Trieste - my intro to Central Europe

My view from Miramare Hotel (Thank you for a nice room with a view!)

Trieste is a milestone for me.
It was the first place where I travelled and stayed alone.

It was the first place I visited in Central Europe.
It was the first place I visited under the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region.
It was the first place where I saw lots of half-naked sunbathing folks.

Since it's been years since I went back to Europe, I wanted to spend some time on a suburb other than Slovenia where I can see if I can survive a number of days with just good ol' me. The quiet days that I long for is a good respite while I embark on completing one of my bucket wish list - to travel alone. Two birds in one stone.

There are many perks on travelling alone as you all know. But what I enjoyed most is the freedom to do whatever you want without adjusting to another traveller's goals or without making others adjust to your own. I am a bit naive though and it was helpful for me to have watched Taken (the first movie) before all this happened. So whilst traveling, there was a constant fear in me which made me always... always... check my surroundings or the people around me. I didn't have the indulgence to be lost in one place, which people who have travelled with me will swear is my biggest fault - disappearing for some time and will only return once I'm satisfied with my shots. I have this false notion that I am safe, because I can easily find them if things go wrong.


I only realised all that when I travelled alone. There was this incident in the Amsterdam Schiphol airport where I was questioned about the purpose of my travel. I suddenly realized that if I get detained and I didn't have someone to call from Slovenia, the next kin would be in Asia, hundreds of miles away.

The Lovely Holland Tulips

Or if I miss one of my transfers because I got lost in my stop-over in Milan, the next plane will only be available on the next day and I will be sleeping (no I will not be able to sleep!) in the airport alone. But what I discovered most of all is that silent bubble around you once you go through the journey. You are there yet it's easy to begin feeling that you are just an audience watching the hustle and bustle around you. This is when I really understood why foreign tourists would always raved about Filipino hospitality. Too bad it is slowly being threatened by scams and petty crimes.

Trieste unita d'italia-I wasn't able to get a good shot because of the event, with lots of police cars. Again, I was like in a bubble just watching folks.

I wanted to go to Austria but when Trieste was suggested to me, I started to get curious. I already love to visit places with Roman ruins which Trieste is abundant, but my research led me to my greatest pull to this place, the amazing sunset over the sea, the Castello di Miramare and the story of Princess Charlotte of Belgium when she became the wife of Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico.


My IR Shot of the Miramare Castle

I regretted to say though that this is one of those museums where you can't take pictures. It was beautifully restored and you can almost feel the eeriness of it all. Having been built for a dozen of centuries, you are transported through time as you move around the castle and the exhibits on each room - from the Maximilians era, the parties of Emperor Joseph and Elizabeth of Austria until the American troops takeover in the 1940s. I felt though that I was trap in the thought of how Princess Charlotte moved around the castle. Even if she left this castle for Belgium and live forever in seclusion, I imagined that in her mind, she kept going back to this place, haunted by the life she had spent in this castle with the promise of a beautiful future and a heartbreak that she carried for the rest of her life.

The princess could have been looking out to the port in front of the castle while waiting for her husband. In modern times, this would be the parking. Gara!

Yes, I can imagine how a lovely young woman like her can carry that broken heart forever. Like Maximilian's last words - Poor Charlotte!

After visiting the castle, my next stop is Trieste Unita D'Italia. Now this is where I made that awful mistake of deciding to walk. I am good in using Google maps and getting directions, but not on measuring distances. And so, at the middle of the noon sun, I ended up walking the streets of Viale Miramare towards the plaza. Halfway through the road I was really debating on taking the bus or a taxi because it was soooooo hhooot! But I didn't review on the language and the transportation system so I really didn't have much choice but to keep walking.

The walk involved a stop for a Lemon Soda. When I started to pay, the tindera started to get agitated and said "uhhmm... picollo, picollo.", pointing to the bill. I gave a smaller change and she started to smile. I honestly think we were both flattered that I understood her. That, or I just save her the trouble of looking for someone to break the bill.

 It took 4 effing hours before I was able to reach my destination. I wanted to kiss the ground!

One of the buildings in the plaza.

The main town square is very vast and it seems to me the center of Trieste in a tourist's point of view. This is actually a good place to start your trip. I choose to place it second to the Miramare castle though because my hotel is nearer to the castle. I went here on a Saturday so there were a lot of people hanging around the mall at the back of the main building. It is also near to tourist spots like the Castle of San Giusto so I also found tourists like me roaming about. There were two options for me to go around - the walking tour, which I immediately scrapped and the hop-on hop-off bus.

