We all have fallen in love with Lucca!! It's so small, historic, 100 churches in a 2 sq. mi. radius. Our apartment isn't quite as nice but a good location. No wi-fi which is a pain! So we have to go out. I'm at a pizza place down the street at 9 p.m. on Saturday night writing this. But we all had a great night's sleep and were ready to go at 9:30 a.m.
I heard church bells so went out early and went around the corner to an 12th century Romanesque church. There was a beautiful side altar and I bought a candle to bring home to George!! It was very peaceful!
Then I waited for the bike guy to open as we planned to rent this 4 person 4 wheeled vehicle/bike to ride up on the wide gorgeous city wall!! There was a ramp right near us to get up on it. He talked us into a 2 passenger one with one of us squeezed in between, and only two of us peddling, only one of us steering and controlling the brake!! What a hoot! We circle the entire thing, having a bit of a tough time where there was some construction. It was a gorgeous view of the mountains surrounding Lucca and the roofs of the city interior.
We learned later this was the 3rd iteration of a city wall. The first was a big four-square by the Romans with two cross streets from end to end. Then in Medieval times it was expanded when there were issues with their neighbor Pisa and the Medicis in Florence. And finally 500 years ago(1513) they expanded to the present 35 Ft. high, 19 ft. wide wall. It was never used for defense. However, recently it kept the water, with barricades at the portes, out of the city when a nearby river flooded! We had a great time circling the old city!
I had randomly gone on TripAdviser yesterday and email "Wanda" about a possible tour today. She was available and met Angie and I at 11 after our ride (Cathy went for a regular bike ride and did other things). We had a wonderful, informative 3 hour walking tour. She is a native of Lucca, with a family here for centuries! And she seemed to know someone on every street as we walked along. She even knew, and we ran into on the street, the soprano opera singer who performed at the Puccini recital. She hugged Wanda and they chatted about something and went off! Wish I'd been quick enough to take a picture!! Wanda gives Puccini tours and says she knows him so well, "even down to the holes in his socks." She took us by a statue of him near the house where he was born.
Wanda emphasized how thrifty, hard working, and dominant Lucca people had been over the centuries. Apparently silk was brought back from the crusades in medieval times and Lucca became a grower and producer, and wealthy from, the silk trade! This was BEFORE Marco Polo!! When they were trading all over Europe, they also became bankers (she showed us HER bank, with a small metal door in the wall (it was closed on Saturday) that she said was the FIRST bank, still functioning as a bank, in the world!! But the silk trade died out around 1936, I'm guessing somehow related to Mussolini and WWII. Lucca became a business European power back then. Their secret weapon was MONEY! They used it to buy off states, princes, etc. who threatened Lucca's sovereignty (it's one of 20 Italian provinces and covers a chunk of western Italy, not just this city.
Now, she said we'd never guess what their main product/industry was! TOILET PAPER, and other paper products! It's because of the water! she said. One of the paper companies puts in their ad that their paper is "soft as silk." :) Up to the 90s, Lucca was not on the tourist trail! But recently city fathers have discovered the profitability of it. Now they are getting ready for a recurring huge MUSIC FESTIVAL in July with headliners, Tom Jones, and Van Morrison. Last year she said they had Bob Dylan. In the fall they have a huge Comic (like ComiCon) convention here! It brings in the crowds! And every night of the year they have Puccini being performed in that church from last night!
Wanda was a walking encyclopedia of Luccan history and I thoroughly enjoyed all the information she shared! What a lucky find!
Outside the Roman walls was a 10,000 seat Roman amphitheater. They cannibalized the stone from that, filled in the center and added apartments/houses all around the outside. Now it's a big piazza with restaurants (mostly for the tourists) all around the outside. We had an evening snack there (at a wifi place!)
After our tour we met up with Cathy around 3 (we were starving by this time!) and had a wonderful dinner at a recommendation from Rick Steves' book! We did some shopping at a leather store recommended by Wanda and from a couple of street sellers nearby.
After our snack and wine, I rented a bike to use in the early a.m. and took a ride around the wall. On my way I stopped in St. Martin's Cathedral (we had seen the outside with Wanda but I wanted to see inside). Mass was going on so I stayed. It was being said by the Cardinal. After mass he processed down the aisle and stopped to shake hands with parishioners, including me!!
Cathy helped me carry the bike into the apartment on the second floor when I got home in the rain! Tomorrow I'll take an early ride before we leave Lucca!! Sadly!!
So now I'm off to bed.
Good thoughts going my way to my family in Shelton dealing with really difficult issues! I love you all!
