COVID-19 in Italy : One Year Later

By mid-February 2020 Venice’s Carnevale celebration had been halted and the city emptied almost overnight.

It was during this week one year ago that the Italian Government announced a nation-wide quarantine in an effort to contain COVID-19 in Italy. The first known case had been identified at the end of January and by mid-February it was clear that the virus was spreading in northern Italy. There were hints that a lockdown was coming. In February, one of Italy’s biggest annual events, the Venetian Carnevale, was cancelled just after its opening weekend. That provoked a good deal of outrage as many people felt it was an over reaction to a limited problem (knowledge of COVID’s impact was not well understood at that point). Soon, local travel restrictions were imposed, though not always effectively implemented. People from the first affected communities fled and took the virus with them. For the rest of 2020 all major festivals, and most smaller community festivals, were cancelled as the need to limit large gatherings became much more clear.

In early March of 2020, bars, cafes, and restaurants began to distance tables. I remember well my “last coffee” before lockdown. I sat with two friends at a local bar. We spread out across two tables, empty seats and space between us, wondering what would come next. I remember someone saying that we should all make hair appointments soon in case the salons closed (they did, the very next day).

Hospitals soon began to fill with gravely ill patients. Shortages of personnel and equipment became critical issues. And people began to die, especially the elderly. Some people still did not take COVID seriously (both here in Italy and across the world) while other’s became paralyzed with fear. Most of us existed in a middle space - concerned, taking precautions, reordering priorities and routines, and slowly adjusting to what would become a long period of restrictions. We learned to carry paperwork with us when we left the house, to not go more than 200 meters from home without a valid reason, to wear masks, and to spend most of our time at home. We kept busy. Most importantly, we searched for new forms of connection - zoom and google chats, on-line apperitivos, daily “check-ins” to be sure friends were ok and coordinated “accidental” meetings while in line for groceries or at the trash bins. We kept in touch with our families and watched grandkids grow via FaceTime. I can not imagine what the last year would have been like without this ability to connect.

Andra` tutto bene - a sign of hope during the lockdown.

A great boost throughout the last year has been the Italian sense of hope and of community spirit - we would get through this together. Italians sang on balconies, displayed the national flag, and hung signs declaring all would be ok. They swept us up in their optimism. As hard as this has been, I will be forever thankful for the spirit of my Italian friends and neighbors and for those strangers across Italy making music on balconies.

I think perhaps it was a blessing to not have known then that one year later we would still be in such a struggle with this (damn) virus. Still, life is certainly much easier, less restricted than one year ago. Shops are open, Lucca’s famous wall is once again a place where we can walk, and we can go anywhere in our community without paperwork. The Italians have embraced (or at least adapted to) the concept of take out meals, and we all feel it is our civic duty to order meals to go often, a definite plus when we can’t dine out. A real bonus is that we can have people to our homes, though the rules say only 2 at a time. Just having a friend over for an occasional coffee or a meal becomes a highlight social occasion. Mask wearing has become automatic and not such a big deal for most of us (a bonus in cold winter weather, though not so great on these warm spring days). This is the new normal.

Thankfully it is once again possible to walk along Lucca’s walls. It’s a joy to be able to walk with a friend (though group gatherings and picnics are not yet permitted). Don’t forget your mask!

The latest color coded map showing Italy’s restrictions. Only one area, Sardegna, is white meaning that they have essentially no restrictions. Red zones are the most restricted. Tuscany remains in the Orange zone, though rumor has it we may change to red next week.

There have even been a few periods when restrictions have been lifted to allow the opening of restaurants and museums as well as travel outside of one’s home community (most recently in late October/November and again for 5 weeks in January/February). These periods of respite have provided glimpses of normalcy and have been the best therapy! However, the rules are ever changing based on the most current statistics related to COVID cases, variants, transmission, and hospitalizations so what is allowed one week can be forbidden the next. We are learning to take this week by week, some of us more gracefully than others. I must admit that I am among the group that finds the constant changes, and the weekly “statistic watch” more than a little anxiety provoking.

At the end of this year there is hope but there is also grief for what has been lost, both the big and the everyday small things. Mostly, I think people are tired. At the end of a year there are fewer flags flying, not so many optimistic banners on display, and it has been a long time since I’ve seen a video of balcony singing. Many festivals are cancelled for a second year. Museums are currently closed again in Tuscany. The economy here has been devastated and economic help has been slow to arrive. Families remain separated, lives disrupted. Some political discord was inevitable. In all of these ways, Italy is not so different than most other places in the world.

