Today we drove to Bled. Bled is a small town famous for its picturesque castle, Lake Bled and its church on an island in the middle of the lake. The town was busy with tourists, even though it’s the off season and traffic congestion was an issue. Bled is also known for a cake named after it, the Bled Cream Cake. It is a custard and chantilly cream cake with layers of puff pastry.
We visited the historic Bled Castle, the oldest in Slovenia, high on the cliff, with stunning views of the island church, emerald lake and town. It is a national cultural monument with a long and varied history with many changes in ownership and cultures. The first mention of the castle dates back to 1011 and has undergone many changes and renovations over the years. It has a replica Gutenberg-style press, a Gothic chapel, and a museum with a focus on the Slavic pilgrimage, an insight into the cultural roots of Slovenia. The very first printed book in the Slovenian language originated right there, laying the foundation for Slovenian literacy and the revolution in information dissemination and education. On the outside wall near the entrance to the museum is the Castle vine. It is a descendant of the world's oldest grapevine (450 Years old) from Maribor. It was a very informative and fascinating visit.
It started to rain so we abandoned our plan to walk through town and around the lake. Instead we headed back to our hotel for a bit of rest before supper.
For supper, Ed had Istrian (Jota) Stew, from a region in Slovenia. It was filled with vegetable broth, beans, cabbage, potatoes and sausage. I had pulled pork and we shared a mixed salad. The salads typically only come with oil and vinegars.Read more
April 16 in Slovenia