Planes, Trains, and Epiphanies

It took me 3 planes, 3 trains, 2 airport shuttles, and an overnight in Rome to bring me from New Mexico back to Lucca a few days ago.  This was a considerably more complicated itinerary than my usual return to Italy. The why of it will be a familiar story to anyone who has experienced a long delay in the process of renewing their permesso (the permit for a long term stay in Italy).

If only the Befana delivered long delayed permessi

 My current permesso, which I have renewed annually for the last 6 years without difficulty, has been expired now since the end of August, caught up in bureaucratic delays.  Without a valid permesso, and possessing only the receipt as proof that I am waiting for it to arrive, I am OK legally to be in Italy. But boy is travel complicated! Without it, travel is permitted only directly between Italy and one’s home country. No stopping in any other Schengen zone country allowed.  Not even an airport layover to change planes is permitted.  That meant that my usual path into Italy – the US through Germany and onto Florence was not possible and I would need to fly from Albuquerque, where I was visiting my family over the holidays, to a US city with a direct flight into Italy. 

So, my return from New Mexico involved 3 legs – Albuquerque to Denver, Denver to Washington DC, and DC overnight to Rome.  Getting from the Rome airport to Lucca required a short train ride on the Leonardo Express into the Roma Termini train station, followed by a fast train to Florence, and then a slower local train from Florence to Lucca. This seemed a bit much to do all at once, so I broke the trip up with an overnight near the Rome airport.  So, 2 days of travel. 4 airports. 3 planes. 3 trains. 2 airport hotel shuttles. 1 hotel. Whew!  Luckily all went smoothly and I am now happily back in cold, rainy beautiful Lucca.

The stage is set for La Befana’s arrival in Lucca later today.

I have arrived just in time for the final event of the Christmas season here in Italy – the celebration of Epiphany.  Epiphany, or Three Kings Day, is the 12th day of Christmas.  It marks the day when the Magi, following the Christmas star, arrived in Bethlehem with their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.   But, they arrived without one important person – the Befana. 

The Befana is an old woman, portrayed as a crone or a witch.  The story goes that the three wise men stopped her to ask for directions on their way to Bethlehem.  She directed them along, but declined to accompany them for she had much housework to do.  Later, she tried to follow them but got lost.  Ever after she has wandered around, on her broomstick, leaving goodies in the stockings of good children on the eve of Epiphany. 

This Befana roamed the streets, along with a chorus and musicians, in Lucca on the evening before Epiphany.

In Italy, Epiphany is marked by re-creations of the Magi arriving in Bethlehem and by festivities related to the Befana. There are Befanas wandering the villages, Befana themed cakes, songs, dolls, and images.  

In Lucca, on the eve of Epiphany, a troupe of musicians and singers gathered to sing about the Befana (video on Instagram and Facebook). The Befana herself accompanied them, delighting children with her basket of sweets. The legend of La Befana is an old tradition that remains an important part of the Christmas season here.

 In Lucca, an annual event marks the arrival of the Befana in the Piazza San Francesco.  She arrives from a rooftop in the piazza (with help from the local fire department).

Each year her arrival is just a little bit different (photos below are from 2 previous years). Later today she will arrive and rumor has it she will come in Babbo Natale’s sleigh (I will be on hand to watch, look for some photos on Instagram and Facebook late today).  

The little ones will gather around as she tosses candies to the crowd on her way down from the roof top.  And they’ll wait to receive stockings filled with candies or other goodies. 

 La Befana - what a fun way to bring the holiday season to a close.

 As for the other meaning of epiphany – a sudden “ah ha” moment – I had one when I realized that the last two quarter century years have marked major turning points in my life.  1975 (the first quarter century year of my life) was the beginning of my “adult ” phase marked by graduation from college, my first professional job, a marriage. 25 years later, 2000 brought a big career change, the launching of my youngest child, and being suddenly single.  Now, 2025 is here, possibly my last quarter century year unless I live to be 97 in 2050. I plan to make the most of it!  I am hoping for joy in small things, some great travel, gentle opportunities for growth, pleasant surprises, and – finally – the arrival of my long term Italian permesso! 

