Lucca

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Today was a free day in Lucca. WE lazed in, had a leisurely breakfast (very good in the B&B - Pablo makes great espresso although still doesn’t understand real tea) and sorted our laundry. Being down to my very last pair of underwear and the flimsier of my evening tops, this was well and truly due. EU$4 to wash all our clothes, another EU$4 to dry them all and we were done and had spent some time catching up on email and discovering the cavernous fortifications under one section of the wall.

We weren’t ready to tourist until almost 12 o’clock. So we joined up with Leslie and Casey and set out to assemble a picnic. We initially intended to browse from shop to shop, but the first Ailimentarie we stepped into had it all - foccaccia (which he chopped up for us), cheeses (we picked pecorino and b? - something sharp and crubly, with holes, covered in wax) fabulous olives marinated in rosemary and garlic and lots of salamis. Leslie picked out tow for us. This, plus the fruit we had gathered the day before and a bottle of wine, furnished our picnic on ramparts, in a shady park-like area to the south of the town centre.

Leslie left us to go and find a bicycle to hire and the three of us continued on along the walls. Perhaps now is time to say a little about Lucca.

A town since Roman times, Lucca became a rich and powerful city-state through the silk trade. Its position meant it was at a crossroads, and it was built to be highly defensible. Even now the old town is entirely encircled by its 16th Century walls, huge earthworks 2 stories high, at least 15m across at the top. The walls are now a favourite recreation area for the locals, for walking and cycling, picnicking, meeting people, exercising pets, and just enjoying some greenery and the views from the walls. There are a dozen or so forts built in the corners of the wall that now allow pedestrian access and in days gone by, allowed for canon fire, storage of supplies and troops. Inside the buildings appear to be 200-600 years old (as far as my limited archaeological architecture can divine) and the town is famous for its Romanesque churches (12th Century onwards). At the end of the 18th Century, Lucca was the capital of Tuscany, surpassing Florence (although Florence was certainly roaring ahead and had probably passed its peak by then). Napolean installed his sister Elisa as ruler to be held in trust for his ‘heir’ whom some believe was his daughter. I know no more about that story, things to find out later.

Lucca feels faintly gem-like. There are quite a few tourists who use the place as a launching pad, but they’re not intrusive as in other cities. Venice seems to have geared most of its existence toward tourists and the rest of the city rubs along perfectly happily in parallel it seems (although Venice is now so expensive very few can afford to be residents, despite the huge discounts granted to locals on public transport and entrance fees, for example. (You can tell locals in Venice by detecting who starts to wear rubber boots as the full moon approaches) Florence is hugely tourist infested as well - tourist prices for things like gelati and post cards are quite inflated, it’s impossible to get reasonably priced accommodation in the city. I’m probably being a bit harsh, I didn’t come across any rudeness and quite a bit of great friendliness. In comparison Lucca feels more lived in and homely.

Well, we wandered through the streets some more, ducked into a couple of Romanesque churches that seem to be defined by simple yet massive construction, limited windows (hence limited light) and simpler, sparser decorations than much of what we had seen.

We climbed the Guignigi tower, an antique and slightly crumbly tower dedicated to, or built by one of the local wealthy families. It is one of two that towers over the city and distinguished by the four smallish oak trees growing from the top. I’m not sure how old it is, but it is referred to in medieval texts framed in the stairwell, so at least 600 years.

From it, you can see all of Lucca, (although funnily enough you can’t see the walls or the gates - the houses obscure them) including the Piazza della Amfiteatro - the houses and shops built around the old Roman Amphitheatre, although the shape is the only thing remaining of the Roman original. We went back via San Frediano (the local quasi-cathedral, dedicated to the local (Irish-born!) Saint who initially established a church on that site in about the 5 or 7th Century).

Once home, we quickly got into party gear and it was out again with Leslie, Casey and Linda to the Puccini Concert.

Puccini was born in Lucca and according to the narrator remained attached to it throughout his life. And so, Lucca has established a long-running (the longest-running) festival of Puccini’s music, 4 times a week, every week of the year. 400 odd concerts so far In the church where Puccini was baptised and was organist. Tonight it was excerpts from Madam Butterfly with 3 very talented professional singers.

The music was wonderful, the singers perfect, but I’m afraid it was still opera and an hour or so was just about the right length for it. I’m glad I went, thought.

Then we went on to a restaurant for more wonderful Italian food, but I retired early, finally succumbing to the headache I had nursed all afternoon. Brett stayed on, and bounced in a few hours later having had a great time.

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