Month: August 2023

Wednesday 23rd
Really, as above. More of the same delight.

hursday 24rth ugust
Big, hard day but done and dusted, all goals achieved. Up early to shower, wash hair etc, even use some soap for the first time in ages. Its easy to go pretty feral in this environment. Then at 8am I decided to get my case up to the top of the hill. So up, up up I went. One step, pull the case after me, another step etc etc. Of course you can do it when you have to. Clean the house, but then I must admit Chris is a hard person to help. As we were dressed to go and didn’t want to have wet bathers and towels to deal with we had to endure looking at the ocean from above as the temperature soared and soared. Then up we went for the last time. We had time on our side so we went up into the Carst near the Slovenian border and had lunch in a lovely restaurant. Then over the border into Slovenia to get petrol. Its 1.98 Eu in Italy and 1.55 in Slovenia. all a lot more expensive than we are paying.

To Trieste station where it was 41 deg, returning the hire car and off to Rome. We had to change trains at Venezia Mestre. We managed to get help with the luggage on and off both trains. We arrived in Rome around 11pm and got a taxi home. So, So hot and exhausted. Midnight in Rome and it was 30 deg. The Romans are absolutely over it.

Today is my last day (25th Aug). A bit more shopping, coffee overlooking Piazza Navona, then packing and repacking trying to get it all to fit. Tonight we’re going out for dinner with Angie Berry then tomorrow I need to leave for the airport at 11.30 so there wont be much time for anything other than a lovely morning coffee.

So, for another holiday and another blog it is Ciao until next time.

Two more days have vanished and now is our last full day in the sun, swimming and lazing.
Although when not lazing it’s a hot and tiring business betting around in blazing heat. The sweat dripping down the back. Monday was a swimming morning and a reading afternoon. Very laid back. Tuesday we decided to move our butts into gear. We went to the restaurant along the beach again but sadly I now have to hike up and hike down to get there. Then we went into the supermarket for a shop. I needed the bank which was out of order so we decided to make a beeline into Trieste for some errands Chris wanted to do. We went to a lovely bottleshop and looked in a few shops. By then we were so hot we went to the Bar San Marco where we’ve been before. The lovely old bar where all the writers past and present sit. Including, of course, James Joyce, a celebrated protegee of this city. We had a Select Spritz( a new and better iteration of the Aperol Spritz) and I had a second!! Back in the car and back down the hill. The owners of the house(s) were ensconced next door, making themselves at home all around us. I had to hide the dish I broke but the glue I’d bought to fix it was sitting on the table. Another meal under the splendid sunset for our penultimate night here.

This morning (Wednesday) Chris is going to try to negotiate with the workmen up the hill to carry our suitcases up the hill for 10 Eu per case. We’ll see how that goes.

Friday 18th August Trieste

At the house all day. The early morning swims are the best. We have the place to ourselves until around 11am and that is the time I love the best. The people next door are back, with a vengeance. They arrive in droves before lunch and take over our perch. So I retreat to the balcony of the house and watch the world from above. Enjoying the view and all the goings on.

Saturday 19th Aug Trieste

Same morning as yesterday, lovely long swims and quiet time on our rock. But today Chris had booked at our favourite restaurant in Trieste. Nero di Seppia. So up, up, up we went for fancy lunch in the city! SO delicious. Fabulous seafood and the best deserts ever. A nice bottle of wine and we were more than satisfied. It was a hot, hot day so by the time we got back down to the house we were bathed in sweat. The neighbours had totally taken over our rock with over 10 gorgeous (but annoying) Italian bodies, and more arriving all the time by land and sea. So I had a cold shower and stayed up at the house. No desire for any dinner so a very quiet afternoon.

Sunday 20th Aug Trieste

Didn’t leave the house again today and exactly the same, lovely swims and peace in the morning. Avoiding the Bold and the Beautiful in the afternoon.

Just a quickie today, maybe I won’t even post it. This morning was swimming and sitting around on our rocks. And talking to my dear family which always fills me with pleasure. Then Chris had booked at the Mussel Restaurant we go to each year. So again it was sitting by the water eating seafood. Crumbed mussels with mayo to start with then either mussel and clam pasta (Chris) or Orata fish (me). With the obligatory white wine to wash it down. But the restaurant itself had gone downhill. It didn’t serve our favourites and the service was wanting. Oh well. Then we had to Supermarket on the way home. Then walking down to the house ( 5 bottles of wine on my back) where the sun blazes down on you and once you’re out of the sun the mozzies lie in wait and devastate you. You get to the house in a lather of sweat and it’s all you can do to get your bathers on over your profusely sweating body (I think this is my problem). Down to the water, quickly, quickly. Tide’s out so more rock balancing but into the water you go…aaaahhh…the world is set to right. It’s all OK. I have grown up loving the water and nothing gives me more pleasure.

