Bled, Slovenia

On Tuesday we hired a guide for a nine hour trip through the Julian Alps and the surrounding area. Our guide was Tina Hiti, who conducts Eastern European tours, for Rick Steves. She and her family appear in the Rick Steve's Slovenian program. She is a wonderful source of information about all things Slovenia. These photos show several of the traditional hay racks. We wish that we could have seen families loading hay onto the racks to dry, but we were a few weeks too early in the season.

A scene of the Julian Alps.

At a coffee stop early in the trip.

Tina and Dick at the top of the Vrsic Pass. We toasted our successful ascent with shots of plum brandy.

Bridge over the Soca River. We crossed the bridge somewhat reluctantly, though Tina told us that Rick Steves enjoyed bouncing up and down in the middle.

A view of the Soca River,

Throughout the day, Tina told us about the history of the area, and in particular the battles fought in the mountains during World War I. This is a memorial to the Italian soldiers who died. We also visited a museum that displayed the history of the fighting in this area. This area was the background for Ernest Hemingway's Farewell to Arms.

A view of a village and mountains near the end of our journey.