Give me the simple life…

Our slow life in Lucca is going by quickly. The first days spent reacquainting ourselves with the shops, the wall, the gelaterias…. (especially the gelaterias! ) pass both quickly and slowly in a dance. While returning to old favorite places, we have explored some new as well.

When sampling a new (for us) restaurant, an older couple with a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel were seated next to us. We assumed they were Italian with their little dog along for the day, but as we conversed we soon found they were American,too!

Once again we discover the fun of connecting with someone else who enjoys travel. Lunch was a masterclass in travel. They have been coming and staying in Lucca for six weeks at a time for twenty years! Their faithful pet has learned to travel well, and has met other Cavalier’s who call Lucca home. The delightful couple,Cathy and Robin Smith from St. Louis, shared some of their favorite local haunts and talked about some of the changes in town over time. They have done what we aspire to… made some friends and acquaintances who miss them when they leave!

While settling in is fun, beyond the Smiths, we are beginning to recognize and connect with those Lucchese we see each day at the cafe in San Michele and the ladies at Caniparole Chocolateria .

But our best and truest friend is the wall. We walk early in the morning, at sunset, and often in between. Clockwise around looks very different than counterclockwise. We joke our big decision of the day is to walk clockwise or counterclockwise. In the morning we meet the same man with his friend and his dog who greets us warmly with “Buon giorno, buon giorono- good morning” each time we pass.

There is the lady with her two little dachshunds usually by the Palazzo Pfanner each morning. It begins to feel a little like a walk in the neighborhood at home. While we may not be friends yet, we share a greeting and a familiarity that grows.

Our friends from CT arrive for a brief stay with us. It is exciting to share a place we have grown to love with someone from home. The wall and the city are so intriguing and we explore together the little alleys and alcoves, and surprises Lucca holds. The little church across from us has a wall inside that is dated back to 200 A.D. It attaches to the convent and expands on the other side to the San Martino church. It is one of many church squares that are sprinkled throughout Lucca, each with its own story and its own flare.

We are eating our way through Lucca, but thanks to the draw of the wall, we are walking so much it seems to be moderating the food intake. In general, ingredients here are simple and fresh. We shop daily in the little shops that specialize in vegetables and fruits, or breads, or meats and cheeses.

The small “grocery stores” also have a personality as the Tambellini has the mozzarella bufala, while the Conad has the local yogurt. The mushrooms caught our eye as we roamed the streets and a delicious meal of fresh pasta con funghi, with insalata panzanella was born!

There are also many small local restaurants tucked away and on display. We are thrilled when we find one that fills with local people and we can drink in the Italian conversations all around us (and the wine- when in Rome… or rather Lucca!)

Lucca is a city of music. While we attended several concerts (last post), the festival has ended, but the music lives on. Most evenings there is a concert in a piazza or a church somewhere. Giaccomo Puccini, a favorite son of Lucca, is revered by the people. There are cafes throughout named for his operas- Madame Butterfly, Turnodot, Tosca, and so on. Last night we walked around the corner to the Chiesa di Santa Maria Forisportam for a concert at 21,15.

The church at night glowed with a combination of candle and electric light. The altar had been set with chairs to hold the choir and the string players. The bass, soprano, and mezza soprano were introduced and the concert began. It is a stirring thing to hear a work of Puccini, in a church, in the town her grew up in, at night. The barrier of language breaks away and the music fills the soul. Another reason to come visit Lucca!