Cheecago Illinois

Today was wonderful. We got up at eight, Zabeth got up and told me that the ship was sailing and I better be on it. We walked out of the house with Nadjas mom, Elke to find the bus stop. On the way we bought tickets and found the stop without any problems. Z and d go to town and arrive at ten. Without a plan, phone, or wifi, they wander aimless for two hours, but not without finding fresh food market on the grand canal, public restrooms, two espresso shots, ocean, who knew? Then decide to get act together beginning with purchase of a cell phone, almost purchased wifi chip but realized iPad not accessible, so settle on phone. With newly found confidence from accomplishment seek out tourist info and get a city map. Celebrate with kebab panini, falafel and then two more coffees at a wifi hot spot. Procrastinate on wifi until kitchen staff changes at coffee shop, then use tourist map to retrace steps of the morning. See old castle, roman theatre, old roman arch. At this point weather has changed from fog to sunshine, possibly as a result of our mood swing after doing some legwork to actually make trip sunny not just a foggy haze as well. Then think to call and make plans with everyone else so we try cell call but we can't contact our friends because there numbers are German. Back to wifi spot, this time beer and wine, send emails with contact info. Walk out feeling complete that we have done all we can, immediately bump into said friends and retrace path to castle. Weather beautiful, warm, sun reflecting on water, like Austin on an ocean! Head to dinner at fish market specializing in coastal catches. Everyone splits appetizer, then has pasta, experience first taste of restaraunterism in Italy. It costs 2 $ per person just to go in. Offset by all the free snacks you get during aperetivo. After dinner get gelato, walk 20 minutes to theatre, bar, cafe, called Rosetti. At ten o'clock, live from Chicago Illinois is the blues brothers mobile band, specializing in..... The blues. All intros in Italian, all songs in perfect English. Wonderful! Catch midnight bus back to our place, turns out bus is also popular hangout for every teenage kid in Trieste. All kids skinny (jeans), hip, and speaking Italian. One kid puts cigarette in mouth, gets off the bus, lights up. Bus drives 100 meters, makes a U, kid thumbs down bus from same spot, takes step up, flicks cigarette into the great midnight yonder, as automatic doors trap nicotine laced oxygen for all public transporting losers to inhale for a second the sweet scent of freedom.....aaaahhhhhhhhhhh!