First thing this morning we went into Lucca to meet Cam and Francesco’s hiking tour group at the hostel. We were 17 to begin with—Cam and Francesco, their ten hikers, 3 Italians (members of Club Alpino Italiano—an Italian hiking club that Francesco is associated with) and Dom and I. At 9:30 I gave the group an extremely brief history of the city and then we began our walking tour, hitting all the town’s high points by our reckoning. Over the course of three hours we strolled past (and sometimes peaked into) the church of San Frediano, the amphitheater, Via Fillungo, Torre dell’Ore, the church of San Michele in Foro, the composer Puccini’s birthplace and statue, Piazza Napoleone and the Palazzo Ducale, the cathedral of San Martino and the top of the city walls. Everyone seemed to enjoy my version of “Lucca Lite.” At any rate we did not lose anyone along the way (for too long).
Today was another glorious day with temperatures in the mid 80’s. Thus, the to
wn was full of tours and tour groups as well as many Lucchesi taking advantage of the weather. At one point while some of us were waiting for the rest of the group to catch up we saw the cutest little boy, no more than two or three, walking slowly down the street with a cell phone held to his ear. His nonna (grandmother) was pushing his stroller and keeping pace with him. It was so adorable I pulled out my camera and tried to take a picture. However, the attention distracted him and he started paying more attention to me than to his phone. I can only imagine that his father often walks along chatting on the phone since all small boys are inclined to emulate their fathers’ actions.
After the tour was over we had pizza and salads at a small osteria adjacent to the famous city walls. Nowadays the top of the former city defenses, a truly stupendous construction that took about 100 years to build, is encircled by a broad street lined with trees. When the weather is nice there are always lots of people picnicking in the sun, strolling, jogging or just laying in the sun.
Dom and I headed back home to work. However it was so hot we decided to wait until the cool of tomorrow morning to continue our chores in the fields. We have had a lazy afternoon and evening. I even managed an hour or so reading in the sun on the patio. Unfortunately, the bugs were biting and my legs are now dotted with itchy spots.
Today was another glorious day with temperatures in the mid 80’s. Thus, the to
wn was full of tours and tour groups as well as many Lucchesi taking advantage of the weather. At one point while some of us were waiting for the rest of the group to catch up we saw the cutest little boy, no more than two or three, walking slowly down the street with a cell phone held to his ear. His nonna (grandmother) was pushing his stroller and keeping pace with him. It was so adorable I pulled out my camera and tried to take a picture. However, the attention distracted him and he started paying more attention to me than to his phone. I can only imagine that his father often walks along chatting on the phone since all small boys are inclined to emulate their fathers’ actions.After the tour was over we had pizza and salads at a small osteria adjacent to the famous city walls. Nowadays the top of the former city defenses, a truly stupendous construction that took about 100 years to build, is encircled by a broad street lined with trees. When the weather is nice there are always lots of people picnicking in the sun, strolling, jogging or just laying in the sun.
Dom and I headed back home to work. However it was so hot we decided to wait until the cool of tomorrow morning to continue our chores in the fields. We have had a lazy afternoon and evening. I even managed an hour or so reading in the sun on the patio. Unfortunately, the bugs were biting and my legs are now dotted with itchy spots.
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