2010 San Cassiano Marcia

We have had terrible weather for the last week--monsoon-like conditions on some days and pretty cool for this time of year.  Thankfully, Sunday was actually pretty nice (at least in comparison). The walk started in San Cassiano a Vico, an area we are interested in for a new home.  It is really a pretty walk and no hills.  It includes sections on paved roads...

...and some sections through the fields.

The poppies are blooming everywhere right now.  They are particularly prolific alongside the roads.

Here we passed a neat planting of young olive trees.  They looked like someone had laid them out with a tape measure.

This is a nice looking house but too close to the road and no garden.

This is the most interesting thing we saw along the way--this old section of wall with the new townhouses behind it.  Actually, the end unit is for sale.  Hmmm.

After we got home from the walk, we started moving tiles (piled on the lower level of the patio) up to where our friend Don could pick them up in his car.  We sold them to him for his renovation project.  It took him four trips (at least) to take them all away.  I made frittata for the three of us for lunch.

Afterwards, Dom watched the Spanish Formula 1 race.  If you are wondering about the weird setup it has to do with pulling the neighbor's TV antenna cable in through the window and hooking it up to our TV.  The neighbors do not have a television and the cable has just been hanging there so Dom "borrowed" it.  This all became necessary because SKY Italia is not broadcasting the races this season.  Since we do not have an antenna of our own (just the satellite dish) we have been raceless until now.  By the next race we will be out of the house.  A television antenna of our own is on the list for the next house.

Be sure and keep reading as I have published three blog posts today!

May Day - May 1, 2010

May 1 is a holiday throughout Europe.  This year it fell on a Saturday.  Nonetheless, the annual May Day walk at Montemagno was held early in the morning.  It was a beautiful day so it was no hardship for Dom and I to get up and drive over there.  Since there was another walk the next morning we decided to do the shortest walk--3 kilometers.  This was just enough to get our heart rates up and we saw some beautiful countryside and houses.  The picture at left is a view from the walk of the Alpi Appuane.

We have done this particular walk several times before.  This wall never ceases to fascinate me.  The builder is a sculptor and he has incorporated all sorts of interesting objects into it.

Later in the day, after lunch, we went up the Serchio valley to the annual festa at Fornaci di Barga.  The town is filled with all sorts of exhibitors--sort of like a cross between a home show, an auto show and a weekly Italian market.  It was really a warm afternoon and there were LOTS of people there.

There are always lots of displays of farm equipment. Here a young girl is trying out a sort of mower. Unlike in the U.S. where the exhibitors would probably discourage children from climbing on the machinery, no one seems to think much of it here.

Here is another youngster trying out the merchandise.

Dom never climbs on the tractors but he certainly studies everything intently.

There were two spots with pony rides (or horse rides) for children.

A parked Ferrari always draws admirers including Dom and I, of course.

A local organization uses the town soccer field for paid parking.  When we returned to our car we got a kick out of where this Fiat 500 had found a spot. Gol!

The next morning, May 2, was the start of our recent seemingly endless spell of rain.  Dom stayed in bed but Mary Caselli and I went to the marcia at Camigliano.  It was not raining when we got up but started about the time we left our respective houses.  We had umbrellas and used them for about 2/3rds of the walk.  It actually, mostly, stopped for a while but then started up again. In spite of that, we really enjoyed our brisk 5 km. hike.

The rain has been pretty steady until today.  We had a shower this morning but it has been mostly dry but although overcast.  It has actually cleared up now but it is quite chilly outside.  After the beautiful weather we had our first four weeks here this has been a bit hard to take.  Luckily, we had a really busy week with the house closing on Tuesday, lots of errands at banks and other spots and a full day of househunting on Thursday.  Today is the first day we have had to just chill.  So, you are finally getting a blog post, or two.

