A Night of Jazz on the Streets

Wednesday, July 27, 2016--Desenzano to Trieste

We almost had a big problem this morning.  We got up at 6:15 because of our train schedule.  We had gotten to bed late last night because of the calls dealing with the hotel reservation problem mentioned in the blog yesterday.  Plus I didn't sleep well for various reasons.  Anyway, I was tired and not thinking clearly.  After breakfast, we headed off to the train station.  Just after getting our tickets, one of the ladies from the hotel walked in carrying my backpack!!  Normally when we are traveling, I put my small bag inside the backpack and have two things to carry.  I kept the small bag out because I needed the passport and the receipt from buying the tickets online to show at the station to get the REAL tickets needed for the first segment.  So I hadn't noticed that I was missing anything.  Thank goodness we were at a hotel with really great service--the Gardinetto!!!

It took all morning to get to Trieste where we checked into the Albergo alla Posta Hotel at 12:30.  It's an old hotel that has been well maintained over the years.  Our hallway has a photo of it in a partially bombed-out state in 1945.  But it was rebuilt and is still here.  Our wing has been completely remodeled and is very nice and modern inside.  It has special touches such as Argan toiletries in the bathroom.

Tired, we spent much of the afternoon in the room.  We researched possible places to stay in Ljubljana in place of the hotel that was never booked.  Wes researched activities here in Trieste.  I read in my current novel.  Etc.

Finally, around 16:30, we went out to explore the city.  Trieste is an old town and not as sophisticated as the places we have been.  But it has some wonderful architecture from the period when it was part of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire.  It also has a great setting right on the Bay of Trieste (part of the Adriatic Sea) with hills rising within blocks of the sea.   We explored the Piazza Del Unita D' Italia and the areas around it including going inside the cathedral on the hill above the piazza.

We stopped at a kebab place Wes had found referenced as good and had a big pita sandwich with fries and a drink for dinner and returned to the room at 19:30.  Then at 21:00 we headed out to hear parts of two jazz concerts--each on small piazzas within 5 blocks of each other.

The first included two bands--one with a pianist and a keyboardist and the second with a pianist, a bassist, drummer and male singer.  The duo played contemporary smooth jazz.  The latter group played some old-time favorites from the 30s and 40s.  The announcements were all in Italian, so I do not know the names of either groups.  For that concert, however, there were maybe at least 300-400 people.

The second concert was by a big band--saxophonists, trumpeters, trombonists, guitarists, drummers, and a female vocalist.  They played a variety of music from American 30s jazz to Brazilian jazz, to American swing.  Their crowd was smaller, but very appreciative.

It was a great night out.  And tomorrow there should be another with a major concert on the main piazza.