Biking the Lucca Wall and Puccini’s Operas
Monday in Lucca
Lucca is West of Florence, East of Pisa and North of
Rome. In the time of the Roman Empire,
Lucca was thought of as the capital of Tuscany but now is somewhat ignored by
tourists. While we have been in Italy 5-6
times, I had never heard of Lucca until this visit.
It is the last city in Italy surrounded by a
wall… built in the late 1600’s. It is
known for its olive oil .. olio d’oliva duchesse
and Puccini who was born in Lucca.
It is the last city in Italy surrounded by a
wall… built in the late 1600’s. It is
known for its olive oil .. olio d’oliva duchesse
and Puccini who was born in Lucca.
On this beautiful first morning together we relax, chat,
check out news on the I-pads and eat breakfast outside in the sunshine. We talk of the teacher strike in Vancouver, the
debate over oil pipelines and fracking, and the medical care system in
Canada.
Late in the morning we head out for Lucca following John’s Google maps and wondering how anyone would find this place without an I-pad. John, Julie and Ted rent bikes to go around the top of the Wall.
Andrew finds a beautiful place to drink a coffee on a plaza while
Joan and I check out the shops.
However, we quickly discover that most shops are closed between 1 pm and 5 pm; we try a few places but don’t buy anything. We all meet up at a beautiful Italian restaurant for lunch where pictures on the wall show Pope Frances and other movie star celebrities eating at this restaurant. Surely this is a sign that we won’t repeat our dining experience of the night before. We are all quickly becoming addicted to pasta of various types (especially tagliatelli) and despite not being the healthiest of foods we decide when in Italy we must do what the Italians do. On the way home, of course, we must have a gelato to finish off the meal.
Late in the morning we head out for Lucca following John’s Google maps and wondering how anyone would find this place without an I-pad. John, Julie and Ted rent bikes to go around the top of the Wall.
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| New Technology and Old |
However, we quickly discover that most shops are closed between 1 pm and 5 pm; we try a few places but don’t buy anything. We all meet up at a beautiful Italian restaurant for lunch where pictures on the wall show Pope Frances and other movie star celebrities eating at this restaurant. Surely this is a sign that we won’t repeat our dining experience of the night before. We are all quickly becoming addicted to pasta of various types (especially tagliatelli) and despite not being the healthiest of foods we decide when in Italy we must do what the Italians do. On the way home, of course, we must have a gelato to finish off the meal.
 |
| Double Gelato |
Puccini Concert in
Church of San Giovanni
Back at our Casa we swim first and then Ted, Julie, John and
I head out for the 7 pm Puccini concert held in the splendid Church of San Giovanni where Puccini was
baptized and performed as organist.
The Puccini
e la Sua Lucca festival is dedicated to Giacomo Puccini because he was born
in Lucca in 1858 and is the most famous Italian opera composer who wrote 12
operas. This permanent festival has Puccini music
every night of the year available for tourists. On this night we listen to
Puccini’s and Mozart’s greatest hits from operas such as Don Giovanni, La Boehme,
Madame Butterfly, Le Nozze do Figaro, Turandot, and Tosca. The soprano, baritone
and pianist are truly professional and gorgeous to look at. It is a magical performance and I wonder if I
should take up opera in Seattle. I am intrigued by Puccini who looks like a
handsome business man, was in love with a married woman which caused a scandal
at the time and unfortunately died from throat cancer because of his passion
for smoking. After the concert we find a cozy, family owned pizza place for
dinner. Ted says his anchovy pizza is too salty while my funghi pizza is surely
to die for. We try profiteroles again.
Tuesday ~ Biking The
Wall
After another delightful breakfast on our terrace laughing
over the right way to recycle garbage in our five recycle bins, Julie, Ted,
Joan and Andrew decide to head off for the beaches and a small artist town
while John and I stay at our Casa doing our laundry, reading and swimming. Late
morning we head back into Lucca and rent bikes again . The Lucca city wall that was built as a defense
rampart is now a park, 40 feet high, 2 ½ miles long and 60 feet wide. It is
bordered by tall, leafy trees and as we bike I notice couples walking holding
hands, families riding bikes built for 4 people, and old men playing board
games ~ there is clearly a romantic atmosphere in the air. I love being back on
the bike! We ride inside the walls of
Lucca to the Cathedral di San Martino (Duomo) that dates from 1060. On the plaza we see a fantastic Mosaic
picture of Christ ascending on the front of the San Frediano church, a
Romanesque church built in the 13th century.
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| Jesus Ascending |
We have lunch on a small side street and I
enjoy bruschetta while John attacks his pasta with glee and finishes my bruschetta.
Afterwards we go to the Puccini museum, which is housed in Puccini’s house showing his furniture, study, bedroom as well as original manuscripts of the scores for some of his operas. We head back to the Casa to meet up with our four friends for dinner. We start with having hors d' oerves outside sharing our adventures.
Everyone is tired from driving and we end up having dinner at the Regina Pizzeria again. The Don looks happy to see us and we try different dishes on the menu as well as profiteroles.
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