The Legend of the Volto Santo (Holy Face)

This painting, in the church of San Frediano, depicts the arrival of the Volto Santo, in an ox drawn cart, to Lucca. 

Italy is a country full of mysterious legends. This is certainly true in Lucca - there are legends about deals made with the devil, of a saintly housekeeper and her miracle, of stone pillars mysteriously bent but not broken, of rivers diverted by prayer. Not far from Lucca is a stone bridge supposedly built with help from the devil himself.  Fascinating!

​Perhaps the most important legend in Lucca is that of the Volto Santo (Holy Face), a wooden crucifix said to be carved by Nicodemus shortly after the resurrection of Christ. As the legend goes, Nicodemus carved the body of Christ, but fell asleep before carving the face. When he awoke, the face was miraculously completed. The crucifix was then hidden for some 700 years at which time it was discovered, loaded onto an unmanned ship, set to sea, and eventually landed on the coast of Italy. From there, a cart steered only by oxen brought the crucifix (another miracle) to Lucca where it has remained ever since. Many miracles have been associated with the crucifix and pilgrims traveling the Via Francigena, between Rome and Canterbury, often included a stop in Lucca to see the Volto Santo.

The Volto Santo crucifix, clad in gold vestements for the Santa Croce Festival, Lucca, Italy. 

 Today, this unique work of art is housed in a small gated chapel within the San Martino cathedral and has a dedicated celebration, the Festival of Santa Croce (Holy Cross), held every year in mid-September. This is the most important festival of the year in Lucca and during this time the Christ figure on the crucifix is dressed in gold vestments, including a gold crown, collar, belt, and shoes. It is also the one time of year when the gates to the chapel are opened, allowing people to pass through right in front of the crucifix. 

Candles light the buildings for the Luminaria di Santa Croce Festival. 

Luminaria light Piazza San Michele, Sept 2016.

The highlight of the Santa Croce festival takes place on the night of September 13th with a stunningly beautiful procession in which luminaria (candles) outline the windows and arches of the buildings along the route. The procession includes townspeople, priests and bishops, the misericordia and red cross, community leaders, school children, people in medieval costumes, musicians and singers. Many carry candles, torches, or other religious objects. There is also a special mass in the cathedral the following day.

The candle lit procession is spectacular to see.

I was fortunate to be in Lucca for this year's Luminaria di Santa Croce. Whether here for the history, religious significance, or sheer beauty of this event, it is a moving experience to witness a procession whose history reaches back to medieval times.              Post by JMB

Some of the marchers are dressed in medieval costume. 

Settling In

Via Pelleria - my current home in Lucca

The first few days after arriving in Lucca are all about settling in.

This involves getting used to a new apartment, often in a slightly different neighborhood than on previous visits, revisiting favorite places, reconnecting with friends, taking a slow stroll through town, and discovering the inevitable changes that have taken place since my last visit.

I enjoy the settling in process - making the transition from the me that lives in New Mexico to the me that lives (temporarily) in Italy. Being here for a long stay means that I have the luxury of slowly overcoming my jet lag, of taking time to reacquaint my ear (and my tongue) with the sound of the Italian language, and of adopting my Italian identity - here, they call me Giovanna. 

A view of the city from le mura (the wall), always one of the first places I visit on a return trip to Lucca.

I arrived here a few days ago and am now fairly well settled. I've unpacked and organized. I've stocked my apartment with groceries and caught up with some old friends. This morning I walked the short distance from my apartment to the ramp leading up to le mura (the wall which surrounds the historic city) and made the easy 20 minute walk to the school where I will study Italian for the next 6 weeks. Although I am definitely not a superstar when it comes to learning a new language, there is something very special about studying Italian in the place where it was born - here in Tuscany - and then getting to use it as you go about daily life.

Walking on le mura (the wall).

The tower with the trees on top is the Torre Guinigi, a famous landmark and symbol of the city. 

As I wandered around today I was reminded of how beautiful this town is with its classic Italian architecture, its towers and piazze, and its wide wall full of bicyclists, walkers, runners, and endless vistas.  For now, this is home, and I'm delighted to be a part of it all.

I'll be experiencing (and writing about) many things while I'm here in Italy, beginning with the festival of Santa Croce which I'll write about next week. For now, here is a sampling of some of the views I found as I walked along le mura this morning.      Post by JMB

Biking the wall is a popular activity in Lucca. 

Piazza Santa Maria, a good place to rent a bike or a 4 wheeled surrey. 

A beautiful unrestored building as seen from le mura (the wall). 

A Progressive Lunch in Bologna

Salumi platter at Vecchia Malga

Bologna is known for many things - medieval architecture, an ancient yet still thriving university, beautiful churches, upscale shopping and, perhaps above all, its food. Bologna lies in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and many of the foods we most strongly associate with Italian cuisine come from Bologna and its neighbors, Parma and Modena. Bologna is often referred to as "La Grassa" (the fat). In this case, fat doesn't mean corpulent; it means richly stocked with wonderful ingredients and perhaps a bit of decadence in its foods. In Bologna si manga bene (you eat well).

