Opera.

We went into Lucca to do some errands in preparation for our stay there, which begins towards the end of this week. We'll be moving to a private apartment inside the city walls, which promises to be a new experience. Staying in Lido has been great. It does allow us to retreat from Italian life a bit, though: here we have a broadband connection, cable television with British and American news networks, and a library of books written in English. We will expect none of these cultural buffers in Lucca.

During the pausa we met an American couple day-tripping to Lucca (their son is the U.S. military, based in Livorno). We were able to spend a little time with them, and it was a bit of an ego boost to realize how we now take for granted knowing our way (generally) within Lucca and dealing easily with many everyday matters.

Not that we can't sometimes use some help... we went to Tourist information to get leads on car rental agencies within walking distance of our apartment (we'll need to return Vivienne's car to her, and at the very least need to drive ourselves to Rome from our out-going flight). While speaking with the (German) lady at Tourist Info we learned that there would be a full performance of La Boheme at the opera house that very evening.

We waited around town for the ticket office to open, got one of the few remaining seats and went back to the house for a nap and a early meal. The performance was very good, although the sets were a bit odd: the "garret" scenes were set on a slanted rooftop with opening skylights from which actors could pop in and out. I found that fearing for their safety was a bit distracting.

The theater itself was fairly small and designed on the traditional rounds of tiered boxes with a gallery in back (our seats). An old building with a more recent (1817) updating, the Teatro del Giglio is looking a just a little threadbare inside but the old wood and plastic contribute to its good acoustics. The main price for the intimate setting seemed to be the accumulated heat, towards evening's end, of a full house of 950 patrons. But see the what is arguably the world's most popular opera, in the hometown of it's composer...

Epifana.

It's January 6th, the Feast of the Epiphany, and the last day of the Christmas/New Year festivities in Italy. Outside, the sky is a blank light grey and it's raining periodically; we are content to putter around the house.
Children around the country will have awoken to discover that stockings hung over the fireplace last night have been filled with small gifts (or black "coal" -- colored lump sugar). These occurrences will be attributed to the "Bufana," an ugly old woman variously described as a relative of Santa Claus or as a tangential character in the Nativity saga.

Pranzo with Marco and Anna.

We headed off in a heavy rainstorm to visit (second) cousin Marco and his family. They live in a fairly remote village in the Garfagnana, a rocky, mountainous region north of Lucca in the Italian Alps. They moved there several years ago in search of a simpler lifestyle, while at the same time committing to a new business in workplace psychology.

In conversation, the subject of websites came up: they need simple one, they say, but have been quoted in excess of 1,500 euros to have one created. (Perhaps to my regret) I convinced them that I could do the same for them in a few hours -- so they will be coming over next Wednesday to let me have a try!

I think it might be fair to say that Italy is about in the same place vis-a-vis the internet that the U.S. was about 8-10 years ago. Very few people have broadband in their homes, and mostly only young people are "hip" to creating websites or blogs.



There was a nice lunch at their rustica perched high on the hillside in the small village of Pescaglia, and afterwards we went to the Chestnut-Tree Museum nearby, which seemed to have been opened just for our visit. We were given the full tour by one of the proprietors, in a Italianspiel which was a little fast for us but from which we understood the great majority.

After another session back at the house, with coffee, we were off down the hill in the dark and rain, and in our fatigue we relied on our TomTom GPS to guide us; after a bit we realized that it was taking us on a "direct" route through country lanes, and we had to stop and persuade it to take us back on major roads.

A Break.

It's a rainy day in Lido, we're planning only domestic activities -- and I get a surprising opportunity to earn a little money with a favorite client back home. The job is small and just within the capabilities of my powerbook and mini-tablet, the broadband is up and running, and the deadline is generous-- so I get that done while Nancy does some laundry and food shopping.

Working while in Italy! That's some sort of achievement, isn't it? Now if I could only get them to pay me in Euros....

Last hours in Florence.

After a poor night's sleep (too much napping the day before?) we're out to see the Science Museum -- officially called the Institute and Museum of the History of Science. -- It turns out be a fascinating collection of scientific devices and instruments, including Gallileo's telescopes and inexplicably -- one of his mummified fingers. It's a nice change from the crowds which frequent the "must-see" attractions.
We manage the long walk, small luggage in hand, back to the train station to claim our (Vivienne's) car. Florence's last fiscal zinger for us: our parking fee slightly exceeds that of our hotel bill. Ooouch. Guess we should have moved it instead of letting it sit there for 48 hours. The rain begins in earnest as we start off for the hour-long drive back to Lido di Camaiore.

Cold Firenze.

Our hotel room was "cheap," at 60 euros, but completely servicable and close to the Ponte Vecchio (suppressing yawn) and historic-center museums. The double twin (?) bed just barely fit in the oddly wedge-shaped area provided for it, but the bathroom was relatively large and clean. We had stayed in this facility before, and it once again proved advantageous as a easy place to take shelter (or a nap) in the middle of a busy sightseeing day. In our day's circuit which included re-visiting the Uffizi and the Palazzo Vecchio and downing several macchiati along the way.
As expected, everything costs half-again or twice as much in the tourist areas of Florence as it would almost anywhere else; but that aside, we managed to have some pretty good meals. Given the international crowd, speaking Italian is generally optional, but we kept trying despite the perpetual ennui of the tourist-weary Florentine staffers.
Late in the evening, I had my first (and last) $9 waffle just up the road from the Ponte Vecchio and then we headed back to the room to get warm and watch Cadfael (in italiano) on TV.

Mini-movie from New Year's Day

Here's 50 secs of video taken New Year's Day, in the early evening. It features the lovely Nancy amongst the citizens of Florence...the bells of Orsanmichele ring has we approach on Via dei Calzaiuoli.

New Year's Day, Florence

We set off for 2 nights in Florence, having a window of time between dinner dates and wanting to make a visit, if only for picture-taking purposes. There was a crowd (surprise!), mostly comprised of locals using the holiday for a stroll around the old town. Unfortunately, the owners of the private parking garages also took the day off as well. leaving us with no alternative but to leave our car at the train station parcheggio about a mile from our hotel.
New Year's evening was beautiful though, and despite temperates near freezing, hundreds of citizens were bundled up for a walk in the old city, content to window-shop at closed stores in the glow of holiday lights.

Happy New Year!

There was talk of going to Lucca, but in the end we stayed in all day and read, enjoying the warmth of sunshine coming in the windows. We went out to the boardwalk around 10 P.M. and went as far as Viareggio. There was a stage and skating rink set up a mile or so down the beach; we had been hearing its booming P.A. system from the house for most of the evening. It turned out to be for the benefit of only 50 or 60 people (as of 11 P.M.): mostly 70's R&B and disco music, virtually all in English -- some done karaoke-style by the M.C.s.
At midnight, there was a great barrage of fireworks all around, though by this time we were back in the house and watching from the windows.

Rainy Day in Lucca.

Nancy waiting for a fresh frase (a kind of donut).

We probably should have had a better plan, but it just seemed like time to go back to Lucca. After a cold and rainy afternoon spent doing nothing in particular, we were thoroughly irritated with ourselves (although we did manage to visit the cathedral of San Frediano and make sure St. Vita's mummy was still holding up). In the end we bought a box of chocolates and took them as an offering to cousin Luanna's family, where we were welcomed in and spent some pleasant hours before heading back.