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“Too lovelyfor a murder”TEXT and photographs: saša suhadolnikEvery time I visit Bohinj, I feel a rush of satisfaction and pridethat my home is here in Slovenia, just a stone's throw fromthis jewel of nature. A little over an hour’s drive is all thatseparates Ljubljana from this somewhat sleepy yet nonethelessexceptionally picturesque tourist destination; just like that,concrete and chrome have been replaced by a view of magicalLake Bohinj and its waters – clear, deep blue, emerald green andframed against a breathtaking backdrop of mountain peaks inevery season. Bohinj is a synonym for tranquillity. There you canfeel reborn with the brush of a paddle upon the tear-like dropletsof the lake’s water, with an ascent of the inviting mountain peaksof blinding white stone, or as your bike winds its way throughblooming fields and green pastures. Yet at the same time, youcannot for so much as a second shake the feeling that you havefound yourself in a mysterious place, where even the wind istrying to whisper in your ear one of Bohinj’s many fairy talesor legends. Perhaps it is this fateful combination of mysticism,natural beauty and tranquillity that convinced Bohinj’s mostfamous visitor to come here on holiday over 40 years ago.The queen of murder arrivesFor nearly 80 years, the charming Hotel Bellevue has boasted the most beautifulview in Bohinj. Atop an incline, concealed among trees, it offers a highdegree of privacy while at the same time enabling guests’ eyes to take in all theprovocative enchantment of Bohinj’s secluded surroundings. There was thereforenothing out of the ordinary about the incognito arrival of a friendly Britishcouple by the name of Mallowan for a two-week holiday in 1967. The reservedlady of advancing years and her well-mannered husband were in search ofpeace. Yet their hopes were quickly dashed once word got out who they reallywere – Agatha Christie, the famous mystery writer (author of more than 80novels, translated into 103 languages!), after Shakespeare the best-selling authorin the world, and her husband Max Mallowan. With a sense of determinationsimilar to that of her detectives, Agatha chose room 204, the room withthe loveliest view, herself. The room is still officially hers today: it is still furnishedas it was at the time of her visit and it is open to visitors. For lovers of mysteries,the hotel also has an impressive library that features a typewriter from Christie’stime and a number of her books, which the hotel has obtained over the yearsthrough advertisements in the newspapers. It is definitely worth a visit. But beinga great admirer of Agatha Christie, I was more interested in learning whatthis brilliant lady was like and what she did while in Bohinj. That’s why I soughtout those who had a chance to get to know her up close during her visit. I canonly hope that Agatha Christie would be pleased with my sleuthing skills.On the trail of Agatha ChristieI begin by interrogating the first person on my list of suspects, the affable and energeticStojko Žmitek. He was Agatha’s driver during her visit. “How did you managethat?” is the first thing I want to find out. “Ah, it was actually more by chance.Being a conscientious British woman, Agatha did not want a German car, so mygreen Peugeot 404 station wagon was the only option,” confides Stojko, whosework at the time actually involved hiring out boats; working as a driver didn’t appealto him at all, but you don’t say no to Agatha Christie. So he spent a good twoweeks with the pleasant, quiet couple (as he describes Agatha and her husband),showing them Bohinj and many other beautiful sights of Slovenia. On one occasion,Agatha mentioned to Stojko that she would like to try some local Bohinjfare. He took her to the Korošic gostilna or inn in Koprivnik, where the anxiousinnkeeper was beside himself with worry – he didn’t have any meat for such animportant guest! Yet with her simple tastes, Agatha was more than happy with ameal of žganci and curdled milk. “Yes, she was humble, punctual, she paid whatwas owed and she would always invite me to lunch too. A real lady!” adds Stojko.Two former receptionists at Hotel Bellevue also have fond memories of her.Nada Urbanc, who was only 17 at the time, recalls that Agatha wasn’t a particularlydemanding guest; upon her arrival, the only thing she requested, besidesa driver, was a wicker chair, which they had to scour all of Bohinj to find. “Shewould spend hours and hours in that chair, drinking tea in the English mannerand jotting down notes in her notepad. She was definitely up to something!”Nada very clearly recalls. “She would also often spend the afternoon beside anearby cave where they burnt lime, and she’d spend hours at a time gazing intoit.” What could possibly have been on her mind? “She was taciturn, unusual,but her husband was very attentive and they seemed happy,” is how Nada concludesher recollections. That sounds reasonable, I think. The couple did after allspend 46 years together. Alenka Rozman, also a receptionist at the hotel, wouldoften accompany Agatha on her trips because of her impeccable English. She’llnever forget the famous writer. She befriended Agatha and the famous guesteven invited her to visit England. What an honour! When I find out that toshow her gratitude for their care, Agatha presented the girls with silver filigreerings decorated with coral and a signed copy of her detective novel Third Girl,my envy gives a slightly sour tinge to my smile. How vividly I can imagine her,that likeable lady, who according to the accounts of my interlocutors alwayswore beautiful dresses with floral prints, a neat handbag and pearls. With hermysterious nature, she would make the perfect heroine of a novel set in Bohinj.Agatha Christie speaksOn multiple occasions Agatha Christie admitted that she did not like reporters,which is why she also steered clear of them during her visit to Bohinj. But that52