Returning to Bled & Visiting Bohinj

It's my birthday and I'll be happy if I want to.... happy if I want to....happy if I want to....You would be too if your hubby whisked you away to a snowy destination for the weekend. (Yes I know the words don't all fit the tune!)

Louis took me back to Slovenia, Ljubljana and onto the Bohinj region as a surprise for my birthday. The Bohinj region is about 30 mins on from Bled (or €140 away from Ljubljana)! The villages, mountains and hotels surround a large lake that took us 1hr just to walk along one side.

It was a fabulous 3-day weekend. We started in the old town of Ljubljana and had dinner and wine at Julija restaurant, as recommended by a local we met on the plane. Traminac was the wine recommended as well - fruity, sweet and just delicious.

Our cottage was surrounded by the snow-covered Vogel mountains, which we chose as our first (and perhaps last place) to learn to ski, as one can only handle so many taunts from the 5yr old ski enthusiasts laughing at you from the childrens' slopes, while us 30 something year olds were being confined to the flats by the ski instructor. :P

Yes, it was humiliating but so much fun. I nearly died when we sat in the chair lift up to the mountain tops of the red/blue run. I had to hold Louis for fear of really dying and unable to turn my head to see the spectacular views behind me! I don't know when I became so afraid of heights.... but I absolutely loved running in my trainers around the slopes and chairlifts (looking stupid on the snow) while others lined up in their skiis - I'm not sure if they'd seen idiots like us before.

The views from the top of Vogel Mountain, (safely inside the complex) were breathtaking. I could see the Bohinj Lake, semi-frozen in areas in the distance. Louis actually booked the cutest little cottage that was nestled right under the ski resort without knowing it was there. For 2 nights we enjoyed seeing the thick snow-covered rooftops, standing on the balcony looking out onto our snow-covered garden and walking by the crystal clear stream under the towering moutain - breath-taking and unbelievable.

Mr & Mrs Spencer - 13th Aug 2005

Louis & I are now married. Yay!!! We had such a great time with my parents, my brother Anthony and my parent's best man Ciccio (from their wedding 30 odd yrs ago). We also got to share the occasion with our friends. It was great seeing Dannie, Stacey & Steve and Jess. It's so great you all made it over.

For those who couldn't be with us, I have to tell you the day ran so smoothly and was such a joy. We really wish that more of you were there with us. Primavera Bled really knew what touches were essential to making the day run so beautifully. Skip the next few paragraphs if you don't want a full run down of the day... But for the short version, watch the photos.

12:50pm It all started officially when Louis went down to the lobby to meet the guests and my dad came up the lift to get me. We then went down together to meet the guests and Louis & I stepped into the horse & carriage that was waiting for us. It was really cool hearing other hotel guests cheering and clapping for us when they saw us. (No-one in the hotel knew their was a wedding due that day!)

1:10pm After a couple of photos, we headed off for a 20min ride around Lake Bled to a gorgeous hotel called Villa Bled. Our guests went by minibus and met us there. Here we walked down some steps (after some photos) to Pletna Boat Bay and boarded the pletna boat. We got to relax and chat with the guests on the boat for another 20mins or so as our priest was stuck in tourist traffic 10mins outside of Bled.

2:15pmish After being rowed across Lake Bled and chatting with the English/American speaking priest for the 1st time, (who also in that time helped us compile our ceremony & asked our guests to make spontaneous prayers for Louis & I), we then walked up the 99 steps to St. Mary's Church. (Yes, Louis & I decided against him carrying me up the 99 steps as tradition would have us do. Who cares about superstitions really!)

Time now unknown Dad lead me into the cutest, most gorgeous old church with it's relics from days gone by, towards Louis, my mum & Stacey (who acted as our bridesmaid and best man). While tourists sat in the back of the church, the most beautiful soprano voice echoed through the small building while singing a version of Ave Maria which I've never heard but now really like. (The soloist was a gift to Louis & I from our wedding co-ordinators, Iztok & Ksenija - another touch they knew was essential to making the day perfect). Readings came next. Thanks Dannie and Father. For those who weren't there, Dannie stole the Bible from the lecturn and the priest had to subtly call for it back while the soloist sang another tune). Vows came next as the Slovenian priest handed us the reading cards to recite. Louis did it so well and I choked just a little bit as I held back tears & nerves. The priest wrapped an orange stole around our hands which was really nice.

