44 AMERICANWAY
JANUARY 1 2008
into thearms of a less gluttonous suitor.
Still, most of my Trieste experiences are
unpurposeful — and happily so, I should
hasten to add, since the word
triste
means
“sad.” And though the city’s name doesn’t
derive from that word, there are those out
there who would give you the impression
that Trieste is a real downer of a place. An
Italian friend of mine compares Trieste to
aprincesswho’s forever awaitingher errant
prince. Another friend, the Italophilic au-
thor Fred Plotkin, has written of the city’s
distinct weltschmerz, or world-weariness.
The great travel writer JanMorris, an un-
abashed fan of the city, nonetheless titled
her paean to it
Trieste and theMeaning of
Nowhere
. I canonly conclude that theseau-
thors are part of a campaign instigated to
discourage Trieste’s overpopulation, much
the way Seattle residents happily concur
that, oh, yes, it’s far too rainy to live there
— tryPortland!
No onewho has ever laid eyes onTrieste
disputes its beauty. Its combination of the-
atrical seaside setting, stately architecture,
and beguiling cross-cultural ambience has
nopeer inItaly.ButbecauseTrieste iseastof
Venice (a two-hourdriveor trainrideaway),
Clockwise from top left: Illy coffee;
aplaque commemorating Italo
Svevo; thePiazzadell’Unitàd’Italia
