Stunning Slovenia- Easter 2011

For the Easter break we headed away to Slovenia with our friends Tom, Kathryn and Bridget. We flew into Ljubjana (the Capital) and hired a car down to Lake Bled which was only a short 30min drive away. Lake Bled was very 'Queenstown' like... a small town based on a stunning lakeside with great cafes and restaurants. The lake itself is very small but very calm, whilst we were there they had rowing races on it and it is the venue for the world rowing champs to be held in July. After a couple of nights in Lake Bled we drove down to the coast to Piran a seaside town which everyone who had been, claimed it was just like Croatia but without the price tag. Slovenia massively over delivered the scenery is amazing, its cheap and everything is so easy.

Above- A gondola boat in transit to the island in the middle of the lake, to the top of the picture you can see the Castle which overlooks the lake and the wider Lake Bled area.

Nadia and I posing in front of one of the many stunning sunsets we saw whilst we were there.

On the opposite side of the lake to the castle there is a chairlift that takes you up the mountain and you can then luge down! Good views and fast ride down- what more could you ask for.

Snacking lake side whilst we watch the sun go down....

Slovenia was every bit the clean & green countryside that the Easyjet magazine advertised.
A short walk from Lake Bled is Vintgar gorge which has great walkway access through the entire gorge and great sights to boot.

Tom and I relax after the walk through the Vintgar gorge

We have eaten some Calamari in our travels... it tends to be a dish we use as a benchmark for eating in each country. I think we ate Calamari everyday in Slovenia and I am pleased to say it passed with flying colours. The picture above is easily the most impressive display of Calamari certainly I have ever seen. We ended up eating at this restaurant 3 nights in a row as a consequence:-)

Above- The rowing crew prepares for our row across the lake to the church on the island.

I was a terrible rower... not helped by the fact that the oars barely made it passed my knees.

Looking back from the island towards Bled Castle
Tom relieves me from rowing on the way back... which was best for everyone!

A 30 minute drive from Lake Bled takes you to another stunning lake.

I forget the name of the waterfall but it was impressive...
There are skiing resorts all around Slovenia. Not being winter obviously not a great deal of snow around but that didnt stop Tom and I popping up for a quick look. The skiing facility at the top was excellent with plenty of lifts, restuarants and chalet accomodation- definately one to consider for the next planned ski trip.

Yes... thanks for that

On to Piran.......

The drive across Slovenia did not take long at all from Lake Bled near the top of the country to Piran on the coast was only about 2 hours.

Crystal clear water, nice restuarnts, sunshine, good Calamari & cheap beer- now thats my kind of town.

High above the hill in Piran is the original Castle walls that you are able to climb up and get stunning views over the town... see below.

Doc (Katryn), Bridget & Nadia

The view from our hotel window- overlooking the square in the centre of Piran

Stockholm, Sweden- March 2011

Unbeknown to us Stockholm is still freezing in late March (quite literally). Shortly after finding out this information via our friends at Google, Nadia's desire to explore another part of Scandinavia waned. By 3 days Nadia decided that she did not want to go so I would be left to explore without her and would be the 3rd wheel with our Friends James & Peta. Shortly after this decision she promptly downgraded my accommodation sending me to bunk with randoms in a 4 bed hostel! (I would however have the last laugh- more on this later).

Above- One of the many harbours within Stockholm.
Above & below- I didn't think salt water could freeze, how I wrong I was..
Above- Hutchy and Peta, my travel companions for the weekend.

Above- The Vasa. A 300 year old ship that they managed to dredge up from the mud at the bottom of the harbour. The patient Swedes took over 10 years to restore it and now its on show for all to view. The ill fated Vasa didn't do to well even at the peak of its powers sailing for less than a nautical mile before sinking because someone hadn't done the maths properly on the weight balancing.

Above- Hutchy and I lap up some Scandinavian sunshine.

Above- The frozen harbour!

No commentary on this picture, but now feels like an apt time to explain the sleeping arrangements in Stockholm. Having been ditched by Nadia and downgraded to sharing a hostel (I missed the chance to cancel the booking by less than a couple of hours) I faced 1 night with a room with 3 randoms and then I was going to high tail it out of there and stay at Hutchy and Petas hotel. Having picked up my sheets and making my bed earlier I returned to the room later in the day to find the smallest men's shoes in the world on the floor.... then I saw a bra on the other bed! I deduced that I had been put into a room with 3 girls, so I texted Nadia for some advice!... there was then a knock on the door and in strolls 3 Swedish ladies. Expecting screams and 'what are you doing in my room!' I was instead greeted with polite introductions and an offer for some drinks and to a party later. I promptly apologised and explained that my wife had booked the room and there must have been some sort of mix up to which they replied 'no this is what we do in Sweden'! C'est la vie, Karma manifests itself in so many ways.

Above- shots from the boat cruise we went on around the harbour. We didn't stay outside long, it is possibly the coldest I have been in my life.

The palace with its Royal guards.