January

On one cold afternoon I had Via Sant’Andrea all to myself - something that never happens in warmer months

How to best describe January (Gennaio in Italian) in Lucca?   Certainly it is tranquilla (calm), especially after all of the December holiday activity.  January is a month without crowds.  Walking through the quiet town at the beginning of the new year is a treat.  It is as if January reclaims Lucca for the locals.

 This January arrived with some really cold temperatures and dark, moody skies.  Lliving in a 400+ year old brick building, and just above an unheated cantina (cellar), I really feel the cold.  Even indoors, a scarf, a fleece vest, and warm socks are standard wear.  As for bedtime, an old-fashioned hot water bottle works wonders. I admit that I miss the programmable thermostat in the US that makes my New Mexico condo toasty warm before I get out of bed in the mornings.

Going outside requires winter coats, thick scarfs, warm hats, and gloves even on the days when the skies are a beautiful clear blue.  Don’t be fooled into thinking that blue skies = warm weather.  Even when the skies are clear, it is cold outside. Especially on Lucca’s Medieval streets which get very little sun on winter days. Best to bundle up when going outside. 

Beautiful blue skies - but still really cold!

Ponce Mandarino

 When the wind blows or the rains come, as they have many days this month, it is hard to stay warm no matter how many layers you put on.  These are the January days that are perfect for staying indoors, reading, planning spring travel, and writing. We’ve had quite a few of these days this month.

Cold January weather requires hot drinks – a cappuccino (ask for it molto caldo), a thick hot chocolate (maybe with a touch of whipped cream), or, on an especially cold evening, a ponce mandarino which packs a lot of heat and just enough alcohol to clear the sinuses and warm the soul.

 Walking though town this past week, the streets were nearly empty. The outdoor café tables are mostly abandoned, waiting patiently for a sunny day and warmer temperatures.   Only a few brave souls sat outside, often clustered around a gas heater.  The weekend was a bit livelier, especially because the Antiques Market was in town. Even the damp, dark skies couldn’t keep people away from the monthly market.

Usually a busy cafe, this spot sits quiet and empty in cold January weather.

 Lucca’s historic walls are also quiet this time of year. Gone are the summertime crowds, the 4 person pedal-bikes, and the shorts-clad joggers. A few walkers are out, some mothers pushing prams with babies in warm buntings, and an occasional bicyclist. But the bare trees and nearly empty paths paint a picture of cold winter weather.

Along Corso Garibaldi, a street currently lined with leafless Magnolia trees, a close look reveals the beginning of the buds that will burst into bloom in about 6 weeks.   A welcome hint of spring.

The rest of January will be filled with quiet activities – I’ve joined a new book club as well as an Italian conversation group.  I have a stack of books waiting to be read.  I will embrace walks along the walls on crisp days and errands that take me though the quiet streets. 

Soon it will be February and Lucca will begin to buzz as we await the beginning of Carnevale.

Bare now, soon the wisteria will bloom above this terrace.

An Evening in Venice

There are actually people who don’t like Venice.  Go figure! They find lots of things to complain about – the steps, the crowds, “smelly” canals, tour groups, cruise ships, pickpockets, the prices.  I feel bad for those people; they are really missing out.  With a little careful planning, an off-season arrival, and basic street smarts (canal smarts?) Venice is a wonder.      

Venice in mid-October. Lively but not terribly crowded.

 I recently spent one day in Venice, visiting from my base in nearby Padova.  Most of the day was spent at the Biennale Art event.  After seeing some of the exhibits, my friends and I took an almost-dusk evening stroll through Venice followed by dinner.

 We did not encounter big crowds other than in two spots.  First, on arrival, at the ticket booths for the vaporetti outside of the train station.  Definitely a spot to watch out for pickpockets.

The Bridge of Sighs

Next, in the early evening, in the area around the Bridge of Sighs and into Piazza San Marco.  The viewpoint near the Bridge of Sighs is where everyone stops for a photo. Other than those two spots, Venice was busy but not jam packed. Even Piazza San Marco, always a busy spot, wasn’t bad.

Piazza San Marco. As Venetian crowds go, this was great!

With my passport and credit cards tucked safely into my money belt, and a minimum of cash and a few other things in a small backpack, one whose zipper sits up against my back making it a not so easy target for thieves, I had no worries about pickpockets. This gave me the freedom to enjoy the views and take photos.

There were no cruise ships to be seen, thanks to the new rules which prohibit the biggest ones from docking in Venice. A great old sailing ship and some Naval vessels near the Arsenale were interesting and didn’t tower over the landscape.