After the rings and signing the documents (which has spaces for 8 children's names in it!!!), Louis & I got to ring the church bell from a long rope that hung from the ceiling. We're sure it was a prank bell though. We rang it so many times but couldn't hear a thing over the music and soprano. So we kept pulling the rope and laughing histerically. Outside, Iztok tells us another Slovenian tradition - each pull on the bell represents 1 child. So, we pulled it 12 times??? Looks as though we need another little book for the extra 4 kiddies.

Closer to 4pmish We got back on the pletna boat, rowed back to our hotel, got back in the horse & carriage and headed up to Bled Castle. It gets quite steep and the horse and driver keep pulling us along. Such a beautiful brown & white horse. We arrive at the castle carpark and begin the steep climb to the castle entrance. Iztok tells us to look up when we reach an arch, so Louis & I do. He laughs at us and tells us to look up at him (I love people who are learning English, he meant for us to look straight ahead! Just another laugh that helped keep Louis & I so relaxed and enjoying the day). Heaps more steps are climbed - in my dress & high shoes - till we reach the top. Such a beautiful sight of the lake and island church that I can't describe.

After more photos, we then have Slovenian Sparling Wine on the castle top. The waiter uses a sword to cut through the glass and pour. The 1st bottle done perfectly, 2nd bottle, two tries. Best champagne I've tasted to date. Nsdravija!!! is how we toast in Slovene. While Iztok went down to the Print House to get our certificate organised, we eat fresh prosciutto, rocket & bread. (We were a bit hungry by now - 5pm).

Lastly, Louis & I head down to the basement level of the castle to print our own Wedding Certificate in the old style print house that used to function from the castle. We're greeted by the cutest old man, who looked exactly like Gepetto from Pinocchio, glasses and all. So we print our certificate - which entitles us to as much free water from lake Bled - and finally head back down from the castle for dinner.

There's a photo on the Primavera site which shows a bride wearing sneakers to come down out of the castle. I did one better, I walked bare footed back down the steep slope to the mini-bus, and stayed that way until I got back to the hotel. A great look for the busload of tourists outside our lobby. Bride in dress, shoes in hand, walking to the lift.

6:30pmish Iztok had booked a table for us at the restaurant called Villa Preseren, outside as we've asked. We thought it was the restaurant across from our hotel but as we've found out now, it was across the lake from our hotel. Ooops! So we got changed, headed down to dinner, inside, as it was forecast to rain again. (I forgot to tell you that the sun did come out Saturday and it finally stopped raining. Iztok said that it never rains for his weddings and he was right).

So that's the long version for you. We had a really great day and great evening. Part of the party moved to the hotel room after the restaurant closed at 11:15pm. The photos are due to come shortly but you can see some of them now in our photo album.

Before I go, I have to say a huge THANK YOU to Iztok, Ksenija & Miriam from Primavera Bled Wedding Services. The day couldn't have turned out so well without the professional touches and humour that Iztok & Miriam displayed throughout the day. And also to Iztok's wife who worked in the background with all my annoying emails before our arrival. Thanks also to the priests for meeting with us and performing the ceremony. If anyone is thinking of getting married abroad, you must go to Slovenia and go to Bled for a truly magical, relaxing and unforgettable ceremony.

1 day to go ...

Timetable for the day:
1. Get to Ljublana to get petticoat for under my dress.
2. Find a nice bunch of flowers to make a bouquet.
3. Get back to Bled to meet up with Ciccio (dad's friend from Italy) and
4. Go with Louis at 8pm to meet Ksenja, Iztok and the priest for final negotiations and procedures for wedding.

Of course, it always looks easy but we always manage to get lost, run late and stress out just a bit. A 1 1/2hr coach ride there, taxi to the wedding hire place. No problema! But then, to find nice flowers and get home. Taxi drops us to a place where the shop is closed for the month. Mum & I became the blind leading the blind and stressing each other out as the clock ticks down to the hour. (Buses only travel every hour to Bled).

We ask for directions, we find a florist that's open, some really cool flowers that look like coral on a sea bed and then head to the train. Arrive at 5:50pm. Bus should leave at 6pm. We should be back by 7:30pm. I don't get to meet Ciccio but I'll be on time for the priest.

Si Problema!!! The bus just doesn't show as a nice Slovenian girl finds out for us. Next bus to Bled... 7pm. Try to ring Iztok from public phone which doesn't accept credit cards (I forgot to mention that we headed out with mobiles that don't work) so after hassling the guy at the Tourist Info for the 5th time, we use his mobile.

Finally, no problems again except that mum & I need to waste an hour. So into Mc Donalds we go with wedding dress, petticoat and bouquet of flowers. We arrive at 8:30pm in Bled. Iztok and Ksenija are there to pick us up and bring us straight to the priest.

