the friendliness of the people and ease with which everyone seems to speak or understand English and put up with our pathetic efforts to speak Slovenian. Although the heat did affect some of the things we had planned to do, it did enable us to experience swimming in a glacial lake. It also helped us to appreciate a country where 70% of it is covered in cool, shady forests (you see I do listen to those travel guides). One day, maybe in spring or autumn, I hope I’ll get the chance to come back. And I’ll spend my time climbing hills, walking in the forest and just maybe having a go on the toboggan run above our hotel!