Slovenia

One of the best things about being here is providing the opportunity for our friends and family to see another part of the world…which, then includes, riding out the “vacation” wave with them! Just 4 weeks after my parents left, Reid’s parents arrived!

We drove down to Slovenia for the first weekend of their stay, primarily to cheer on the Black Wings…but, we saw some beautiful places along the way.

Bled, Slovenia is a hidden gem. I first learned about it after friends of ours got married there this summer. However, their pictures did little justice for what I saw with my own eyes (as do mine). This quaint village is situated on a small lake while surrounded by Slovenian Alps.

 

Besides it’s physical beauty, I was drawn to the way the town of Bled charismatically sticks to many of their oldest traditions. Our friends who were married there, hosted their ceremony at the castle that sits high upon a bluff overlooking the town. The castle is still run by a Lord and Lady, who performed Slovenian wedding customs. For example- The Lord uses his sword to slice off the champagne cork after they say their vows. 

A better example is then the bride and groom take a ferry across the lake to the church. The groom has to carry the bride up 99 stone steps before reaching the top and entering the church. Inside the church, the bride and groom ring the huge town bell 3 times and make a wish.  (So as you’d imagine….watching their wedding tape of all this was quite entertaining).

Well, we weren’t bride and groom, but Tom, Lori and I took the ferry to the church.

Interestingly, the ferries are another sacred tradition in Bled that has been passed down since the first families started the business. Now the men who row can only obtain the positions if they are heirlooms. Talk about a family business..

We asked the man working our ferry about the tradition and he confirmed. Then Lori asked him honestly, “So, did you want to do this; do you actually like it?” The man tilted his head as he considered the thought and in between strokes he grunted in his heavy accent, “It’s a job.”

We got to the island and I carried Lori up the 99 steps…kidding. But we did go up to the church, rang the bell, and made our wish (for 3 Euro per person…).

We spent the rest of our time hiking through Bled and eating an authentic Slovenian dinner, which included fish served with it’s eyes still staring at me! 

The next day we explored Ljubljana, which is Slovenia’s capital and largest city. More castles, more tours, more mountains, you get the gist. Don’t get me wrong- it was beautiful and we had a great time, but Bled was the highlight, for sure.  

(And I’m tired and want to go to bed). So, Gute Nacht!