Dinner tonight is the cheeses we bought yesterday with salad. Should be delicious and probably much more enjoyable than trying to stuff them in yesterday

Tuesday was Ferragusto and suddenly chaos broke out around us. The house next door to us, also owned by Mariella who owns the one we stay in, (and very very close) was suddenly occupied in a big way. At least 10 people descended on us. Relatives and friends and they pretty quickly took over our little piece of rock with their gorgeous bodies and massive self confidence. Luckily I’d already had a lovely long swim so, of course what I did was scuttle back up to the house and spent the rest of the day jealously watching them frolick in the water. Then in the evening the sounds of their merriment travelled far.

This morning they were still there. We had our lovely morning swims while the cherubs slept and then we went off for a days excursion into Slovenia to eat and drink mainly. Chris had found an article about the Vipavo Valley. The wonderful wines and cheeses made there. So she made a booking for lunch at a restaurant called Faladur. The owner is a wine maker and makes the loveliest wines from the Slovenian grapes Pinela and Zelen. The restaurant was truly magnificent using local produce and traditional cooking with a modern twist. I started with a polenta and pancetta plate of deliciousness, and Chris had Jota which was a thick type of soup with smoked pork, turnip and beans. Also delicious. For main course Chris had trout cut vertically and poached with a pea puree. I had Wild Rabbit Ragu with an impossible to explain crisp onion on top that tasted a bit like bacon. We had wines paired with the dishes…and some!! We foolishly shared a desert, which really was over-reach but nonetheless delicious.

We came out of there thinking we’d never eat again for absolute certainty. We set off the find the cheese man written up in this article. Up and up we drove through the most beautiful Slovenian mountains until we were sitting on top of the world, looking down on the most glorious Valley way below. You could, in. fact see all the way to the Adriatic. Before we knew it we were having an elaborate cheese tasting with paired wines.

I need to stop here and just let everyone know, reassuringly or not depending on how you view the world, that .05 is sort of like many things in Italy, more of a suggestion.

Anyway, back to cheese tasting. The first thing he did was place a whole Burrata cheese in front of each of us. It was just more than I could take. So we asked for one and said we’d buy the other to take home. From then on it was one serve only but even that was an effort worthy of super powers. The cheeses were indeed lovely for the main part and a different wine for each plate. Even a most delicious sticky.

So by then I was wobbly for many reasons but we had to go down into these water tunnels where the cheese is stored at a constant 10 deg. They had been built by the Italian army pre WW2 to convey water to the troops. But the Nazis neglected them and so did the subsequent Yugoslav Govt. Into the cave-like / sewer-like structure we went. Slippery and damp so I was very cautious. I put my hand out to the wall and something jumped at me, The wall was covered in GIANT cockroaches…say no more.

The drive back after these lovely adventures was a long and winding road. Chris is experienced in such circumstances so did a stirling job behind the wheel.

We’re back now in our favourite seats looking out to sea in the dark…and yes you are right, a glass of wine in hand. And joy of joys our temporary neighbours have left and peace reigns supreme.

Sorry about the long -winded descriptions of food but I haven’t really been able to rave about food until now. Lots of love xxxxx

A quick update before bed. I fear one day will merge into the next and this will become a rather redundant missive. This morning was more of the same. Getting my lovely long swims in while the tide was in and it’s easier to get into the water. By this I mean if you slip there is enough water to catch you. Then lunch and more lolling about.

In the later afternoon we went into Trieste to get some information and maps for future exploring. Then we went up into the Kaste i.e. Slovenia to an Ozmiza. I’ve explained these before. They are small vineyards that sell their wine with a boiled egg, some cheese and some salamis. We sat in the evening sun overlooking Trieste with our vino and our snacks until the sun was setting. Then back to the house…down the 85 steps…in the dusk. We sat outside for a while having a bit more vino. Now it’s time for bed. Tomorrow is the Ferragosto festival so not much open or going on. Just have to sit by the water I guess and flop in and out as required.
Loys of love XXXXXXX

A much more active day today. First a long swim and a read on the rocks. Then Chris had booked lunch at the restaurant along the coast a bit. Not far at all and every year I’ve walked along the rocks to get there. But this year I was hesitant. Rocks both big and small and people blocking access to the easiest routes. So I decided I’d go up and over and meet Chris there. God that was hard work. Up Up Up steps and then a sharp uphill road. But the worst is that that was followed by a very sharp downhill road and then yet another 70 steps down. So it was a good workout, the downhill being by far the worst. But a heavenly lunch of seafood in a divine setting (see photo) with lots of yummy food, and of course wine. I’m definitely a white wine girl in this heat. Then back up,up,up I went and met Chris at the car to go to the supermarket. We did a big supermarket because Tuesday is the huge Ferragusto holiday here in Italy. Then down, down, down with the shopping and the supply of wine. Phew!! But it’s all good on the exercise scale so I cant complain. There’s not much more to say as one day drifts into the next.