From My Italian Kitchen: Lentil Soup for the New Year

Tiny green lentils, grown near Lucca in the Garfagnana are my choice as a base for lentil soup

Lentils (Lenticchie in Italian) are a traditional food in Italy at the New Year.  The round shape resembles a coin and those tasty little coins portend fortune in the new year.  And who couldn’t use that?

Since I love soups, my Italian new year tradition is a rich lentil soup filled with veggies and sausage.

 For this soup, the perfect lentils (both for texture and flavor) are the tiny green ones. Here in Italy I use ones from the Garfagnana, the area of Tuscany northwest of Lucca.

In the US, finding imported Italian lentils may be a challenge, but some type of tiny green ones can often be found in the supermarket.  They work almost as well as Italian ones in this soup.  Do they bring Italian fortune?  Hmm.  That I can’t guarantee.

Simple crostini are perfect alongside this soup. Good bread toasted, good EVOO, a rub of garlic and a sprinkle of salt are all you need.

Simple crostini - thin slices of toast rubbed with garlic, drizzled with really good extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkled with a touch of salt - makes the perfect accompaniment for this soup.

Here’s my recipe:

Zuppa di Lenticchie (Lentil Soup)

 190 grams small green lentils (1 rounded cup)

1 medium red or yellow onion, chopped

2 ribs celery, cut as small dice (about ¾ cup)

2 – 3 carrots, cut as medium dice (about 1 ½ cups)

2 tablespoons double concentrated tomato paste

¼ teaspoon course ground black pepper

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

200 grams pork sausage, crumbled

1 ounce container of Knorr vegetable stock *

 Cover lentils with boiling water, soak x 15 minutes and then drain

Cover drained lentils with 1 inch of water, bring to a boil and simmer x 15 minutes

Meanwhile, sauté onion in 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil until onion softens and is transparent. Add celery and carrots and sauté another 5 minutes.

Add sautéed veggies, spices, tomato paste, and chopped parsley to the lentils.

In a frying pan, crumble the sausage and brown until cooked through, add to lentils along with the Knorr vegetable stock or bouillon cubes.

Add ½ cup water and simmer everything x 30 minutes, adding more water as needed to thin the soup.

 *In Italy, Knorr vegetable stock is called Cuore di Brodo Vegetale and comes in a package of little 1 ounce plastic cups of jellied stock.  These are sometimes available in the US, but can be hard to find at least in New Mexico where I am from so I usually bring some from Italy.  If not available, just substitute a low salt vegetable bouillon cube or two or homemade vegetable broth in place of the water. 

Buon appetito, Buon Anno Nuovo

Venice Biennale 2024

This art installation was suspended from the ceiling in the British Pavilion.

Every two years the city of Venice hosts Venezia Biennale Arte, an international art and architecture exhibit.  The 2024 Biennale, curated by Adriano Pedrosa of Brazil, marks the 60th edition of the show. This year’s exhibit, with more than 300 participating artists from 88 countries, opened in April and continues through November 24th.

The Biennale takes place mostly at the far end of Venice, at the Arsenale (where all of the large naval ships are anchored) and in the pavilions of the Arsenale Gardens. Additional works can be found throughout the city of Venice.  The Arsenale Gardens is home to the permanent pavilion of the larger national exhibits. It’s easy to spend hours here, wandering through the exhibits, stopping at one of several cafes, and enjoying the grounds as well as the outdoor art pieces.

The 2024 show’s title is Stranieri Ovunque – Foreigners Everywhere.  An explanation of the theme in the exhibit’s literature reflects the idea that we are all, at some level, a stranger. 