2010 Marlia Marcia

Last Sunday was the annual marcia podistica in Marlia, a town about 10 minutes away between where we are and Lucca.  It is called Marcia delle Ville or March of the Villas because it passes through many of the classic villas in the nearby hills.  These were once the summer homes of the Lucchese aristocracy and most of them, or at least their gardens, are now open to the public for a fee.  It is nice to be able to see a portion of the gardens without paying plus the views down onto the plain of Lucca are spectacular.

Luckily, it was a nice day.  In fact, I wore shorts in an effort to get some sun on my pale legs.  There were a few others in shorts, mostly serious runners, but it is still a little early for the Italians to be sporting summer attire.

The marcia begins at the site of the weekly Marlia market.  Even at 7 am there were a lot of people around.  It is probably the biggest marcia in the area as it is a three province walk (Lucca, Pisa and Pistoia, I think). 

Here are some of the folks from Partigliano signing in at our table.  As you can see, they are all in uniform.  Like most of the walks there was a Euro 2 subscription fee.  However, the "prizes" we receive at the end are usually worth more than that.  The prizes are donated by local businesses.  At Marlia they included pasta, paper towels and milk.

We arrived quite early at Marlia so we actually went to a nearby bar and had coffee before starting the walk.

We normally do the 5 or 6 km. routes but at Marlia we have done 10 or 12 km.  After walking out of town we were mostly in the hills.  Here we passed by a rather large vineyard.  On the hill beyond you can see the white facade of a villa we later walked right next to.

A little further along the route we were able to look back at the plain below us and the Pisan hills.

This shrine, a combination of a terracotta plaque and fresco, is on the front of a villa we passed.  Next to it was a huge espaliered lemon tree.

This photo shows the countryside looking east.  The hills are like a rumpled comforter with a pattern of olive groves, vineyards, villages, woods and grassy fields.  They flow from the steep mountains to the north down to the flat plain to the south.

I loved this "falling" wall alongside the road.  It looks like it is part of an old building but nothing is left except these few sections of wall.  It drops off steeply on the other side and we could see that the landowner was using it for a spot to burn debris (grass and olive prunings).  These walls have probably been leaning like this for decades but I have to think that someday they will just topple over.

In an earlier photo (of the large vineyard) I pointed out a white plastered villa high on a hill.  This is the opposite side of the building, all stone and ivy.  It was the ristoro (refreshment) stop on our route.  There is a lovely patio with a stone table just to the left of the tents. We then walked around the villa and began our downhill descent.

We were walking with our friend Mary who was a ways ahead of us at this point.  She popped behind a tree to get a picture of us strolling towards her.  So I took a picture of her!

A ways down the hill we happened upon this large gray cat.  He was quite friendly and allowed us to pet him.  As we moved on he sat down in the middle of the road and stared after us.  His expression seemed to me to indicate he was a little put out with us because we quit paying attention to him.

As we approached another villa we were overtaken by this band.  They were accompanied by flag throwers although we missed their full presentation.  It was quite loud as they passed us in the woods.

This is the best villa I took on Sunday.  I am not sure which one it is but we did not actually walk very close to the building.  Our route ran through the woods on the left side of this picture.

As we made our way back into Marlia we came upon another band accompanied by baton twirlers.  There was quite a range of ages in the troupe.  They later came into the market area and gave a lengthy dance performance. 

This coming weekend there are two marcie because Saturday is a holiday (the celebration of Labor Day here) and then there is a regular Sunday walk.  Both are ones we have done before.  Depending on how we are feeling (and the weather) we might do rather short courses.  It is supposed to rain on Sunday morning.  Aaarrgghh!!

Tutti Santi - All Saints Day

Last Sunday, November 1, was All Saints Day. It is a national holiday in Italy so there was a lot going on.

We started the day by going to a marcia podistica (organized walk) at Colognora di Compito, a little southeast of Lucca. It was a walk we had not participated in before so we looked forward to seeing new countryside.


