Trieste/Italy

21.6.2024 Trieste

I disembarked today at around 9:00 a.m., but had no plan. Our ship was only a few hundred meters from the old town, which was my destination.

I admired the magnificent town hall and another house on the same square. Its inscription read "Lloyd Triestino". There was something there...

I immediately remembered my very first cruise, which I had taken with my parents about fifty years ago, from Genoa to Trieste. The ship was the "Asia" and belonged to the "Lloyd Triestino".

My current ship peeked out from behind the building, symbolizing what was probably my last cruise. The circle had come full circle.

For lack of anywhere else to go, I went to a restaurant where I thought I would eat later because of its good reviews. It was quite hidden.

Then I came up with the idea of getting to know the city better by taking a bus tour. According to the internet, tickets were still available from 3 p.m. Not so great. In the meantime, I had found the tourist information office and asked there about a hop-on hop-off bus. I was directed to a nearby souvenir shop.

They wanted to know if I was really traveling alone, because then they could give me the only remaining seat on the 10 a.m. bus. Perfect! It was now 9:45 a.m.

I strolled leisurely to the bus stop and only waited a short time before I could get on the bus. The bus drove past the most important sights, which the audio guide explained to me in German. Unfortunately, I didn't see Miramar Castle because the stop was too far away. I noted the lighthouse as a possible later destination.

After 75 minutes, the bus reached its starting point. I walked to the former fish market hall, which now serves as an aquarium. Unfortunately, the building looked closed. I then discovered an entrance that led me to a photo exhibition on the topic of "Amazonia". Impressive photos, as well as videos in which the indigenous people had their say.

Next to the "Aquario" is "Eataly", a large delicatessen, which I paid a quick visit to. This gave me an appetite and I went to the fish restaurant "El Fornel" that I had chosen beforehand. As I expected it to rain soon, I went inside the restaurant. I immediately liked the decor: a real little fishing boat formed the bar and there were maritime decorations everywhere.

After a short while I got my food, Polpo con Polenta. It was excellent. While I was still busy with my beer, an older gentleman sat down at the next table in the otherwise empty restaurant. We started talking in English. When I found out that he was Austrian, we continued our animated conversation in German.

We were interrupted when a beautiful young woman came into the restaurant and gave me a big hug - Maria, one of the two violinists from the String Reverie Trio. Unfortunately, she left straight away.

An Italian guest who had arrived in the meantime joined in the conversation in Italian. The Austrian doctor also spoke this language. The Italian bought a round of grappa, then we paid and the three of us went to a café in the busy pedestrian zone. There the doctor invited us for an espresso. After that we said our friendly goodbyes and I went back to the ship. I gave up the plan to walk an hour to the lighthouse and back as it had started to rain.

In the afternoon I saw Maria again as she made music with her colleagues.

In the evening, pianist John Paul Ekins performed in the theater and played mostly classical pieces.