Entries about lake

When we determined that we would be going to Lucerne, my priority was to see the statue of the Lion of Lucerne. Ever since I saw the one modeled after it in Greece, I had been interested in visiting the original. Once again, I was moved by the pained, somber expression on the lion. Mark Twain described the lion as “... the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world.” I have to agree. We didn’t plan to stay long in Lucerne but did want to see its old quarter. Much like the other towns of Europe, the historical Swiss town was very appealing. The high heat distracted us a bit from wandering far but we enjoyed crossing a few bridges and navigating cobble-stoned streets. In particular, the Chapel Bridge, a covered bridge stemming from several centuries back, was very appealing with its painted ceiling pieces depicting Swiss legends and long stretch of fresh flowers on both sides.

We had lured Hannah out of the house with the promise of a ‘day at the lake’ so I was starting to feel guilty when we had not yet arrived at the lake by 1 PM. She says we have this habit of getting distracted in Europe by the little towns’ architecture and scenery. Guilty once again, we made our way to Lake Sempach, a very picturesque spot a few kilometers outside Lucerne. Once we got in the cool water, all was forgiven (I think) and the three of us enjoyed a wonderful swim. The rest of the time was spent picnicking and gaming (not the video kind). Families and friends were scattered on the lakefront but it still wasn’t very crowded so we felt fortunate to be able to enjoy time away from the busy tourist spots. And making the most of the country we were in, we purchased a Toblerone despite it being a no better deal than in Canada.

We arrived back at our place to find that Abby had appreciated time to herself (scarce in the last few weeks). For supper, knowing it was a faux pas, we still persevered with our strange summer tradition and had another Swiss fondue. I can have that anytime as it is so good. Even though it has been such a quick visit in this pretty country, we are glad we made the decision to come here (Moe was happy too as he received yet another pin).

We delved into Slovenia's natural landscape today. After exploring the urban Ljubljana (I'm still struggling to wrap my tongue around that name) yesterday, it was nice to get a feel for the Slovenian outdoors.

Lake Bled is gorgeous, and has a perfect little island in the middle of it. An idyllic church and bell tower reside there, tolling every half hour. The lake is home to numerous ducks and swans, none of which were very shy. The last of this year's cygnets and ducklings were paddling about behind their mothers. The baby swans are nearly as big as the fully grown ducks, and they know it, too. We took a stroll around the lake's perimeter, and enjoyed the cool temperature, thinking back to our sweltering week in Italy and appreciating the overcast skies even more. Everything looked green and lush and alive. We drew out the walk significantly with all the time we spent taking pictures. Afterwards, we had a picnic lunch at the lakeside, and watched some fishermen cast their lines into the fish-laden waters.

We made a brief stop at Lake Bohinj, another beautiful mountainside lake just twenty minutes from Lake Bled. We popped our heads into a small chapel named for the patron saint of travellers, St. Christopher. People believed that if you saw an image of St. Christopher, you will not die on that day. I feel like they missed a chance to try for immortality. The paintings inside were unusually grotesque and creepy, but aside from that the church was quaint and traditional.

It look us less than an hour to go from forests and lakes to the centre of town. I'm still getting used to how small Slovenia is.

Ben awoke at 6 AM this morning, blaming his early rising on his bedmate’s snoring. I don’t think this can be true. I was there and I don’t recall hearing anything. I think it was because he was very eager to get a jump on the day as we had promised him we would go hiking today...despite the planned alpine route being one that gained 800 meters and regardless of the temperature estimate of thirty-two degrees. The impending temperature was actually why we agreed to get up so early; we knew we would need to get up the mountain early to beat the heat. Therefore, Ben woke Hannah and me at 7 and we were out the door by 7:45, heading off to the start of the path some kilometers away. Meanwhile, Abby elected to dream another dream.
The morning started with a temperature of about fifteen, which was perfect for setting off. The uphill hike took us under the cover of shaded woods, over rocky paths, beside raging waterfalls and through mountain streams and run off until we finally reached the first summit. There, we were treated to the glorious sight of the Tappenkarsee alpine lake, the highest in Austria in fact, with craggy hills rising all around, many with snow still clinging to them. It was absolutely beautiful. We stopped for a while at a well-placed bench, which allowed all of us to appreciate the atmosphere and me, a chance to dry out my wet socks (so much for Gortex boots). We only saw two or three others who had reached the location before us. Surrounding the lake was a level walk so we set off again, passing by two of the seemingly-mandatory ‘hutten,’ rustic restaurants meant to satisfy the thirst and hunger pangs of weary travellers. With such opportunities for repast, Austria makes hiking so very civilized. Many take advantage of the ubiquitous cable cars, network of paths and myriad of huts to make a very nice day of it.

The walking is therefore available to anyone really, regardless of fitness level or age. And, as the day progressed, we saw more evidence of just how well used this trail was. People of all ages, shapes and sizes either ascended to the lake via the trail or by way of the cable car. Germans and Austrians sure seem a hearty bunch, hiking well into their advanced decades; we saw one fit couple who looked to be about seventy-five just below the crest of the trail – I thought she was going to kiss Ben when he told her there was only five more minutes of walking. Ben and Hannah elected to forge onto higher ground so I walked back around the lake and waited for them to descend. Their walk took them much higher where they received beautiful views of the lake for their troubles and the opportunity to walk through larger snowdrifts, always a treat on hot days such as this one. We lunched by the lake, taking advantage of the cool breezes off the water as the sun climbed higher. While it did indeed reach that promised temperature, going downhill, and seeking shade from the trees and respite by the waterfalls did a lot to address the heat. Still, once back, we felt it necessary to stop by the store for sufficient lemonade and ice cream supplies to see us through the rest of the day.

The rest of my afternoon was spent getting a spa treatment of sorts. My husband graciously helped to dye my hair while I cashed in birthday gift chits for my youngest to give me a massage and paint my toenails. That, together with the ice cream, capped off a great day.