August 12 the Spirit departs la Serenissima

Yes DT, the place with the checked tablecloths looked very inviting.

Isklaar, the art zperson ( not the same person every time) has been on every cruise I have been on this year and last year. I cannot speak to every cruise( ahhh, but I wish I could :-)).

The art person on this cruise was Rami Ron, his title was"curator" for the Andrew Weiss Gallery on board the Silver Spirit. The art collection aboard is very much for sale. I have been on other cruise ships where they sell what they call "artworks" ( a misnomer IMO).

While some of the work aboard doesn't appeal to me, I find myself stopping to look at it occasionally. There are some beautiful photographs too, I like the poignant and magical photographs of Marilyn Monroe and the playful one of Groucho Marx.

Thanks for clarifying what ship that was behind the Aida. It was quite crowded at the port of Corfu that day.

Trieste is in Italy, but it's location has made it the target for occupation by many different countries. In the 19th century it was the 4th largest city of the Austro Hungarian empire. Trieste has, in its past, been occupied by Venetians, Romans, French, Germans, the Hapsburg empire, and Austrians to name a few. None of these occupations have come without a price, often a huge price.

Just outside of Trieste there are numerous cemeteries honoring the war dead. One of these on Monte Sei Busi, in Redipuglia, is the site of over 100,000 fallen soldiers, only 39,000 of them have been identified. We drove by the site, and it is a striking and sobering war memorial. Just a few clicks away is the site of burial for soldiers who were from Hungary, also many never identified.

Keep in mind that the entire city of Trieste has a population of just over 200,000.

The architecture of the city is quite unique, one can certainly see the influences of various cultures. The mosaics on the building were glowing in the light, even with the darkened cloudy sky.

This reminded me of many European cities with similar grand plazas.

Below are photos, apologies its was from my perch in the bus, of the Piazza Unita.

Early on a Sunday morning, not much activity going on. Add to the mix that the weather was just improving from massive rainstorms in the area.

Above is the grand canal.

Appreciate the additional pictures from Split to Zadar to Trieste, etc. We need to do more along those super scenic Croatian coast areas. Things look very historic and interesting in these great areas. Keep 'em coming!

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Wonderful Kotor and nearby Montenegro? Check these postings. Have had over 31,095 views on this posting and appreciate those who have tuned-in and commented.:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439193

Thank you spinnaker for the art information. It's been quite some time since I cruised with Silversea so I'm not too familiar with what they're doing onboard these days. I'd heard about a shoe maker on one cruise but never about the art.

The preludio sandal maker still aboard.

Very glitzy shoes with a hefty price. Capri based and handmade.

Custom made is always pricey.

:-)

Speaking of merchandise, the boutiques continue to disappoint. They have a dearth of marketable goods.

Our bus tour took us along the coastal road. Trieste is built on a hillside, and there are many cliffs. The city was just waking up and families were making their way to the parks and other shoreside venues. There are no beaches per se, rather sideways and paved areas where sunbathers and swimmers spread out their blankets and position their beach chairs along the seaside.

Our first stop was Castello di Duino, a 14th Century castle on the cliffs with glorious views of the gulf of Trieste. The castle is privately owned, and one half of it is closed to the public.

The grounds are lush.

Yes DT, the place with the checked tablecloths looked very inviting.

 

Isklaar, the art zperson ( not the same person every time) has been on every cruise I have been on this year and last year. I cannot speak to every cruise( ahhh, but I wish I could :-)).

The art person on this cruise was Rami Ron, his title was"curator" for the Andrew Weiss Gallery on board the Silver Spirit. The art collection aboard is very much for sale. I have been on other cruise ships where they sell what they call "artworks" ( a misnomer IMO).

 

While some of the work aboard doesn't appeal to me, I find myself stopping to look at it occasionally. There are some beautiful photographs too, I like the poignant and magical photographs of Marilyn Monroe and the playful one of Groucho Marx.

 

Thanks for clarifying what ship that was behind the Aida. It was quite crowded at the port of Corfu that day.

On my second segment on Shadow in August, we had a curator on board. We did not have any interaction with him. What I found absurd was, he had a silent auction and all the art was tagged and tacky. It's one thing to have someone on to give art talks and privately sell but do an auction is mainstream mass market cruising.

What I found absurd was, he had a silent auction and all the art was tagged and tacky. It's one thing to have someone on to give art talks and privately sell but do an auction is mainstream mass market cruising.

Appreciate and agree with the above wisdom. These "art deal" are not what you expect and/or enjoy on smaller, better cruise lines such as Silversea. When you ask them specific questions about pricing and values, they start "dancing" and spinning. Not good or fun!!

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 216,600 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

Evidently the sandal makers have been a hit. So SS or their corporate entity bought the company! Could be rumor.

The castle has a great guard dog.

