We are now in Trieste.
We left Venice just after 2 p.m. by train for the 2-hour journey east to this seaport which is close to the border with Slovenia.
We left Venice just after 2 p.m. by train for the 2-hour journey east to this seaport which is close to the border with Slovenia.
The history of Trieste is a mixed bag: it was at one time a Roman colony under Julius Caesar, flourished as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was occupied briefly by the Republic of Venice, was occupied by French troops three times during the Napoleonic Wars, was transferred to Italy in 1920, was governed by the fascist regime of Mussolini, and then was occupied by Yugoslav troops led by Tito in 1945. It was declared an independent State under the protection of the UN in 1947.
On arrival, we made our way to our B&B which is very nice but unfortunately has 3 flights of stairs (groan!). Our B&B is near the famous Unità Square where (in 1914) the corpse of Archduke Franz Ferdinand - heir to the throne of the Austrian Empire and who had been assassinated in Sarajevo (the event which led to the outbreak of the First World War) - and the corpse of his wife were carried from here through an immense and silent crowd to the train to Vienna.
Back to Venice:
Very humid overnight and was noticeably much more pleasant outside when we set off on foot about 7.30 a.m. for San Marco Square; we had a tour booked for 9.30 a.m. with tickets to be collected half an hour before - AND we had to have breakfast and check out - so we wanted to do a reconnaissance of the walk to make sure we ‘ironed out‘ any possible mis-steps in the labyrinth of alleys that make up Venice and ensure we got to our tour on time.
It was a lovely walk - only 15 minutes - and we passed through little piazzas and over bridges and (increasingly as we got closer to San Marco) very expensive shops like Prada, Vuitton, Bruno Magli, etc.
The square was almost empty of people so we enjoyed what normally is a nightmare (and proved to be so later) and then returned for breakfast.
We were so efficient, we had breakfast, checked out, returned to San Marco AND collected our tickets all by 9 a.m. so we relaxed in the courtyard of the Palazzo Ducale (or the Doge's Palace) while we waited for our guide who turned out to be most informative and provided a really enjoyable tour of the Palace.
This was the Doge's Palace Secret Itineraries tour (thanks Kim for the tip) where you go through hidden passages to the administrative offices of the men who ran the Venice of Medieval and Renaissance times; and visit the city gaol and the cell from which the notorious lover Casanova made his escape in 1775. So, this tour allows you to visit all this other stuff that the general public never sees.
We wound our way up narrow passages from the pozzi (wells) via several floors including the torture chamber right up to the attic. Some rooms you entered and, when you turned around to see the door through which you came, you realised it was in fact a wardrobe from the other side - hence, a secret passage.
Our guide explained how the Venetians administered justice and also the civil and political history of the Republic of Venice.
Back in the public areas, we saw Tintoretto's Il Paradiso - the largest canvas in the world. One of the rooms, the huge Chamber of the Great Council, is one of largest rooms in Europe with works by famous painters including Tintoretto, Titian and Veronese.
All in all, a fascinating two hours. We finished up with a walk across the famous Bridge of Sighs.
Back outside, San Marco Square was filled with throngs of people and queues miles long.
We wandered back to collect our bags from our B&B, stopping briefly at a little museum devoted to the composer Vivaldi (who I had not known was born here in Venice) and for a coffee and a plate of cicchetti (a bar snack typical of Venice) in a back-street alley. Should have had a wine with it! But we had to travel to Trieste and needed to keep our wits about us!
A joke against myself here: I have been practising my Italiano - and making some incredible stuff-ups! Like when in this bar, I successfully managed to order il piatto lo stesso (pointing to another diner's meal) only to have the guy behind the counter laugh when I said "How do you say this dish in English" when I meant "in italiano" - he said, in very good English, that he did not know. And in fact I was meaning to ask "What do you call this dish?" !!!!!!
The vaporetto was crowded again - so much so, it didn't even stop at one of the scheduled fermatta, much to the chagrin of the locals; you wouldn't want to leave yourself short of time to make an appointment round here! Down one of the side canals we watched a water ambulanza unloading a stretcher, blue lights flashing. It reminds you how EVERYTHING is water-based here on this island city.
We reached the station - a little hot and bothered I have to say - and I made an error buying tickets at the machine (paid too much: there is a long and a short route to Trieste apparently and you pay according to the number of kilometers travelled).
On arrival, we made our way to our B&B which is very nice but unfortunately has 3 flights of stairs (groan!). Our B&B is near the famous Unità Square where (in 1914) the corpse of Archduke Franz Ferdinand - heir to the throne of the Austrian Empire and who had been assassinated in Sarajevo (the event which led to the outbreak of the First World War) - and the corpse of his wife were carried from here through an immense and silent crowd to the train to Vienna.
Back to Venice:
Very humid overnight and was noticeably much more pleasant outside when we set off on foot about 7.30 a.m. for San Marco Square; we had a tour booked for 9.30 a.m. with tickets to be collected half an hour before - AND we had to have breakfast and check out - so we wanted to do a reconnaissance of the walk to make sure we ‘ironed out‘ any possible mis-steps in the labyrinth of alleys that make up Venice and ensure we got to our tour on time.
It was a lovely walk - only 15 minutes - and we passed through little piazzas and over bridges and (increasingly as we got closer to San Marco) very expensive shops like Prada, Vuitton, Bruno Magli, etc.
The square was almost empty of people so we enjoyed what normally is a nightmare (and proved to be so later) and then returned for breakfast.
