The Julian Alps and Lake Bled

We made it to Fantasyland in Slovenia. When we arrived at Lake Bled, it had that high-Alpine feeling to it. We couldn't see the majesty of the mountains but we could feel that small village feeling we would expect from a Walt Disney movie. We even encountered several accordion players adding to the mood.

We drove in by rental car from Pula and were happy to get off of the freeway. Construction provided our entertainment while we were stopped. In most cases, on one-lane roads, we were stopped by a non-manned traffic light that we trusted would eventually turn to some shade of green that allowed us to proceed. When there was no construction, we were usually warned that the road was narrow and we just had to watch for the oncoming cars and make sure we were ready to give up half of the one lane and it always seemed to work. A few times it worked by one of us backing into a space that was wider. 

Triglav National Park is almost 4% of the land area of Slovenia. Similar to the Rockies with dense tree forest of evergreens but with the addition of Chestnut trees and other hardwoods. At 2,864 meters high (9,386 feet) Mt Triglav is the highest peak in the Julian Alps and in Slovenia. It is a national symbol. We know the elevation doesn't match the Rockies in height about sea level, but the rise from the valley floors is equally impressive and at 46 degrees latitude, equal with Bismarck ND, the winters are hard enough.

The word of the day is surreal! Arriving in early May, the trees are full of leaves and everything is green. There are a few natural high-alpine lakes such as Lake Bled that look like props for a movie. We look out our window and could hear the von Trapp family singing to us. 

 

Our hotel in Bled, Hotel Triglav and the mid-lake castle

Our first night there we had a glass of wine on the restaurant terrace overlooking Lake Bled. We were joined by a young couple from California who had been there for a day and had hiked around the lake. They were well traveled so we had a great time swapping travel stories. They were living in Sacramento, but had previously lived in Denver as we had, We shared stories and once again sought out what we had in common besides just living in the US. For the next two days we kept bumping into them at breakfast and discussing plans and experiences. It was a living testament to making friends all over the world and keeping a smile on your face. Here's a toast to Kelsey and Helen!.  

Our one full day in Triglav we chose to use it to drive over Vršič Pass. We thought it would be easy, but in just getting to the park, we headed down the wrong road more than once. U-Turns and detours were our middle name. When we finally got onto the road to the pass, also known as the Russian Road (Ruska Cesta) in memory of the soldiers who built it, we met some of the toughest switchbacks and hair-pin turns we have ever seen. And we have seen some with the OMG road in Idaho Springs CO. There are 50 of them and they are numbered. We were glad we had rented a smaller car and although we usually rent standard shift cars, we were glad that they gave us an automatic this time. 

Our thoughts of the construction of the road went everywhere. Why would anyone have chosen to go over the highest part of the Alps to build this road. It turns out that the Austro-Hungarian empire had built this road in WW1 to provide support for their front-line troops on the front against Italy. The Sava River at the bottom of these mountains was that front and keeping those troops supplied was the only way to win that war. Which they did not. It was built by 10,000 - 12,000 Russian prisoners of war who were overseen by Austro-Hungarian military officers. Susanne's grandfather was a Hungarian general in that war and we wondered if this was one of the campaigns he was on. Don't you just wish you could go back and ask them about it now. 

And when we got down the other side of the pass, we had to decide... do we go back over or take another road. The easiest way back would have taken us through Austria which was forbidden for the rental car. The hardest way back was probably going the way we had just come. We decided, another road. And that road had its own share of hair-pin turns and switchbacks. 

The day had been full of clouds and some rain and fog, but the experience was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the Alps and we savored it. Enough words, how about some pictures!

Small churches in every town.

Our first views of the Alps

Not exactly sure what the sign on the right was about.

 

 

The Boka Waterfall, 422 ft high is the tallest in Slovenia, as seen from the car.

We saw this sign several places in Slovenia. The first time in a farmer's field in a rural area and we thought it was making a political statement. We came to find out it was a prelude to some coming advertising campaign. 

That little sign on the right-center is actually a mirror. Since the roads were so narrow and blind, everyone uses these to see around the corners and they work amazingly well. Often, we would stop, or the person the other side would stop so we could proceed down the narrow road. A really fun but stressful drive.

The drive, the stay, it was all surreal.

We arrived back into our Disney movie with nothing but a sense of wonder, smiling faces and a thankfulness for the blessing of being here! .

What's not to like about this place!