The castle is owned by the Thurn and Taxs family, more specifically Prince Alexander, grandson. We didn't see him.

I loved this broken piece of statue, located on a column by a staircase.

Were we the butt of the humor? One really had to touch it for balance as we descended a long narrow wet staircase without railings, from the garden.

A view out to an older castle, and the bay of Trieste.

The grounds of the castle are glorious. This is a challenge because of the weather in Trieste. A particular type of wind known as Bora, which may have speeds up to 200 km/h, and last for several days, presents the challenge. Roofs have been blown off, trees fall and flowers and plants defoliated.

Lots of flowers and bees...in fact there were bees everywhere we went. I was glad I had my epi pens with me because if I am stung I need adrenaline and a hospital.

There were bees in every port and it made sitting at La Terrazza a challenge for me and everyone else who sat outside. I learned bees love balsamic vinegar and wine. Me too.

Better view of the castle on the Rock and the Bay

Or at least one of them. I understand he was quite a busy guy.

A long bus ride through the small towns and villages of the Friuli region. We had to avoid the highway because of the extreme traffic jams caused by weekenders either going to the country or returning home. This was a good thing actually, because we did experience the scenery that a highway would not allow.

We arrived at the Castello di Spessa, a 12th century castle, overlooking the vineyards of Capriva del Friuli. In the courtyard of the castle is a statue of Giacomo Casanova, who purportedly spent time here, and not alone from what we understand. The castle is now a hotel and the surrounding environs of Fruili produce grapes which are bottled with the appellation of the castle.

There are luxuriant gardens to explore.

But we were here to taste the wine and to toast Casanova of course!

Spinnaker2, your photos are incredible! I think I actually stopped breathing as I paged down! Thanks for sharing them!

The barriquerie cellar dates from Medieval times, and below that is a second level, a bunker dug in 1939 during World War II and now used as a cellar.

Cask of Amontillado anyone? and no, I couldn't find the spider.

The dramatic view from the hilltop of the castle.

Note the golf course.

The entrance to the restaurant, I believe it says here where one finds the soul is satisfied and the palate aroused (catches fire)...attributed to Casanova of course.

It was an impressive place. The wine was quite good. Many left carrying bottles back to the ship. Since it was our last day, we did not purchase anything. I must say I regret it.

I was already feeling somewhat melancholic because I knew I faced the packing and the last night aboard the Spirit. The next day would be an early morning to be awake for the sail in to Venice and then debarkation and the long series of flights back home and back to reality.

Not far at all, in fact when we were at the wine tasting, we were told Venice was an hours drive away.

I wondered how the Captain was going to stretch out the time so that we would arrive in Venice at the appointed hour in the morning.

We had an uneventful departure from Trieste. In fact the weather, in the main, had been very good on this cruise, except for the heat. However about 7 pm, things started to change. The wind really picked up. Those with aspirations of dining outside on the deck at La Terrazza had to make other plans. The wine glasses and plates were about to take flight as the napery whipped around like so many sails. The sky became grey and the sea had whitecaps.

This weather must have been the storm that had hit Trieste the day and night before our arrival there.

We were rocking and rolling a little bit. Neptune was stirring things up! The lightening was cracking across the sky. I tried to capture it, no dice.

I tried to get a good photo, but the wind was too strong and the rain was pelting me. I couldn't really stand on the verandah for any length of time.

The below was as good as I could do. The lights of the shore are so close!

I don't know when the storm stopped, but when I awoke it was a beautiful day and we had started to make our way into the port of Venice.

I've enjoyed all of your photos, but these last several are beautiful.

Thanks for sharing!

I've enjoyed all of your photos, but these last several are beautiful.

Thanks for sharing!

Agree very much with Isklaar, and my hunger for moe Venice has indeed increased. Thanks so much for your trip report. V.

We just kept going forward. In the early morning. So quiet, no crowds...just beautiful, beautiful Serenissima.

Spinnaker2, finally catching up with your posts. Wow!

We have visited a few places in Croatia, but obviously there is a lot more to see. What a beautiful part of the world. Thanks for sharing!

And finally, the destination draws near.

I stop taking pictures.

The camera is put away.

The rest of the pictures will be in my mind.

Until the next time.

There is no place like Venice.

This is the end of the journey. Thanks for the encouragement and compliments.

Thanks, Candy! Look forward to seeing you on the Wind in Nov. Best to you and Larry.

Thanks Doug!

Best to you and the lovely Miss Lynn.

Not long now before the guest room becomes the cruise wardrobe room.

:-)

I very much appreciate your pictures and narration.

My DW and I agree that there is no place like Venice. Next August the 8th we will take our third cruise out of Venice on the Muse and we always try to arrive at least 4 days early to enjoy the city.

This will be the earliest we have visited and we are concerned about the heat and the crowds. It will also be our first cruise with SS and we are definitely looking forward to that.