After last nights beer soaked shenanigans, it was a wee struggle to get up and see the boys off. But it would have been rude not to...and miss out on the hungover heads peering out from their lids! :-)
We waited a few minutes for them to come back around after fuelling up...and noticed they'd traded up for a faster model! :-)
But then they did eventually pass by again...and that was the last time we saw them before home.
A few minutes later Jim popped his head out the window and we agreed to head out soon so as to make the most of the day. The weather was looking to be great and we had a list of things we wanted to do. Whether we'd have enough time was another story!
Top of our list was a visit to the island in the middle of the lake. And the best way to get there - renting our own wee boat and rowing out ourselves. Much laughter ensued as we slagged each other over our considerable lack of rowing skills!
Jim was afraid of the water and needed a comforting touch! :-)
Jim holds on for dear life!
The views from the lake were lovely - the day had turned out to be a cracker and it really is a lovely wee spot.
Bled Castle
We parked up on the island just like proper bikers do!
Think ours was third from left...
The island hosts a church which you reach via a set of steps - all very picturesque and peaceful if it wasn't for the masses of babbling tourists everywhere.
Steps up to the church
We didn't bother paying in to see the church - twas nicer just to spend time outdoors in the nice weather.
Church tower
Church tower selfie
Cool keyhole and handle
Statue stuff
Great views in pretty much every direction from the island - there was even a wee bit of snow left on the top of the hills. This had me wondering about the others as the Grossglockner Pass website was showing it as still closed when they headed off earlier. Later on we got an update from them to say it had reopened in time. Happy days.
Sneachta on the hills
Even more steps!
One of the group boats
We hopped back on our trusty boat and made our way towards the shore - it was Jim's turn to row so I played around with the camera settings for the laugh. Watch Jim row like the clappers while Pauline calmly takes in the scenery!
Jim doesn't know his own strength and actually rowed himself backwards off the seat! I was raging I didn't catch it on camera. :-)
Once we found our land legs, we headed for the summer toboggan run. Basically it's a wee seat on rails that brings you down the side of the hill. Getting the ski lift up we got great views of Bled and its surrounds...
Jim gives us a cheery wave!
Selfie time again!
Tis a lovely setting
Coming down the hill in the toboggan my hat flew off so after getting off at the bottom Pauline and I trekked back up the hill to retrieve it. Jim waited at the bottom and laughed as I scarpered up the hill trying to hide from the guys working there. After lots of searching Pauline spotted the hat and I pegged it out into the open to retrieve it, hoping I hadn't been spotted.
We decided to head out for a wee spin on the bikes - destination was a wee waterfall and gorge just over the Austrian border. After riding through some lovely little villages we arrived at the border checkpoint. At this moment we all realised that our passports were back at the apartment. Bummer. All week we'd been crossing borders without even stopping and the one time we don't have our papers is when we need them! So about turn and back the way we came. We decided to go have a look at Bled Castle - we rode up to the parking area and it was 11 euro each to go in. We'd already seen better views from the toboggan hill so we cried shy.
Jim headed off for a spin but Pauline and I were booked in for a Thai massage so we headed back to the apartment. The health spa place was a 15min walk away and it was another chance to see the non-touristy bits of Bled. After only a couple of minutes walking we were right into the countryside. Awesome!
We spotted this cool looking barn and ended up chatting to the owner over his hedge. Lovely man and we would have stayed for ages only we were on our way to our massage.
How cool is this barn?
Loved this place
Only a few minutes walk from the hustle and bustle
Stunning views
We passed by lots of vegetable plots and non of it is segregated or fenced off - makes for a lovely open feeling to the place.
Love the way nothing's fenced off
Winter's coming!
In Slovenia they don't bale their hay, instead they stack in on these racks to dry out - we had noticed loads of them as we rode through the countryside on the way to Bled.
Check out the hay racks
The massage was awesome. At one stage I actually had someone walking down my back as it made all sorts of creaks and groans!
Afterwards we headed back to town and met up with Jim, Stuart and Aynsley for some dins dins. We had a reasonably early night as tomorrow we were back on the bikes again. Wo hoo! :-)
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