In Trieste, Dan had meetings all day, so Orion and I were buddies as we explored the city. Thank goodness for the Ergo carrier, which ably held Orion for nearly 3 days straight walking around. Our hotel was about 4 miles outside of the city, near a lovely harbor and the gardens of the Castello Massimiliano. We (I, carrying him) always ended up walking much of this way because the bus didn't run often enough. Here's the view, from the park near our hotel, and a fountain in the formal gardens.
The castle, 19th-century and home to the Emperor Max that was shot in Mexico (think Goya). Part of it was redecorated in the 1930s, but much was heavily pre-Victorian. It had a lovely docking area with double staircases, to get down to the imperial rowboats.
Here's the view from and then of a little cafe in the garden. It was not as good as Viennese ones, since all they served were cream-filled croissants, but then one hardly enjoys cream-filled croissants with a view of the adriatic in a formal garden with one's little boy eating the gravel and wanting to dive into the fountain every day.
Each evening our tired selves were rewarded with clear, peaceful sunsets.
The next day I tried to dedicate to Orion's pleasure, as he had been such a good traveler. Unfortunately, the one baby swing was mobbed with Italian babies, and he got about 30 seconds on it. Luckily there were many dogs and other babies being walked on the cement-walk near the sea, which is how the Triestese seem to spend their time.
There was excellent, if dirty, architecture all over the city. I thought most of it went underappreciated, so I took a few photos.
It has some nice Roman as well as Hapsburgian ruins--this arena, surrounded by modern buildings, was discovered during construction.
A Roman basilica next to the old cathedral on the top of the hill.
The earliest signs of spring, and a painted house, near the castello.
The early Christians were always reusing Roman sculpture in their own construction.
A neoclassical church near the town center, which has about two gelaterie total. At least one gelato that I had was superlative--tiramisu (with real bits of ladyfinger cake) and amarena (with real cherries). Orion liked it too, but he could always be distracted by a passing cane (DAda! Dada!!)
And finally, a tribute to my friends, the Lloyds.
Orion's first visit to the Peabody Museum--I thought he would be too young, but we read our dinosaur books (That's not my dinosaur/Questo non e' il mio dinosauro/Oh My Oh My Oh Dinosaurs) before we went; and Orion loved it--he kept pointing and toddling away toward the huge skeletons, and squealing, Dinosaurs! (DAIH-zazas!!) Thanks Whit for the photos! 
Ah, spring, when a young man's fancy turns to dinosaurs. (And when the weather lets us walk to the museum!! Finalmente!)
The dogwoods from Grandpa Joe are beginning to bloom! Orion looooooves dogs, so they are an appropriate choice.
He's been helping me water them...and drinks from the hose when we're done. If you think this is unsanitary, well, he's probably washing down the dirt he ate right before this. At least Dan rescued the earthworm from his terrible toddler mandibles.
