Bled, Bohinj, swans and gorges

It's pouring rain here in Bohinj and not only is there nothing much to do, there isn't even really in indoor space to be or a sidewalk to walk on. I wrote in my journal earlier today... "... we're sitting in a patio restaurant under huge umbrellas that the water sprinkles around the edges of. The mountains rise up, covered in dark green trees, from the lake and the water is a clear light blue. I see fish. I wonder if it is even more beautiful today in the rain, shrouded in rain clouds, than on a clear day." We watch people, little families, paddling around the lake under the rain in canoes and kayaks. Karolina wanted to do that too, but I think I and the literally pouring rain discouraged her a little.

So, yes, we found each other again. While we had both said to meet in the city center, she decided it made more sense to wait at the bus station. But I checked at the bus station. We figured out much later, that she had actually been waiting at some random bus stop, where it would never have occurred to me to check. But we found each other again when I was walking around the lake and I saw Bruno and Mario swimming naked in the lake. (Actually, Mario was clothed and on the shore, but Bruno was naked, which was a little disturbing.)

But between that time and my last entry I wandered around the town of Bled and then went for a swim in the lake. There was also an open water swimming race, which I accidentally almost got in the way of. The water was lovely and the place I swam included a water slide. So, I and about 15 little children ran up the stairs and then slide down the slide over and over creating a trail of little wet pitter pattering feet.

For no particular reason I decided to go for a walk after my swim and that's when I found the Italians. Karolina was walking around the lake with this Slovenian man we are hoping she will someday marry who she had met in Ljubljiana.

So, they checked into the hostel and then we all went out for pizza.

The next day we all took the short hike up to the castle on top of the hill overlooking the lake. It would be a lovely place to live, but now it includes an exhibition on its own history and various other gimmicks like a cellar where you bottle your own wine and an artist studio where they sell color photocopies as if they are originals.

Bruno, Mario, and Karolina left for more remote places, and I spent my afternoon rafting. A couple of gorgeous blond English girls befriended me so that I wasn't completely alone and the other people on our 8-person raft included 3 Dutch swimmers from the previous days open water race. The river was tame, and the tour was definitely a packaged deal as our guide intentionally made us run into rocks and tried to get us the tip the boat over at one point, just for the excitement. We went down the rider with a group of about 10 rafts -- they must be making a killing. We also "body surfed" and swam alongside the raft for a while too. At the end there was a point where we were programmed to jump off a bridge 3 m above the river, but I just couldn't make myself get back in that freezing cold water again (even with a wet suit), plus I was worried about losing one of my (disposable) contacts like I almost did the previous day, but the bottom line is that I wimped out.

After that I walked around the lake (6 km), which was so pretty. One of my favorite things about it was these 2 baby swans that swam around with their mother. They are so awkward and while they swim fine, the don't walk fine, and when eating the glass they just had to lie down and bc their legs aren't strong enough to hold them up. I took about 12 pictures of them.

The next morning (yesterday) I took a hike out to the gorge, which was also very beautiful and I took about 30 photos, and then the bus to Bohinj. Karolina send me directions to the guest house that lacked a name, street name, or number, but I managed to find it by knocking on ever door along the street where it probably was (there's really only one street). The place is run by a little old lady with greasy hair and dirty finger nails who also has a farm (really, it is a farm -- there are chicken and a barn full of hay in the adjacent building). I saw her raising a big pile of hay to the upper part of the barn using a rope and pully. It's 11 euro a night (about $13) which makes it even OK that it's raining.

While I was away from the group Karolina and the Italians fell out, it appears bc she wouldn't sleep with Bruno, and they are ignoring me as well for some reason. It's fine with me, but I think she's a bit upset. You know, macho Italians and all.