Ciao!
I heard church bells so went out early and went around the corner to an 12th century Romanesque church. There was a beautiful side altar and I bought a candle to bring home to George!! It was very peaceful!
Then I waited for the bike guy to open as we planned to rent this 4 person 4 wheeled vehicle/bike to ride up on the wide gorgeous city wall!! There was a ramp right near us to get up on it. He talked us into a 2 passenger one with one of us squeezed in between, and only two of us peddling, only one of us steering and controlling the brake!! What a hoot! We circle the entire thing, having a bit of a tough time where there was some construction. It was a gorgeous view of the mountains surrounding Lucca and the roofs of the city interior.
We learned later this was the 3rd iteration of a city wall. The first was a big four-square by the Romans with two cross streets from end to end. Then in Medieval times it was expanded when there were issues with their neighbor Pisa and the Medicis in Florence. And finally 500 years ago(1513) they expanded to the present 35 Ft. high, 19 ft. wide wall. It was never used for defense. However, recently it kept the water, with barricades at the portes, out of the city when a nearby river flooded! We had a great time circling the old city!
I had randomly gone on TripAdviser yesterday and email "Wanda" about a possible tour today. She was available and met Angie and I at 11 after our ride (Cathy went for a regular bike ride and did other things). We had a wonderful, informative 3 hour walking tour. She is a native of Lucca, with a family here for centuries! And she seemed to know someone on every street as we walked along. She even knew, and we ran into on the street, the soprano opera singer who performed at the Puccini recital. She hugged Wanda and they chatted about something and went off! Wish I'd been quick enough to take a picture!! Wanda gives Puccini tours and says she knows him so well, "even down to the holes in his socks." She took us by a statue of him near the house where he was born.
Wanda emphasized how thrifty, hard working, and dominant Lucca people had been over the centuries. Apparently silk was brought back from the crusades in medieval times and Lucca became a grower and producer, and wealthy from, the silk trade! This was BEFORE Marco Polo!! When they were trading all over Europe, they also became bankers (she showed us HER bank, with a small metal door in the wall (it was closed on Saturday) that she said was the FIRST bank, still functioning as a bank, in the world!! But the silk trade died out around 1936, I'm guessing somehow related to Mussolini and WWII. Lucca became a business European power back then. Their secret weapon was MONEY! They used it to buy off states, princes, etc. who threatened Lucca's sovereignty (it's one of 20 Italian provinces and covers a chunk of western Italy, not just this city.
Now, she said we'd never guess what their main product/industry was! TOILET PAPER, and other paper products! It's because of the water! she said. One of the paper companies puts in their ad that their paper is "soft as silk." :) Up to the 90s, Lucca was not on the tourist trail! But recently city fathers have discovered the profitability of it. Now they are getting ready for a recurring huge MUSIC FESTIVAL in July with headliners, Tom Jones, and Van Morrison. Last year she said they had Bob Dylan. In the fall they have a huge Comic (like ComiCon) convention here! It brings in the crowds! And every night of the year they have Puccini being performed in that church from last night!
Wanda was a walking encyclopedia of Luccan history and I thoroughly enjoyed all the information she shared! What a lucky find!
Outside the Roman walls was a 10,000 seat Roman amphitheater. They cannibalized the stone from that, filled in the center and added apartments/houses all around the outside. Now it's a big piazza with restaurants (mostly for the tourists) all around the outside. We had an evening snack there (at a wifi place!)
 |
| Bagpiper walked by playing "Amazing Grace" as we ate! |
After our tour we met up with Cathy around 3 (we were starving by this time!) and had a wonderful dinner at a recommendation from Rick Steves' book! We did some shopping at a leather store recommended by Wanda and from a couple of street sellers nearby.
After our snack and wine, I rented a bike to use in the early a.m. and took a ride around the wall. On my way I stopped in St. Martin's Cathedral (we had seen the outside with Wanda but I wanted to see inside). Mass was going on so I stayed. It was being said by the Cardinal. After mass he processed down the aisle and stopped to shake hands with parishioners, including me!!
Cathy helped me carry the bike into the apartment on the second floor when I got home in the rain! Tomorrow I'll take an early ride before we leave Lucca!! Sadly!!
 |
| St. Martin, a monk originally from Hungary, performing miracles |
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| 12 apostles |
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| lower - months of the year, on the right January-June. details on St. Martin's |
So now I'm off to bed.
Good thoughts going my way to my family in Shelton dealing with really difficult issues! I love you all!
Ciao!
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