Breathtaking Bled

Apart from the center of Maribor, I didn't see much of Slovenia when I was there 12 years ago. Now, without rehearsals or performances on the agenda, I was thrilled to have the chance to find out what I had missed—starting with a day trip to Slovenia's famous Lake Bled. 

The bus to Bled leaves hourly from the Ljubljana central station, and the trip takes about an hour and 15 minutes. Once we got there, we decided to take the 5km stroll all the way around the lake, which, according to various travel guides, takes an hour to complete.

Any European estimate for walking time always needs to be multiplied by 2.5 for Pinoys. We walk slowly, have short legs, and like to take pictures. Faced with a fairy-tale lake that looks gorgeous from just about every angle, you can bet we took pictures. Lots of them.

Even the most Amsterdam-like of weather (cold, cloudy and raining) can't do much to diminish the serene beauty of Lake Bled.



The tiny island in the center of the lake houses the Church of the Assumption. The way to get there is via a traditional rowboat called a pletna, but we didn't see any boatmen plying their trade that day.



I always have to tip my hat to cleanliness in a tourist area. In Bled, the lake and its surroundings are pristine. Look at that water!

I am not the biggest fan of walking, but the entire circuit around the lake was thoroughly enjoyable, especially with friends. Mimi and I were glad that the boys got along very well together.

One of the best things about traveling with another couple?

Having someone to take each other's couple photos in romantic locations like this. No more sticking your arm out for sad self-portraits!

I'd love to be here in the summertime, although I'm sure it's swamped. We got a small preview of what summer would look like at Lake Bled when the sun finally broke through the clouds in the late afternoon. Simply beautiful. 

When the clouds lifted, just like the curtains in a theater, to reveal the snowy Alps, we all just stopped and stared. Behind those mountains, by the way, is Austria. 

The Alps made a perfect, majestic backdrop to Bled Castle, Slovenia's oldest castle, perched on a hilltop. It was one of those fantastic sights that hardly looked real, like the clouds themselves were trickling down from the sky. But it was definitely real—and I'm happy to have seen it myself in Bled.