But vaccines are coming and with them the hope that things will improve, infection numbers fall, tourists return, and the economy begin to recover. In the meantime, spring is almost here. The skies are blue and the temperatures mild. Italy is as beautiful as ever, a walk across Lucca still takes my breath away. Music streams from the windows of the music school near my home. The magnolias are in bloom and the wisteria will soon follow. Before long the fields will be dotted with red poppies. The ancient walls still offer a giant hug, encircling this historic city and making me feel safer for being tucked within them. I hope that, wherever you are, you have comforts that make you feel safe and connected. And that you are still dreaming of the day when it is possible to return to Italy.

Magnolias in bloom along Corso Garibaldi, Lucca. March 2021.

Cooking in Italian

I love Italian cooking and, even better, I like cooking in Italian.  For me that may mean using a recipe written in Italian, listening to Italian music while I cook or - best of all - taking a cooking class presented entirely in Italian.  Over the past several years I have taken many classes that combine language learning and cooking at Lucca Italian School (LIS).  Some classes were held in the kitchen at LIS while others were held in a fattoria (farm) kitchen in the hills outside of Lucca. These were peak experiences for me, combining language, hands-on cooking lessons, learning about local dishes and ingredients, wine tasting, lots of laughter, and the opportunity to socialize with students from around the world.

A pre-COVID cooking class with Lucca Italian School

 And then, along came the pandemic and it became impossible for LIS to offer in-person classes.  In response to the mandatory restrictions, the staff at LIS began offering on-line language classes, both group and individual.  More recently, they have developed a variety of classes on special topics (art, music, history, local legends) which allow us to continue practicing the language while also learning about Italian culture. Last week they introduced an on-line cooking class, taught by LIS’s fantastic culinary star Eva Dal Porto. Sign me up!
I have to admit I had some reservations about on-line learning at first (having experienced some really dry continuing education classes in my prior professional life), but I have really enjoyed my weekly at-a-distance language classes with LIS, along with some of the specialty classes, and have found them to be both effective and fun.  And now that I’ve just completed my first on-line cooking class, along with 40+ other students from around the world, I can honestly say that I can’t wait to do this again!

The class was all about carciofi (artichokes) and was delivered via Zoom straight from Eva’s kitchen.  A few days before hand we received a link to the Zoom session along with 3 recipes – a marinated raw artichoke dish, a carciofi fritti (fried artichoke) appetizer, and an artichoke risotto.  

Also included was a shopping list for the ingredients.  Shopping for the ingredients was fun – especially picking out those beautiful purple Italian artichokes.  

And I learned some new words, like scalogno (shallot). With my ingredients on hand I was ready to start cooking. 

Ingredients ready to begin preparation of the risotto

Participants had the option to just watch the demonstration or to cook along with Eva.  I knew that my tiny Italian kitchen would not have enough prep space to manage all 3 dishes, so I only watched during the preparation of the salad and the fried artichokes.  But the risotto I cooked during the class.  What fun!  

The easy to follow lesson, in Italian, began with how to clean and trim the artichokes and then soak them in lemon water to prevent discoloration.  

Next came step by step instruction and demonstration of the preparation of each dish.

And if you aren’t confident using a mezzaluna, well Eva demonstrated that too. 

The on-line instructions and demonstration was easy to follow

 By the end of the lesson my kitchen smelled wonderful and I was hungry!  Luckily, my artichoke risotto was ready to eat.  A delicious ending to a fun lesson.

The finished risotto. The grains of rice remain separate and are never mushy

Artichoke Risotto  (In the class we used half of these amounts to make 2 servings)

 8 artichokes (the small purple ones are best)

1 lemon, juiced

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 shallots, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped fine

320 grams of risotto rice (about 1 ¾ cups)

1 cup dry white wine

1 liter vegetable broth (about 4 ¼ cups)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons butter

Grated parmesan cheese, to sprinkle on top of the finished risotto

 Clean and trim the artichokes (remove tough outer leaves, cut away top half of remaining bulb to leave the heart and tender inner leaves).

Cut each trimmed artichoke lengthwise into 8 pieces and remove the fuzzy “choke” (leaving the tender inner leaves just above it).

Immerse the cut artichokes into a bowl of lemon water until ready to cook.

Dice the garlic and the shallots and saute in the olive oil until softened.  Add the artichoke pieces, stir, and cook for another 5 minutes or so.  Add the rice and stir to coat with oil. 

Add the wine and allow it to evaporate fairly quickly over moderately high heat.  Keep stirring!

 Lower the heat, add the salt, pepper, and about 1/3 of the broth.  Stir and cook until broth is absorbed.

