Out of the cold

The bell tower of the island church on the left, with the cliffside castle on the right and the Julian Alps behind.
The "Bridge Room" inside the lobby of the Grand Hotel Toplice:
The lake at dusk:
Robert and I in the lobby of the hotel:
Waiting outside the castle print shop:
The monk's pet charms the girls:
The monk has finished his sales pitch - now he wants someone to buy a bottle of Slovenian wine:
Two drivers and a castle - on the left our Pletna "driver", and on the right Rens, who joined us for the trip on the lake:
In the Pletna:
Half way down the 99 steps that Slovenian grooms have to carry their brides up during their wedding ceremony.
Nakkita rings the church bell for one wish:
So does Matt:
Michaela explains how pulling the rope makes the bell ring as Morgan is unsure:
The church:
Disembarking from the pletna:
Robert rows his crew across the lake:
Approaching the Otok (island):
Austrian rest stop means snowball fight:
Mr. Klassen looks like he's about to be hit:
Mr. Warner didn't really throw this snowball at Josh. Or did he?

We're in Lake Bled, Slovenia. We noticed the temperature warming up at our two stops along the way from Vienna to the border - we have crossed through some mountain ranges and are in a climate more influenced by the Mediterranean. The pictures speak for themselves - the sun was shining, and Bled was filled with locals out to visit the cafes, walk around the lake, and play in the parks. We were about the only tourists in town. My friend Robert, who arranges (and rows) the Pletnas (flat bottomed boats especially used on Lake Bled to transport pilgrims, and now tourists, to the Otok (island) and it's sacred church), also arranged for us to be transferred to a slightly different hotel than the one I had originally booked. The Grand Hotel Toplice is an elegant five star hotel right on the lake. Just a little different than the Eastern European youth hostels we have been used to for the last five nights. We had fun at the castle checking out the Gutenberg printing press (and overwhelming the guy that runs is with requests), talking to a monk who is very serious about wine, and enjoying the panaromic views.
Our dinner in the hotel was served by gentlemen waiters in bow ties and vests, and some of the students took advantage of the sauna and swimming pool before dinner, while others joined me and some parents for a stroll around the lake. A great day.

Craig