Trieste - Gorica - Novo Gorica (Slovenia) - Jesenic - Zagreb via Lubijano

NOT SO HOT OFF THE PRESS! I now have liberty to publish, withheld yesterday,  the fact that John left his camera on the train from Venezia S Lucia to Mestre. As the original train was continuing to Trieste and we were taking a slightly later train, the conductor radioed the train ahead to check the compartment. I had great hopes that it would be recovered, as the compartment only contained ourselves and as we alighted, a man boarding, nearly had his hand severed, as he attempted to keep the door open for us. If he found it, I was sure that he would hand it in.

About 30 minutes later, the conductor arrived to tell us that the camera had been found and that as it was Sunday, we were to go to door five on the left side of the tracks in Trieste to collect it. But on arrival in Trieste, we were met by an official, who took John to the said office and returned his camera. I was very impressed with the  courtesy, efficiencyand organisation of the FS but I suppose aithnionn ciarog , ciarog eile. ( it takes one to know one)

Last night, we went to Piazza Unita Italia and again passed James en route. It appears he took coffee at the Tomassi  Cafe nearby. We turned and walked down the walkway dedicated to him. The sun was setting on the Adriatic and a liner was leaving port; it was a very picturesque scene . 

Many of the locals were taking a walk on the sea front when again it began to raiin!

We ran to a cafe in Piazza Unita Italia. The Piazza is one of the largest in Italy, with one side looking out on the Adriatic. Unlike what we had seen earlier in the day, this Piazza  and surrounding buildings were well maintained, with coffee shops on the Piazza and very upmarket shops in the adjacent streets. 

We sat down for a drink at the famous Cafe Devil Specchi. Three young girls sat at the next table. They were drinking this rose coloured drink. I asked them what it was and they replied that it was the 'in' drink at present - prosecco mixed with A juice I never heard of. 

We got into conversation with thecthree lovely girls as we'd say 'real ladies' -  Laura from Colombia, who was somewhat apprehensive about commencing studies at Trieste University today; Constanza was from Argentina and was marketing manager for a plastic surgery equipment. Her father was the plastic surgeon owner of a hospital in Buenos Aires - her boyfriend had done a Ph D (Finance) in Warwick University  and when I mentioned that our emigrant son had done an MSc (Finance) there, she wanted to know his name and texted the details to her fiancée! She was very forthcoming about herself adding that she had got a hockey sports scholarship to the US  - in fact she had played hockey for Argentina. 

The third girl Frederica was from Trieste and was also studying in Trieste and had a great knowledge of Joyce and his friend,  the  Triesten  writer Svevo, whom Joyce encouraged to write after he had been ignored by the Italian literati. He subsequently became very famous Italian writer.

They wanted to know if I did Facebook but when I replied that I didn't, they gave me their email addresses and asked me to keep in touch. 

After their departure, we  left for a trattoria they had recommended. It was closed so we went across the road to another. I ordered or at least I thought I ordered a pasta and John a steak. The pasta arrived together with an extra plate, followed by steaks for both of us- 2 large fillets for John and one for me! The waiter had asked whether I wanted one or two, so I thought when I said one, it was only for John! Needless to say we didn't make much impression on them as I was content with the pasta dish which was delicious. 

The walls of the trattoria were adorned with photographs, of presumably the chef in early and later years, with Sophia Loren,the Beatles, Elvis and others I didn't recognise.

This morning we had a long day's travelling. We left Trieste station at 0856 and arrived at Gorica (Italy)

then took a taxi across the border to Nova Gorcia(Slovenia)

Sitting  on the platform for an hour, I commenced today's blog - the blog has been a great distraction while awaiting trains. 

Our well graffitied train arrived 

and we commenced the scenic run to Jesenic, with an intervening 20 minute bus ride as a result of works on the line. 

It was a most scenic route with the train running along a narrow valley, punctured with tunnels. The mountains rising above us and the river hugging the railway line - 21/2 hrs of spectacular panoramic landscape. Little hamlets dotted the valley, which reminded me of Austria. Farming appeared to be limited to market gardening with an emphasis on apples. The absence of animals in the fields, quite surprised me as there was evidence of rich pastureland and it was too early for winter housing. They may possibly stall feed all year.

As we arrived at the Croatian border, we were met by the Slovakian and Croatian police, the latter dressed to perfection in his well appointed uniform, the latter in a casual ill - fitting one. Our fellow Slovakian passenger told us the formalities could take in excess of 30 minutes! She lives in Ljubljana and visits her mother in a town 50 km outside Zagreb. This woman told us she regrets the break -up of former Yugoslavia because there is a lot of unemployment among her country's well educated young people, who are emigrating.

As we crossed the border into Croatia, there was a remarkable alteration in the landscape - the beautifully appointed landscape of Slovenia has been replaced by a more unruly landscape. The farms were untidy and the beautiful houses with their beautiful window boxes were replaced by untidy homesteads.

As we approached Zagreb, the huge, Soviet type apartment blocks which would benefit from a 'lick' of paint.

We alighted at Zagreb - more tomorrow...