Bohinj Is Too Beautiful For A Murder

BOHINJ IS TOO BEAUTIFUL FOR A MURDER

 

In the end of August 1967 arrived in Bohinj in a hotel Bellevue together with a group of English tourists also an elder married couple.

Agatha Christie in Slovenia 38 years ago.

Elderly lady with a tidy hairstyle, with a walking-stick and with an unavoidable camera and mister with a hat and moustache.

Hotel staff recognized Agatha Christie and her husband Max Mallowan immediately. 

The guests wanted to spend 15 days in Slovenia - imperceptible - as usual tourists, so they asked not to inform public about this.

They did the same when they were leaving England. But journalist wouldn't be journalist if they wouldn't immediately find out that Agatha was nearby. So they rushed to her.

Agatha Christie with Max Mallowan in Bohinj in 1967

They spent their holiday days in a mysterious, noble, stony hotel Bellevue which lies in the middle of the pine wood and on the top of a hill above the Bohinj lake. At a hotel they chose the room 204 because it has a beautiful view.

 

It was often on holiday that Agatha Christie  just remained seated somewhere and gazed somewhere, probably in the small nooks where she could put her stories in.

Agatha Christie Mallowan

So there is no doubt that she involved in her books also mysterious Bohinj's small nooks and their stories.

But, as she said, she wouldn't stain this place with a murder because it's just too beautiful for a murder.

People from Bohinj also wanted to prepare something special visually which will remind one on a visit of the famous writer in our country.

So the  new director of a Bellevue hotel has decided to equip the room 204 with a furniture and with a writing table from that time.

 

HOW DO THOSE WHO MET HER AT THAT TIME WHEN SHE WAS IN BOHINJ TODAY REMEMBER AGATHA CHRISTIE?

 

Nada Urbanc: a reception at Bellevue Hotel in Bohinj

 A former receptions Nada Urbanc remembers:"When the famous writer arrived she really surprised us with her exceptional lively and beautiful clothing.

Nada Urbanc: a reception in  Bellevue Hotel in Bohinj at that time.

Every day she worn a different dress, mostly flower dress or at least something in bright, pastel colors and beside she always worn a different hat and shoes that went together with the clothes, necklace in same color as were clothes and earrings which go by.

She was completely different from our mothers and not to mention our grandmothers who worn at that time mostly black clothes.

But not so according with her cloths was her figure: over 70 years old, rather strong and clumsy in walking and always in a way on the lookout.

A picture of Bellevue Hotel in which Agatha Christie stayed.

As you talked with her about some important things you had a feeling that in fact she was carefully listening to you but at the same time she was thinking about one other thing. She was somehow absent although kind.

As she left she gave me one of her books and a ring. She always had a pencil and a note-book with her, often also a book. And of course, 13 years younger husband who walked with same difficulty as she.

In spite of that he was very gallant: he always helped her, hold her a handbag, a coat, opened doors for her or helped her on the stairs. And he was kinder and more open."

 

Stojko �mitnik: Agatha Christie's driver in Bohinj

 Agatha's driver Stojko �mitek, who is today a retired maker of boats and an owner of boathouse in Bohinj and is also a beekeeper and has goats, remembers: "The writer really paid me well but I had to be available for her all the time. And she was very slow and I needed to wait for her patiently so she could be dreaming her dreams about what she had just seen or that she could just sit about leisurely and observe.

Stojko �mitnik: Agatha Christie's driver in Bohinj at that time.

At least this is what I though at that time, today of course I see it in a different way, but at that time I though mostly about work, which was waiting for me at home to do, as I was waiting for hours and hours for the writer, who sat about leisurely on rocks or  on atterrace of the castles.

That is what she especially liked, but she also liked other mysterious places. That is why I couldn't understand what she can see in a cave full of limestone at which she stared  without moving for some time. I can imagine that that cave later appeared in one of her novels."

 

Zvonko Gr�man: a photographer

A photographer Zvonko Gr�man said : " First few days married-couple Mallowan-Christie avoided to meet with journalists and photographers," Gr�man remembered.

Agatha Christie Mallowan with her husband in Slovenia

Max explained to persons that Agatha is resting or that she went for a walk or that she just wants to have a break from writing and to enjoy in beauties of Slovenia.

So as I once from behind roundabout saw Lady Christie and her husband, I hid behind a bush and started to take photos. I felt that they noticed me but they were acting like they didn't see me.

But the next moment encounter couldn't be avoided. It turned out that her curiosity is bigger than her resistance to journalists. She was interested in photography and it was obvious that she knew a lot about it.

Later I heard that she said to a group of journalist: "Here I am feeling very good. I like Bohinj very much. This place is so lovely that in it couldn't happen any stories. Why would anybody kill in this paradise?

Agatha Christie Mallowan with her husband Max.

But one day I got frightened to death on Bled. I and my husband were walking down the main street. Suddenly one man showed up who reminded me on a main character of my novel called Dead Man's Folly (literal translation from Slovenian language).

I almost couldn't take a breath. I and my husband followed that man and we saw him to enter a small cafe. We were walking in front of cafe and waiting him to show again.

When he left, we entered in a cafe and asked the waiter who that man was. In fact I describe him the main character of my novel. The waiter told us he was his friend, a good person, a husband and a father.

I wanted to get to know with him and we went to his home. To his daughter, a student, I gave a present; a golden watch and a golden pendant..."

 

 This article is combination of two articles. The first one was published in a Slovenian magazine called Politikin zabavnik on 24th April 1987. Its author is Ivan Lon�ar.If you want to see a photo of the original article click here: Article_03.jpg
The second one was published in a Slovenian newspaper called Nedeljski dnevnik  in 1997. Its author is Dragica Manfreda. If you want to see a photo of the original article click here: Article_04.jpg
So I had to translate both of them into English.

     

AGATHA CHRISTIE IN BOHINJ (SLOVENIA) IN 1967:

Agatha Christie was in Bohinj with her husband Max Mallowan in the end of August 1967. They stayed in Hotel Bellevue.

 

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