Best of all was an amazing sunset view over the Grand Canal followed by a wander through the maze of back streets just beyond Piazza San Marco. 

 After a full day of art appreciation at the Biennale, and a stroll through Venice, we were hungry.  Luckily, we found Ristorante Central Venice, part wine bar and part restaurant. Located on a little side street, the atmosphere was warm, the staff friendly, the menu enticing (fresh seafood!), and the wine list included a good and moderately priced prosecco.  Perfect. 

 After dinner, it was time for a vaporetto ride back to the now uncrowded train station and a quick 30 minute ride back to Padova.  Our day in Venice was wonderful.  No complaints from me!

Steampunk, Italian Style

Steampunk is a type of science fiction that transports us not to the future but back to the past.  Back to an era of Victorian style combined with early industrial era mechanical devices.  

It’s almost as if a person in the 18th century was looking 100 years into the future and imagining what the world would be like.  Machines powered by steam, dark magic, devices made of bronze, time travelers, flying machines, good guys and evil. 

Steampunk fashion reflects this in its elaborate Victorian style costumes embellished with all sorts of mechanical Industrial Revolution era devices.  Think ladies in dresses with corsets, lace, and full skirts.  Victorian, but with an edgy feel.

Picture men in brocade suits, breeches, leather vests or jackets, top hats, and boots.  Men and women both sport goggles - they seem to be hallmarks of Steampunk style

 And it’s not just the adults - Steampunk kids are beautifully costumed as well.

Now, add in the industrial bits: clocks, gears, pocket watches, moveable wings, mechanical arms, metal face masks, fancy canes and weapons.   

One of my favorite parts of Lucca Comics and Games is the Steampunk Italia group which has a big presence throughout the event.  This year, there were 3 separate Steampunk gathering days.  All took place in Piazza San Michele and were followed by a parade through the center of Lucca.    Many of the participants wore different costumes on different days – some days black, other days white, one day even an a Puccini opera theme.

The costumes were elaborate, very individual, and nothing short of amazing. I can’t even guess at the number of hours that go into crafting each one. The little details – mechanical arms, elaborate face masks, industrial style devices strapped to backs, arms, embellished hats, fancy canes – just wow!

Steampunk Italia is one of the most photographed groups during the Comics event.  It’s easy to see why!

The 2025 Edition of Lucca Comics and Games will take place from Oct 30 to November 3rd. It’s not too soon to make plans to attend. 

Lucca Comics and Games 2024

I must admit that I have a bit of a “bah humbug” attitude about the huge Comic Con held each fall in Lucca. I think this is mostly due to not liking big crowds.  And Lucca is definitely crowded during Comics. Just imagine 80,000 people flowing into this small walled city each day of the 5 day event!   The streets are packed and going about normal business is pretty much impossible for those who live here.   

To escape the madness that is Comics, I usually plan an out of the city escape.  Last year, Florence.  The year before, Pontremoli. The year before that, PIenza. 

My one and only experience with Comics was in 2019, my first year living in Lucca.  But this year, I found myself in Lucca for the big event.

Perhaps my general feelings are better expressed in Italian - after all, doesn’t everything sound better in Italian?   So I will simply say that my usual attitude is Bah, che sciocchezza! (Oh, what nonsense). And yet, circumstances having conspired to keep me in Lucca this year, I decided to get out for a bit each day and experience Comics.  I found the “nonsense” to be a lot of fun!

 Even though the crowds were a bit overwhelming, I found several things to enjoy about Comics. Top of my list were the costumes.  For 5 days the streets of Lucca were filled with an amazing assortment of characters – superheroes, cartoon characters, pirates, medieval maidens, clowns, historical figures (both Dante and Jesus roamed the streets), monsters, sprites, and animals. 

 Another thing to appreciate were the children.  Comics is a family affair and a safe space to bring the kids.  The evening of Halloween was especially enjoyable due to all the costumed little ones roaming about. What’s more adorable then costumed kids, happy and smiling?

Even pets became part of the action!

The crowds, while large, were also very well behaved.  Costumed participants gladly posed for photos, there were a lot of oohs and aahs at the remarkable get ups, and everyone just seemed to want to have a good time.  Another plus - no worries about bad behavior and no safety concerns despite the huge number of people.

 A lot of the activity related to gaming, comic books, and movies took place in large tents erected throughout Lucca.  These were mostly ticketed events with lines to enter.  Definitely not my thing, but clearly a big draw to participants in the Comics and Games event.

 The pictures posted here are from the first 2 ½ days of the event.  More photos and can found on the Two Parts Italy Facebook page and IG.

Photos from the last couple of days to come next week.

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!