February, A Month That Isn't Spring

February, just 28 days long, is the shortest month of the year. Why then does it feel so long?  So very uninspiring? It’s not that I hate winter.  I enjoy brisk winter temperatures, the chilly beauty of winter holidays, and snow dusted trees. Paris in December was cold but wonderful, a recent quick trip to Colorado with its snow covered mountain peaks was fun, and I have had some wonderful winter experiences in Italy over the years.  But come the last weeks of February I grow tired of gray skies, cold air, and wintertime. 

February in Lucca, 2019. Cold and definitely not spring.

These little blossoms are the first hints of spring along Lucca’s walls.

As I write this, I am watching snow fall in New Mexico. The clouds obscure the mountains, it’s cold and gray. Spring, and Italy, seem very far away. But it is only three days until I board a plane and head back to Italy. I am hoping that the earliest signs of spring will be present when I arrive - delicate bulbs and tiny flowers sprouting along the walls and the earliest magnolia blossoms. I am even looking forward to the colorful umbrellas that accompany spring rains.   

I will spend the next few days dreaming about soft Italian breezes, spring blooms, lengthening days, and walks on Lucca’s walls. In the meantime, these photos will remind me that Spring is just around the corner and that warmer weather and Italy await.   

Camellias in Sant’Andrea di Compito in March 2019. The annual Camellia Festival is a sure sign of Spring!

Pontremoli: A Walk, A Castle, and Prehistoric Rock Carvings

The Lunigiana region reaches from the northern part of Tuscany into Liguria, all the way to the coast. It is a unique area, quite different from the classic images of Italy. No grand cathedrals, huge museums, or rolling vineyards here. The region is mountainous, forested, and crossed by rivers. There are no large cities to be found, instead there are small medieval hamlets, many with ancient towers and castles. Some of the castles lie in ruins, complete or partial, but a few are remarkably well preserved.

Castello del Piagnaro, Pontremoli

One such castle is the Castello del Piagnaro in the town of Pontremoli. The castle dates from the 10th century, with cycles of expansion, destruction, and rebuilding over the ensuing centuries. Some components of the Castello have been lost to time, a drawbridge for example, and some elements are as new as the 15th century tower (if something that old can really be called new).

Today the restored castle compound stands guard high above Pontremoli and welcomes visitors to both the castle interior and the Museum of the Stele Statues of the Lunigiana which is housed within its ancient walls.

Half the joy of seeing the castle is the walk to it from the historic center of Pontremoli. The walk begins from the small main street and winds up even smaller alleys to the castle. Along the way are small shops, medieval buildings, arches, gates, views, and the occasional cat.

This sign marks a steep little alley that leads to the castle.

The walk winds uphill, but it is not terribly steep. For a less inspiring, but less strenuous, way to the castle take the elevator from Porta Parma at the north end of town directly to the castle grounds. I found the hike up to be definitely worth the effort. With stops along the way to admire the ancient buildings, chat with local residents, and enjoy the views to the town below it was a walk I would not have missed!

There is a ticket office just inside the castle gates where a combined ticket for the museum and castle can be purchased for 7 euro (4 euro for those over 65). From the ticket office you can enter the museum directly or cross to the castle entrance.

The museum is fascinating. Stele (not to be confused with the similar Italian word stelle which has a different meaning all together) are prehistoric carvings, representing human figures, found throughout the Lunigiana region. They have been housed in the castle museum since 1975 and are truly a treasure.

Both male and female figures are represented. The males seem to be warriors, armed with knives. The women, bare breasted, are adorned with necklaces. The dark rooms and dramatic lighting show the pieces off perfectly.

After the stele, it is time to wander through the castle. And I do mean wander - there are many rooms, courtyards, staircases, and roof top terraces to explore. Amazingly, there were no guards or “keep out” signs to be found, just freedom to explore and to wonder what life must have been like for the people who occupied this building over the centuries.

Perched high up on this hill, the castle offers spectacular views down the hill to the city and river below. Walking back down to the village, along a different small alley than on the way up, provides for another scenic walk through the oldest portions of Pontremoli.

A visit to Pontremoli, and a hike up to the castle, provides a wonderful contrast to the more touristed places in Tuscany and Liguria. It’s a special experience!

Wrapping Up 2022 A Year in Pictures

Easter Celebration in Florence. April 2022

I don’t make new year’s resolutions. Probably because they are too easy to make yet too easy to abandon.  I already know that I should exercise more, eat healthier, be more patient, study Italian much harder, work on personal growth, etc, etc.  No once-a-year resolutions required.

 I do however set goals and make plans. In 2022 (hard to think of that as last year yet) one of my goals was to get back to traveling, something I was itching to do after two years of COVID restrictions. 

As a bonus, several friends planned trips to Italy in 2022 and sharing travel with friends as they discover Italy, and as they see just what it is I love about living here, is fun for me.   Looking forward to their trips gave me months of pleasure. And their arrivals in Italy made for lots of fun this past year.

