Well, here it is …week 2 of language classes and trying to soak it all in as this is the last week that we signed up for. We realize that we were not going to be fluent in 2 weeks, but we thought it would give us a good start. We can study at home……AND we are in Italy!!!! We can learn by speaking to shopkeepers etc.
These are just a few observation during my first week here:
- Lucca is very clean and safe. AND it is so very quiet. Not only in Lucca, but we have remarked about this in other areas as well. I love how you can actually talk in a restaurant without blaring music to compete with.
- You can get “lost” in the maze of small streets and alleyways, but we can always find our home as we are located near one of the “Portas”, Porta Jacobo, leading in and out of the city.
- The Italians love their dogs! You see all kinds; big, little, they’re everywhere and they are allowed in shops. For the most part, dog owners are respectful and clean up after their pooches.
- You need to plan for your shopping. Most of the shops are usually open from Monday to Saturday. Some small shops are closed on Wednesdays. Hours are 9 am to 1 pm and 4 pm to 7 pm in gerneral but thern again it is best to check before going as the schedules are flexible. There are a few large grocery stores (closed on Sundays), but I prefer to shop at the local specialty shops for most things.
- Separating your trash is very important. There are days for organic waste, recyclable items, and non-recyclable items.
- You don’t need to buy bottled water. Water from the tap is ok however, there are many fountains throughout the city which have even better water without chlorine added or other chemicals used in water treatment. You’ll see many people carrying a supply of empty bottles for filling to these fountains.
Monday 1/15
Excursion…There was a guided tour of the city, different high points were pointed out from last week’s tour and of course, we ended at a cafe/bar. After chatting with the instructor and a few of the other students who joined the group, Lou and I went with our friend Amanda to another cafe/bar for some prosecco. Most places give you small sandwiches or small appetizers with your drink in the early evening. Dinner is usually no sooner than 7:30 or 8 and if you go to a resturant before then you will be the only patrons.
Tuesday & Wednesday 1/16 -17
Although it was raining off and on we walked around Lucca. In fact, the afternoon excursion was canceled due to the rain. We saw an interesting shop filled with beautiful meats, cheeses, and some prepared/marinated vegetables, and we just had to go in. The husband was sitting at the end of the counter and Lou didn’t realize that that is where he should have gone to pay, but rather handed his coins to the woman standing in from of him. Well, for you Seinfeld fans; do you remember the one where Kramer hands Jerry a Jr. mint in an operating theater while watching an operation, and in the handoff, it gets flung into the air only to fall into the patient? It was almost like a replay, except it was Lou’s coin that bounced off the glass countertop when trying to pay. The woman had walked away from the counter as it bounced and went directly into the marinated peppers! Oops…we looked at each other as he told the man and woman “Scusi, mi dispiace cosi tanto” and pointed to the coin in the oil. The woman retrieved the coin and wiped it off and the husband shook his head They were probably thinking stupid Americans. Oh well, things happen. Lesson learned. Here’s the scene of the crime.
Thursday 1/18
The day has finally arrived! A cooking class is offered after the language study. I have been looking forward to this day since I found out that Eva, our language instructor would be giving a cooking class! I encouraged my friend, Amanda to rearrange her schedule so she could take the class too. Eva did not disappoint. Eight students from the school participated. It was held at a local vineyard and Agriturismo just outside of the Walled City of Lucca, Fattoria Sardi.
http://www.fattoriasardi.com/?lang=en
We were given a brief tour and history of the vineyard – All In Italian. I learned that the farmers plant rosebushes at the end of the row of the grape vines to aid in the detection of insects. It seems that the insects will attack the rose bushes first before going after the grape vines. We also saw the cellar where the large wooden vats held the wines. Then off to the kitchen! It was so much fun, not to mention delicious. I made the cantuccini and some of the lasagne noodles. Here’s the mouth-watering menu:
- Crostini con salsa di fungi (Crostini with porcini mushrooms)
- Lasagne con carciofi e noci (Freshly made lasagna with artichokes in a béchamel sauce with walnuts)
- Polo al limone ere aromatiche (Chicken with herbs and lemon)
- Cantuccini col vin santo (this is like a biscotti – some were made with pistachios and some with chocolate chips – served with vin Santo: a traditional typically sweet dessert wine made in Italy, predominantly in Tuscany. The wine is loved for its intense flavors of hazelnut and caramel. When paired with biscotti, Vin Santo becomes “Cantucci e Vin Santo” which is inarguably Italy’s most famous welcoming tradition.
