August 8, 2023
Trieste to Izola.
Day Ride...
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When we arrived in Trieste, I always had it in the back of my mind that we would take a day ride south along the coast towards Izola on our layover day here. This morning, though, Sue chose to stay back and, instead, decided to take in more sights of this beautiful city. She said she had not seen enough of Trieste, so she decided on a long walk around the city instead. So, I was on my own for this ride, which suited us both fine.
I suppose I was a bit premature saying goodbye to Slovenia in a previous post, since today's ride would bring me back across the border and along the very short Slovenian coast. Slovenia has a total of about 10-15 kms of coastline; without this very meager piece of coastal land, Slovenia would be a landlocked country. This explains the very busy and industrious port town of Koper, with an extensive shipping port with dozens of container cranes and is clearly an important hub for Slovenian trade.
I left early, but had some difficulty finding the ferry to take me across the Bay of Trieste towards Muggia. When I asked people on the street, they told me that the ferry was 500 meters that way. So, I went 500 meters that way, and scanned and looked around at what might appear to be a ferry terminal, to no avail. Then, I asked another person, and they told me the ferry was 500 meters the other way. So, I went back and forth along the promenade until I spied a group of people who looked to be waiting around for something. I suspected it might be my ferry.
When I arrived there appeared to be no signs, schedules or ferry logo or emblem to indicate any kind of ferry service whatsoever. I suppose you just have to be in the know. Then, all of a sudden, a skilled skipper rolled in quickly and effortlessly docked right in front of us.
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9 months ago
9 months ago
Once the ferry docked at Muggia, I headed south and had an enjoyable ride along the coast. This was vacationland for many Italians. All along the coast beachgoers lounged in beach chairs or were seen swimming in the Adriatic.
When I arrived at Koper, I was surprised with this charming town. It's Venetian architecture and the narrow streets of the old town were colourful and lively.
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The route between Koper and Izola were the best kilometers of the day. A wonderful separated bike lane all the way.
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Izola was another beautiful old coastal town. I didn't spend long there and was soon retracing my path back to Muggia along the coast.
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I must say the ride back into Trieste was an adventure. Trieste is not a bike friendly city, and the traffic in and around town is intense. I'm lucky that I have a lot of experience riding in busy European cities, because this was an exhilarating 'hold onto your bootstraps' kind of entrance into Trieste. There are many one way narrow streets, and I get the sense that if you're a driver here, you have to be aggressive to make any headway and progress through this busy city. It's the kind of place where driver's don't delay. They just go. But, I made it safely back. I was happy to get out today and take advantage of one last day on my bike for this trip. A good day.
Today's ride: 73 km (45 miles)
Total: 789 km (490 miles)
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