This was the Doge's Palace Secret Itineraries tour (thanks Kim for the tip) where you go through hidden passages to the administrative offices of the men who ran the Venice of Medieval and Renaissance times; and visit the city gaol and the cell from which the notorious lover Casanova made his escape in 1775. So, this tour allows you to visit all this other stuff that the general public never sees.
We wound our way up narrow passages from the pozzi (wells) via several floors including the torture chamber right up to the attic. Some rooms you entered and, when you turned around to see the door through which you came, you realised it was in fact a wardrobe from the other side - hence, a secret passage.
Our guide explained how the Venetians administered justice and also the civil and political history of the Republic of Venice.
Back in the public areas, we saw Tintoretto's Il Paradiso - the largest canvas in the world. One of the rooms, the huge Chamber of the Great Council, is one of largest rooms in Europe with works by famous painters including Tintoretto, Titian and Veronese.
All in all, a fascinating two hours. We finished up with a walk across the famous Bridge of Sighs.
Back outside, San Marco Square was filled with throngs of people and queues miles long.
We wandered back to collect our bags from our B&B, stopping briefly at a little museum devoted to the composer Vivaldi (who I had not known was born here in Venice) and for a coffee and a plate of cicchetti (a bar snack typical of Venice) in a back-street alley. Should have had a wine with it! But we had to travel to Trieste and needed to keep our wits about us!
A joke against myself here: I have been practising my Italiano - and making some incredible stuff-ups! Like when in this bar, I successfully managed to order il piatto lo stesso (pointing to another diner's meal) only to have the guy behind the counter laugh when I said "How do you say this dish in English" when I meant "in italiano" - he said, in very good English, that he did not know. And in fact I was meaning to ask "What do you call this dish?" !!!!!!
The vaporetto was crowded again - so much so, it didn't even stop at one of the scheduled fermatta, much to the chagrin of the locals; you wouldn't want to leave yourself short of time to make an appointment round here! Down one of the side canals we watched a water ambulanza unloading a stretcher, blue lights flashing. It reminds you how EVERYTHING is water-based here on this island city.
We reached the station - a little hot and bothered I have to say - and I made an error buying tickets at the machine (paid too much: there is a long and a short route to Trieste apparently and you pay according to the number of kilometers travelled).
Anyway, after a half-hour wait, we boarded and - apart from the journey across the long causeway of the Venetian lagoon at the start and the climb up through the cuttings along the Adriatic Sea as we approached Trieste - the journey was of little interest as it passed through desultory little stations and dry, flat farmland.
I have to say, Trieste is a world apart from Venice with its flash shops and little alleys but the architecture here is very grand - no doubt influenced by its history (especially when under Austrian rule) and also, being a port city, it has experienced great prosperity (reflected in the lively shopping precinct adjoining the grand canal area).
This is also the city of Illy coffee; and there are 2 castles.
And it is the city of the Irish novelist James Joyce who lived here for two periods of his life; he frequented the cafes and bars (probably more than he should!); and the city strongly influenced his work, but whilst he wrote some of the Dubliners and Ulysses here, he did not finish them until later (too good a time in the bars?); although he did write all of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man here.
I have to say, Trieste is a world apart from Venice with its flash shops and little alleys but the architecture here is very grand - no doubt influenced by its history (especially when under Austrian rule) and also, being a port city, it has experienced great prosperity (reflected in the lively shopping precinct adjoining the grand canal area).
This is also the city of Illy coffee; and there are 2 castles.
And it is the city of the Irish novelist James Joyce who lived here for two periods of his life; he frequented the cafes and bars (probably more than he should!); and the city strongly influenced his work, but whilst he wrote some of the Dubliners and Ulysses here, he did not finish them until later (too good a time in the bars?); although he did write all of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man here.
My Friend and he made their acquaintance ...
At the top, there is an obelisk which commemorates the 1830 visit of Emperor Franz I of Austria and was erected to commemorate the opening of the link road from Trieste to Austria. It is also the start of the Napolean Walk, popular with locals who walk and jog it. It was busy with athletic types as we set off to enjoy the views over the Gulf of Trieste and the docks of the city while the sun was setting. We only walked part of it as it was already getting dark being by now - at almost 7 p.m.
After a welcome shower at our B&B, we walked to Obedan Square where we managed to work out the bus system (buying tickets at the tabacchi from a friendly guy who said in English "that'll be five bucks" and we laughed - but he complimented me on my Italian, which was nice); we took bus #2 to Opicina and it climbed and climbed and climbed (gee, you'd want the driver to be adept at hill starts round here!) way above the city. There is meant to also be a funicular tram to here but it stopped working a year ago and still hasn't been fixed (must be the same engineers as on the rail line between Albury and Melbourne!).
At the top, there is an obelisk which commemorates the 1830 visit of Emperor Franz I of Austria and was erected to commemorate the opening of the link road from Trieste to Austria. It is also the start of the Napolean Walk, popular with locals who walk and jog it. It was busy with athletic types as we set off to enjoy the views over the Gulf of Trieste and the docks of the city while the sun was setting. We only walked part of it as it was already getting dark being by now - at almost 7 p.m.
Back in the city, we enjoyed a spritz as an aperitif (with the accompanying snacks, which we filled up so much on that we ended up skipping dinner and going to bed early).
Ah Venice - if I ever get back there I am definitely going to arrive from the sea.
ReplyDeleteHope all is well!