We heard the rain pattering on the glass roof of the swimming pool all night. As the last day we'd spend in Slovenja dawned, it was still pouring. We were up early and had breakfast before deciding golf would not happen. After we cancelled our tee time, we met Tanis in the lobby ready to embark on a trip to the Bled Island. Glen convinced me to join her as I really wasn't keen.
We walked down to the boat dock and instead of the open, quaint boats we'd seen plying the water, we were told to enter an enclosed, motorized one. Considering the weather, this seemed like a good idea. While our captain tried to drum up more business we watched the ducks and swans gathering on the dock. Even they seemed to enjoy the shelter the trees provided.
Over the previous days, we'd seen rowers out on the lake. There were permanent starting gates and lane markers near the centre of town. On this Saturday morning,we watched them set up to race despite the pouring rain. In 2011, Bled hosts the World Rowing Championships. The last time they hosted the games, in 1989, the country was still part of Yugoslavia.
As ten minutes became twenty, we began to think we'd have to forego this island journey as I still had to pack our suitcases. Watching ducks, swans, and rowers passed the time but it wasn't why we were sitting in a damp boat on the lake. Finally, the captain herded two others on board and we were off, chugging slowly towards the island.
"You have 30 minutes," our captain warned us. We knew if we missed him, it would mean paying double (it was 12 euros or $16 each collected as we returned to the boat so I'm not sure how they could charge double). We scurried up the mossy steps to the back of the Church of Mary the Queen. Its front boasts a 99 step staircase (built in 1655) where most tourists disembark. We took a short tour of the grounds then bought tickets to go enter the church (3 euros or $4). Inside was a gilded wood altar built in 1747 (the first chapel was erected in the 8 or 9th centuries). Hanging before the altar was a stout hawser. Tanis read us the legend of the wishing bell and began yanking
on this rope.
Apparently a widow, mourning the death of her husband, had a bell cast for the island chapel in his memory. However, a storm capsized the boat bearing the bell and it sank to the bottom of the Lake Bled. Devastated, the woman entered a Roman covenant and upon her death, the Pope donated another bell to the chapel. It is said if you ring the bell three times in honour of the Blessed Virgin, your wish will come true. We all pulled the bell and time will tell if our wishes were heard.
This bell-ringing also explained why I'd thought the church counted the minutes when Ruth and I walked the lake shore earlier in the week. All I can say is the Blessed Virgin must be very busy listening to all the wishes arising from her church on the Isle of Bled.
The rest of our morning was spent packing then we stowed our bags at the front desk after checking out. Our bus to the airport was at 4:00 pm so we had time to kill. We did this in Pub Bled having lunch and enjoying several Slovenian beers, first on their patio but then inside the warmer, drier pub.
Our driver got us to the aiport in plenty of time. When we reached our gate, the place was like a tomb. I guess being such a small airport, you really didn't have to arrive more than a half hour before your flight.
We arrived in Frankfurt at 7:30 and hunted for the shuttle buses to the airport hotels. We were staying at the Steigenberger. Unfortunately, an information desk person sent us up to the taxis. We've had issues with hotel shuttles in the past--once waiting 2 hours for one, so Glen decided to grab a cab. The driver was NOT happy when we showed him the name of the hotel. I guess he lost his place in line for a 10 euro ($14) fare so was a bit huffy about that. Still, he drove us to the hotel after we explained we couldn't find the shuttle buses.
The hotel upgraded our room to the Executive Tower and we had a very modern, black and white hotel room. The shower had two nozzles, one for washing and one that flowed like rain. Glass, wood, and black tiles were the bathroom's decor so I took pictures should we wish to copy this design in the future.
Having had a sandwich on the plane, I wasn't wanting to eat dinner so we enjoyed some Bitburger beer in the lobby bar then headed to bed.
Unlike others at the conference who had to rise early to catch an 8:00 am bus, we slept in and had a leisurely breakfast. I had roll mops, cerviche, and smoked salmon so it was a cultural experience. Glen enjoyed apple tarts and pancakes with acorn syrup.
Frankfurt airport was busy so it was good we arrived two hours before our flight. We met a couple from Ottawa in the line at passport control. They had been on a Mediterranean cruise so told us a bit about their time in Venice. Our passport official was very slow so they began to worry they'd miss their boarding time. At this point another Ottawa passenger asked to 'butt in'. We let him but that started a trend. One man said he had 5 minutes to make his gate so the chap behind us, also going to Calgary, told him this was the slowest line ever so try another one. The next fellow who wanted in, we asked where he was going. Well, he picked the wrong line to butt in as he was on the same plane as us. Glen told him he had plenty of time to make the gate so to go to the back of the line. The guy behind us added his voice to Glen's so the man quickly disappeared.
Before going to our gate, Glen wanted to check out Cuban cigars in the Duty Free shop. We never buy Duty Free but Glen couldn't resist the price on his favourite cigars. Doing the math, he figured he paid 30% less than if he had bought them in Calgary.
We met up with Tanis and George at the gate and Ruth and Tom were also there having changed their departure from Monday to Sunday. It was a good flight and I was even able to sleep thanks to the wine we had with lunch. There was a medical emergency on board that we later learned involved a diabetic who had forgotten to take her medication. It meant the plane had priority landing.
Customs was packed with two oversea and two American flights landing at the same time but we got home just after 5:00 pm so I made a quick supper and then we went to bed. I hate jet lag!!!
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