Both options will lead me back to the Miramare hotel whilst giving me a chance to enjoy the rest of the tourist spots. As I was climbing the bus and enjoying the company of other tourists travelling alone like me, I was silently thanking the Almighty that I existed in a generation when this tour already existed. I am sure my feet are thankful too because when I've reached the hotel, all I can think about is lay in that sunbathe chair outside my veranda and enjoy a lazy break while waiting for the sunset. I made a quick stop to Bar La Nave found next to the hotel where I bought this scramble ice cream. They have other choices for sandwiches, ice creams and drinks that you can eat in an outdoor setting. But because of the heat, I opted to just go back to my room and enjoy my veranda.



I found this which I first thought as ice cream but it turned out to be like scramble in PH, hence the straw. I really love it, please bring this to Manila, Selecta!

I would have to say that one of the best choices I've made when I went for this trip is to stay in Miramare hotel. I was debating on a hotel nearer to the town square but how can you say no when even if in the hotel's website, you can already hear the sea!

My veranda, I want!

The only setback I could remember now is on actually finding the place. Thankfully, the cab driver knew who to call for directions and she (yes lady driver, girl power!) might have missed one turn because of the small sign, but after that we were able to reach the hotel without a hitch. Funny thing was that when I told her "Keep the change!", she can't understood what I was saying. We spent almost 2 minutes trying to decipher what each other was saying and I have to hold back my laughter because she might be offended by it. When she finally knew what I meant, we gave a short sigh at the same time, and that's when we started laughing. It looks like it's not a good practice to tip in Trieste!

Breakfast and dinner are served in the restaurant next to the lobby of the hotel. I was worried that I have to go to the plaza and buy food to take to the hotel during my trip. Food is truly Mediterranean. I also found that one of the staff is Filipino so I knew I was in good hands.

The Breakfast Buffet

Mediterranean Dinner

The only problem is Restaurant Le Vele is in a romantic setting having those candle-lit tables and a sea view. I kinda felt out-of-place with only my trusty iPad to accompany me.

So during my last night, I opted to end my day with the comfort of a Seafood Carbonara pasta and soda drink at La Terrazza Dell'Ostello Di Giovanni Tosto. I must say I didn't plan to visit this ristoranti when I was building my itinerary because the website didn't have much info on it. But on the mornings I spent walking near the breakwater, I always see how inviting it was. I decided to try it out while waiting to shoot for the sunset.

It was a little dry for me, being used to be served with indulgences on the carbonara sauce, but the seafood compensates for it. Service was excellent!


My last sunset in Trieste

So finally, dear readers, here is the sunset I've waited for. We had some good times, this sunset. Deep conversations, a promise of good day on the morrow while I say my goodbye and thanks for a very nice weather and rewarding journey. Needless to say, it was an adventure that I will remember for the rest of my life.

Slovenia Feast

I took a trip a few months ago to Celje, Slovenia to visit my long-time friend Dey and her husband Simon. It was one of the best trips I made in Europe mainly because the Skets were very hospitable and is always willing to share their time to show me the culture and the food. They helped me try out a lot of dishes when I was in Celje, but I think for the most part, what I wouldn't forget is the trip to the museum and having a chance to know about Alma Karlin, who I now quote in my profile. But I digress.

When I travel, I don't start by pretending to know even the smallest thing about a place. It helps me keep an open-mind about the food, the language and the culture. I use the little knowledge that I have as a conversation starter instead with locals and other travellers, mainly to confirm or clarify what I know.

And this is what I've learned in Slovenia. If you are to feast in this place, I would suggest to travel the country with a local. Cliche I know, but for the most part, I think the food is prepared to be experienced with a group of friends or family. Take for example the Ajvar.

Ajvar Dip - this preserved dip consists of paprika, tomato, red carrots and pepperoni. It is mostly home made with ingredients grown organically and is served with meat. We ate this one afternoon when we visited the Sket's uncle and aunt in the suburbs. It can stand out on its own yet I find that the flavor complements all the meat that was served with it.

Flower Honey - Celje is also popular for their honey bee farms. After all it's also the best place to find a lot of variety of flowers, so it's not surprising to get most of their honeys from flower nectar. I saw some dew honeys as well but I think the best kind of honey is the flower honey because it's sweeter and more aromatic. I enjoyed mine by pouring the honey over my favorite strawberries (the sour kind) to balance the sourness of the fruit with the sweetness of the honey. Ready to serve!

Elderflower juice - I almost felt obsessed with this refreshing, sweet and fragrant drink. It's also very light and not as filling as sodas or other fruit juices which I usually hate (that's why I made it a habit to just drink after I finish eating my meal). With the elderflower, I can enjoy having a full meal with desserts with it without feeling bloated at the end.

Strukli - I'm pretty sure this is also a Croatian dish so I was surprised when I saw it in the Old Celje Castle. The Skets were talking about pancakes, so I pictured the American version. Well, it was a treat because it turned out to be this sweet little delicacy. I think it's the influence of the Croatian strukli and the Austrian strudel which gives it's unique personality.