In keeping with the theme, many of the works are by “outsiders”, including artists who have been treated as foreigners in their own lands or cultures.  The foreignness relates to concepts such as indigenous status, sexual orientation or identity, political beliefs, colonization of lands by foreign powers, or immigration status. This theme was especially evident in Spain’s Pavilion which included a Migrant Art Gallery and a Migrant Garden.  

A number of the works are political in nature.  Others portray themes of environmental sustainability, history, migration patterns, and culture. Italian culture and history was represented in several pieces in the Central Pavilion. The one below, titled The Cutting and Sewing School, was particularly captivating. It seemed to show the old ways slowly fading away.

Italy, The Cutting and Sewing School

Belgium, Petticoat Government

The art was fascinating, at times confusing, other times enchanting. Some pieces were uncomfortable or downright disturbing.  All were thought-provoking – and isn’t that just what art is meant to be? 

At a certain point I realized that it was impossible to read all of the accompanying descriptions, much less take notes, and still see as many of the pavilions as possible. For that reason, in this post, I have included photos identified mostly by the name of the country’s pavilion without detailed explanations of the works and with apologies to the unnamed artists.

I leave the interpretations of each work up to you!

Canada.  The background is made up of strands of glass beads.  This light and airy room was a great place to linger.

While some of the darker and more disturbing images gave me much to consider, it was the ones that reflected shared history, hope, unique ways of living, and light that most grabbed me.

I spent a long time looking at one captivating piece entitled The Crucifixion of the Soul, by Madge Gill (below).

The work was a 10 meters (~32 feet) long ink on fabric drawing made up of a series of female faces and intricate backgrounds. All crafted from tiny lines in 4 colors of ink. Her work was so unique that I had to know her story.

I was surprised to learn that she was not a contemporary artist but rather that she lived from from 1882 to 1961. She is considered an “outsider artist” - one who is self-taught and has persisted in their art despite poverty or mental illness. Madge Gill was indeed a stranger in her own world, and a perfect representation of the Biennale theme.

80+ countries participated in this year’s Biennale.  I particularly loved the US one, which was filled with works reflecting Native American culture. It was the first time that a Native American Artist (Jeffrey Gibson) was chosen to represent the United States at the Biennale.

The forms, colors, and beadwork were nothing short of spectacular.

My many years of living in New Mexico made these pieces especially meaningful to me.  I wasn’t alone in my delight in this exhibit - the number of people spending time in this pavilion and taking photos made it clear that these pieces were appreciated by many.

 Moving through France’s pavilion was to take an undersea journey, a reminder of the importance of our oceans and the life within them.

 A few of my other favorites:

Finland - The Pleasures We Choose

 Hungary, Techno Zen. A multimedia installation with sound, light, movement, and a riot of color (below).

This was my first ever experience at the Biennale.  With just one day in Venice, I was able to see many of the exhibits in the Arsenale Garden but ran out of time for the ones in the other Arsenale and city locations.  When the Biennale returns in 2026, I will need to plan two full days!

The Language of Rain

A hint of blue sky and a break in the rain. Still best to bring your ombrello!

The last few weeks in northern Italy have been unusually rainy. Some days have brought intermittent light showers or drizzle.  Other have kept us mostly indoors due to rain and gloomy, dark skies.  It feels as though overnight we packed away our summer clothes in favor of raincoats, scarves, and boots.

Last week an overnight storm brought a good deal of drama.  It started with a sudden heavy rain, followed by flashes of lightning and big claps of thunder – all of which lasted for hours. As I watched the lightening outside my windows, I began to think of all the Italian words that can be used to describe a storm.

 In Italian, rain is la pioggia. There are two ways to say that it is raining: the simple piove or sta piovendo.  The first is what is most commonly heard. When it has been raining day after day you might hear someone say, with a big sigh, ancora, piove (it is still raining) or oggi è piovoso di novo (today it is rainy again).  When there is just a light sprinkle of rain, piove quattro gocce means literally that it is just raining “four drops”.

