Heeeyho Readers! Let's stroll along the coast in Italy.
“No person who has not spent a period of his life in those ‘stark and sullen solitudes that sentinel the Pole’ will understand fully what trees and flowers, sun-flecked turf and running streams mean to the soul of a man.” — Sir Ernest Shackleton
Those months roaming Europe on a bicycle as winter approached never scratched what it must have felt to be isolated in Antarctica. Nevertheless, my experience, although not in complete stark and sullen solitude, proved tiring after days of rough camping and facing gelid winds.
The decision to cycle from Poland down to Italy (instead of elsewhere) proved correct. I missed the sun's warmth and less challenging days, although some level of adventuring, under harsh conditions, appeal to me.
After spending 2018 Christmas by myself, I finally created enough courage to leave Koper and get on going with the quest to reach the UK. Shortly after crossing Trieste on a warm morning, this charming place called Pascola Beach attracted me. I'd forgotten how peaceful strolling along the coast with no particular place to go was.
Boats are a hidden adventuring dream. I'm uncertain how I developed this taste, as I've only stepped in a sailboat twice. Sailboat stories such as Amyr Klink's and Shackleton's are certainly among the sources of inspiration. I grab a piece of bread and sit on a rock staring at the docks while taking photos before continuing.
I wonder why the place is called Barcola Beach when there's no sand, nor rolling waves, and certainly not a guy shouting cerveja gelada, cerveja gelada. Perhaps the concept of beach is different for a Brazilian. I like it nonetheless.
A castle looms in the distance. Or more like a palace. "Castello di Miramare," says, in a singsong tone, the Italian lady right next to me. She advises that I go take a look.
Miramare Castle is a 19th-century castle direct on the Gulf of Trieste between Barcola and Grignano in Trieste, northeastern Italy. It was built from 1856 to 1860 for Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian and his wife, Charlotte of Belgium, later Emperor Maximilian I and Empress Carlota of Mexico. The architecture is based on a design by Carl Junker.
Maximilian and Charlotte were able to enjoy the castle for only four years before leaving for Mexico, where Maximilian was crowned Emperor Maximilian of Mexico, only to be executed by firing squad in 1867.
After reading about the castle, I discovered it hides some urban stories. Some say that Charlotte, mad with grief after the execution of Ferdinand still wanders in the castle calling his name. Legend has it that he who shall spend the night at the castle will be doomed to die a violent death prematurely in a foreign land. Intrigued, I continue towards the entrance. I'm already in a foreign land and won't let go of a chance to sleep in there.
However, entry is denied as I get to the gates. I have to content with the lovely beach of crystal clear waters and the stares of tourists towards myself and my fully loaded bicycle. "You cycle touring," asks a guy in heavy eastern European English. I nod. He's impressed that I'm bicycle traveling during the winter and asks to take some photos with me. I consent.
I spend some time enjoying the afternoon fiddling with the camera. There's nowhere else to go but backward and into the Trieste Coastal Road, or Panoramic Road, that will take me to Monfalcone.
More often than ever my trips are not extraordinary expeditions full of mishaps – although I ended up sleeping under a bridge that night. Most of what I don't show are wanderings on mundane places, with permission to enjoy myself without worrying about survival. This tim was no different.
I hope you have enjoyed this post. Until next time.
Peace.
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Disclaimer: The author of this post is a convict broke backpacker, who has travelled more than 10.000 km hitchhiking and more than 5.000 km cycling. Following him may cause severe problems of wanderlust and inquietud. You've been warned.
From Poland to Italy? Wow, great!
It could have almost been Greece :)
I think the locals would find the bridge a better place to spend the night instead of the haunted castle! I love these stories!
A friend lives in an amazing stone-built house, similar to a small castle, that locals didn't rent it for years due to a murder or something, and now she is paying almost nothing for rent while having an amazing time and a great view, haha!
Lovely tour! Thanks for sharing!
I wanted to go that way, but I was pressed with the Schengen Visa =/
one day maybe if I ever decide to go crazy and move to a sailboat
What a bargain! Has she heard any noises or something? A friend of mine used to live in a two-story house in Ireland and they swear to God his girlfriend saw a man more than once. They said Ireland has a super "heavy" vibe due to all the years of disgrace and death they've gone through.
By sailboat it would be even better! There are so many islands and isolated beaches to explore! Can you imagine sailing from Brazil? We are far...
No juicy story here, no screams or noises :)
I think her kids have somehow cleaned the energy and balanced the situation - they are the most active, happy, crazy, creative kids I have ever met. And I think they did a good job!
Have you ever seen Youtube Channel Sailing LaVagabond (today they are huge and well-marketed), but story goes that the guy bought a boat in Greece. Plenty of Brazilians also buying boats there to live aboard.
Never heard of it, I will check it out!
And surely I had never heard of Brazilians buying boats here! Amazing!
I've heard of 'The Ghost of Carlota' and am curious to visit there one of these days. Did you go see about it?
Yooo! I didn't know about the ghost. Nor about the whole story of Ferdinand and Charlotte (pure ignorance). Then I had to research to compose the post and was shocked. Had I known I'd wait another day to enter the castle, since it was closed when I visited. Not sure if I'd sleep in there though \o\
Not without a circle of salt 😁
you had a pretty good cycling adventure! should have gone into the castle, search for the ghost!
Should've asked the ghost in marriage \o\ imagine living in there by the coast with a lovely ghost wife \o\
Sounds delightful!!! 🥴
Ohhhhh the possibilities. Wild wild sex on the ceiling and so on xD
Hiya, @ybanezkim26 here, just swinging by to let you know that this post made it into our Honorable Mentions in Daily Travel Digest #1463.
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Yeeeeeeee, thank you. Gonna check the selection.
yes, the winters are sometimes really cold in central and northern europe, so camping wouldn't be for me either ;) and you're probably even tougher there... respect.. nice that it was the right decision.. i think italy is one of them most beautiful countries in the world :)
Heeey!
I'd say winter camping is about having the right equipment. Depending on the organization it can be super dupper cozy. Just not when you are cycling everyday on muddy forests, without a shower, and having to deal with hunters shooting during the night \o\
Italy is indeed superb. I wish to go there again to search for my Italian roots.
do you speak italian? and do you have italian roots? :)
Yes haha I can imagine that... the hunters may think you are an animal in the dark haha lol
Sono un superbo oratore italiano. \o\ no I don't speak Italian, though I've lived with Italians once and lost a chance to learn. My middle name is Florentino, which some say is from Florence.
hahaha i had to type that into the translator lol:) florentino is a nice name, yes that would make sense. one more reason to learn it a bit haha i think it's a beautiful language
It isssss
Just amazing 👍 Everything looks so fantastic.
Yooo thanks. This part of the world is fantastic indeed.
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