The day started out cold and misty. We had to scrape ice off our windshield before we could leave Partigliano! That was a little tricky as we have no ice scraper. However, I managed to scrounge an old plastic discount card out of my wallet that worked just fine.



The walk started off through the fields. I have to admit I really didn't feel all that great to start with. The evening before we had dinner with friends and probably had too much wine and limoncello. The footing was uneven, a little muddy and there were a lot of people. We planned to do the 7 km. route but I thought seriously about bailing at the turn for the 3 km. route.



The path meandered through the frosty fields, past some lovely houses.



Then our way went up a hill past a lovely villa at the top.



A good deal of the 7 km route was through a park that crowned an even bigger nearby hill. We kept trudging along through lovely woods. The falling leaves, mostly copper and yellow, make it feel very autumnal. There are few maples in this area but the ones that are around now look like bright flames.



When we got to the ristoro (refreshment stop) they even had treats for the many dogs that are always part of a marcia.



The ristoro was nearly at the top of Monte Tristo so after that (with a little hot sweet tea and buccelato--raisin anise bread--to help us long) the route was all down hill.



Just before we got to the bottom of the hill the trees opened up and there was this lovely vista across the plain to the hills north of Lucca. This farmhouse really caught our attention. It looks like the perfect restoration project. If our current house would sell we might even consider taking it on.



The marcia began and ended at the San Ginese milk processing plant. So, of course there was a man dressed up as a cow when we reached the end.

After we got home at about 10:30 am I hurriedly showered and changed and went to mass. Afterwards there was a procession to the cimiterio (cemetary) where the priest blessed the graves.

When we entered the cemetary most of the people went to stand near their loved ones graves. In the days leading up to All Saints Day most of the local people go and clean up the graves and leave fresh flowers. This year I learned that chrysanthemums are the traditional flower to take and most Italians would not consider using them anywhere else. Thus, when we passed a garden today that was full of planted mums I had to wonder if the owners were Italian.

After the priest left many of the local people stayed behind for a brief visit. Almost all the graves had flowers on them. Even if none of the family was present for the procession, someone had been by recently to decorate leave some.

The misty morning had cleared off and it was a lovely day. In the afternoon we ate lunch and then watched the last Formula 1 race of the season. Afterwards, we went to an auction preview at a villa outside Lucca. There were many lovely items to be sold off next weekend but nothing we cannot live without.

On our way back from the auction preview we stopped and visited with Arlene and Dave from Vermont. We met them a couple of years ago when they stayed nearby. They are back for another visit and it is wonderful reconnecting.

Another Sunday, Another Marcia Podistica.

As is our usual practice, today being Sunday we rose early and went off to the day's marcia podistica. For those of you who might be new to this blog, a marcia podistica is an organized walk much like a volksmarch.

Today's event was in the town of Corsanico in the hills above Massarossa. There were incredibly lovely views out over the coastal plain. The early morning light helped highlight Lago di Massaciucoli, a large, swampy nature preserve that is a prime spot for outdoor activities. Later in the day it is not uncommon to see small sailboats out on the water. In the picture below it is difficult to tell where the actual coast is but if you click on the picture it will enlarge it and it might be easier to see.





The picture below shows the view to the northwest, 90 degrees from the above photo. The edge of the coast is a little better defined and beyond it one can just see the hill that is adjacent to the entrance to the Gulf of Poets. It is also possible to pick out pockets of mist that lay like thick cotton wool on the valley floor.




The walk route wound through a rather "high rent" district. Mostly we walked along narrow paved roads. Behind ornate iron gates were obviously expensive houses. All of them seemed to have a view towards the water. Towards the end of the 5 kilometers we walked along a rough track that finally turned onto a rustic path. It was on the rough stretch that Dom fell flat out. He managed to catch himself and not land hard. Below you can see Dom strolling along the gentler path.



The walk was memorable for its good weather and some lovely flowers. This large morning glory vine had bright blue flowers and seemed pretty prolific.




