Ljubljana to Zagreb

I was on the train by 9:50 this morning despite a lack of sleep. sadly my connecting train was missed due to a delay on the first leg of the trip, meaning I missed out on a brief return to Bled - the beautiful lake I’d visited with my family many years ago. with my bags I wandered around the quiet murmur of houses surrounding the train tracks, drawing stares from old men fishing for chestnuts amidst the blanket of leaves on the dewy grass.

the train to Zagreb was beautiful, running along rivers through the fog. I slept a while, and by the time I made it to my hostel I was pretty hungry. I found myself a table at a place that serves struck - a traditional baked dish with layers of cheese and pastry. it rained all day in both countries, and though my clothes were soaked I enjoyed the drizzle on my walk back to the hostel.

sleepy and hoping the rain stops tonight - I’m hoping to run in the morning. <<

somebody help me - I’m being spontaneous!

after a morning run through the fog I napped from 8-10:30 this morning, waking to a conversation between two roommates in my hostel dorm. Gaelle - from France, with a voice reminding me a lot of Maylis - who finds herself in a similar pridicament as me in not knowing what to do after her masters, and Mads - from Denmark - who doesn’t know what he wants to study. both were lovely, and I spent most of my day with them.

as we wandered by the river, I took an immediate liking to the statues on the butcher’s bridge. rough figures lacking definitive shapes, I enjoyed looking at them, and have decided I want to find out more about them and what they represent.

after Gaelle and I returned to the hostel, we ran into Mads, who was on his way to the museum of contemporary art. he invited us to join him, and so for €2.50 we spent an hour wandering through a wide selection of Slovenian modern art.

we wandered the lanes back to the river, and stopped by an Aldi to buy snacks. when travelling solo, I depend on the grace of supermarket prices for breakfasts and lunches, and I’m happy to say that Aldi is yet to let me down.

we enjoyed some very cheap chocolate on our way back to the hostel, during which Gaelle argued with Mads over a claim he had made implying that Danish croissants are better than Parisian croissants.

I drew blind portraits of my new friends at the hostel. it feels good to be meeting new people again - from all over the world too. I am so lucky to be here.

drinks tonight - I tried Slovenian beer and it wasn’t even that bad. tomorrow I train to Zagreb. Slovenia has been beautiful and very kind to me, regardless of how fleeting my time here has been. <<

Rauscedo to Ljubljana

I rose early ro hug my cousins goodbye before work. I missed Danilo (he left at 6 am) so he drove home briefly whilst I was eating breakfast to wish me well. Max and Valeria drove me to the station, and with that my time in the village came to an end. I’ve been so lucky and I miss my family already.

two trains later I found myself in Ljubljana. it was a spontaneous decision to head to Slovenia, meaning I’ve had no plans or any idea of what I want to do here. after dropppng my bags at the hostel I decided to explore the city. the soft rain reminded me of home.

I walked up the hill to the castle, then all the way back down through the forest listening to Regina Spektor.

it was well after the sun had set when I started looking for food. I settled on a kebab which - for an absolute steal of €3 - brought me back to life.

more wandering. the city is small and I’ve seen a fair slice of it already this evening. I’d like to run in the morning, but might rest afterwards. missing home (a funny word - I have multiple now). <<

via Maniago 89b

my last full day in Italy passed quickly. I spent the morning with Max, who drove me to visit mum’s cousin Emmanuele. he’d written a new book which he gave me a copy of to bring back home. ‘tempo al tempo’. he explained it to me as a play about time. I doubt I’ll ever escape clocks, though I’m still excited to read it.

it was Max and Valeria’s 30th wedding anniversary. a surreal thought that mum and dad were here thirty years ago celebrating years before my world began. we drove to Valvasone, where Max bought flowers and a jar of nutella for Valeria. I enjoyed leftovers of Max’s amazing eggplant parmigiana before riding the bike one last time. stopping to find my nonno’s name at the cemetery, I was left somewhat speechless. everywhere I looked I saw the surnames of my grandparents (D’Andrea and Fornasier) which seemed to take up at least half of the cemetery. I wandered for a while and tried to find names I recognised. the chapel had a lovely mosaic which reminded me of the story of Veronica.

