Well good morning good morning from Ljubljana.
This is like the earliest we've been up and it is so foggy and it is kind of like what
is going on.
I can't remember a place where we've been sleeping in as much as we have.
Like it is such a good mattress.
It has been so embarrassing.
There has been a couple of days where I've got up at like 10 or ten thirty.
Yeah.
Usually eight thirty or nine for me.
Yeah.
But we got up early.
We woke up at like seven or seven thirty today.
And yeah, we're out the door by eight fifty one and this is our last day in Slovenia so
we've got a day trip.
Yes, we are going to Lake Bled.
It is supposed to be one of the most magical lakes in Europe.
So it should be fun.
We're going to make our way to the bus terminal and go from there.
Alright Sam, time to breathe like a dragon.
Perfect t-shirt weather.
You can see my breath.
Yeah, exactly.
Perfect t-shirt weather.
Haha.
Totally makes sense right?
Alright, so we finally got our tickets.
We accidentally walked into the train station but this is the bus terminal right here.
And um I just got one way tickets because I was put on the spot and I didn't know if
we could like use the return ticket whenever we wanted or if it is a fixed time.
So we paid 7 Euros and eighty cents.
That is only one way and yeah now we have to wait until ten o'clock because it only
leaves once every hour and we just missed the other one.
Yeah, so that is about a forty minute wait.
And for anyone visiting after us the bus leaves from platform number seven.
Lake Bled is probably the most popular day trip you can take from Ljubljana.
This is a lake that sits on the Julian Alps, and in the middle of the lake you have a small
island with a church - it’s about as picturesque as it gets and it draws massive crowds, but
first, the journey there.
Alright guys we've made it into town.
We're in Bled and we are starving.
It is probably like eleven thirty or twelve.
It was a long journey.
A bit of traffic towards the end.
Yeah.
So first things is first.
We're going to grab some lunch.
Food number one priority.
Let's do this.
It is always our number one priority.
So here we are.
All settled in the restaurant.
And it didn't take us long to start like feasting on the bread basket.
Yeah, they brought us a nice big basket.
It is really spongy bread.
It is nice.
It tastes really good.
And yeah, we've ordered some different things and we're so hungry we can't wait for it to
arrive.
Okay, so my first dish has arrived.
I ordered something that was labeled as Mushroom Cappuccino Soup.
So really hoping it tastes nothing like coffee.
Haha.
But yeah it kind of had like some whipped cream on top.
Give it a stir.
And yeah, look you can see the mushrooms in there.
Oh yeah.
It looks so good and it is so chilly out today.
Like I'm freezing and I don't know how Sam is walking around in a t-shirt but it is perfect
like soup weather.
Yeah, like I'm underdressed but luckily the sun has come out.
When it was foggy this morning I have to admit I was a bit chilly.
Mmmm.
That is really nice.
So the main dishes have arrived at the table and they are these massive portions.
They are really big.
I got myself the risotto with chicken and vegetables.
Honestly this is probably enough for two people and I've already had an entree.
So yeah.
But it looks so good.
It is really hot but it is still steaming.
But let's try it.
Oh, look at that.
So hot.
Piping hot.
So hot.
Piping hot.
Mmmm.
But it has a really nice tomato base sauce.
It is so good.
It is almost a little bit soupy to be honest.
It is like halfway between like a risotto and a soupy risotto.
Haha.
A soupy risotto.
Mmmm.
So onto my main.
I ordered a pasta and it comes with cheese sauce and salmon.
Ooh.
And again the portions are huge here.
Oh my gosh.
It looks like a bit of dill as well.
Yeah.
We're going to do a lot it is a good thing we're going to be walking around the lake
after this.
Yeah, around the lake and up to the castle as well so.
Yeah.
We might have to do a couple of laps.
Haha.
I think one single loop takes between and hour and a half and two.
Well, so we only have time for one.
Hmmm.
Good stuff.
It is really nice.
It is really nice pasta and we're almost forgetting your entree arrived.
