My heart belongs to you
As with my decision to go to Budapest, my destination upon leaving Innsbruck was only decided the night before leaving. I had again looked at many options, including a crazy plan to visit one of the smallest countries in the world, Liechtenstein. But the travel and costs made it just a bit rich for my blood.
Instead, I opted for a train journey to the farthest flung city in Italy, Trieste. And I’m so glad I did. What an amazing little city, tucked away from the rest of the world. I was instantly in love.
From the minute I arrived back in Italy, I felt back at home. I have missed this country so much, and to feel its warm embrace once again filled me with comfort and joy. Never have I found a place that I feel more at home in. Italy is my place, all of it.
Trieste has such an interesting history. At times it’s been Roman, Venetian, Austro-Hungarian and an independent city-state. It has been influenced by of all of them, as well as many Balkan peoples. It has had multiple golden ages, at times rivaling even Venice. During the rule of the Habsburgs, it was their most important port.
It has been called the coffee capital of Europe, because of its long standing history with coffee. Much of the coffee imported to Europe flowed through its port. Along with this distribution channel came its rise as a coffee roasting powerhouse. Mega-brand, illy caffé, was founded and is still headquartered in Trieste. With this comes a unique coffee culture.
Learning how to order a coffee in Trieste is like navigating a cultural minefield. It’s true that Triestini will judge you on how you order your coffee, and if you don’t want to be marked down as a tourist, you’d better learn how to order your cup like a local.
All the typical drinks exist here, but they all go by different names. Want an espresso? That’s a nero. Cappuccino? Ask for a caffelatte. And the crown jewel, likely only found in this city is the Capo in B. That’s espresso with a bit of milk, but served in a glass. And everyone orders this. So naturally, I was in heaven and at home. I made my way around town sampling all the best cafes.
In doing so I also explored the city. Its carries a distinctive Venetian flavor, yet you still feel the Austro-Hungarian influence as well. It’s not a large city, and what it lacks in size it certainly makes up for in spirit. This place was alive. Chaotic at times, but never overwhelming, and with plenty of places to relax and enjoy life.
Of course, being Italy, it’s a culinary wonderland and I was so happy to be back amongst my favorite foods. First stop was absolutely to have panzerotti. Like its sibling, the calzone, it’s a beautiful dough filled with an assortment of deliciousness. But a panzerotti is deep fried instead of baked. My favorite is the traditional apulian … fresh tomato and mozzarella. Heaven.
My first couple days were hard to explore as there was considerable rainfall, but I still managed to move in and around the showers. With the love I was feeling for the city and the limited time I was getting to explore, I opted to extend my stay by a few days, which turned out to be a great move. The final couple days were full of lots of walking and exploration.
As the days drifted by I started to think about my next move and the excitement grew. Plans were drawn up and arrangements made. My next adventure is a place of legend and history. A place I’ve dreamt of visiting for my whole life. But of course we’ll save that for another post.
These last weeks have been a whirlwind of travel. Full of new and interesting locations, reunions with family and friends. What originally felt like a stopgap before the next big adventure became some of the best days I’ve had in a while. So free am I now, so relaxed in my way of living that time moves while standing still. Each day is a joy and a blessing. I’m so thankful to have reached this state of being.