Slovenia Tourist Heaven

After the caves, which were very touristy - busloads of Japanese - we headed up to the Lake Bled area which is even more tourist heaven - just what we try to avoid but we needed to see it!  I was keen to go to Lake Bohinj really as quieter and more beautiful really but the campsite there was so disappointing. Just run down and full of fat people lolling on lilos by the lake.  So we headed to to the mid-spot campground -Camp Danica which was the perfect place for children.  It was rather busy but then it was top holiday time, but we had our first grassy spot and managed to get some pegs in.  The children loved it as there was a playground really close by but we did feel a bit like we were on a busy campsite - which we were . . .  It was next to the river too which was great for stone throwing, paddling, lilo floating down the small rapids, dam building and deep swimming a bit further up. What more do you want when the temperatures are steadily rising into the 30s?

playing horses on the sleeping bags which were supposed to be going inside the tent!

stone balancing

The first day here we went up to Lake Bohinj and rented a canoe for a few hours.  I think this was the nicest day.  We had a lovely time paddling round and landing on a couple of gravelly "beaches" for a swim in the beautifully clear and not too chilly water.

Morning at Lake Bohinj

Checking out the hire boats

Katie at the front

lovely swimming

Always a bit chilly for the boy to swim

But he liked the whistle

We returned the canoe, swam some more and played in the shallow water and then walked to have ice cream and have a nosy at St John the Baptist Church. It really is an idyllic spot and although there were a lot of people it wasn't too crazy mad.

happy swimming

Inside the church

 Then we went back to the campsite.  Tiring work all this lolling about!


 Next day we drove the same way up to Lake Bohinj and then took the cable car up a mountain. And then a chair lift.  Always get as high as you can by lifts I say.  Obviously we couldn't walk very far and it was very hot but we watched some paragliders jumping off and walked up to a couple of mini peaks. Got a good view of Triglav too (you can see it behind Alex in the photo underneath)  It's Slovenia's biggest mountain and would have been fab to climb. 3 days.

practsing mountain walking

resting

strolling about

Climbing up to ring the bell.

chairlift

Hard work all this mooching about in the heat

The next day we went to Lake Bled.  Having 2 small children we wanted to park somewhere and not walk too far to the boat hire place but we did it wrong and the boat hire place that was stayed in the book wasn't, so we walked along the lake and then found a sign for a Labyrinth.  So we did that.  It was good fun and took up the morning.  Then carried on the walk to the castle but didn't want to pay tourist prices to go in and essentially have an ice cream, so came down, had lunch and found somewhere to swim! Cut my foot on some glass. . .

The maize maze

the bed to lie on and listen to sounds!

Bled Island from the highest castle viewpoint without going in

waving from the fortress

And then cooking dinner in the evening

 We even used all three rings on our stove for dinner.  Such luxury!

Did Lake Bled the the next day too and managed to hire a rowing boat to the island and have a jaunt on it and then row back.  All very nice.

En route to get a boat

Alex wanted to go on a big tourist boat (castle in background)

Getting arty shots of the island

Rowing

and again

Then in the afternoon we went up to do the Sommer Rodelbahn. This was one of Katie's highlights as she loves speed.  We got 3 rides each (with child on front) and had a great time.  The chairlift was, I am sure the slowest one in the world but the rodelbahn was super fast and on my third run down I was with Katie and she declared I was faster than Matt and we nearly flew off we were so fast!

Slowest lift ever

And even Alex surprised us by loving it

 Then went back to play in the campsite river on a lilo.

And there I will finish for now as that was the end of our camping jaunt.  We felt we had "done" that area and were heading for Ljubljana so packed up next day and set off . . .

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Slovenia! Land of Dragons!

So we have just come back from a two week holiday in Slovenia.  It was only the Land of Dragons according to our Sat Nav as it stopped on the border so we were "off-road" all the time.  It as all ok though.  We resorted to the old fashioned method of using a map and we didn't get lost once!  Back to maps I say!  Katie kept asking if the car knew where Slovenia was yet - er no.

Anyway, I digress.

It's only a 3 hour drive to the Slovenian border from us and so why on earth we haven't been before I have no idea as it's beautiful.

First we drove from Austria over the Vršič Pass through the Julian Alps which was jolly pretty but I wasn't driving so I could just enjoy the scenery.  We drove down the Soča Valley and camped at a small campsite by the river.  We did a couple of gorge walks which the children loved.

Walking up towards a gorge. Notice the gorgeous coloured river

climbing up towards WW1 trenches.

The waterfall at the end of the gorge

wobbly bridge

Soca River

Careful Dinner Prepping

We also had a BBQ on the rocks by the river before moving on after 3 nights.

Matt being barbiemeister 

After 3 nights we packed up camp and moved further down south to see some caves (Postojna).  We found a fab campsite in a forest near the most touristy but possibly largest cave in the world.  We stayed 3 nights here and did the mammoth tourist cave one day, and the next a cool castle with caves underneath which made me think of secret passages Famous Five style on Kirren Island.  The children love caves and had a great time. We bought Katie a pink cap at Predjamski Castle which is an amazing castle built into the rock.  It had lots of steps inside which were great for climbing up to see out of the highest viewpoints.

Predjamski castle

Stalactites in the Postojna cave.

And there I will finish for now as I am tired.

More tomorrow but meanwhile don't forget to look at ALL our photos (well all of the ones I haven't deleted!)

Click HERE to see more photos!

Katie turns 4!

Where has the time gone? Our baby was four years old today.  Oh how excited has she been?!  Enormously is the answer.

So, yesterday after we returned for a lovely day at an outdoor pool with a lot of friends, I made fairy cakes for Kindergarten adn Katie insisited on icing and decorating them all.  She did a great job and so they were all ready for the morning.

Icing buns

 

Look!

And my creation. It's what she wanted.

Pressies this morning and she was so appreciative and excited - even for the cards!

This afternoon I hosted another mad crazy birthday party with twelve 3-6 year olds, seven 1 and 2 year olds and a few miummies.  I was lying in bed this morning listening to the pouring rain as it had been doing all night worrying how to entertain all these people inside!  But the rain stopped just before 8am and hte sun shone.  It was a hot sticky day but at least we could go outside.  We played pass the parcel, musical statues, did a treasure hunt, ate food and cake and had fun  - I think!

Matt came home to chaos but once everone left it was soon cleared up and Katie sat and made up some of her playmobil stuff.

A successful day I think but I'm exhasuted!  Glad Katie had a great time though.