Villa Torregiani, Lucca. April 2022

So, before I move on to my plans for 2023 (you can bet travel is still on the list), I am taking a few moments to think back on this past year - the new places I’ve experienced, the favorite places I have revisited, and the Italian adventures I have shared with friends and family.  It was a great year for Italian adventures and I have some photos to prove it!

Above: A good friend introduced me to Florence’s Iris garden, which sits high above the city and is open for only a few weeks each spring. May 2022

Above: Exploring Liguria, including Camogli and Portovenere with my daughter and 2 oldest grandkids. June 2022.

Below: Ravenna and its spectacular mosaics. October 2022

My wish is that these photos, along with the past year’s blog posts, will inspire our travel goals for 2023.  January can seem like a long and somewhat dreary month after all the excitement of the holidays, that makes it the perfect month for travel planning. Let’s get started!

Sunrise at Agriturismo Cretaiole, Pienza. October 2022. A week long stay at my favorite agriturismo with good friends from New Mexico.

Pontremoli, November 2022.

 Buon Anno !    Happy New Year !    Happy Travel Planning !

Christmas Windows

Christmas has arrived in Lucca.

Throughout the historic center there are signs of the holiday everywhere. Piazzas large and small are home to Christmas trees, oversized ornaments, and beautiful light displays. The streets glow with overhead sparkle. It is just cold enough to feel like winter, but not too cold to be out at night enjoying the festive atmosphere.

And the shops!

Shopping is all the more fun for the whimsically decorated windows and elegant indoor displays. One of my favorite window displays is in the historic shop Taddeucci (below).

Instead of words, today I will let the photos do the talking with pictures of Lucca’s wonderful shop windows.

Christmas for grownups at bar Des Artes !

Elegant Christmas decorations from Casantica, Lucca

Babbo Natale even paid a visit to this shop, delighting all the kids that passed by.

Traditional Christmas Panettone in tins designed by Dolce & Gabbana decorate the window of a local butcher.

Ravenna Part Two: Basilica di San Vitale and the Galla Placidia Mausoleum

This week, more about Ravenna and another two of the city’s important historical sites. One is quite small and the other much larger.

First, the smaller of the two, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. Galla Placidia, born around 390 AD, was the daughter of a Roman Emperor (Theodosius I) and wife to both Ataulf, king of the Visigoths, and the Roman Emperor Constantius III. She was also the mother of an emperor. She was powerful in her own right, playing a major role in Roman life and politics. Her contributions to society included construction and restoration of churches, including the mausoleum named for her in Ravenna. Although it is called a mausoleum, the building was used as a chapel and it is not Galla Placidia’s final resting place.

The mausoleum is small and intimate, constructed in the shape of a cross. Plain on the outside, it is stunningly beautiful inside - full of mosaics in dazzling blues and greens, touches of red, and white robed prophets. All of the upper portions of the interior, including the dome, the vaults, and the arches, are filled with brilliant detail and symbolism. There are starry skies, flowers and vines, animals, and a host of religious figures.

So much beauty in such a small space is breathtaking. The intimate size is welcoming and It feels a bit like a spiritual hug.

Detail of one of the lunettes, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

I didn’t imagine anything could compare, and yet, just across the grassy field, lies the Basilica of San Vitale…..

The Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna

The much larger Basilica of San Vitale is different - less intimate, the building more angular outside with more distinct spaces inside. With decoration that goes from floor to ceiling it is hard to know where to look first.

Interior, Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna

The mosaics are somehow less soft and more crisp, the imagery more clear. Where the Galla Placidia enchants you in to a mystic spirituality the San Vito demands you step up and take note.

Is one more beautiful than the other? Absolutely not, the Basilica is just as amazing but in a different way.

The Basilica’s website says that “getting out of San Vitale is not getting out of a church, is like being torn from a mother’s womb. You have to close your eyes because the light blinds (even if it’s not sunny), the voices deafen (even if people are not there), the world pushes and impacts”. I cannot argue. Stepping inside is to be transported to another world and on leaving it is quite a shock to discover the same old cacophonous world outside. It is that beautiful and enveloping.

The exterior of the Basilica is octagonal, unusual for a basilica, with buttresses. Inside there are huge columns, a central dome, two stories filled with arches and smaller columns (with some of the arches with painted ceilings rather than mosaics), and several alcoves. Pale translucent windows filter the light. Mosaic floors (detail below) are filled with pattern and muted color.

And the mosaics! The dominant color here is a soft green, with plenty of gold too. And almost every surface is decorated in mosaic scenes, even the arched entrances into each alcove. Bible scenes, saints, angels and apostles are everywhere.

With all of the mosaic filled churches in Ravenna, it is impressive that each has its own character and beauty. I couldn’t begin to choose a favorite among them. Put them all together and it is easy to see why Ravenna is filled with UNESCO World Heritage sites. What a treasure!