Trieste

Today we traveled by train 3 hours to the beautiful seaside city of Trieste. It was a good choice. The architecture of the city was completely different from what I had seen thus far (you could definitely see Austrian and whatever other influences) and the seaside views were pristine. It was cold and overcast today, but no reason to stop us from traveling. The buildings were just beautiful. I don't know how to describe to the architecture other than really cool to look at. There were plenty of Carnevale festivities for the little kids around the city. And looking back, we did it all. From exploring the marinas to playing on playgrounds to venturing up to the highest points of the city to see ones of it castles to sipping a cappuccino in Caffe Tommasseo where James Joyce apparently spent a lot of time writing Ulyesses to indulging in some hot chocolate from a fancy chocolate store (by the way Italian hot chocolate is literally melted chocolate, none of that powdery nonsense). Other highlights included petting a horse when two horse drawn carriages randomly came to the piazza and jamming out to this band that was playing the Beatles (no one else was dancing but I think the band appreciated our enthusiasm). It was an incredibly long day with lots of walking. I figure this weekend we easily walked 20-30 miles. We shall see if I can get out of bed tomorrow.

One the train ride home, we met Martino, who started talking to us when he inquired where we were from. Possibly the cutest, sweetest ragazzo ever. He lives in Trieste but visits his family once a week, which is where he was currently headed. He asked us to speak in English so he could practice and he was asking us all sorts of questions. Then he was excited to show us this thing for his family so we got all excited and he pulled out and says "I don't know know how to describe it in English." Well, quite frankly neither do I. It was a wooden circle/cylinder with fish hooks and wine corks and some spaghetti like straw in the middle. But we all pretended it was the coolest thing we had ever seen and that his family would love it. He asked for our contacts so he could Facebook us and when he got of the train he waved to us through the window and blew us a kiss. Best thing ever. Martino will forever have a special place in our hearts.