Trieste!

I was in Trieste at the end of the year. Trieste is a large city in the north-east of Italy.

The main square in the city is Piazza dell' Unità d' Italia. This large square almost gives on the sea.

There are three luxury old houses opened to visitors in Trieste. One of these is Villa Revoltella.

Villa Revoltella, or better, Museo Revoltella is made of the old palace, where you can see the old rooms and a couple of houses now used as a modern art museum.

Here's Viale XX Settembre. It is a nice and long boulevard.

Here's another pic of Viale XX Settembre.

There are some not Catholic churches in Trieste. Here you can see part of a ortodox Greek church. San Nicolò dei Greci church. 

Another pic taken inside San Nicolò church.

I had lunch, twice at Urbani; an historic cafe.

Here's what I had the first time I went there. Pasta with shrimps.

The pension where I stayed was simple and nice. It is located some 15 minutes from the center of the city. Here's my mother at breakfast. Well; that's all. Have a good 2013!!

It's almost Christmas...in the kitchen...Santas and cookies.

I usually don't do much for Christmas in terms of decorations (tree, crib...) or crafts. I always find a suitable place for my little collection of Santas.

My mother loves making cakes and cookies. She made a new kind of cookies some days ago.

She created these nice stars. I still haven't tasted them.

She also made 100, or maybe some more muffins for a birthday of one of her friends.

This is my mother's Santa. She saw it in a shop long ago and she told me how beautiful it was. So I decided to buy it as a Christmas gift for her. Ok...Merry Christmas dear readers!

A day trip to Innsbruck.

Some days ago I went back to Innsbruck with a group as a day trip. We spent some hours at DEZ shopping mall. It is a bunch of buildings with around 140 shops. It is located some miles from Innsbruck.

After 2. 15 p. m. we headed to Innsbruck where we were let free to explore the city for three hours; more or less. I re visited the cathedral and had a cappuccino at Cafe Munding; an old and popular coffee shop.

After my cappuccino I strolled a bit along Maria Theresien Strasse. This long street is bordered with lots of shops, restaurants and cafes.

There are various beautiful old buildings on Maria Theresien Strasse.

I also walked under the porticoes in the old core of the city.

There are lots of shops and cafes under these porticoes.

This is the one of the main sights of Innsbruck;  The  Golden Roof. I enjoyed much this day trip, but I went home very tired. I walked too much!!!

A holiday in Lisbon...day trips, cakes and more.

I had a nice VT meeting with Teresa Gama. She took me to a cafe for a coffee and some pasteis de Belèm.

Then we went to see the Palacio de Marquès de Bombal. Well, only the gardens of that palace are opened to visitors.

Teresa.

When I am in Lisbon I usually  visit Cascais. It is a nice sea side town.

Cascais.

Sintra.

The National Palace, or Paco Real is one of the highlights in Sintra. There is also a Moorish castle in ruin and another (fairytale) castle; the Pena Palace.

My mother on the staircase of the palace.

Artnis is a beautiful shop in Sintra. Here they sell textilies, children clothes, soaps and various other items.

Here's the famous pasteis de Belèm. They are custard tarts (sprinkled with cinnamon or sugar...if you like.)

This is a piece of cake. I had it in Lisbon; at confectionery Suica at Rossio. It was very good.

I re visited Leiria after a short trip to Fatima. I have to take my mother there every time I go to Lisbon. I didn't like much Leiria this time. Probably because it wasn't sunny. The castle of Leiria is really beautiful.

Here's my mother. We had a very good cake in a cafe in Leiria after our stroll.

A holiday in Lisbon...after several years.

Lisbon was built on seven hills (like Rome.) It has several look out points called miradouros. You can enjoy various areas of the city from these. Here you see part of the Miradouro de Santa Luzia.

This pic was taken at the Miradouro de Sao Pedro de Alcantara. You can spot the castle and part of the lower city from here.

Don't throw away your old car! recycle it!

Rossio is one of the main square in lower Lisbon. It is surrounded by several shops, cafes and restaurants.

This is part of the Jardim (garden) da Estrela.

Bandstand at the Jardim da Estrela.

The Monastery of Jeronimos. It is located in Belèm; a suburb of Lisbon. The church and cloister were built in the XVI century. Vasco da Gama and other famous people are buried inside this church.

The cloister has two storeys. It is very large.

I visited de Coaches Museum.Here you can see lots of carriages belonged to royal and noble people.

...to be continued.