🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹 Trieste, Italy - Castello di Miramare - May 26, 2026

​Of the many things to see in Trieste Castillo di Miramare or Miramare castle is amongst the best. On a very hot day, we took the bus to the castle and taxi back. Known for the castle, tropical trees and plants, cliffs, marina and more. What follows is only a very small slice of the pie.

The Superyacht seized by Italian authorities in 2022. Belonging to Russian billionaire Andrea Melnichenko. Worth C$ 852 million. The yacht is anchored in Trieste. A super Tesla on water. 

Great statuary, clothed and unclothed.

European Shag. A species of cormorant. In decline.

Much more common European Robin

Some of the Marina

🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹 Trieste, Italy - May 25, 2026

​Just 2 days to spend here. The maritime gateway for northern Italy, Germany, Austria and Central Europe and home to about 200,000 residents. 

Italian wall lizard 

🇸🇮🇸🇮🇸🇮 Lake Bled part 2 and Ljubljana, Slovenia - May 23 and 24, 2026

​Never ceasing to amaze me, I’m enjoying every day. More photos of the Lake Bled tour and Ljubljana and its sights.

The church on the island

Atop at the castle

Boat ride over to the church

Dragon bridge

Locks on bridge

A bird spotted. To show the full power of Artificial Intelligence I will show this example. I do not use AI for my photos, but I could not resist this amazing technology as an IDENTIFIED assist. The first photo is the original shot … can you see the bird in the grass?

The next step is to cut out the bird …

Of course it’s behind grass and way out of focus …

And then the magic of AI and you see a Gray Wagtail

Hooded Crow again using AI to assist

And me … thanks Norma!

🇸🇮🇸🇮🇸🇮 May 22, 2026 - Ljubljana, Slovenia and Lake Bled

My first time visit to Slovenia. Not as widely known to the world I think. My impressions are that it is a singularly amazing country. A new country (1991) in an old nation. One of the greenest countries in the world in terms of the environment and natural beauty. Somewhat taller than most, the people are fit and friendly. City tour and then off to Lake Bled. 

City tour guide

On the way to the castle 

At the top

Kamnik Alps in the background 

Food in restaurant in castle

Lake Bled tour and boat ride to the church on Slovenia’s best known island (and only natural one)

A selection of wildflowers 

Eurasian Blackbird (Thrush) the European equivalent of our Robin and a marvellous singer … somewhat tame

Local painter

More Ljubljana to come …