Some of the famous foods of this region include various types of salumi (cold cuts), including mortadella (whose poor cousin is the terribly misnamed bologna), prosciutto, salami, filled pastas (the Bolognese invented them), the sauce we call Bolognese but which is known here simply as ragu, truffles, and aceto balsamico (balsamic vinegar) from Modena. There is also that famous cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano, which takes its name from the town of Parma and is produced only in this limited geographic area.

Parmigiano-Reggiano served drizzled with a thick balsamic vinegar. It's not just for grating!

Add to this two wines unique to the region - Lambrusco (red) and Pignoletto (white), both of which are a bit frizzante (sparking). The breadth and quality of Bolognese cuisine is most impressive!

With only a long weekend in Bologna I knew that I wanted a guide to introduce me to the local cuisine so I booked a half-day progressive lunch/walking tour through the company Amazing Italy. Catia, our guide, seamlessly blended information about food, culture, and history into an interesting and tasty 3.5-hour walk through central Bologna. The tour included an exploration of the old market area (the Quadrilatero) with tasting stops at several places, including some family-run Bolognese institutions. At each stop Catia discussed some of the shop's history, the significance of the foods, their preparation, and their place in local food culture - then we tasted the specialties of each shop.

A market stall in the Quadrilatero market, Bologna. 

Along the way, we visited:

Majani, the oldest chocolate shop in town and the first in Italy to make solid chocolate. It is famous for its foglia nero (dark chocolate "leaves"), which are still made using the oldest of their recipes. The four types of chocolate we sampled varied in color, texture, and sweetness. All were beautiful to look at and wonderful to taste. 

Majani - the place for chocolates in Bologna.

Vecchia Malga, in the heart of the Quadrilatero, is a busy and popular place. Luckily we had a reserved table to sample some of the softest, sweetest prosciutto I've ever tasted, along with mortadella, salami, and two cheeses - a Parmigiano-Reggiano drizzled with a thick balsamic vinegar and a soft caciotta. Our tasting also came with a glass of Lambrusco; the soft sparkle paired well with the meat and cheese.  

Vecchia Malga  

Sfoglia Rina provided the next course in our progressive lunch, the pasta. This shop has been making fresh pasta using traditional methods and regional ingredients for more than 50 years. They specialize in pasta ripiena (filled pastas), which they make in a variety of shapes and sizes. Locals line up to get trays of fresh pasta to cook at home. They also line up at lunch to eat at the restaurant. Getting a table here can be a challenge - reservations recommended! Look for today's selection on the chalkboard-painted pillar in the middle of the restaurant. I opted for delicious tortelloni filled with ricotta and flecks of spinach in a light butter herb sauce. 

Takeout pasta counter at Sfoglia Rina

Paolo Atti & Figli has been a family operation since 1868 with recipes handed down from mother to daughter for five generations. In addition to the breads that they bake fresh twice a day, they also prepare small cocktail savories, pastries, and tortellini. All of their products are true to Bolognese food culture traditions. 

Cocktail savories at Paolo Atti & Figli.

The last stop was at the newer and decidedly modern Creameria Funivia for a serving of their artisanal gelato. Their favors are unique and range from the classic to the adventurous. There were sighs of delight from everyone on the tour as they enjoyed their flavor choices. This gelato was so good that I forgot to take a photo!

Amazing Italy, and Catia, provide an insider's look at Bolognese foods and the role of foods in local culture. What a fabulous introduction to the uniqueness and variety of dishes to be found in this interesting and beautiful city.                                      -post by JMB

Communal dining table at Sfoglia Rina

 Contacts:

Amazing Italy    amazing-Italy.com

Cruising Europe's Rivers

River ships are small - you really get to watch the crew at work.

It seems people have strong feelings about cruises. For some, a cruise is a wonderfully relaxing way to travel and for others, well, it just isn't their cup of tea. As for me, I was never drawn to big cruise ships. The whole idea of a floating city and traveling with several thousand people (all from my own country and speaking my own language) just didn’t seem like an "authentic" travel experience. I also didn’t like the idea of formal nights and captain’s dinners – my usual travel style doesn’t include heels and formal wear! And then one day I came across an article about a river cruise, something altogether different than an ocean cruise. The author described a small boat (fewer than 200 passengers) that could pull right up to towns and villages along European rivers. The places sounded enchanting and the dress code was casual. I was intrigued. 

At this time I was in the planning stage of a European trip for a group of 10 ranging in age from 40s to 80s. Avoiding the need to change hotels, pack and unpack, or lift luggage on and off trains seemed like a smart plan. Plus, there was a variety of cruise activities that would appeal to everyone in the group. The cost was all inclusive, meaning all meals (with wine) and a walking tour or excursion in each town were included in the price of the cruise. The only drawback I could see was that, because Italy’s rivers are not amenable to navigation by ships of this size, there wasn't an option for a cruise through Italy. Luckily, the rest of Europe has an abundance of wide, sufficiently deep and slow-moving rivers so there were several appealing itineraries. After considering all the options, we settled on a Viking* river cruise through southern France.

