Slovenia! Already the first kilometers on the still impeccable bike path convince us of this small, likeable country. Lush green, rural, wild and mountainous are just a few adjectives that can be applied perfectly to the landscape. We are blown away by the karstic mountain formations on both sides of the valley, the wonderful farming villages, and the beautiful, wood-framed architecture. The ride is easy and brisk and soon we are on the ascent to Bled and the lake of the same name. Although the lake and the area are a very popular tourist destination, we leave Bled behind after a rest and cycle along the emerald green Sava River to Wocheimer Lake. Already the 25 km here are breathtakingly pretty. When we finally reach the lake, the sight of it really knocks our socks off. Possibly thanks to the white karst rock at its bottom, the water is crystal clear and shines in various shades of green and turquoise. The shore is naturally framed by white gravel and forested all around. The water is so clear that fish and various aquatic plants can be easily spotted from the shore path.
The wonderfully situated Bohinj campground on the western shore is large and fully booked with domestic and foreign guests, but always keeps a few spots free for bike travelers. So we look for a nice place on the wooded campground, jump into the amazingly warm water and feel for the first time like in paradise!
Such a nice place is perfect for a relaxed day of rest. Hang out by the lake, swim, stretch our legs, maybe read more than one page at a time in our books, squint in the sun and enjoy being lazy. Yes, one could and probably should do that here. Instead, the next day we torture ourselves for about seven hours on a completely overgrown path about 1000 meters up a mountain, try to appreciate the actually great view despite the hardship, only to sled back down the 1000 meters on a cruel, incredibly steep gravel road. The thighs thank us for this great hike with magnificent muscle soreness the next day. We make up for the hiking mistake with a very comfortable morning break the following day, say goodbye to this enchanting spot in the afternoon and after about 800 meters of ascent we find ourselves a place to spend the night at the top of a pass.
With plenty of elevation credit, the 60 km to Ljubljana the next day feels very short. The descent takes us through a totally picturesque valley and almost unexpectedly the rural area turns into suburban area and at the train station of Ljubljana we are amazed to realize that we have actually reached our destination. The destination for Laura and Thomas and a stopover for me.
We spend the weekend together in the pretty capital and I finally see them off on their night train on Sunday evening. Tears flow and a new stage begins.