Oh right I got the croquettes.
Let's try it.
What is inside?
Is it liked mashed potato.
Yeah.
It looks like it is hot too by the way you are chewing.
That is really hot.
Oh my gosh.
Hot.
I'm suffering.
So we are now done our lunch and since we are right by the castle that is going to be
our next stop.
But this is going to be a challenge because the castle is on a really steep hill and well
we just had risotto and pasta and bread and lots of heavy foods.
So we're going to be hauling our bodies up.
But let's go.
Alright and according to the sign it is only 15 minutes to the top so that seems manageable.
We are currently buying our tickets.
Yeah, they are 10 Euros a pop.
10 Euros per person.
And look at that sign.
What does that sign say people?
No drones.
We were debating whether to take it so we definitely made the right call.
We didn't bring it.
It would have been an amazing flight but totally illegal.
Bled Castle is a medieval castle that was built on a cliff rising 130 meters over Lake
Bled.
According to written sources, this is the oldest castle in Slovenia, first being mentioned
in a document from the year 1011.
The castle is set up around two courtyards which are connected with a staircase.
Once you’re there, you can visit the chapel, check out some of the exhibits, watch a demonstration
at the castle forge, or eat at the castle coffee shop or restaurant.
So you picked up something.
Yeah, so wherever I go every new country I try to get a magnet for my Mom's collection.
And look at the one here.
Oh that is cute.
She maybe seeing this before she gets it in December.
Depending on when this video is published.
Now we go up the defence wall for some views and some defence.
And some defense.
So we just finished visiting the castle.
Yeah we sure did.
Overall thoughts?
Overall thoughts.
The castle itself was really cool.
There was some amazing views but I didn't find the exhibits or the theme rooms that
particularly interesting.
I think you come for the views and to kind of just walk around the castle and explore
it.
Yeah, honestly I think it is a little bit overpriced at 10 Euros. 10 Euros.
If I'm being honest.
Seven.
We should lower it to seven.
Make it five.
There we go.
Sam is currently throwing a fit.
Sam is throwing a fit.
I'm not throwing a fit I was just telling Audrey like could you please try to film me
with a more flattering angle.
Haha.
It is so annoying when you shoot upwards.
Shooting up towards my chin.
He just finished ranting about me making him look bad on camera.
Yeah.
Right as this group of English speakers went by and they're all looking at him like what?
Haha.
After the castle visit, we hiked back down and started our walk along Lake Bled because
we were still feeling pretty stuffed from lunch.
Little did we know this would take us several hours to complete.
And so this over here is someone's house.
Imagine living there.
What a view.
Loaded.
What a view.
Yeah, they've got a few coins kicking around in the can I'd say.
It is time for an update from the man with the bright orange backpack.
So basically we've been walking.
I'd say we've done about a third of the circumference of the lake.
Yeah.
And it has been so nice.
Most of it has been in the shade.
There is a lot of families out just enjoying like leisurely stroll.
And I was surprised to see that there is some people living here and also that there is
people aside from tourists like there is fishermen and other people out on the lake enjoying
it so I'm really glad to see that.
I'm glad to see a bit of a local flavor to this lake not just pure touristy.
Alright, let's continue.
Just noticed a swan of love.
A swan of love.
Mugh.
Like swan.
What?
Haha.
That is love right there.
Je suis ready.
This is how I feel at the moment.
Just duh duh.
Yeah.
Yeah, this right here.
I can't even speak.
I think we've earned our sense of tiredness because.
Sense of tiredness.
We've earned being tired.
How is that?
Because first off we had a huge lunch.
Sam makes it sound like a reward.
We're being rewarded.
Yes.
We're being rewarded for being tired.
Anyways we're tired because we ate a lot of food and we've walked three quarters of the
lake and it is a massive lake.
And we climbed a castle.
Yeah, so now it is time for a little dessert.
Yes, so you ordered the local specialty.
And it is already here.
It is already here.
This beautiful custard sponge cake.
Oh my gosh.
Yeah.
