Introduction: Bled, Slovenia

Dobrodošli! Welcome to my brand new blog on the physical geography of Bled, Slovenia. My name is Anthony Ballas, I am an English and philosophy double major with a minor in religious studies at the University of Colorado at Denver. I am in my last semester at UCD, and I am set to graduate this December. In my spare time I enjoy reading, tennis, cooking, and watching movies. 

I have chosen to do my Geography 1202 project on Bled, Slovenia. Bled is a beautiful town in northwest Slovenia, about 35 miles outside of the capital city Ljubljana. Some of its major landmarks include the Vintgar Gorge, Lake Bled, and Triglav National Park.

Waterfall at Vintgar Gorge - Photo by Luke Price

I am interested in Bled for its diverse geographic features: the town is situated just south of the Karavankas mountain range which separates Slovenia and Austria, there are wetlands with lakes, rivers, and natural mineral springs, as well as heavily wooded areas and remnants of primeval forest. There is also an island right in the middle of Lake Bled, which is adorned with a 17th century church.

Soča River, Triglav National Park - Photo by Jill London

By studying Bled and its unique and diverse landforms I hope to gain an understanding of the physical features of the region, how they function, how they change, have changed, and perhaps what types of changes the region will face in the coming future. I am particularly interested to learn the ways in which human interaction and the natural environment have both carved out and shaped, and continue to shape, the Bled landscape. 

Assumption of Mary Church, Bled Island, Lake Bled - Photo by Ryan Li