What a surprise! I feel like I am in Switzerland, but the specialty is Blejska Kremna Rezina, a vanilla and custard cream cake dessert commonly associated with the town of Bled. We are located at the foot of the Julian Alps, a stunning Slovenian resort. The landscape is incredible, and for those who love outdoor activity this is heaven. You will find it all from paragliding, golf, horseback riding, hiking, rafting, mountain biking and of course skiing. There is a trail which took us around Lake Bled on a sunny, 70 degree day. The walk was leisurely and I welcomed the bright sun!
The charming town of Bled boasts natural attractions such as Bled Lake, Bled Island, the Vintgar Gorde, the Iglica Waterfall, and the Cave under Babji Zob, as well as the Pokljuja Raving....and last but not least the intriguing Bled Castle. No visit to Bled is complete without a ride to the island on a traditional blejska pletnja (a special type of a boat, please see below) which takes you to little Bled Island. Pletnarji (boatmen) are always present in the harbors around the lake to row you over to the island. We took a twenty minute ride to Bled Island (seen above) had a cappuccino and Blejska Kemna Rezina and thoroughly enjoyed the natural beauty that surrounded us. Not sure how our 65 year old pletnarji had the strength to row ten of us to the island but he seemed to be enjoying the exercise, and patiently waited for us to return to the pletnja for our twenty minute return trip to the mainland.
traditional wooden pletnja rowing boat
On the way to Zagreb, Croatia we stopped in Ljubljana, Slovenia where our guide Kristijan was born and currently lives.
His opinions and living knowledge of Ljubljana made the destination come to life in a real way. It is a fairy-tale city, complete with a castle and intriguing architecture. It is a vibrant university town with 60,000 students who have great ambitions for their country! Ljubljana has long been a cultural center for Slovenia.
Zagreb, Croatia
As we left Slovenia on our way to Croatia, we had to pass through border control - a process where we all had to step off the coach and have our passports inspected. We eagerly awaited our next hotel in Zagreb, the elegant Regent Esplanade Hotel. That evening we dined together with candlelight and good wine, discussing our wonderful adventure. This evening Lady Gaga was in Zagreb for a one night concert at the arena. There was a noticeable stir of excitement in the city. This was a big night for father-daughter, mother-daughter, and groups of friends who treated themselves and stayed at the Esplanade Zagreb after the concert. Many arrived back to the hotel around midnight (in odd costume!!), speaking Croatian and noticeably taken by the event. I did understand "gaga" in their excited tones. It did not appear that Lady Gaga stayed at our hotel, but no one seemed quite sure. (There are ten entrances to the Esplanade as celebrities will stay here when in Croatia.) The band members that opened for Lady Gaga, Semi Precious Weapons, were seen in the Esplanade the following morning, scaring the daylights out of guests!
Regent Esplanade Hotel Zagreb, Croatia
As many of you know I always rent a bike if possible. In Zagreb we had bikes brought to the Esplanade where we ventured out into the city. The concierge Radomir (Rad), gave us wonderful directions to a small lake on the outskirts of the city. Biking in Zagreb was a bit more complicated than in most cities, as many buildings in Zagreb do not display street numbers at all, or if they do the numbers can't be read unless you are on top of them. Unlike the states, street names change frequently. Tough navigating, but I am in it for the adventure and thoroughly enjoy myself! How I wish I had more time at the Esplanade Zagreb. The spa, which I had no time to visit, offered a Chocolate Dream massage (apparently the warm, liquid chocolate awakens all of your senses increasing serotonin production, the hormone responsible for happiness), or an Istrian Wine Massage. I didn't know that the secret of eternal youth lies in wine therapy! I promised myself a treat of this kind during my next visit.
As we transferred to the Zagreb airport on our final morning, our driver told us a story that made me particularly proud. On the outskirts of the city was a lone concrete building. This is the American Embassy and is strategically positioned as a strong symbol of protection for Croatia. I asked why it was outside the city, as most embassy buildings are in the city center. Apparently during the war (1991-1995) all of the embassies fled, except for the US Embassy. They stayed to protect Croatia. When the Serbs threatened, the United States flew fighter jets over areas of strong Serbian influence and made it very clear that the United States would not put up with an unfriendly attack. Croatians love Americans and will be forever grateful to our brave country.
Whenever I hear stories about the general dislike that Europeans feel toward Americans I am puzzled, as the story above is just one of the many that I hear frequently throughout my travels.