There were many beautiful houses along the walk route. This one stood out because of the porch roof, the beautiful ironwork and the two cats waiting for their people to wake up and pay attention to them.

Jet lag still has us in its grip. Last night I managed only an hour of sleep. Dom did better but after lunch we have both been pretty drowsy. I hope there are no major errors in this blog as I feel like I am writing it in my sleep!

Marcia Podistica a Partigliano

Last Sunday was the annual marcia podistica (organized walk) in Partigliano. It was held at the pizzeria at Guzzanello which is up the hill from the village. Unfortunately, after a string of stunningly beautiful days, we had rain and thunderstorms on Friday and Saturday. The previsione (forecast) was for improving conditions on Sunday but we woke to more rain. In spite of that, at 6:15 am we headed up the hill in our car eager to finally participate in the production of one of these events.

It actually requires a lot of pre-event planning as well. The weekend before we had seen the four routes (2, 5, 10 and 18 kilometers) being marked with freshly painted white arrows. Dom went up on Saturday afternoon to help set up while I cleaned the house in preparation for our Monday departure. At some point the premi (prize packets each participant receives) were also put together. On Friday several of the ladies had made almost 30 loaves of bread in a wood fired oven.

On Sunday, I was immediately put to work in the "kitchen." Actually, it was a storage room underneath the restaurant where a bevy of ladies made dozens and dozens of panini (sandwiches) and wrapped them in paper towels. We were assisted by several men who sliced the meats and cut the bread.


New regulations required that we all wear aprons, gloves and hair coverings. Really attractive as you can see from the above picture.


Outside the "kitchen" the participants returned from their walk or run to find tables full of panini, different types of torte (cakes and pies), lemon and orange wedges, sugar cubes, water, wine and sweet tea. At the walks we used to be able to just go up to the tables and take what we want but now someone has to serve you. The servers also had to wear aprons, gloves and head coverings.



Here I am taking a break from panini making.

Meanwhile, Dom had an orange vest and a flag and was busy parking cars. There is a soccer field next to the restaurant and they used that for the parking area. He found that his flag, flamboyant hand gestures and a few stern glares made up for any lack of language skills.

After I helped make mountains of sandwiches we went up to the restaurant bar and had a coffee. You can see Dom in his orange vest.

When we first got to Guzzanello at 6:30 it looked like it might brighten up and quit raining. No way! It really poured for a while after the marcia began at 7:15 or so. Many of the participants and some of the workers came back soaked to the skin.

Many of the participants huddled under the awning over the patio just outside the restaurant's main entry.

Even those handing out the premi huddled under their tent. Attendance at the event was down by about one third.

For the first time we were actually present at the end of the event. Here are the prizes that were distributed at the very end. The participating clubs were ranked according to the number of members participating. The club with the most participants got to pick a prize first and so it went down through the list of clubs until everyone had taken a prize.

There was also a raffle. Here they are drawing the winning raffle numbers.

Of course after everything was over and all the participants had left, the sun came out. It was actually quite windy while the tents were being taken down. None of that could happen until the trail sweeps had come in and reported there were no stragglers on the course. That was about 10:30 or 11. Then everything was broken down and put away and the ladies went to work preparing lunch.

Usually the post marcia lunch is held outside but the cool temperatures, brisk wind and possible rain led to the meal being held indoors. About 70 people sat down to eat at 1 pm. We had spaghetti with meat sauce, roast turkey, green salad, tomatoes, french fries, leftover cold cuts from the panini, lots of water and wine and all the leftover torte. It was delicious!

Unfortunately, the room we ate in was incredibly noisy. It would have been difficult understanding what was being said in English let alone understanding all the Italian around us. By 3 pm Dom and I were just about done in. We felt badly that we were the first to leave but we were really tired and needed to finish our preparations to leave the next morning.

All our Partigliano amici were sad to see us go. We REALLY look forward to returning in September and resuming our life in Italy.