I bought postcards and started writing to my nonnas. Max and Valeria prepared a total feast, using the grill room downstairs which I’d not set foot in for over twelve years. Zia Rosana and Zio Chelso joined us, and Rosana brought an incredible tirimisu. Domenica and Ezio also swung by to wish Max and Vale congratulations.

I drew Max, Vale, Giulia and Danilo after dinner. I’ve written a goodbye/thank you, though I’m sad to be leaving and wish our worlds were not so far apart.

waking early to say goodbye to Danilo and Giulia before work. I’ve been so lucky here. <<

scones

a quiet morning. I slept in and worked on planning my itinerary as Zia Domenica and Valeria ate homemade apple cake at the table. we went to Rauscedo piazza to get our blood sugar levels recorded (I still don’t know why) and saw Zia Adri, which was a nice surprise. Max made an incredible parmigiana for lunch - layers of grilled eggplant baked in the oven with tomato, sugo, ham and smoked cheeses.

I rode the bike to nowhere and back, before Giulia and I drove to Spilimbergo to buy ingredients for mum’s lemonade scones. I also bought food for the road, having decided to leave for Slovenia on Tuesday. we made scones and brought some Zia Suzi ans Zio Oscar’s, who made us a lovey risotto for dinner. Alessandra ate with us. she’s now 15, and her english is fantastic. I couldn’t believe how much she’d grown in such a short time. she seemed less shy than last time, which made me happy. I hope things are going well for her.

tomorrow I’ll pack my bags and prepare for my departure. it’s been a precious time for me here, and though I mightn’t have had the headspace to disconnect and rest, I count myself so very lucky to have a family here who surround me with such constant kindness and love. I’m really going to miss this place and the people that make it home for me. <<

Aquileia

I woke to a quiet morning after a strange dream about the world panicking over a predicted earthquake that would stamp out human civilisation. after working on some life admin I took the bike for a ride. I got lost quickly as I rode aimlessly through vineyards, checking the time after a while to realise I’d be late for lunch.

Massimo cooked up some beef which we enjoyed with zucchini and (of course) cheese. Danilo came home briefly from work to eat with us.

in the afternoon Sergio and Laura picked me up. we drove to Aquileia, a remarkable town that was once a port of significance for the Roman Empire. we explored the remnants of the town’s history: untoppled pillars of an ancient forum, mosaic floors of palaces later adopted by the Church for chapels, frescoes, and the grand basilica.

Laura kept me on my toes with her Italian. I tried my best to keep up, and though I understood a fair amount of what she was telling me about the history of the town and Friuli more broadly, a lot of it was me hoping I was laughing and nodding at the right places. regardless, I really enjoyed spending the afternoon with her and Sergio.

after a gelato we drove home. soup and panini with tomatoes (and cheese) for dinner with Massimo and Valeria. upon their request, I helped finish the remaining pistacchio gelato from the freezer. they have spoiled me so very much.

I think I’ll be leaving on Tuesday or Wednesday. the thought is a little sad. this place has been a real refuge for me, and in leaving I know I won’t be here again for years. I know how lucky I am and I hope this is something I won’t forget as I move forward. missing home and the people I love. <<

farfalle and more wine

last night Massimo told me he’d made plans for us. we left Rauscedo at 9 this morning and made our way North, drawing closer to the dolomites. in Bordano, he had us waiting patiently for the casa del farfalle (house of butterflies) to open. it felt funny being the only ones there waiting to enter the second the business day started. I loved seeing Max so excited about the butterflies. learning about caterpillars and their life cycle was pretty special too. in a short life of two months, just one week is spent as a butterfly before death. this blew my mind a little.

