Life in the Big Piazza in Capannori

There is always something going on in the big piazza in front of our apartment. "City Hall" is located there and it seems to be the major spot for big events. There is the weekly market on Fridays and this was where a crowd gathered to watch the Mille Miglia pass by.

There was a major election last Sunday. It was European Parliament elections throughout the EU but in Italy there were also some local elections. Our commune (pronounced ko-myu-nay) elected a new mayor. Luca Menesini's election headquarters were right in front of our apartment across from City Hall so we had a front row seat for the victory celebrations. The crowd got a lot larger and louder after this.

Today there is a bicycle even for kids. This morning there were dozens of kids going in circles in the piazza. Tomorrow this location is going to be the finish of a large, fun ride.

We like our view here and all the things that happen but it is also noisy and there is lots of pollution.

Museums in Bologna and Modena

Last Tuesday we drove to Bologna and Modena to visit museums. On our way we followed a Ferrari, briefly.

It takes about 1.5 hours to drive to Bologna. I got bored so I took a picture of myself. Since I am the major picture taker there are few of me.

Our first stop was the Museum of Industrial Heritage located on the outskirts of Bologna. We arrived at 12 and closing was at 1 pm so it was a quick visit. The museum is located in an old factory building where they fired bricks and terracotta architectural pieces. The old kiln is still part of the ground floor.

I gave the camera to Dom and so I took very few. The fascinating thing we learned was that Bologna was a major center of silk production in the 15th Century. The city had an extensive network of canals that powered all sorts of machinery for processing the silk thread. The city was heavily industrialized with many factories long before the beginning of the industrial revolution.

The museum most of the top floor devoted to exhibits about the silk industry with lots of models and great information in both Italian and English.

One of the old canals runs alongside the museum parking lot.

Other parts of the museum covered all sorts of industrial machinery that was developed in Bologna including things like tortelloni machines, food wrapping machines, printing presses, and all sorts of other things. True to its role as a forerunner in industrialization, Bologna has always been a leader in developing mechanization. This includes being the heart of Italy's automobile and motorcycle industry.

Of course there were some examples of this.

There were even some examples of toys produced by a local toy company.

At closing time we left this museum and headed to the Lamborghini factory which is located between Bologna and Modena. We had a nice lunch across from the factory. When we drove in to visit the museum we were informed that it was closed for the afternoon for a private function. Oh well!

We continued on to our third destination--the newish Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena. We have visited the Ferrari museum in Maranello several times but this was our first visit to this one. It is located at the house where Enzo Ferrari was born and where his family had its business. He actually sold the building in order to finance his racing career.

A HUGE modern building has been built alongside the old house. There are exhibits in both buildings and they are striking contrasts in architectural style.

The older building has exhibits about Enzo Ferrari's life and quite a bit of racing memorabilia including steering wheels, goggles and helmet screens, trophies, and a re-creation of his Maranello office.

The futuristic gallery has exhibits about the history of the Ferrari companies and automobile racing in Italy. There are also quite a few historic vehicles.

There is a multimedia show on one wall that is going all the time accompanied by opera selections.

The car below is one we had never seen. It is an "Uovo" (egg). A description is below.

Below is an "Enzo." It looks futuristic with its batwing doors but is actually about ten years old.

Below is a wood "mold" that is used to shape the bodies of cars. It is displayed against the wall.

Ferrari also built boats for a while (anything to pay the bills!). Here is a beautiful hydroplane.

I was fascinated by the flat head screws that held the boat together.

It was a fun day. We will have to return to the Lamborghini museum another time. 

Visita alle Fortificazioni di Pittone a Brancoli (Visit to the Pittone Fortifications at Brancoli)

Yesterday (Sunday, May 26) we went on a guided visit to the World War II fortifications on Monte Pittone. This is located in the Brancoli area of the Provincia di Lucca, due north of the city. These fortifications formed part of the German's Gothic or Green Line defensive position in the latter stages of the war. There are all sorts of these remnants in the hills north of Lucca and further afield in the Appenine mountains. Some of them are being reclaimed and many events are planned in the area to commemorate the 70th anniversary of local occupation related events.

We started out near this lovely church that is perched on the hillside. Pretty much everything in Brancoli is perched on the hillside as it is quite a steep area.

The views from here are stupendous. It was very clear yesterday morning. Here is Dom admiring the view from Mary and Orlando's new house. You can see the Serchio River winding its way out of the mountains towards Lucca and the sea. The hills in the distance are Monte Pisano and the other Pisan hills.

