Continentale Hotel Trieste

... tourists can see as they stroll around town alone or in the company of a guide who will talk about the story of these charming exhibits, with the musical accompaniment of bagpipes from Val Pesarina. Guided tours (departure by ferry from Grado) have also been organised of the lagoon nativity scenes on the Island of Barbana, the site of a Marian shrine much loved by the people of Grado, who go on pilgrimage to the shrine every ...

... the day leaps and bounds) into upgrading our room to a junior suite, and OMG!!!!! ITS FAB! We have this massive room bigger than half our flat in London with a balcony view overlooking the ocean. Life doesn't get much better than this. Had a really nice fish dinner last night and are about to embark on a bit of culture during our ...

... I am not sure that was what it was, but it was a place where I left my car and it did not get towed or get a ticket). Ljubljana is situated at the intersection of two rivers, the Ljubljanica and the Sava. The buildings in the main square are primarily in the Baroque style. The castle sits at the top of a hill overlooking the square. Down from the main square is a bridge, called the dragon bridge – the dragons on either side are said to guard the city.

... placed beside the road. They will lead you to a farm or winery where you will taste (and buy if you wish!) self-produced wine and food.

Last tip: if you ever heard someone say that Trieste is too quiet, I dare you to visit it during the Barcolana, the world-famous sailing race open to everyone, professionals and amateurs, which attracts thousands of tourists every year. It will be an experience you will never forget.

See you in Trieste!

... of potipesti or petiposti, something like that, and I know what they are because it was a map and it also said sentiers. So I have to come back and do the 3 country walk, that nwould be as good as Four Corners. We just wandered along the water and got confused, because what they call a beach here isnt a beach to us, its a pile of rocks, a very little pile of rocks here and there, so we got a bit lost and ended up walking on top of a wall of some ...

... we stayed there for the evening talking to Patricia and her partner, and them feeding us speck, cheese, bread, etc.

Saturday...my (sort of cousin..) Alex came around and whisked me away on his motorbike for a tour of Trieste (and surrounding towns, including a quick trip into Slovenia) It was a beautiful sunny day and it was amazing to ride on the bike with the wind cooling my skin from the sun beating down on it. So mostly from this day came ...

Sorry, too dark for any good pictures, but here are a few attempts. This place is HUGE, with awesome, massive caverns that blow your mind, very impressive and interesting. The remains of the original internal stairs are visible in many spots, built by the original explorers ...

Italian is not a common 2nd language in the countries we've visited, but Koper Slovenia had clearly been conquered by the Italians and left with evidence of their rule. The city was settled in Roman times, then influenced by the Byzantine Empire around 600-800 AD, and ruled by Venice from 1300-1800.

Street signs were in Italian and Slovenian, and the lion emblem of Venice was posted on several important buildings. The familiar locking window ...

... place or at the very least not in any atlas they have ever seen. Eventually something managed to sink in but as he spoke I focused on the only English words I could make out, "Albania, Tirana, and tourist". When I replied that I was going to Albania and that I was a tourist he stood up, laughing, and shook my hand vigorously before disappearing back to wherever he had come. My fist experience of Albania over me I sat back and watched the cavalcade of trucks and jeeps hauling ...

... love to have stayed a little longer, I was a bit too far away from Istanbul for my comfort. I have to be in Isntabul on the 3rd in order to take the train that goes from Istanbul to Aleppo. It only leaves once a week and takes 30 hours. So if I miss that I`m in trouble.