Beautiful Trieste

This weekend I was back in beautiful Trieste.
Not that we need an excuse to go back, but this weekend was the Alumni Dinner for the school. It was a chance for us all to get together and have a glass of wine or two!
Trieste is lovely at any time of year, but Christmas in the city is wonderful. Piazza Unita' was full of trees, all decorated, and the Christmas music was playing - it's very festive.
When I arrived (45 minutes late, thanks to the trains!) Massi met me, and, as we were walking to get some lunch, we saw fighter jets fly past to leave a trail of Tricolore-coloured smoke over the Adriatic.
Lunch was in Buffet Rudy, boiled meats and sausages, with horseradish (grated, not the creamy stuff like in the UK) and mustard. We were unsure what to order, but as soon as the guy mentioned Patate in Tecia (like yummy mashed potatoes) we both decided that plus something - basically anything!
Once we found Ale, and the B&B - Affitacamere Ghega, near the station, cheap and basic - we dumped our bags then headed out to the old faithful Bar Walter for some prosecco. Just for old time's sake!
The dinner at Birreria Forst was fun, and we had a bit of a dance later on around the beer pumps before heading back to Nanut, and onto Mandracchio - the usual circuit.
The night in the B&B was short, but seemed long, Vlasta found the blankets at 9am, so we were warm for only about a half an hour before the man came to tell us he needed the rooms. We left in a hurry, and were not surprised that there was not a mad stampede of people waiting to come in. But hey, the location was FABULOUS and the price pretty great too - at 25 euros a night! And perhaps if we had come home at a reasonable time, we would have found the covers earlier! The B&Bs are great value, not luxurious, but there is a bed and a shower, although often communal, so everything you need really. The buildings are often really fancy, as the B&Bs usually are derived from converted family hand-me-down apartments of monstrous proportions that have been converted. This palazzo was stunning, especially the lift which was a work of art, boasting even a seat to rest on as you went up and down. Fabulous!
Sunday started like all good Sundays should, with a leisurely coffee and a chat whilst reading the papers and catching up on the night before. Vlasta went off to the airport and on to Brussels, but over lunch in another Buffet, people from the night before slowly straggled in.
Trains from Trieste were cancelled - yet ANOTHER strike - unbelieveable! - so after a quick coffee with Giulia, Ale gave me, Ciccio and Chris a lift to Portogruaro station in his new motor so we could catch the train.
As soon as I changed trains at Mestre, and got into the First Class cabin on the way to Florence, I closed my eyes for a much-needed nap. Next thing I knew we were at Santa Maria Novella.
All too soon, back at the Residence, and then the alarm was going off - time for work again.
But another great thing about seeing each other is that we have planned the next party - 2 weeks time in Udine!