Ski resort and Lake Bohinj
sLOVEnia! The only country where the word "love" is in the name.
Unfortunately, it is not often considered by our tourists as an object of visiting. I, too, got there by accident. We were going to go to Lake Garda, to Italy. But one evening, while browsing Google Maps, I discovered a large mountain lake in Slovenia.
In Italy, I have already been. But in Slovenia. . .
This is an amazing country! Over 10.000 caves; it is known for its winemaking; there are a lot of forest and mountain paths; the film "The Chronicles of Narnia" was filmed there, thanks to the amazing nature; there are many black bears and dragons in the country; there are many inexpensive ski resorts and the largest ski jump.
Hooray, I'm on my way! I want to dance at festivals, race on skis, eat forest honey with my hands and drink wine from wooden mugs!
From the Crimea, it is difficult to get there. And I have a Ukrainian passport, which means I need to go through checkpoints, etc.
What pleasantly surprised me during the first hours of driving around Slovenia was the quality of the roads. As well as the surrounding forests around. And prices. In some village, we bought coffee and tea, paying 2.5 €.
In Switzerland, a cup of coffee costs 6 Swiss francs, and they are more expensive than a dollar.
After this stop, our adventures began in this country.
The navigator in the rented car showed 100 km to the lake. We did not book a hotel, because we decided to travel according to the principle: - where the night falls, we sleep there.
The road turned out to be a continuous serpentine. More than 20 km per hour - it was impossible to go. One lane, rocks on the left, and a cliff on the right. After two hours of tedious driving, we ran into a road being repaired. What unpleasantly struck, in this country - no one will open the door to you, his house! Even if there is a car standing next to it and smoke is coming. . .
We didn't have the Internet. Diesel ended, around the forest. Late autumn, it is cold in the mountains and it gets dark early. By morning it was really cold. There are no oncoming and passing cars. We tried three more times to knock on houses. To find out where to go. But it's useless. Nobody opened. Finally, we reached a more or less busy road. They waved their hands, but no one stopped. Then my friend parked the car across the road. It was impossible to go around it! And now, happiness — Volkswagen drove up. And the man spoke good English. He showed us how to get there quickly, through the pass.
For the sake of such beauty, as at the top, one could endure all hardships. The firs stood in deep snow, white forests stretched below, and there was a resounding silence.
We went down for a long time. On the sides of the road, the snow was flush with the roof of the car. The heavy car did not move, but slid down, highlighting the narrow strip of snow-covered road with its headlights.
On one of the sharp turns, we saw lights below. . . It was the city of Slovenska Bystrica. Hooray!
We ran to the bank to change money. In the morning, we ate nothing but coffee.
The restaurant ordered local fish, fried sausages, bigos and potatoes. With beer! Delicious! And pretty cheap.
With weak WiFi in the restaurant, we found a small hotel near the ski lifts. They wrote down the address. We drove in complete darkness, although it was 8 o'clock. Mid-November. In the darkness, they knocked on the door at the indicated address. But the answer, you already know. Thank God, the door opened in the neighboring house. We were told that this is not the season and many hotels are closed. But you can find one hotel near the lake. When asked how to get there, they pointed with their hand. Of course, without knowing the address, we would not have found the hotel. But he himself grew up, in front of us, sparkling with lights. Lucky! It was Hotel Jezero. We accidentally ended up where we wanted to go - Lake Bohinj. This is a glacial lake, with clear clear water, at an altitude of 1.5 km. . .
The hotel turned out to be good. All wood. It reminded me of the hotel "Silvretta" alpine, in a ski resort in Switzerland.
There was a hot sauna and a huge swimming pool. Price, over 100€, per night, without breakfast. Will go. We also sat in a bar where a local resident wandered in for a drink. He began to treat us with vodka and cognac... Thus ended the first day of our journey through this amazing country.
To get to the Vogel ski slopes, you need to use the Swiss Air trane. The trailer rises to a height of 1.5 km in 10 minutes. 15 €. At the top there is a recreation area and ski lifts begin, already on the slopes.
This ski resort is the most famous one in Slovenia. Skiing, boarding, various tracks. 32 €, per day. The price is absolutely acceptable. And in its snowy beauty, this resort surpasses many famous European resorts.
In the restaurant, you can eat delicious, spicy hot soup. Below - a beautiful view of the mountain lake, with the purest water.
Since it's not the season yet, other cafes and many services are not working yet. But you can already ride. And most importantly, what air around and what beauty! After three days, we drove on. . .
What I would like to say about Slovenia. Very beautiful country! If you are looking for ecotourism, this is a great choice. There is a lack of developed infrastructure and services. Few people speak English. All the same, it is better to go, during the season - winter or summer. November is a sad month. But this is the time when you can talk to yourself, sit on a bench, under the rustle of falling leaves. Or just take a walk, holding hands, in the sleepy silence of the outgoing year. Love every moment of your life! And such - and even more so!
