Day 10
Grandma’s Tour of Trieste
Thursday, August 29, 2024
Buongiorno,
We had planned to drive to Grado Beach today, which is a sand beach about 50 minutes North West of Trieste (so back in the direction towards Venezia and Milan). Unfortunately Koro awoke with a slight migraine. Possibly too much San Miguel beer with dinner, but more likely a touch too much sun yesterday and not enough water to drink.
Buzzy Bee thought this was yet another example of Koro being a big girls blouse. Buzzy Bee had been looking forward to more babes at the beach.
Grandma always knows just how to look after Koro. She fed him with Maxigesic and coffee and breakfast and packed him off for a shower. While Koro was in the bathroom Grandma studied some travel brochures, studied Google Maps, and planned our day.
Right across Via St Michele, directly opposite our front door, is a set of steps. Part of Grandma’s plan was to discover what was up those steps.
With Koro feeling very much better thanks to Nurse Grandma, and a grumbling bee in tow (he was still upset about not going to the beach), we set off up the steps.
We quickly climbed to a spectacular view over Trieste.
At the top was a church. We know, we promised, no more churches. There were the ruins of the Roman Forum. And there was a castle!
Yes, we did promise no more churches. But castles? Never get sick of castles!
This castle looked spectacular, but has never actually seen battle. It was added to and modified by the Italians, the Turks and the Austrians over the centuries. While it looks the part, an expert castle architect in the 1500’s said it was actually badly designed and would never have repelled an enemy.
We had a lot of fun walking the ramparts, enjoying the views and the hot sun. Even Buzzy Bee got over his grumpiness about the beach and enjoyed himself.
Lunch was a sandwich and a soft drink in the castle café.
Then we were on to the next part of Grandma’s tour, the Roman Amphitheatre. Unfortunately this was not open, so we just gawped at it over the fence. We do love looking at these old amphitheaters, and marveling at how much modern complexes still echo the designs and technologies developed by the Romans.
We wandered down to the waterfront and enjoyed the day. We watched the birds catching fish. The water was so very clean and clear, and very inviting. No one was swimming and we wondered why. It was such a perfect day for it. Perhaps it is not allowed so close to the ships.
In every town we spend time in we always seem to come across a bar that becomes our favourite spot for a beer. In Trieste “our spot” has been Bar Cavana on Piazza di Cavana. It has lots of tables outside that make the perfect perch for a spot of people watching and a drop of draft ale.
After rehydrating ourselves we headed back for an afternoon siesta.
This was our last evening in Trieste, and we wanted to make the most of it. Grandma took control of the camera as we headed out the door. We drifted with the flow of people from one beautiful piazza to the next, carefully selecting our restaurant. After dinner it was more drifting, more photographs, then one last drink at Bar Cavana before heading home to bed.
Love to you all from Grandma & Koro & Buzzy Bee.
