Lucca and ……. Shopping!

Since we returned from la Spezia we have divided our time between rest and recovery, retail therapy and spending time with family.

We have really enjoyed the delicious home cooking provided by the aunties. They are simple, traditional home-cooked meals, full of goodness and sourced from their home garden. Satisfying and restorative with every mouthful. The abundant fresh strawberries are particularly welcomed at the end of the meal. Zio Piero has a l’orto (large vegetable garden) measuring approximately 20m x 30m, where each day he lovingly attends to the cultivation and care of huge quantities of seasonal fruit and vegetables. Each day we get to enjoy the freshly picked bountiful harvest. 

Dad's forest near the river.

We have visited many of the places where Tina’s dad used to play when he was a boy; the city wall where he used to bunk off school to practice boxing with his friends; the river where he used to sail his home built rafts; the back streets where he used to run away barefoot when his mum would call him to come for dinner. Every step taken in these backstreets of this neighborhood was where my dad and my 3 uncles grew up.

 

Tina & Riccardo

On our walk through the neighborhood we visited my Cousin, Riccardo’s workshop where we briefly interrupted his work. He also works in metal fabrication following in the family tradition. His wife runs a shoe shop in Lucca…! Cool. Tina last saw Riccardo when he was about eleven years old and he was a little shorter.

Nelda and Lisa, it’s true what you said about shopping in Lucca! If you know where to go, the prices are great. There are endless shoe shops, with no limit to the number of shoes they will let you try on. Yesterday I came home from our shopping expedition with 3 pairs of shoes (I won’t tell you how many I bought the day before!). Still looking for boots though!

 Today I placed an order for a leather jacket at a local leather manufacturer  I previously visited when I was in Italy 30 years ago – this time my jacket was made to measure. Even  Paul found himself caught up in the shopping fever and also placed an order for a jacket. We pick both of them up next Thursday! The search for a suitable man-bag still continues.

One of the pleasures of Lucca is strolling or riding around the 17^th century ramparts – the magnificent city walls whose tree-lined promenade offers breath-taking views of the city.

Healthy Salad Lunch

We hired a bike each, packed a picnic lunch and embarked on a leisurely ride on top of the city wall. The continuous length of the wall is unbroken and vehicles enter and leave the city through five gates beneath the wall. The safety afforded by these city walls would have comforted the inhabitants and when completed in 1645, were the most advanced of their type in the world.

 It’s funny, but we feel so at home here in Lucca. It seems that the other tourists are an intrusion in OUR town! How easy would it be, if unencumbered by our  family and work back home, to move here and call Lucca home for real. I have empathy for my dad when he returns to Australia from Lucca how much he misses his family, his neighborhood and the easy-going, relaxed life-style.

However, on the down-side is the state of Lucca’s roads! Whilst strolling the streets with only one pair of shoes, purchased at a bargain price, Tina happened to find the only pot-hole in Lucca, in the middle of an intersection. As she hit the ground and cried out in pain, I turned around to where she should have been, only to find she was not there??  I looked to the ground and there, prostrate amid shopping bags and backpack, was Tina. At Tina’s SPECIFIC INSISTENCE I immediately rescued the most important thing – the shopping!  

Tina & The ONLY Pothole in Lucca

As I cautiously threaded through the newly formed traffic jam to where I left a bloodied Tina moaning in pain, a kind lady on her bicycle rode up to offer her assistance. Tina, who was now able to speak intelligibly accepted her offer to attend her husband’s dental surgery to clean and dress her wounds. Afterwards, with twisted ankle, bruised knee and lacerated wrist she managed to shuffle, carrying her precious shopping to the nearest shoe shop where she indulged in some restorative shoe shopping. Two new pairs of shoes and 30 minutes later Tina was happily hobbling home.

Tina says….. “Where were you, Paul, to help me carry my precious shopping home!”

Paul says: “I was walking ahead scanning for more potholes Honey”

OUCH..!!!!

Zio arranging the deck BEFORE we play.

Last night we played cards with Zio who soundly trounced us both playing La Scopa (The Sweep) and Briscola (????).  Paul thinks Zio made up the rules as the game progressed! Luckily we weren’t playing for money! The night concluded with Tina and Zio dancing to the sounds of Patrizio Buane – how cool was that!

Year 2/3’s, it was wonderful to hear from you, I am really glad you are enjoying the blog and reading about the wonderful places we are visiting.

 David, I can’t wait to see your sketches of my photos, just wait until I show you my other photos too! Emily, Paige (and Lisa), thank you for your comments too, I wish you were all here!

The children in Italy can choose to go to school five days a week from 8.30am until 4pm, or six days a week from 8.30am until 1.30pm. Can you imagine only having Sunday off each week!!!

Yesterday, in Lucca, I bought our Year 2/3 Class a gift, but I won’t tell you what it is… only that it is black and white and round!!  Can you guess….?

Happy Birthday Natalie....hope you had a great day XXX

Say hello to the teachers for me, I hope everyone is well.

Mads hope you are feeling better and that the Hospital food is edible...miss you!! XXXXX DAD

Sally and Tim....keep emailing. I LOVE receiving them from you, miss you tanto XXX Mammy

Tomorrow we leave for Montecatini for an overnight stay with another family member, Simonetta, and then to Firenze (Florence) and Siena for three days. We are travelling by train and then bus because Paul is too much of a 'Wuss' to drive! He doesn’t feel comfortable sharing the narrow, unfamiliar roads with the erratic and pushy drivers who seem to think that road rules are merely guidelines.