Day 1 and a leisurely departure from Ljubljana by train to Lake Bled. With our transfer from the station to the hotel waiting for us on arrival at Bled, we were in the hotel well before midday. The hotel was completed in 1906 and occupies prime position looking out over the lake and Slovenia's only island. A stroll along the lake shore into the town was the order of the day, and with a couple more tee shirts, coffee and strudel we were back in time for dinner: pea soup with lobster tail, fillet steak and deconstructed pear pie. If it's going to be like this while we are here, I don't know if I will last the distance, or the hills.
Day 2 and a very light breakfast, sort out the bikes and out on the road by 10:00. As it was the first day, we opted for a couple of circuits around the lake. Having stopped to take a photo of some traditional lake boats, the Slovenian version of a Venetian gondola, Jean decided that she would wait until a tour group disembarked and she would take a photo of an empty boat and the oarsman. As I just did the classic lounge over the handle bars pose, I was aware of 50 or so cameras pointing in my direction all clicking away. Looking up I realised that I was in front of an old villa so I moved. Then they spotted Jean, who was standing to one side, resplendent in her Lycra, patiently waiting from the group to move on, but then some of the women wanted their photo taken with Jean so they descended on her and it was on again for all concerned.
Heading off to go to the Bled Castle, we missed the turn off and ended up well and truly in the next valley, so after a couple of bouts of burning quads and a photo op, we turned back and headed for home with a small detour to the Park Hotel terrace for a coffee and one, that's 1, original Bled Cream Cake. I'm told that apparently this sugar laden overload is to Slovenia what Pasteis de Nata is to Portugal.
Anticipation of tonight's 3 course set menu turned to despair when Jean saw duck was the main course, and for whatever reason, she does not do duck. I thought it was delicious but they did her a grilled sea bass instead that looked more like a trout than a bass, so the night was saved.
Tomorrow we are off on our first big ride that is sure to test our map reading skills, if not our legs.