Hits The SpotOur tour guide, Jamie, was very excited about sharing with us the local Italian Cecina, hot from the oven. Cecina is made from garbanzo beans and looks like a flat pizza without the ingredients on top. Jamie suggested you sprinkle fresh pepper on top the Cecina. Customers line up for this tasty treat. However, what we Americans actually raved about was their Margherita pizza, which was actually the best we had in Italy.
AnticipationOnce again in Italy, there is always the unexpected pleasure of a hidden treasure. The wall that surrounds Lucca is where bikes are ridden and strolls are taken. On our thirty minute bike ride, one way, we saw a beautiful Lucca. The romance never stops.
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Lucca...Protective, Playful, PeacefulOn day five of our tour, we took a short bus ride from the Cinque Terre to Lucca, our tour guide's home town. Surrounding the town of Lucca is a wall that was built by the Luccheshi. Inside the town of Lucca were once multiple lookout towers. Since these towers are no longer used, the towns people have added
something lovely, such as trees on top. The town is picturesque with its history built into the homes. In one spot, the houses are curved, because they were built inside a Roman amphitheater. ProtectivePlayfulPeaceful |
Adept & AstuteOur local guide gave an incredible account of the history of Lucca. In fact, he drove home the point that Lucca had never been occupied, even during the Medici reign. Jamie filled in with the home-field advantage. In fact, his daughter waved to us from outside her school window.
The CharmChurches of all sizes, shapes, and forms are always abundant in Italy. Lucca hosts its own unique church in that of St. Michael. At one time, the wings of St. Michael on the very tip top of this church actually moved. How is this possible? The answer was revealed when Jamie showed us a marble staircase leading to St. Michael's hinged wings, which could be moved by the person standing underneath. The height combined with no hand rail would exclude a number of job applicants, including me!
IntermissionWhile on a quick bathroom break, I stumbled upon a pipe similar to the ones smoked by Aragorn in the "Lord of The Rings" movies. I was in Lucca just long enough to purchase the pipe I coveted and to have a smoke following lunch. Being a "Lord of The Rings" geek, this pipe has brought me great enjoyment. It is my precious (you have to be a geek to understand)!
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