Lightning was seen in the distance late last night and the rains began in the wee hours of the morning. By 8 a.m., a steady downpour had soaked the streets and the temperature had dropped about 30 degrees F. Although we were scheduled to meet at 8:30 a.m. for the ride in the pletna boat to the island, this was delayed by one hour in hopes that the rain would subside a bit. We were able to linger over our morning coffee, but rain was still falling at 9:30 and it was necessary to suit up in rain gear and pull out the umbrellas. 
The two reserved pletna boats were almost ready except for the several inches of rainwater on the boats’ floors. We waited on the sidewalk while the boat owners bailed out the water. After a towel wipe down, the seats were “dry”, sort of, and we boarded. Balancing passenger weight is crucial as we were instructed as to the side of the boat where we were to sit. The boat guy would do quite well as a “guess your weight” carnival worker!
Pletna boats have been around for centuries. The driver stands at the back, pulling the boat with his oars much like a gondolier. Our driver’s family has been “in the business” for 250 years! There are 23 boats on Lake Bled, with these flat bottomed boats running year round in all types of weather.
Going across the lake in a driving rain, the two people seated in the front had to use their umbrellas to try to minimize the soaking precipitation. Tony serenaded the group with the theme song of the film “Cinema Paradiso” – he’s been chomping at the bit to sing the entire trip! The “driver” backed us in to the pier. As we stepped off, we saw the famous 99 steps leading up to the church. The local legend states that a groom must prove his worth by carrying his bride up these steps to the church on their wedding data. A young couple in our group had been married here in Lake Bled five years prior and they re-enacted the trip up the steps. By the way, he made it!
The church has been a worship site for over ten centuries, although the present structure dated from the 19th century. Earthquake activity in this part of Slovenia has caused significant damage over the years! The church is also famous for the “wishing bell”. Visitors take turns tugging on the rope three times while making a wish. The altar was covered by a scaffold cloth (as was the bell tower) for restoration work. The church is Baroque with a side altar fresco depicting the circumcision of Jesus – quite unusual to see.
The rain pretty much stopped as we strolled around the church grounds, had a cappuccino, and did a little souvenir shopping in the adjacent stone building. Back on the boat after an hour, we floated back to the shore for our last free afternoon on the last day of our tour. We chose to stroll around the lake, a 3.5 mile path surrounding the shore, while others chose to climb up to the town’s castle or to ride the luge.
We met at 7 pm for the farewell dinner at Ocarina, a restaurant featuring Slovenian cuisine with some dishes having an Indian influence. A selection of hors d’oeuvres and beverages ( wine, mead) was waiting for us and a ten-year-old accordionist entertained us with traditional tunes.
Plates of antipasti, choice of lentil or tomato soup, Balkan (like a Greek) salad, choice of grilled kebabs or trout or pasta with truffles for the entree and the traditional cream cake for dessert 
filled us up as we conversed with our new friends. A contest of who had brought the most useless object ( the winner…a Fitbit charger with the Fitbit left at home) and personal anecdotes were shared by Katka. 
As the evening wound down, we reluctantly bid each other farewell as departure times varied over the next couple days. Many are planning to attend the annual Rick Steves tour alumni weekend (us included) and email addresses were shared. This group of travelers became a family and I’m certain that these new friendships will endure.
Camino Musings 