I hate it when the weather forecast is correct. They had forecasted a 20% chance of rain by 10 am, and it arrived like clockwork. Fortunately I was carrying my umbrella with me, so besides slightly damp feet I was able to ignore the inclement weather.
Wednesday, February 28, 2024
Italia 2023. Day 29 - The perfect tourist experience in Venice. The last day.
Italia 2023. Day 28 - Venice, the Pearl of the Adriatic
Italia 2023. Day 27 - Trieste, the Vienna of the Adriatic
I am back in Italy! When I got out of the basement hostel in Ljubljana I heard the sound of water on the street. Oh, no! Yes, it had rained during the night, but at least for now the clouds were holding, and when I arrived in Trieste, Italy, the sky was overcast but not menacing. Let's see how long my good luck holds.
Italia 2023 (and Slovenia). Day 26 - Ljubljana (day 2)
Oh, sadness. Yesterday was a pretty, sunny day, but today it is overcast and bitterly cold. I thought I would get a walk in the great outdoors out of the way, so I headed for the Tivoli park, which merges with the mountain forest to provide tens of miles of walking paths to dog walkers. Slovenians, like Germans, dote on their dogs and you see all sorts of people walking their dogs, or bringing them into the shops and restaurants. Some even carry a little cushion or padded blanket so Fido does not have to lay on the cold floor. And just to avoid any confusion, Tivoli Park in Ljubljana should not be confused with the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen.
Italia 2023 (and Slovenia). Day 25 - Ljubljana
Another easy ride with Flixbus and I entered Slovenia (even though Croatia and Slovenia are members of the EU we had to go through border passport check and customs, which is weird). The landscape has changed somehow, from craggy mountains and dense forest to a more genteel landscape of grass-covered hills with small quaint towns scattered over the slopes. Feels more like Germany than Hungary.
Italia 2023 (and Croatia). Day 24 - Zagreb (day 2)
Today was a good, active day, although it was cold. Particularly on corridors, or stepping out of a room, the sudden cold wind penetrated to the bone.
Italia 2023 (and Croatia). Day 23 - Zagreb
Well, I was out of form yesterday, because I think the solitude of an empty tourist area is getting on my nerves. But everything is changing today, because I am going into the country to the capital, Zagreb. I would imagine folks there live their normal lives 365 days a year, so it is sure to be lively. But first we need to get over the coast ranges, which from the coast look tall and forbidding. The highest peaks are snow-clad and as jagged as the Alps. As we drove through them the temperature plummeted to -5 degrees C and a thin dusting of snow covered the forest. Oh dear, I hope I am not going to freeze myself.