Kremsnita - I have seen this vanilla and custard cream in puff pastry base cake both in Italy and Slovenia. But I think it's more popular in Croatia. Eating it reminds me of Brazo De Mercedes and that's why I kept missing the meringue. It's too sweet for me too and too filling and that's why I would have opted an extra reach for that chocolate swirl at the back if I wasn't too full with the Kremsnita.

Rukola salad - nothing is most simplest yet entertaining but the rukola salad. This one has all the right ingredients for me, the greens, the meat, the cheese but most of all the baby tomato on top. The combination reminds me of how something comfy can come up from simple things. A dash of pepper and an extra swing on the cheese and I can already imagine myself sitting in a reclining chair in front of the Boracay beach with lime juice at my left side and my trusty ipad on the other. Oh wait, I nudge myself. I'm still in Celje.

Pizza - oh my, my thigh. I remember that Friends episode where Christina Applegate guests as Rachel's sister Amy. One glance at the pizza and she said "one moment in your lips, forever in your hips!". Now everytime I see pizza, I remember this phrase. I think both pizzas below found their way to my hips. One has the over indulgence of melted cheese and the other the biggest effing cut of pepperoni. There were a lot of choices in the menu but these two top my lists.

Pljeskavica - last but not the list is the biggest patty I've ever seen. I think this is bigger than that New York New York Giant Yankee burger. I opted to not got with the bread and just eat the meat and the salad. Its very tasty and I think it is a mixture of a variety of meat, mainly pork and beef. I missed the ajvar with this one but having a spicy red sauce was also a good choice.

Everything here is meant to be shared with friends and family as I mentioned earlier but in a hindsight, your adventure can start by being able to share them as well with other travellers. Most of the people I met would always opt for the simplest dish, a breath of fresh air for me coming from places where fusion is always the main theme. In the end, it's the dish coupled by intimate conversations that makes the hearty, satisfying meal.

Congratulations Mr Felix Baumgartner

Photo Credit:USA Today
Congratulations to Mr. Felix Baumgartner for breaking the record today for the highest manned baloon flight, highest skydive but most of all for breaking the speed of sound!

"I know the whole world is watching right now and I wish the world could see what I can see. Sometimes you have to go up really high to understand how small you really are.” - Felix Baumgartner 

More news here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/9608084/Felix-Baumgartner-breaks-speed-of-sound.html

3 Quick Fix for Stress



 Some would go to a tranquil place...

Some would go to a bar...

Some just sleep...

I always go for a food trip.

A trip in Balestier Bak Kut Teh in Ion Mall is top on my list. I pair up a spare rib soup with lime juice but it will not be complete with that dark sweet and spicy soya. How to eat:

1) Slurp the soup

2) Grab a piece of the rib

3) Dunk in the spicy, sweet soya

4) Eat

5) Drink Lime

6) Repeat 'til you run out of the ribs.

On a very bad day, I would add rice and boiled peanuts with my order. The soup though is really enough to calm you down.

I do sometimes ran out of room for the pork ribs, so a great alternative for me is BonChon chicken. Previously a secret to the world, I guess the long lines in Ion Mall has confirmed the revelation. I do always go for the drumsticks since I hate wings. And then I go with the hot sauce because its fun to get a hot and crunchy bite. Lastly, I need soda. No juices. Its not fair to the chicken.

When all is done and I still want some pick-me-ups, I go to the Candylicious shop in Takashimaya and pick up my favorite Hershey dark chocolate, the extra something-something mints and most of all the sparx popping candy. Of all three, it's the popping candy that wakes the little kid in me. Once the candies are popping in my mouth, it takes me back to my childhood, when days are spent with a trip to the sari-sari store and have a pick of candies in the jar. Just for a moment, I can see myself looking at those jars, making a simple decision of choosing that popping candy and be amazed of how little fireworks seem to pop in my mouth.

Kalderetang Itik

 One rainy day calls for something like this - Kalderetang Itik (Duck Stew). Our neighbor Aling Beth cooks the best itik in Bagong Ilog. In fact, her shop is famously know as "Kalderetang Itik ng Bagong Ilog" which you can also find in Facebook. Ironically, it is not stewed in tomato sauce, much like all other Kaldereta dishes are cooked but is just stewed with a lot of spices. Paired with mayo and rice, it's sinful yet you'll find yourself negotiating with the Almighty just to have a few moments to spend with this dish. I'll definitely will mellow down with this for a bit if I can... or at least just try to drop the mayo.

Immmmm bbaaacckk...

It took a while, almost 3 years I believe. I did sporadically blogged on tumblr, multiply, even facebook. But I should say the real reason is it took sometime to go back to my own self and to go back to writing. I will still go back time and time again to what had happened but I'm sure time will heal everything.

In the eve of a special day, I now would like to remind myself.

In the meantime, I would like to share this 

Awesome blog by Crabby McSlacker.