Photos Including: Vineyards, Rilke, and the Spot Where the Iron Curtain Once "Hung"(?)

A portrait of Mittel Europe: view of Gorizia, Italy from the town castle.

With Marino, our good family friend, with the hills of Slovenia in the background. During the war, Gorizia was split in two; half stayed in Italy, and half went to Yugoslavia under the name Nova Gorica. Now there are no borders - truly amazing.

Marker in a plaza outside the Transalpino railway station in Nova Gorica. As Marino put it, this marks the spot where the Iron Curtain once stood.

We climbed a crazy-narrow (and very tall) spiral staircase to get to the top of this monument near Dobrovo, Slovenia. I was dizzy already from the ascent; the height and wind didn't help at all.

View of the wine-making Collio region of the border. The specialty here is white wines, my favorite being the dessert wine Picolit.

A controversial church (due to its modern architecture), built on a prominent hilltop to give thanks for Trieste having remained part of Italy after the war.

View of the Adriatic Sea from the church hill. I love the light this time of year!

Rico and I hiked the Rilke trail from Sistiana to Duino. The karst cliffs and clear blue water were to die for.

Trying to walk off at least some of the figs I ate!

View of the marina at Sistiana. This beach marks the point where, to the East along the Dalmatian coast, all the beaches are rocky; to the west, along the coast of the Italian peninsula, all the beaches are sandy.