 Continue to add broth 1 ladle full at a time, stirring until each is absorbed.  Rice should be cooked by the end but still a bit al dente and not sticky or mushy.

Add the butter and stir well.   Serve right away sprinkled with parmesan cheese.

The Antiques Market Returns To Lucca

One of the many things missing during Italy’s COVID-19 lockdown was the monthly antiques market in Lucca. The market, always held on the weekend that includes the third Sunday of the month, is a local institution and something to look forward to for many people. But in the months of February, March, April and May 2020, the antiques market, along with so many other activities, was canceled.

The excitement was palpable then when it was announced that the market would resume in June. And what a return it made, with its many bancarelle (stalls) and vendors selling everything from piles of old skeleton keys to old record albums to vintage linens, demijohns, cameras, dishware, furniture and much, much more.

Peeking through the window of an antiques store on Via del Gallo

The market flows through several interconnected piazzas and down the surrounding side streets. Even the antique stores on Via del Gallo participate.

The crowd was smaller than usual this June but still full of enthusiasm. Almost all had their masks in place and seemed happy to cooperate with the vendors who provided hand sanitizer to use before touching their wares.

It seemed everyone was happy just to spend a Saturday or Sunday morning browsing the market underneath clear blue skies. Such a relief after the long period of lockdown.

Long before I moved here to live, I used to plan my trips to Lucca carefully, making sure that each included at least one day of the market. Back then I used to wander past the stalls and daydream about the things I would buy if only I had an apartment here.

These days I do have an apartment in Lucca, although it’s too small to buy any of the large furniture pieces that the market is known for. Happily, I have purchased a few things - an old, green glass demijohn (once used to store wine, now it holds the cork from each bottle of wine that I open), a pretty set of cordial glasses, an apperitivo fork, a vintage tablecloth.

A demijohn like these looks perfect in my living room.

Each of these items is special to me, but the greatest joy is not from the things themselves but from the memories of walking through the market, listening to the sound of the Italian language, bartering a bit, stopping at a cafe for a coffee while people watching, and enjoying the musicians who often play at the market. What a joy to have the market return. What a joy to live in Lucca! -post by Joanne

Classical music provides a soundtrack for shoppers. This talented musician can often be found playing in the piazzas of Lucca.

Spring 2020

Spring is perhaps the most glorious time of year in Italy. The sun shines, plants bloom in sequence, beginning with the magnolias and then on to the wisteria. Later, the hydrangeas bud, blossoming as summer begins.

Magnolias in early bloom, just before the lockdown began, March 2020

Trees also bud and then begin to leaf. Wildflowers grow along stone walls throughout the countryside and Le Mura (Lucca’s historic walls) have their share of wildflowers as well. Flowers appear in window boxes and on terraces as people shop the traditional spring garden markets. Locals and visitors alike begin to revel in mild temperatures, enjoy walks along Le Mura, sip coffees at outdoor tables in pretty piazzas, make excursions to the countryside, and trips to those spring flower markets.

Buying flowers at the traditional Santa Zita Flower Market April 2019

At least, that is what spring is normally like here. This year, however, is anything but normal. I know it is spring because the calendar tells me the spring equinox has passed. And, in late March, Italy changed to daylight savings time. Easter has come and gone, though without the usual festivities. The days are longer and warmer. But, spending most of my time indoors, I find few visual clues to remind me that Mother Nature is shrugging off her winter sweaters for more colorful spring garb. It seems as though I am missing seeing spring unfold because of the quarantine restrictions. Judy, although she lives not far from me, is having a different experience both because of geography (she can see Lucca’s walls from her street) and because she has a dog and the rules here allow a bit more liberty for dog walking (see her post from last Monday for her perspective on spring). I am spending the lockdown in a relatively small (though lovely) apartment in the center of town (no views of the walls) and my outdoor walks until this week have been limited to the couple of streets around my apartment. For the most part I have only been able to imagine what is unfolding outside. Missing spring’s beauty hurts, but in light of the bigger tragedies unfolding around us it seems a small sacrifice.

A stone wall, somewhere in Tuscany, spring 2019

I do catch glimpses of spring as I walk to the market for groceries, across town to the cleaners, or around to my mailbox. And, I am lucky to have a view to a pretty courtyard and garden just across from my apartment.

Joanne feels lucky to see these pretty photinia bushes from her window.

More fortunate still are those who have a little garden space of their own, a huge bonus in a city like Lucca, especially during this quarantine. My friend Michael has such a garden and I am thankful that he shares photos of emerging bulbs and greening trees - it’s a sort of mental oasis! (Photos below by M. Boyd, used with permission).