Here is Mary and Orlando's new house. It is incredibly cute and very traditional.

The visit participants gathered just below the church. The event was a guided hike followed by an early lunch--zuppa, pasta, antipasti, bread, water, wine, and desserts.

Of course there was some swag for sale. I bought two hats and later a couple of CDs. Dom wore one. The event is put on by the local volunteer group so covering the costs is an issue.

There were a number of people there in costume. Here is an "American" soldier.

Here are a couple of "Germans" talking to an "American." There are a lot of people in Italy who are into all things World War II like some Americans are into Civil War re-enactments.

We were divided into a couple of groups. The first thing we came to was an "American" camp. There were tents, nurses, a first aid station, and a checkpoint. I had my passport just in case.

A local boy was chatting with the soldiers.

One soldier is manning his machine gun.

A pup tent set up on a terrace.

The first aid station. There were also a number of "British" soldiers.

As we came by a "priest" began saying mass.

After visiting the camp we continued along the trail up to the top of the ridge. The views got better and better.

The path was well maintained and not too strenuous. For much of the first part of the walk we followed an older woman who probably remembers the German occupation vividly.

Near the top of the ridge we came to the ruins of an old chapel. One of our guides explained that this area had medieval fortifications here and a customs point. The main north/south route through Italy to much of the rest of Europe used to go right through the valley. All that is left is the chapel ruins. Some of the stone might have been used by the Germans. Orlando said the local group would like to reconstruct the chapel one day.

Orlando told us the interior of the chapel used smooth, round river rocks. Those stones had to be carried a long, long way.

More stunning views.

Here you can see people heading into the first of the two bunkers we visited. This one had an opening on the opposite (cliff) side with a view up the valley. There was never any fighting near these fortifications but they certainly had great sight lines. Unfortunately, a nearby mountain towers over this ridge and it would have been easy for the Allied forces to just lob ordinance right into this area. What actually happened was the Allied forces used planes to bomb the area and the Germans retreated further north into the Garfagnana.

It was not easy to get into these bunkers which was just the way they were designed. Once inside they opened up.

After visiting the first bunker we followed the path along the cliff. It widened out just around this corner but it really is something of a goat trail along the cliff edge.

More stunning views. The cultivated fields (olive groves) in the middle of the picture is where the valley to Partigliano begins.

Here is the entrance to the second bunker.

Once inside the large, main chamber our guide, Enzo, tried to tell us all about it. It was difficult to hear because some of the people would not stay quiet and the room echoed. It looks like we could see quite well but that is the camera flash. In reality, it was nearly pitch black. Enzo had a flashlight and others turned on their smart phones. In the middle of Enzo's talk the electric lights came on. Later we learned no one had started the generator!

After climbing out of the second bunker via a ladder at another entrance, we hiked further up the hill to a field that the local volunteer group had hacked out of the hillside. We had a great lunch at long picnic tables set up in the area. Mary worked but Orlando, Dom and I, as well as Richard and Denise from the San Francisco area, sat and chatted and enjoyed the food and wine.

Afterwards we continues up a short trail to the cross at the top of the hill. It was built before WWII and does not seem to be a memorial to either World War.

From this location you can see all the way to Partigliano and Fondagno. You really have to know the area to make out what is what in this picture but, trust me, you can see the village church in Partigliano.

Here is another view up the Valdottavo valley without using the camera zoom. The town in the foreground is Piaggione which is on the opposite side of the Serchio River from Valdottavo.

From the same vantage point you could also look back the other direction. Because of the trees you could not see Lucca but the town in the middle of the photo is Ponte a Moriano.

This is the ridge we hiked along. If you find the power tower you can follow it down the knob it is on and see the trail we walked along between the two bunkers. The first was at the far end of the ridge and the second at the base of the knob the power tower is on.

There was a pair of WWII era periscope-style binoculars that one could take a look through.

Here's Orlando and Dom...

...and Richard and Denise.

It was really a fun day. The weather was perfect. We saw 30 degrees (mid 80s F) on our way back to Capannori so it was a good thing we started early and finished by 1:30 pm.

After we finished lunch we walked back down the hill by the a direct route that only took 15-20 minutes to get us back to the church. It was a lovely, relaxed finale to a great excursion.

Because it is the 70th anniversary of many of the important local events related to WWII, there are a number of other visits of this type planned for later in the summer and especially in September. If you are planning a visit to the area check them out.