the butterflies were gorgeous. we made some other friends who were pretty good at hiding too - stick insects, geckos and chameleons.

after our morning with the butterflies we drove to Venzone, an old town that had crumbled at the epicentre of an earthquake Max still remembers from 1976. I vaguely remembered attending the annual pumpkin festival held in the village maybe twelve years ago. we explored for a while and enjoyed a glass of red in a wine house. the bartender asked me about Australian wines and said I should explore more of Italy.

farfalle (butterfly) pasta for lunch with melanzane and stracciatella. during siesta I received a call from Bipasha, and was spoiled with a good hour of virtual catch-ups with her, Mia, Nic and Callum. the first time I’d heard Mia or Bip’s voice since saying goodbye, I realised just how much I miss that old life - despite how lucky I am to be here right now. they all seem to be doing well, and say they miss me too. I love them very much.

in the afternoon I rode the bike to Valvasone, the medieval village where we spent time as children dressed in period clothing staging fake duels wirh wooden swords during the annual medieval festival. I called Blake whilst I was there and showed him around some of the lanes and piazzas.

after getting severely lost riding through vineyards on the way home, Giulia, Danilo and I went to Zia Laura and Zio Sergio’s for dinner. Laura prepared a feast of polenta, salad, beef and (more than five different kinds of) cheese. Rebecca was there and thanked me for proofing her thesis, which I actually really enjoyed reading. Laura encourages me to speak more Italian, and helps me with correcting my mistakes. she’s organised an outing for us tomorrow - I remember little but it should be nice to spend time with her and Sergio.

needing fo leave soon. I could stay longer - I still feel as though I’m only just learning to move gently - but I know I have to go. trying to treasure the time I have here and what I might usually take for granted. <<

stracciatella and other reasons to stay in Italy

I rose early this morning, having agreed to present for some of Giulia’s english classes at the middle school she is working in. I was on the road by 7:30, riding through the unexpected cold to San Giorgio (Giulia warned me I needed another jacket). The english teacher remembered me from more than 15 years earlier when I had visited with my brothers. Using a unused presentation made by Giulia about Australia, I presented to two classes, explaining a little about the country and it’s history and answering questions. One kid asked if I liked Stranger Things. Another asked what perfume I wear.

Giulia made us pasta for lunch when we were home (pomodoro and tuna, like the one I’d enjoyed in Trento last week). whilst she enjoyed a siesta, Valeria and I rode to her friend’s place to help decorate the garden for their daughter’s wedding on Saturday. Zia Rosana helped out, and I met a nonna who had married my nonno’s brother. she remembered my mother and asked after her. she smiled wide when I showed her a photo of our new cat, explaining that he’d been named after nonno.

Nash and I facetimed for the first time since America, and I realised just how much I’ve missed him. we spoke to the surreal feeking of now being three years from the day we first met and moved into Lewes Study Lodge. planning ahead for our reunion, a lot of different feelings. it was lovely laughing with him again, and I can’t wait to travel together.

Valeria cooked us a feast of soup, grilled polenta wrapped in prosciutto and covered in steamed cheese. Massimo bought us gorgonzola (Giulia’s favourite) and (upon my request) stracciatella, perhaps my favourite cheese on the planet. it tasted just as transformative and life-giving as I remembered, and we’ve saved some for tomorrow. today’s menu topped off with pistacchio and nutella gelato from Rauscedo’s gelateria (apparently under new - and better - management).

my favourite conversation from today

Dan: *sees picture of Miuse the cat* gatto

Massimo: is gatto

Dan: si

Massimo: is very gatto

I’m feeling relaxed and safe here. I know how lucky I am and am trying to not take this for granted. another day for which I’m thankful. <<

Caorle etc

Giulia’s day off work meant a sleep in. we left for Caorle at around 10. the seaside town - fondly referred to as ‘the little Venice’ - is a beautiful scene, with quiet piazzas surrounded by lanes of villas of different colours leading down to the sea. the place reminded me of delfino square (Isaiah and my favourite circuit on Mario Kart Wii).

