Trieste or Trst

Next stop, Trieste. I took the train southwest from Udine to Trieste, a large-ish port city to the southwest. It is right on the border of Slovenia, and has a much more Central European feel than other Italian cities that I have visited. Part of this is due to it being part of Austria from 1482 until 1918, serving as Austria’s one and only seaport. The Hapsburgs of Austria created the current layout in the 18th century and it retains that imperial feel. Of course there are Roman ruins scattered throughout.

My tiny 6 room hotel was located in the medieval quarter of 500 year old buildings that have been renovated over and over again. Think tiny winding alleys too narrow for cars or even carriages (see photo above). Unfortunately, I had the cubby room under the stairs, with one small window for air, but not much light. Needless to say, I didn't spend much time there.

It’s been hot. Hot. Punctuated by thunderstorms and pouring rain. I don’t mind the rain – it usually passes quickly and cools things a little.

Cividale

From Udine I took the train for a ½ day side trip to Cividale, a little town that was first a Roman settlement (founded around 50 B.C.), then settled by the Lombards, and continuously occupied for around the last 2,000 years. There are some remnants of the various periods, the most striking being the castle, houses and other buildings built right on the gorge (see photo).

I had forgotten about Italian working hours….. Everything (except food and coffee places) closes at 12:30 or 1, and doesn’t reopen until 3 or 4 in the afternoon. This includes museums, shops, banks etc. At least coffee and gelato can be had. They are, in my opinion, the best value at 1 euro per shot of espresso or scoop of gelato.

Unfortunately, after less than a week of traveling, my back is wrenched. I have been going the budget route with hotels, and while it is not quite hostel heaven, the beds have been one step above cot.

Bear With Me

I have heaps to write but have been thwarted by no wi-fi connection since I left Udine on Monday morning. I am now in Trieste, Italy, on the border with Slovenia (in the northeast cuff of the boot). Tomorrow I move on to Slovenia, but have waited so long to book accommodation that I am not sure yet where I will land. The goal is Piran, just down the coast before going to Ljubjana. Will post all soon!
Elizabeth

Czech-Austria-Italy in a Day

Yesterday was a looooong day. I was misled into believing the bus was a good idea. It was comfortable enough (and compared to buses in Asia it was pure luxury), but it was nearly 11 hours crossing three countries from Prague to Udine, Italy. Food options were limited, and the only thing I could grab at the stop in Brno was a fried cheese sandwich. I had thought I was going to escape the Czech Republic without having sampled fried cheese - a local favorite - but no such luck. The ride was interesting nonetheless, as we also stopped in Austria at a truck stop not far from the Italian border, and one could see the complete difference between the grittiness of an Eastern European town, and the polished orderliness of an Austrian truck stop (I couldn't help but compare it to California truck stops, which are decidedly icky).

After crossing over the alps, we descended into the northeastern corner of Italy amid thunder, lightning and rain. Luckily, the weather in Udine has proved to be perfect: warm, but comfortable, with a nice breeze. I am here for 1 day, then off tomorrow to see one of the oldest settlements in the area (Cividale de Friuli), which was established by Julius Caesar in 50 B.C.

As for Udine itself, it is a pleasant old former market town that changed hands many times over the centuries, but it was the Venetian rule in the 18th century that left the most distinctive architecture (see photo of the Piazza della Liberta - supposedly one of the nicest in all of Italy). Unfortunately, the city was heavily bombed in the world wars, and buildings were reconstructed in the 1950's, with the architectural style of that time. What a contrast! Udine is all but deserted at the moment as it draws few tourists, and the vast majority of the population has already left for the coast (only 60 km away). However, I am enjoying the lack of crowds and easy pace after the crush of Prague.

Crossing the Continent

After full day of Prague yesterday, I am ready to move on. My target destination was Slovenia, but getting south to the other side of Austria proved to be a challenge. There were no buses, trains or flights to that country. Detour: Italy. Oh darn. It's only my favorite destination in the whole world. So today I have a very long day on a bus to Udine, in northeastern Italy, not too far from Venice (where I went with my sister in 2006). Two nights there, then on to Trieste, Italy, which is on the border of Slovenia. I don't think I will make it to Croatia after all - just not enough time.

The oppressive heat here in Prague finally broke last night with a downpour around 11 p.m. I was tucked away in bed, so I can only imagine the throngs on the streets running for cover. I had taken in "Aida" at the Prague State Opera, and was surprised to see how many people were out at 10:30 p.m. when the opera let out. The 2 previous nights I had been in bed by 9 p.m.!

Classic

I had a classic day in Prague. Started out in the morning at Prague Castle, the largest castle complex in the world, according to Lonely Planet. I won’t bore you too much with details – I believe I am the last person to get to Prague, which is kind of why I had to do it by myself! Speaking of traveling by oneself, one of the downsides is not having another person tell you when you have dropped something (castle admission ticket), or have something stuck to your clothes (both of which happened to me today).

I found the best part of Prague Castle to be the Royal Gardens, with the huge shade trees, especially the horse chestnut (which we don’t get in California). I got to the castle early, before the crowds - which surprisingly didn’t get that bad, but I think it is still early in the season. After the castle, I wandered the streets to the astronomical clock, and climbed the Old Town clock tower, ate ice cream, and looked in the windows of shops along the pedestrian shopping streets.

Given the large number of tourists in Prague, most people I have run into speak at least a little English, which is a great relief as I have only managed to master “hello” in Czech.

Tomorrow is the famous Charles Bridge, the Franz Kafka museum and seeing Verdi’s Aida at the State Opera.

Landed!

With as much traveling as I have done, I was surprised to find myself not very excited as my plane approached Frankfurt. I was again going to be alone in a foreign country. It’s been 3 ½ years since I was in Europe (Spain, Italy and Austria), but it feels like a lifetime, what with 4 months in Southeast Asia, 2 months in South America, and a month in India and Bhutan stuck in between (besides Alaska, the Jack Johnson tour, and various other trips).

I now wait in the under-construction train station at the Frankfurt airport for my train to Prague. I got as far east as Frankfurt using miles, so the train was a logical way to see some of the countryside and make my way further east. Slowly, the few German words I learned from my many trips to Vienna to see my sister are coming back to me, and with a little hesitation I manage to utter “danke” to the nice man who gave me coffee for the 2 paltry euros I had scavenged from my spare change drawer. Seems the network is down and there is no cash or credit to be had (there was an embarrassing moment when I almost handed him an Australian five dollar bill, which I had grabbed at home thinking it was a five euro note!)
Turns out the train took me only as far as Nuremburg. Then it was a bus to Prague. How did I miss that when booking? Maybe it was because it was all in German. It was a nice bus, on the nice autobahn, and I curled up into a ball on the bus seat and fell asleep.

I awoke to brilliant sun over rolling green hills, greener forests and small red-roofed hamlets in the Czech countryside. In Prague it is 35 degrees Celsius – HOT- and everyone seems to enjoy a cold glass of beer at the outdoor cafes. The heat also seems to bring out the worst in people’s wardrobes. Yikes!