Piran – Sept. 22-25
By Leyla
Arriving in Piran ahead of schedule allowed us to take a walk along the seaside promenade, seeing the Slovenians swimming at dusk in the Adriatic. Rather than beaches, access to the water is via ladders from cement slabs along the promenade. Anna recommended IVO. The seafood and fish were fresh and delicious and the ocean view magnificent. For the first time, we were not hot and it wasn’t crowded. I think this was less about the difference between Venice and Piran and more about a change in the weather – it was now Fall.
Leyla and Emily on Piran Point at dusk
Walking around the point, near the old church of this ancient city, we stopped for gelato where Anna said the locals go. Our apartment, off Tartini Square, was basic, but fine, and the cooler weather made it easier to sleep.
The next morning was cool and a bit cloudy. Our plan was to rent bikes early because there was rain and/or wind in the forecast for the following day. We ended up riding for nearly 12 hours with two stops to swim in the Adriatic. Starting at around 9am we went south towards the Croatian border, past Portoroz to the salt mining ponds, which had been in existence for hundreds of years, and for which Piran is known. Then we circled back through a tunnel that was used for the railroad from Trieste to Porec and which now is a bike bath that passes through picturesque fruit orchards and acres of olive trees. Arriving in the port of Izola, northwest of Piran, we encountered an Iron Man event, witnessing the second major athletic event of our short trip – the first was a 10km run in Annecy. We ate at the Hotel Marina. The waiter essentially ordered for us suggesting a risotto with seafood and mushrooms (they ended up being chanterelles!) and then a platter of seafood including a squid, octopus, shrimp and local wild fish (he said the sea bass and the other fish on the menu were both farmed), along with swiss chard and potatoes. It was delicious! We wanted to take a hike in Strunjan on our way back home. It took us a while to find the trail, but we did learn about the European Ramblers Association which maintains historic walking trails throughout Europe. This one was along the cliffs with views in all directions and was a spectacular way to see the sunset. Unfortunately, it was longer than expected so we ended up walking a good portion after the sun had set and then rode our bikes back in the dark, but the paths were lit and with a few other bicyclists sharing the bike paths with us, it was totally doable. We arrived home after 9pm, in time for pizza at a nearby neighborhood local’s spot.
It rained that night, and the next day dawned clear and very windy – a good day for exploring Piran on foot. We went first to visit some ancient churches, including St. George’s, the iconic church on the hill. From that lofty view, we saw wind surfers riding on the white capped Sea and gazed at snow capped mountains in the distance, wondering if they were in Italy, Austria or Slovenia. Next, we walked the ancient walls of the City, taking in more magnificent views.
This was the day we also had a freak incident. So far, we have escaped being robbed, pickpocketed or losing anything and I suppose it was time for us to pay some dues to the traveling gods. The market square in Piran was right in front of our apartment so each morning we visited to see what was for sale. On this morning, we had hung laundry to dry and my white linen shirt, a staple of my traveling wardrobe, was hanging inside the window on a hook. When we returned minutes later from the market, I noticed a hanger in the street that looked identical to the ones in the apartment. Upon returning to the apartment, I noticed the shirt and hanger missing, so deduced that both had somehow flown out the window. When a neighbor observed me looking for something, I explained about the shirt flying out the window and she reported a woman had come by, grabbed the shirt off the ground, and walked off with it. Mark thinks the neighbor looked guilty and that it was she who grabbed the shirt. In any case, an offering was made.
After a day of exploring Piran in the wind, we returned to IVO, the restaurant we ate at the first night, for a low-key dinner of mussels, pasta with clams and a vegetarian plate of spinach, potatoes and grilled vegetables. It was windy outside with the sea raging while we were cozy and fed inside. It felt good.