delicious aperitivi - a beautiful fish and cheese paté on house made bread with a glass of pinot grigio.

we walked down by the water of the Adriatic. Giulia pointed out where we were geographically - wirh Slovenia on one side and Venice on the other. in the old church we lit a candles for mg grandmothers. 

octopus sphaghetti for lunch, followed by oreo gelato in the piazza.

before dinner I road through the vineyards and managed to pass a vine that had not yet been harvested for wine. it was a nice surprise - most of the grapes had been picked weeks ago. their taste was sweet and I thought of the first time I picked them for the winery, wirh my brothers over 15 years ago.

we went to Zia Manuela and Zio Dimetrio’s for dinner. Manuela made a feast of pasta and meat and potatoes, follower by delicious cheeses and tiramisu. it was lovely seeing my cousins again. Dilia is busy with her new job at the bank, and seems happy with her new boy-friend too.

it’s been a big day. I find it funny that so much time spent doing very little can still leave me exhausted. missing my family and wishing they could be here with me. off to bed now. <<

Udine etc

this morning Giulia was sitting an exam at the university so I joined her on the drive to Udine. as I waited for her to finish, I made my way into the centre of the city. I’d been there multiple times but never alone. the streets are pretty and I enjoyed wandering through the piazzas.

when I opened the door to the church I realised mass was just about to start. with nowhere else to be I say through the service. I enjoyed the strange sensation of experiencing the family rhythm of the service in a language I can’t yet understand. I sat in stillness and thought about the people I miss and am worried about. it was a breath of fresh air for me.

climbing up the hill I enjoyed the view from outside the castle, from where you can see the dolomites on the horizon and a great deal of the Friuli region. I also found a lovely cat hiding outside one of fhe the gates.

Giulia picked me up when she’d finished rhe test and we ate italian wraps (incredible!) for lunch. I helped her shop for an outfit - in a few weeks she will be a bridesmaid for her friend’s wedding. on our way home we stopped in the village centre for gelato. she chose vanilla, I went for biscotto.

before dinner Valeria and I rode the bikes to visit Luta - Nonna’s sister - and Tony - perhaps the happiest man I know, who’ll laugh at anything you say in the most endearing way. it’s encouraging to see people of such an age so full of joy, and though I hardly understood a word, it was nice to witness their excitement.

Max spoiled us for dinner - pumpkin soup, fresh tomatoes from the garden, tuna covered in sesame seeds and prawns wrapped in prosciutto. afterwards Danilo and I hung our downstairs with some of his friends. I was able ro watch him welding a rose as a gift for a friend which was pretty special to witness.

sleepy. another big day. tomorrow Giulia is off work and we’ll go on an adventure. how lucky am I? <<

via Maniago

I feel at home here. today was the first time I’ve consciously sat down to think about where I’m going in a very long time. on the porch at which I’ve sat with my brothers years ago I started to plan an itinerary and even consider the prospect of applying for work when I’m home. the thought is a little scary and feels strange given how removed I feel from my own life right now as I spend my days quietly in the village.

Max made a delicious risotto for lunch, ans I started proofing Rebecca’s masters thesis on environmental protests in German forests. I’m learning quiet a bit and am motivated by her drive to amplify the voices of perspectives often left underrepresented in our societies.

some strange feelings today regarding who I am and how I treat myself and those around me. I rode the bike to clear my head, passing through villages and vineyards as the afternoon sun grew cooler. returned home in time to leave again for San Daniele, where we met Zia Domenica, Zia Laura, Zio Ezio, Zio Sergio, Rebecca and Dan for dinner - an excess of formaggio and prosciutto wirh polenta and pasta. Rene was the waiter and I didn’t even recognise him at first - he’s promised to visit sometime later this week.

sleeping now. Valeria and Max are spoiling me. I’m aware of how lucky I am and try not to take this for granted. <<