Problema!! Iztok can't find Louis or his 2x witnesses to verify that he hasn't been married before. We still haven't caught up with Dad, Ciccio or Anthony.

No Problema! Louis arrives with Stacey, Jess, (Dannie & Steve in toe) and we all meet with the priest. All went well. We had to run through the vows in front of everyone. How embarrassing! We go to leave after 30 mins but the priest then asks for mum & Stacey to stay behind to question them about Louis.

What were the questions?? Stacey won't reveal much but she did say that he wanted to know if Louis had forced me into this marriage at all. It's funny how he didn't ask if that was the case in visa versa... we did start dating in 1991!!!

Welcome to Bled, Slovenia

We're finally in Bled, Slovenia. The wedding is in 1 1/2 days. It's raining cats and dogs but the view of the castle and island church are amazing here from the balcony of our room in the Park Hotel. The eeriness of the clouds and the mist make this place seem mystical and I'm more excited about getting over to see them up close on Saturday. Hoping the sun comes out though.

Lucky to have made it here alive actually. The original plan was to land at Brnik Airport (Ljublana the capital), catch a bus to the train station and then on to Bled because the Lonely Planet guide says the costs are too high in catching a taxi in comparison. But change of plans with the heavy rain.

We decided to split the cost of 2x taxi's with 3 English girls on their way to the camp in Bled. Easy. Louis, dad, mum & Anth are in one taxi. I'm in the taxi with the girls in a new country, and this old crazy Slovenian guy who can only say "No problema!" all the way to Bled, 40mins away. Why did he keep saying "No Problema"? Becasue before even leaving the airport, he smacked the flashy Mercedes we're in, into a huge concrete planter into the opposite carpark. Me in the front seat of course.

So, as I said before, finally here safely, after being split up from Louis, smashing a concrete planter, losing sight of their taxi and driving in the middle of the road on the right hand side with a bunch of strangers.

They're here!!!

More photos


Mum, dad and Anth arrived today at Heathrow Airport, 6:25am. As usual, Louis & I managed to oversleep and ran late in picking them up. Thank goodness, the M25 was clear. Lucky we almost chose the right the terminal to head towards off the M25, park in and walk into! (There are 5 terminals. They were in T3, we guessed T2). Even more fortunate for us was the fact that they were delayed in picking up their luggage.

Did we manage to walk the underpasses from T3 to T2 on time? And did we greet them at the gates just like in the film "Love Actually"? YES!!! After the never-ending flow of people (and the worry that we had missed them), we saw mum pop her head over someone's shoulder in the crowd and wave out.

They all looked so good and it was great to finally have the huge hugs and kisses from them again. Can't believe it's 6 months (hang on, no, is it really 8 months!!) already since I saw them last? Wowzer! So mum, dad & anth have arrived in the UK and had a dinner party with our neighbours in our flat and also enjoyed a game of darts in the hallway. Tomorrow we're off to see The Tower of London where the crown jewels are kept lots of famous people were beheaded by Henry VIII. We're glad you're here guys! Missed you heaps.

Just around the corner

So this time next week, I will be in Slovenia getting ready to meet the lady who has been organising the wedding ceremony for us and the lady who will be doing my hair. Trial is at 12:30pm in my hotel room. Going for a Kate Hudson look as she was seen at some award ceremony?- straightened but loose curls from 1/4 way down her face.

Louis and the men will hopefully be out and about looking for a cute little restaurant for us to sit down to tea Saturday night. It should be quite easy getting a reservation for 10 ordinary people somewhere.

In the meantime, all I need to get is a small tiara, top dry-cleaned and a different zip put in and small party favours. Glad mum is on her way to help out. :)

Sales shopping in London

I finally went back into London on the weekend and headed back to Oxford St sales with Louis so we could shop for his wedding suit and to spend my 100pound voucher at John Lewis. As always, as we passed Buckingham Palace, we were surprised to find out that something special was happening in London. It was the Summer Opening and so the place was swarming with tourists and people lining up to go in. Not us though. We were on a mission.

So after 35mins of walking through London with burning, blistering feet from my leather shoes - I still wasn't ready to jump on the tubes - we explored rack after rack of suits which all looked the same to me. Another hour or so and Louis finally found his suit.

Then to spend my voucher. Not as easy as you think especially when the brand of clothes you are after have tops but missing the wrong size in the matching skirt. But I finally did find the outfit to change into once out of my wedding dress. I've decided not to draw too much attention to myself or Louis in peak tourist season, so once we've had the ceremony in the church, I'll head back to the hotel, change into a nice skirt & top and then to a restaurant for dinner.