Well it was indeed a struggle to get over the rocks, in fact I was an embarrassing spectacle of a beached whale trying to get myself into and out of the water. Its hard to explain how hard it is…for everyone but especially for me. Having said that I got myself in and out for some lovely swims. Once you’re in the water it is bliss. It’s warm, crystal clear and beautiful. The weather is also clear, sunny and absolutely perfect. It’s hard to believe that I’m here really.

Wine for lunch (something I never did while travelling because it makes the afternoons harder) and then just lying around, reading and dozing. Well this can’t go on for more than a day.

I’m lost, where was I? It seems moons away since I was in Milan. Taxi to the bus station. Sleezy horrible bus station with unusable toilets. But once on the bus headed for Trieste all was fine. 6 hr bus ride (very clever bladder!!) and there I was back in Trieste. I met up with Chris as planned, no hitches, just time for a coffee at the train station before she showed up.

Picked up hire car and headed off via a stop at the Supermarket to pick up supplies. The same man from Africa was in the same place selling his trinkets…it was all so familiar. Then it was the struggle down the hill with my suitcase. And I have to say it was quite a struggle. Managing a case and remaining upright myself on many, many narrow, steep steps was a challenge but here I am. Just have to get myself out of here at the end. Anyway, a glass of wine, some spaghetti with clams and a setting sun can set everything right. As always, the only blight on paradise is the fucking mozzies.

Today the challenges of getting over the rocks into and out of the water. More later xxx

Physical Challenge No. 1: How to get about this big city. I had one mission: Villa Necchi. Not so easy. It wasn’t walking distance so the only answer was to master the Milano Metro. That means working out the ticketing system, negotiating the massive steps and finding the right lines to interchange. The first thing I did was to get on the Metro to the Duomo. I emerged into bright, blazing sunlight and people, people everywhere. Horrible. There were so many people in the Galleria that you just couldn’t walk through it. It might have been pouring rain when Rose and I were there but so much nicer. I guess it was November after all.

I didn’t go into either, I didn’t want to get into that hive of people at all. So I started to walk from there to Villa Necchi. It was a hot walk but I got there. My appointment was 2 hrs away but I just wanted to walk away from the crowds. When I got there, there was a restaurant in the beautiful gardens of the place. So I slipped in there and had a bottle of water and a Caesar salad. I never have wine at lunch time these days. It’s too hard to keep going if I do. I guess that will change when I reconnect with Chris. It was such pleasant surroundings but again I got chosen by the wasps. So much so that the waiter commented on it. Not bitten this time but the last one remains a huge red welt.

Then I went into the very gorgeous Villa. It was a lovely couple of hours in a divine house that was a chic balance of the old and the modern (art Nouveau). All in a most tranquil and beautiful setting. A good way to spend your only day in Milan. But all good things must come to an end and soon enough I had to hike back to a Metro station. Change Metros and find my way back to the Hotel. This time I couldn’t believe how close to the Central Station the Hotel is and how easy to find. I also simply couldn’t believe where I had got myself to in the early hours of the morning. God I’m a dick at times.

Still it was hot and tiring work negotiating the underground and walking in the hot sun. So I got back to the hotel and asked where they could serve me a drink. They had to get the restaurant man specially to get me a glass of wine. Now this is where I know why I love the Italians so much. He opened a lovely bottle for me (25 Eu- you can buy a decent wine in the supermarket for 8 Eu). Do you only want a glass? Just one glass? Anyway, I said why didn’t he take the bottle up to the restaurant and I’d come up for dinner to drink the rest. He poured me the biggest glass of wine you’ve ever seen and happily put the bottle under his arm for me for later. And great wine it was too though goodness knows what.

They don’t serve dinner until 7.30. Such a change from 5pm in the Baltics. More when I’ve eaten.

And now. Dinner was one of those embarrassing affairs when you’re the only one in the restaurant. Another couple arrive, get the VIP treatment, and eventually leave too. I didn’t want a primo and a secondo but its hard to get just the primo. So I got 2 primo’s , most unusual!! Oh shit. I drank the wine, far more than I usually would. Didn’t know what to do with myself so I left. Nice food but very awks.

Early start tomorrow to get over to the bus on the other side of town. It will be an expensive taxi. So to bed I must go. XXXXXX