We left Civildale del Fruili happy as clams. Fully refreshed mentally ready to make our way to Trieste. We bounced back and forth between the trail we found in town and the Via Alpina, weaving in and out of vineyards and villages. Lunch was at an nice restaurant in one of the vineyards. The place was much fancier than we expected after walking in. Oh well. Stinky hikers deserve good food too. Plus today is our anniversary.
The next two days were a pleasant walk as well passing old olive and fig trees. The history of WWI shows itself more and more. An important battle ground was yesterday's walk. Soldiers built miles of rocks walls, caves, and ditches throughout the area. At the highest point, which was once the ruins of a medieval castle was used as a foundation for a military look out.
Roman relics and an mysterious underground river welcomed us to the Adriatic Sea. A spot we were very excited about.
The trail stayed high above the water looking over the karst Cliffs. No sandy beaches here like I had imagined. The sea is calm and a beautiful crystal blue. A castle built in the 14th century sits on the a rock edge.
Shadow found a hostel on the ocean to stay tonight and a set of stone stairs lead us 600 vertical feet down to the water. Tall stone walls on both sides follow us. At the bottom a sign was posted stating that this set of stairs was us by the Emperor Elizabeth of Austria centuries ago.
Castle Miramare is the main attraction in this area. Built in the late 1800's, it too sits on the waters edge. The grounds are similar to the Biltmore Castle in the US and filled with the over-the-top decor. After WWII, the US Army moved into the castle. They were in charge of making sure the city of Trieste was given to Italy.
The promenade North of town is another example of how things in Italy are seen as romantic and rustic where in the US, it would be considered red neck. A 1 1/2 lane road separates the sea and the cliffs. An old tall stone wall protects the land and 20 foot wide concrete wall protects the road from the sea. Large boulders are placed along the sea wall. This is the beach. Locals bring their towels and beach chairs to relax on the crowded walkway. They careful maneuver themselves over the boulders to swim in the sea. A few locations have stairs that walk down to the water. There is no sand here. The rocky bottom is easy to see in the clear water. It doesn't sound like a fun way to swim, but your in Italy and it's romantic. Body image problems are not found here. Men here wear speedos and all women where bikinis. All shapes and sizes are welcome. Coffee bars are strung along the walkway people read the newspaper and play cards. Life is not rushed, it is lived.
After an amazing dinner with a no so good night of sleep, we took our time walking the last 5 miles into Trieste. The promenade was already filling up with locals. We sipped for another coffee people watching, although we are watched equally as much. It's hard to blend in with a backpack. Shadow and I scouted a place we could safely leave our packs and swim. A little ways down we found a perfect spot. A 5 foot jump down to the boulders along the water was a 2 foot lip that would hold our packs out of view. I inflated my air mattress to use as a float while Shadow jumped in. It's killing him to not have goggles. He knows that there must be treasure in the sea floor below.
Our friend Boogie met us in the city last night. He drove the roads close to the our trail and had lots to catch up on. He also delivered our new shoes! Thank you Boogie!
WWI relics
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