So, to celebrate this unusual spring, I thought I would post some photos of springs past and present in and around Lucca. And - good news - as of May, because the lockdown has worked to decrease the spread of the virus, we are once again permitted to go for walks throughout Lucca. Today the walls will reopen. Joy! The wisteria may have faded, and we may all be wearing masks, but there is still a lot of spring to be enjoyed! -post by Joanne

Spring flowers in the Cinque Terre, spring 2018

Wildflowers along the fosso (canal) in Lucca, spring 2018

Today I Walked to the Mailbox: Quarantine Day 3,427

Okay - so I exaggerate just a bit.  It isn’t really day 3,427 of the quarantine lockdown here in Lucca.  But some days it sure feels as though it is.  

The days take on a sameness, which feels a bit like living in the film “Groundhog Day” (and who would have thought that possible at the beginning of my exciting Italian adventure?). It feels especially long because the tentative end date has just been pushed out again, this time from April 15 to the new tentative date of May 3. There is logic to this new date - the curve of disease cases has flattened but not quite enough to return to normal and there is fear that the April holidays will encourage too many big gatherings. These April events include Easter and the day after, which is also a national holiday, the Sunday after Easter when the celebration of Lucca’s liberation from Pisa takes place with all of its Medieval pageantry, Liberation Day on the 25th, marking the end of Nazi occupation in Italy, and right on to the first of May, which is another national holiday.  So, waiting until May 3 to begin to loosen the restrictions makes sense.   

Last year crowds gathered to celebrate the liberation of Lucca from Pisa in the 1300s. No such gatherings will take place this year.

The people I know are mostly in good spirits here and have taken to heart the two Italian sayings: Io Resto a Casa (I Stay at Home) and Andrà Tutto Bene (It Will All be OK). And yet, we are getting restless with days that center around mundane tasks masquerading as big outings - taking the trash out, going to the laundromat, grocery shopping. Worse, the days seem to go from “what can I have for breakfast” to “is it time for a coffee” to “oh good, it’s time for lunch” to “hey, is it too early for a cocktail” to “what’s for dinner” and, worst of all to “oh my gosh I’m out of cookies.”  This focus on food (a natural side effect of combined anxiety, sadness, and inability to leave the house I’m told) is worse due to our marked decrease in outdoor activity and exercise. One can only walk circles in the house and hoist cans of tomatoes as ersatz weights so many times a day. We live in fear of gaining the Covid 15 (or should that be the Covid 19?).

A pretty terrace above old brick walls, out by my mailbox

Today, because I’m expecting a package, I made an excursion to my mailbox. There are two ways for me to get to the mailbox. I can go through the lobby of my building, down a hallway, out the room where the bikes are stored and then out the portone (big door) to the back of the building where the boxes are. This requires three door keys and a flashlight for the dark part of a hallway.  Or, I can go out my front door, walk half a block down my pretty street, turn up a tiny covered alley (top photo), and through a pretty outdoor space to the back of my building. Option 2 is much more inviting!    

The outdoor space behind my building is a hidden gem. It isn’t an official piazza and it has neither a name nor a designation on my map. But, like so many hidden corners here in Lucca, it is a fascinating and charming space. 

Quintessentially Lucca, the small courtyard behind my building

There are balconies and large terraces to be seen, beautiful brick work, pretty and neatly tended front doors, graceful street lights, and mysterious old wooden doors. 

What’s behind these old doors ? I keep thinking it would be a good spot for a table, some chairs, and an outdoor reading space. I don’t think my condo association would go for that idea though.

I enter through the small alley with an arched roof, at the other end of the space and just around a bend is the back of a little church (now used as an exhibit gallery). 

Santa Giulia Church, from the back. This church sits across from the Boccherini Institute and is now used as an exhibit space.

Take a few steps further (permitted if I’m heading to the grocery story after checking the mail) and you get to two of my favorite views in Lucca - the Piazza Suffragio in front of the Boccherini institute to the right and the Vicolo dell’Altopascio to the left.  All this just steps from my apartment’s mailbox.  

Vicolo dell”Altopascio

I might still be in lockdown here, but most days I’ll make at least one trip out to check my mail. With scenes like this, the quarantine is a bit less difficult.

Wherever you are during this challenging time, I hope you are safe and hopeful. And I would love to see you here in Italy when the day comes that we can all travel once again. -post by Joanne

Looking down onto the Piazza Suffragio in front of the Boccherini Institue