And you've got a cappuccino coming.
A cappuccino to wake me up a little bit and Sam has got beer because apparently you're
dehydrated and beer is going to help you with that.
Well, it probably won't but it is going to taste really good and I hope it is nice and
cold.
Alright, so cake is here.
The cake is here and it is a thing of beauty.
It sure is.
So look you've got like two layers.
There is the custard.
Oh my gosh.
On the bottom.
That is so hard not to destroy this.
And then the cream.
Uh.
It looks look millefeuille on top.
Oh man I can't wait to dig into that.
And my coffee is here.
Look at that.
That cake is so smooth.
So smooth and so tasty.
Your turn to try the cake.
The local cake from Bled.
Oh yeah.
This looks so good.
Oh my gosh.
I almost feel like I wanted to order two pieces and no it is a giant piece of cake you won't
be able to eat it.
But it is so light.
The reason I do that is because when we order two you usually only have half so I end up
having one and a half and then I have a belly ache the rest of the day.
Good?
Isn't it creamy?
Creamy and smooth.
After eating our slice of Bled Cream Cake (blejska kremšnita), or Kremsnita, it was
finally time to arrange a boat ride to Bled Island.
While you can rent your own row boat to take out on the island, we chose to pay the 14
Euros per person to have someone else do the hard work.
However, if you’re with a group of friends or travelling with family, it’s definitely
cheaper to just rent a boat and row it yourself.
Well hello there.
We made it to the island.
Yeah, we sure did.
Bled Island.
Yeah.
It was 14 Euros and that includes your return trip so basically it is a 20 minute boat ride,
you get 40 minutes on the island and then 20 minutes to go back.
Yeah.
So altogether just over an hour and a half.
Yeah.
The other alternative was actually rowing your own boat.
And we weren't going to do that.
Not after the beer and cake.
That would have been a bad idea.
No way.
Alright guys so there is only two things you can do on this tiny little island.
You can either pay to visit the church and ring a bell and make a wish or you can spend
your money on ice cream.
And clearly we had our priorities in mind so I got caramel.
Let me try it.
In a waffle cone.
It is pretty darn good.
And I got mango and it is really good.
I've already been eating this.
I'm happy with my decision in life.
Bled Island is very small and it got pretty crowded even though it was low season.
Forty minutes turned out to be plenty of time to climb up, have a look around, and enjoy
some ice cream.
Okay so here we are guys.
We are having a quick dinner right by the bus terminal.
Kebab.
We found some kebabs and yeah the last bus that left was totally full and even not everyone
could get on so we're just going to wait another hour for the next one.
We also needed to use the washroom as well.
And you get the toilets.
The bus station was closed so yeah.
Yeah.
So we came here grabbed a bite, refreshed ourselves and hopefully we'll catch the bus
at seven and I think that is going to be it.
Yeah.
We had a great time here.
I should mention something to keep in mind is that the ticket offices they close pretty
early.
Like everything is shut down so I think we're going to have to buy the ticket off of the
driver.
So there is a tip for you.
Hopefully that works.
Back to Ljubljana.
Now one last piece of advice: we visited in the off-season and at the end of the day,
we found out there were not enough buses to transport everyone from Lake Bled back to
Ljubljana.
We weren’t able to get on one bus because it was full, so we waited an hour and a half
for the next one.
By then, more day-trippers like us had gathered, and once again, not everyone could get on
the bus, leaving a lot of people stranded, having to find a taxi or other alternative.
There was a lot of pushing and shoving, and many visitors with prepaid tickets were visibly
upset.
Because our bus was full, this also meant that even though there were several scheduled
stops on the way back to Ljubljana, we couldn’t pick up any passengers along the way, many
of them who had been waiting for hours.
Lake Bled has experienced a boom in tourism, but the infrastructure to transport people
hasn’t quite caught up yet.
After a nice day visiting Bled, getting out of there proved to be very chaotic and stressful.
Hopefully things will change in the future, but until then, know that leaving at the end
of the day can be tricky.