Finally a visit to Love Island

The 2018 Scientific Committee of the IWC finally lets up for a couple of hours and the day is pretty, so this provides an opportunity to visit the mystical island on Bled Lake. 

The Bled Gondoliers (an occupation that belongs only to certain local families) take tourists over in exchange for a fee (14 Euros at the tine of writing), allow 45 minuted to visit (which is not enough time but probably ensures that the island does not sink under the weight of visitors) and then return them to the real world.

The distant island from Bled town.

During Pagan Times, the island hosted a temple to the Goddess of Love (well one of them - rather like the Spice Girls, there may have been several each with a different theme and hair colour). But then the Christian Church came along and spoilt whatever the followers of the Love Goddess used to do out there (probably a little rustic dancing and a glass of sherry before bed time) and built not just a church but also - separately - a monstrous great five storey tower. 

They put a clock in the tower so everyone would know when their 45 minutes was up on the island (this also being roughly the time in takes to climb the tower). 

And just in case anyone was still having fun, the lovely little church is adorned with a huge picture of St Blasius being tortured with metal combs. This was apparently shortly before he was beheaded and earned him the right to be the patron saint of wool (because that is what metal combs are more regularly used for). 

Anyway, it was a lovely day and the sun shone on the turquoise waters and the views were fabulous. 

Approaching the island/

The tower

In keeping with the love theme, there is a tradition that would-be husbands should carry the lady of their dreams (or the woman they want to marry) up the 99 steep steps to the church in order to show they are suitable. 

This seems a reasonable test, although it is not clear if the 'fireman's lift' is allowed.

The 99 steps to Matrimony

A really keen husband-to-be might  also carry his lady up
the five story clock tower.

The island also hosts a swan couple who have very wisely built their nest inside a small roped off area. (As nest-builders go, swans are somewhat avant-garde, basally throwing some sticks together and then sitting on them until they surrender.)

Nest

Swan

Eggs

View from the Island of Love