When there is a break in the rain, everything looks fresh and clean. The greens are greener and the flowers brighter. Here, a glimpse into Lucca’s “hidden park” the day after the recent rainstorm.

Colorful umbrellas brightened up my street in Lucca on a dreary day.

 A storm is una tempesta and a thunderstorm un temporale. A temporale is accompanied by tuono (thunder) and fulmine (lightning).  The storm we had here in Lucca last week was preceded by un allerta’meteo, a weather alert. The alert, which came by phone and also on-line, was warranted as this storm was huge! It might have been called an acquazzone (a downpour) or a nubifragio (a cloudburst).  There were floods (alluvioni) in some parts of Tuscany.

There is no Italian equivalent to the American expression “raining cats and dogs”, a direct translation would be meaningless to most Italians.  Rather, sta piovendo a secchiate (it is raining buckets) comes close. 

Quando piove (when it rains) out come the ombrelli (umbrellas) which fill the otherwise dreary streets with lots of color. Without an ombrelli one might have to declare sono bagnata! (I’m wet; or sono bagnato if you are male). 

Little boys and puddles - an irresistible combination. His mamma just laughed as he jumped in.

After the storm passes, the streets are full of – and this is my new favorite word in Italian – pozzanghere (puddles).  

For many years I simply called these laghetti (little lakes) because I didn’t know the correct Italian word.   But now that I’ve looked it up – pozzanghere – it’s just a fun word to say.   

And like children everywhere, there is always one who will sguazzare nella pozzanghera (splash in the puddle). This little guy certainly did!

Since I am not a little one who needs to jump into puddles, the best thing about the pozzanghere to me is how they reflect the architecture of the city. Bell towers, lamp posts, clock towers, and centuries old buildings make for great puddle art.

And sometimes, if you’re lucky, there is also an arcobaleno (rainbow) in the aftermath of the storm. 

 As I write this I am enjoying skies that are cloudy with bits of blue and not a raindrop in sight.  But I did step over a lot of leftover pozzanghere this morning.  And I had my ombrello with me just in case the rain started again.

Street Theater on a Saturday Night in Lucca

Some of this year's special guests at Lucca Film Festival 2024

The busy month of September came to a close with Lucca’s annual Film Festival.  This year marked the 20th anniversary of the event which screens feature and short films and awards prizes in each category. Genres include everything from horror to war to musicals and westerns.

Lucca’s event doesn’t rival the glamour or importance of the film festivals in Cannes or Venice.  There were no red-carpet gowns or tuxedos.  No paparazzi. There were several honorees, Italian premiers of films, cinema related conferences and exhibitions.  This year there was also a fun Saturday evening of amateur theater, dance, and music in the streets and piazzas throughout Lucca. Many bars and restaurants decorated for the event and their employees wore film related costumes.

The Screwdriver Bar turned into a Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.  La Fabbrica di Cioccolato in Italian.

The mild evening was perfect for wandering through Lucca and catching a few of the short performances.   Some were related to well known films, both English language and Italian ones. Piazza San Salvatore was the setting for the Wizard of Oz. Who knew that Dorothy, the Wizard, the Lion, the TinMan, and the Scarecrow all were fluent in Italian?

 Aladdin made an appearance in Piazza Anfiteatro. He even brought some belly dancers.

Can you guess what film these actors represented? Hint - just outside the photo was a grand piano.

Mozart, and not Puccini, was the opera composer on this night in Lucca.

Italian Films were represented too, including the classic comedy Amci Miei. These amateur performers really brought the spirit of this comedy to life.

Other performances seemed to be just for fun.  From roller skaters in Piazza San Frediano to a Macarena flash mob in Piazza San Michele (video on the Two Parts Italy Facebook page) it was the kind of simple local fun that is so much a part of Lucca. 

 And now … on to fall.