a lazy day at the lake

Today I had shin splints (something I haven't really suffered from since my lacrosse days) from my sorry attempt at hiking yesterday, and was feeling a little....not sick, but not 100%. So, I took a "vacation" day. I took a leisurely (but long) stroll from the train station to the lake, and, as I am learning is typical of Slovenia, I hardly saw a soul. It was great. I just walked along in the most beautiful of nature, listened to the birds sing, and sang a little myself. I've missed singing, since I can't sing in the hostels like I do when I'm at home, and if I sang on the trains the way I do when I'm alone in the car, I'd probably be sent to the crazy bin.
Once I reached the lake, I meandered around it, stunned at the beauty of the place, and the wonderful (and surprising) solitude that it offers. Having Robyn in Italy was perfect, I would have been super lonely there alone and we had a blast. But enjoying Slovenia alone, (completely and utterly alone) has been so wonderful. Anyway, I found a clean dock and read for a while, with my feet in the water that, even this early in the year, was the perfect, cool temperature. Never have I seen a lake with water this color (the picture below is no exaggeration), it is stunning, and it is FULL of trout. They are everywhere. Lake Bled must be one of the most beautiful, calm, quiet, peaceful places left in the world.
I love sLOVEnia!!


Tomorrow I leave for Croatia, and am suddenly plagued by mixed feelings. Slovenia and Croatia are the parts of my trip that I looked forward to the most (and Slovenia surely hasn't disappointed those hopes), but then...all I have left is Spain and Portugal. In Spain, I must briefly return to real life and responsibility in order to get some work done for my thesis, and then Portugal and then...IT'S ALL OVER!
What the devil (as James would say), where did the time go?