Lake Bohinj (Slovenia)

On the day we went to Lake Bled, there were hundreds of accordion players, both young and old, playing tunes throughout the day, to celebrate the start of summer season events. It was festive and fun. 

The next day we went to Lake Bohinj and it was a complete contrast- so tranquil and not filled with people at every corner. 

Lake Bohinj is the largest permanent lake in Slovenia. When we were there in May, the weather was a little temperamental. One moment, we were greeted with beautiful blue skies. The next moment, the showers descended upon this tranquil place.

We stopped along the way to get some groceries for a picnic. We spent some time at the benches and the only visitors who were intruding into our personal space were the ducks which were waddling around and waiting for some food to come along their way.

We came across a shop renting equipment to canoe, kayak etc. The lady in the shop didn't look too pleased having to do business, but that was fine by us. We rented a canoe and spent an hour on the lakes. We were the only people on the lakes and the calm waters gently pushed us along, as we admired the spectacular landscape around us.

Wildflowers are always my favourite. They don't need careful manicuring or tender loving care by humans. They grow freely and goes where nature takes them.

It should take around half an hour from Lake Bled to Lake Bohinj. If you are an adrenaline junkie, there is probably not enough to offer you at Lake Bohinj. 

Tip: Do find an appropriate parking spot where you want intend to stay for some time because I remember we were paying quite a bit for parking here. 

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Pizzeria Rustika (Slovenia)

We stayed 2 minutes away from Pizzeria Rustika and it came highly recommended by our local host- she said it was cheap and good! This pizzeria was a rarity in Europe. In Europe,  restaurants often told us that their kitchens were closed at 2 p.m. Here, they are opened between 12 a.m. to 11 p.m. and even offer home delivery!

After all that huge European portions we were eating, we decided to share a salad (it doesn't hurt to pretend to be healthy) and a main. We got a Rustika Salad (8.90 Euros). We were a little taken aback when we saw the large portion of the salad. It was a simple salad with lettuce, rocket, tomato, corn, ham, cheese and olives. It offered a much needed respite when we were getting too full with the pizza.

We shared a Morska Pizza (8.90 Euros) which consisted of tomato, garlic, mussels and squid. They were so generous with the mussels, it's as though mussels here were free. I had to constantly remind my husband not to finish all the mussels or the souvenir he would be bringing back from the holidays is cholesterol! This was definitely more than enough for two to share although we marvelled at how a girl at another table ate the entire pizza on her own. The pizza was decent for the price we paid.

To round off the meal, we got a Marlenka (3 Euros). The presentation is pretty bad but tasted pretty good. It is a honey cake, layered with chocolate sponge and there was a good kind of gooey in between. It might border on being a little too sweet for some though.

The waitress was very pleasant and friendly. Value for money, certainly worth a visit!

Pizzeria Rustika 
Riklejeva cesta 13
Bled, Slovenia
Tel No: +386 4 576 8900 

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Ostarija Babji Zob (Slovenia)

Of the various restaurants we went to in Slovenia, Ostarija Babji Zob in particular left a deep impression on us, for the comforting and beautiful food as well as friendly service. 

We ordered a Home-Made Mushroom Soup (3.90 Euros). Thick soup with chunks of butter and plenty of mushrooms with each spoonful made for a promising start. One could almost imagine an old grandmother in her kitchen stirring a pot of mushroom soup lovingly.

I am not a cream pasta person, so when ordering the Noodles with Spinach and Smoked Trout (10.20 Euros), I specifically asked the waitress whether it was cream base. She said that there was very little cream. I went ahead with ordering it and realised that something must have been lost in translation because it was a cream pasta! Nonetheless it was surprisingly good. The creamy taste did not overpower and they were generous with the smoked trout which was not too salty.

My husband got himself the Carniolan Sausage with Mustard and Fresh Horseradish (8.80 Euros). The Carniolan sausage is a Slovenian sausage and contains at least 75 to 80% pork (aside from bacon), and at most 20% bacon. It tasted pretty much like the German wurst.

Value for money and very close to city centre.

Ostarija Babji Zob 
Cesta Svobode 8
Bled 4260
Slovenia 

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Vintgar Gorge (Slovenia)

We were checking the weather forecast everyday and were hoping for good weather in Slovenia since the weather in Europe has been pretty volatile. 

We were lucky and enjoyed good weather at Vintgar Gorge. The ravine is located approximately 4 km north-west of Bled. 

These beautiful wildflowers welcomed us at the entrance. Entrance fee is 5 Euros per person. 

The gorge is 1.6 km long. What is the origin of this name? One interpretation is that it originated from the German Weingarten (vineyards) while another interpretation says that the gorge reminds one of a wine glass.

With the turquoise and crystal clear waters, it was difficult not to make comparisons with the Plitvice Lakes. If you are energetic, Plitvice is definitely a better option because it has more floral and fauna and offers views from all angles. That is not to say that Vintgar Gorge is not worth going. It is great for a short and easy walk.

A boardwalk has been constructed around the gorge and even if there are steps, there are not that many. For the adventurous ones, they can always veer off the path slightly and walk down the rocks where they will be closer to the water.

The walk takes around 1h-1h 30 min to and fro, depending on how many photographs you want to take of this picturesque gorge. This is good for a half day trip.

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