An unforgettable holiday visit to the twin city for cyclists
A GROUP of cyclists who visited Henley’s sister city Bled was given a special souvenir of the trip by the mayor.
Janez Fajfar presented a commemorative parchment to the members of Gruppo Sportivo Henley during his visit to the Slovenian city on the cycling holiday.
Mr Fajfar, now in his 16th year as mayor, said: “I love it when people from Henley come to visit. This is one of the main points of the twinning, bringing the two cities closer together.
“Covid has prevented many from coming over the last two years, so it was nice to see visitors again after this madness.”
Henley has been twinned with Bled since 2013, and residents and representatives of both cities visit it every other year.
The Henley Symphony Orchestra performed at the Bled Festival in 2017, and more than 24 members of the Henley Open Water Swimming Club competed in a race in Lake Bled in 2019.
In February of this year, a Slovenian haystack was erected at Gillotts field in Henley as a gift from the British Slovenian Society in Bled.
GS Henley, which has around 170 members, usually runs cycling tours mostly in the summer, with previous trips to Majorca and Italy. This year, Stephen Bennett, club member and president of the sister association, suggested going to Slovenia.
Mr Bennett, 67, of Cockpole Green, and his wife Magdalene have had a house in Bled since 2010 and visit most summers with their children, Henry, 19, and Scarlett, 17.
Mr Bennett said: “I was telling the group about how great cycling is in Slovenia. The roads are great, the tracks are great and the views are great.
“It’s no wonder that some of the best cyclists in the world come from Slovenia. I wanted everyone to experience what we were seeing. In the past, there were many visits by rowers and swimmers, so cycling followed.”
Fourteen members of the club flew to Bled on August 24 and cycled more than 500 km in a few days along a series of different routes starting and ending in the city.
On August 25, they were invited to the Bled Castle, which rises above the town on a gigantic cliff, where the mayor was waiting for them.
Mr. Fajfar led the group around the medieval castle and talked with them about the history of Bled. Mr Bennett said: “He gave a really fascinating talk about the history of the city, from the Roman Empire to Austria-Hungary, as well as the Second World War and the break-up of Yugoslavia.
“He’s a huge Anglophile and a great guy. I know him quite well and I would probably describe him as a personal friend.”
The mayor took the group to the castle printing house, where they keep a reproduction of Gutenberg’s printing press from the 16th century.
The castle’s print master made a print especially for
cyclists.
On the parchment are the coats of arms of both cities and an illustration of a castle, under which the name of the cycling group is printed.
Mr Fajfar presented the print to member Karen Errington and then joined the group for a meal at a restaurant in the town.
The mayor said: “We did this to thank them for their visit and to welcome them.
“Henley and I have a lot to like and the basis of our relationship is to try to make those who visit as welcome as possible.”
Mr Bennett, a criminal defense lawyer, said: “Bled is a much smaller place than Henley, but it is the main tourist town in Slovenia.
“It’s iconic and beautiful, people come from all over the world. It’s on every traveler’s checklist for inter-railing.
“I always try to bring the two cities closer because it’s so important to have a strong bond.”
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