After making all this we sat at big Tuscan farm table to enjoy the fruits of our labor. I can’t wait to try making the lasagna but sadly it will have to wait as I do not have an oven in our apartment!
Friday, 1/19
Graduation Day!!! LOL
The last day of class doesn’t mean I have advanced! It simply means I got a tote bag with the school emblem on it and I am a little further along than 2 weeks ago. Now we are on our own to learn and study on our own. It was a great experience and we met some lovely people. The extra activities that the school provided certainly added another dimension to the whole experience. I said ciao to my friends.
Saturday, 1/20
Lou decided that he wanted to do a road trip. I guess he was feeling his Italian urge to drive…so he rented a Fiat 500! We invited our friend Amanda to join us for a day trip to Bagni di Lucca (in the 19th century, it was one of Europe’s most fashionable spa towns). We passed through Carrara, which is world famous for its white marble, with queries dating back to the Roman times. Our first stop along the way was at Ponte della Maddalena, or “Devil’s Bridge” – a humpbacked ancient bridge and a nice coffee break at a little local cafe. We stopped later in a small town, Barga. https://www.visittuscany.com/en/ideas/a-day-trip-to-barga/
We found a restaurant for lunch and we almost didn’t make it before closing time. L’Altana did not disappoint. The bread was some of the best we have had! Lou had a wonderful bean and vegetable soup with farro. In Tuscany and Umbria, they often add farro or polenta to soups giving a lovely thickness to the soup. Amanda and I both had fresh pasta with speck, chicory, and gorgonzola. It was all sooo good. We drove to a hilltop castle town, Castelnuovo Garfagnana. What a view from this mountainous village. We saw a group of children playing in front of an ancient church. I often wonder, what life is like in these small villages and will the young kids remain there when they grow up. It was getting very cold on that hilltop as the sun was starting to set. Off in the distance, we could see the snowcapped mountains. What a beautiful sight to end our lovely day. We headed home with our minds full of lovely vistas and our palates more than satisfied.
Sunday 1/21
We decided to keep the car until Monday morning, so we headed out for a peak at the Cinque Terre region. Sometimes that darn GPS just doesn’t cooperate. We got lost. In the end, it was a good thing because we ended up in an area with a breathtaking view that we would have never seen otherwise. We were high up on a hilltop looking down on the town of La Spezia. We want to explore that area soon. We realized we weren’t where we wanted to be, so we winded back down the hairpin turns to “recalculate” and get back on our original path headed toward Monterosso, the largest village of the Cinque Terre. It was a lovely sunny day and we saw lots of hikers who had been walking along the trails. It was so nice to see the sea. We parked the car and strolled along the pathway for a bit and we realized that not much was open so we returned to a cafe we had passed earlier and had a nice lunch. Lou had his favorite, marinated anchovies along with a pasta course. I had a ‘pasta alla vongole’ clam pasta. We finished off the meal with some espresso and stopped at another place for gelato. We strolled along the seaside taking in the beautiful view. It was a great day until we returned to our car. Neither one of us had the parking ticket! We searched and searched, but nothing! Lou went to the machine where you pay and came back to the car with a sad face…..50 Euro he said…look again! Needless to say, it was an expensive lunch! I guess it could have been worse, but it kind of ruin the mood. We headed home remembering the beauty of the area. We will return again.
Tutti Giorno 