Tuesday, 29th: Island of Trieste
After I completed my quest at Aurisinia, I met a few inhabitants, who managed to find me a calm place where I could have a nice night: the gardend of the priest's house, where he does not actually live. I then went to the post for a last check. Turned out even them are unable to locate the numbers in the city. Isn't that a real mess? Whatever, let's get to Trieste!
Long road, but nice. Actually, walking to Aurisina led me quite high in the mountains, to an altitude of about 400m. Those 400m now sudddenly unfold in front of me as a big cliff diving to a wonderful view over Trieste. So wonderful and from so far, it took me two hours to get there. Trieste really is a nice city. A very nice no-car area, animated by street musicians who give it that Paris feeling I like. This, and the other evening street, with all the trees casting shadows on small bars. Even with that, Trieste keeps it cool, and features the same prices one finds in the countryside. Only bad point so far, as an important coastal city, the shore is totally eaten up by the sprawling seaports. A bad point they know of, and tried to make up for by creating an artificial beach on the breakwater. It features a night club, and is acceeded by a free ferry-boat.
Free ferry-boat? I'm in! The view must be nice so I get aboard in the evening, meeting the astonished looks of people all dressed up for the night club. Whatever. The island is a good idea, but it definitely does not feel like a beach: one goes into the sea using ladders, and there are umbrellas and beach chairs right next to the water. It feels much more like a swimming pool actually. Strange point however: despite the breakwater being about 400m long, only the southern 80m are used, and a fence prevent people from going to the other part.
Good point! I slip past the fence, and start walking to get away from the noise of the night club. I was about to stop next to a small ruin when I freeze: there is someone on the other side. Four guys, all wearing black clothes are moving small boxes from a boat to another one. No light whatsoever, it does not look like they would give me a warm welcome. Lets go back a bit and set up the mattress silently!
Beginning of the night, great. However, I get awakened by the wind. Damn, they promised me a great weather. So long for the great night, I am now on a 15-meter wide island swept by 130km/h gusts. I am cold as hell, and my raincoat is unusable: it tried flying away as soon as I put it out. I finally had to huddle up in a corner and wait for the morning, and the first ferry boat. Bad luck! No ferry boat due to the bad weather. Fortunately the island staff is nice, and after showing a bit of surprise ("you slept THERE?") they offer me a coffee, and tell me to just wait on the island, take a beach chair and enjoy the sun. So I am now like a prince, getting a tan (like I needed one) in the most expensive part of the island, which I have for myself for two hours. Isn't that classy?
A service ferry boat finally picks me up along with the staff, and I get back to the main land around noon. Nothing special, I spent the afternoon wandering around: I like the city, and I cannot leave without more gas for my burner, which I cannot buy on sunday anyway. Tomorrow, I'll be heading to Croatia!