Avignon, France - the starting point of a Viking cruise through southern France.

As a novice cruiser, I had some concerns before the trip (even beyond the stress of being chief planner for my group of 10). I worried that the days would be too scripted with not enough free time. Would I enjoy the on-board hours of sailing when moving between cities? Would eating three meals a day in the one restaurant on board get boring? Would it be a "snooze" experience, without enough activity to interest me? Looking back, I laugh at all these concerns. I loved every minute of that trip, so much so that I have followed up with two more river cruises over the past several years.

Sailing past a small village in Germany, seen from the boat deck.

There are many things to like about river cruises, beginning with the chance to visit charming villages and grand cities, learning about culture, history, and local traditions along the way. I found the walks in each town, led by local guides, fun and informative. Each trip provides an introduction to places that might not be discovered on one's own and helps choose places to visit in more depth on future trips. That first cruise in southern France started in Avignon and included a few hours on market day in the nearby town of Uzes. I knew immediately I wanted to return to this area, and that became the focus of an independent trip a few years later. It's fun to gather ideas for future travel!

Uzes Market

Van Gogh Garden, Arles

Village in Burgundy, France

River cruises provide unique guided experiences – traditional Christmas markets in Germany and France, Dutch windmills, exploration of French vineyards and wineries, and stops at places where history was made. These are an important part of the experience, especially in places where a language barrier would mean missing a lot of nuance if traveling without a guide. It's also fun to have a chef who cooks regional foods with supplies bought at markets along the way. If you get the opportunity to tag along with the chef to a local market, I recommend you go! Doing this in Lyon with our fabulous French chef was a highlight of that trip for me.

Marksburg Castle, Germany

Kinderdijk, The Netherlands

Christmas Market, Cologne, Germany

I usually make all my own travel plans and arrangements, so embarking on a tour was a new experience. I found that it’s sometimes fun to let someone else do the planning and organizing, allowing me to just relax and enjoy things like standing at the ship’s railing, on a crisp fall morning, coffee in hand, watching the Wachau Valley, with its colorful fall trees and beautiful small villages, slide past, or sailing through Budapest at night with its bridges and impressive buildings all lit up. I loved the December Rhine River cruise with its Christmas markets and the sounds and scents of the holiday in the air.  I marveled at the windmills in Kinderdijk and learned not only how they work, but how the angle of the blades were used to send signals during World War II. Along the way there were markets and museums, castles and monuments, and everywhere beautiful views. If you'd like to experience these things, while slowly cruising along Europe's waterways, then a river cruise might be just the thing for you.       -post by JMB

Wachau Valley

Beautiful fall color

Budapest

contacts: Viking River Cruises

* I am not affiliated with Viking Cruises in any way. I traveled as a paying passenger on all three cruises.

A Late Summer Grower's Market

The Sunday grower's market in Corrales, NM

Is there a better place to be on an August morning than outdoors at a grower’s market? This is especially true when the sky is blue, the temperature mild, and you are itching to fire up the grill and roast some veggies.

Whether I am at home in New Mexico or somewhere in Europe, I know that the August market will be bursting with the colors, flavors, and scents of the late summer harvest. This is the peak time for melons, peaches, tomatoes, corn, peppers, squash – all of which provide great inspiration for adventures in the kitchen.

Green chile roasting - the scent of late summer in New Mexico

In New Mexico, August is also the time of the chile harvest  – and if you’ve never smelled roasting green chile, tumbling in a basket over an open flame, then you have really missed out! For me, that pungent scent signals two things – that I am definitely home in New Mexico and that fall is just around the corner.

I’m enjoying my last two weeks of summer at home before I head back to Italy for most of September and October. So, for the next two weeks, I’m all about the local markets in New Mexico, including the one I visited last Sunday in the small village of Corrales, not far from my home in Albuquerque.

I did my market shopping to the delightful  sound of live music, in this case a marimba and a steel drum. The chile was roasting, the vendors were cutting slices of peaches and melon for tasting (yum!), and the growers were exclaiming about crops just picked that morning (including some fresh-as-could be purple okra, which I couldn't resist), as well as what the harvest would bring in the upcoming weeks. Shoppers wandered around with colorful market baskets, filling them with even more colorful produce. The atmosphere was festive as the locals enjoyed a mild morning with just the first hint of fall in the air.

variegated purple beans

tiny carrots are so flavorful

multicolored peppers

It’s hard to believe that in a couple of weeks I’ll be wandering the market in Lucca, filling my basket with the fabulous fruits and vegetables of the end-of summer harvest in Italy. Stay tuned – I’ll be posting in real time from Italy in a few weeks and I bet there will be some markets, some festivals, and some adventures in the coming posts.                                                   -post by JB