Mid-August in Lucca

Last week, on the 15th, the Italian mid-August holiday of Ferragosto was celebrated. Just a few days before that, I arrived back in Lucca after a long visit to the USA. With all the angst that accompanies international travel these days, I must say I am feeling quite fortunate. Not only am I back in Italy, but all my flights were on time and problem free. My luggage even arrived in Florence at the same time as I did. These days that feels like a minor miracle.

The mid-week flower market in Piazza San Michele, Lucca

The all important receipt showing that my permesso renewal is in progress. I definitely don’t want to lose this !

In another stroke of luck, I was able to turn in my “permesso kit” - the big stack of documents required to renew my permit to stay legally in Italy - without any of the problems that many people have recently experienced. There has been a major backup in the Italian Immigration pipeline this summer. Some people applying for renewals were given appointments at the Questura (the next step in the permesso process) many months into the future, long after their current permesso expires. Worse, some were told no appointments were available at all and they would receive a text or a letter when one became available. Yikes - talk about stressful. While this delay doesn’t preclude staying in Italy during the waiting period, it does make it nearly impossible to travel to, or through, any other Schengen country while waiting for the new permesso di soggiorno card to arrive. Somehow, luck was on my side and I walked out of the post office last Monday with an appointment just 5 1/2 weeks later. I have to assume that my luck coincided with the fact that the immigration backlog is now beginning to clear.

I am happy to be back in Lucca. The heat is a bit overwhelming but I’ve been able to walk through town in the early mornings or early evenings, keeping to the shady side streets. And now that I’ve unpacked and turned in the all important permesso paperwork I am headed off for a real vacation at one of my favorite spots - Lago di Como (Lake Como). I’m leaving my computer at home, so there will be no blog post next Monday.

I’ll put some photos from Lake Como on the Two Parts Italy Facebook page over the next 10 days, otherwise look for me to be back on Monday September 4th with a new post and lots of photos from my time at the lake! In the meantime, enjoy these photos from my first days back in Lucca.

Linda's Dolci. A Taste of Italy in New Mexico

I’ve spent most of this summer visiting my family in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It’s always good to spend time with my kids and grandkids, but at the same time I really miss Italy.  I long for walks around Lucca, Medieval streetscapes, and the sounds of the Italian language. I especially miss an early morning coffee or an aperitivo in a local bar. Those are cultural experiences that just can not be recreated here.

There’s nothing more Italian than a cornetto filled with jam, pastry cream, or pistachio creme. At Linda’s Dolci they are delicious!

 Albuquerque is not like some of the bigger cities in the US, such as New York or Boston.  There is no Little Italy neighborhood here, no part of town where Italian is spoken, no area where the culture of Italy prevails. I am always searching for something to bring a little taste of Italy to me when I am here in New Mexico. I found an Italian language class which was a big help this summer as was the local Italian Culture and Language Group.  But the best surprise was finding a new Italian pasticceria just a few minutes from my New Mexico condo. You just don’t expect to find an authentic Italian bakery in an Albuquerque shopping center, but that is exactly where I found one. Lucky me!

 Linda Manias is from Pordenone in the Friuli-Venezia-Guilia region of northeastern Italy.  While living in the US with her American husband she found she really missed Italian pastries (boy can I relate to that).  Her solution was to begin baking, recreating all the flavors she missed. And wow - can Linda bake! 

Linda’s Zeppole

In 2022, Linda moved to Albuquerque, along with her husband, where she began to offer Italian cakes and pastries, operating out of shared space in a local cafe.  Her business grew and now Linda has opened her very own Pasticceria – Linda’s Dolci – where she serves a wide variety of treats, both to enjoy in the cafe along with a coffee or portare via (to take away).

Prima colazione (breakfast) at Linda’s Dolci

 For me, a morning cappuccino and a cornetto at Linda’s Dolci brings me that slice of Italian flavor that I crave.  It’s no surprise that I always seem to run into another local Italophile there. Linda’s is the place where you just might hear Italian spoken by customers who come by for conversation as well as pastries.

Besides those breakfasts goodies, Linda fills her pastry case with all kinds of treats. The selection varies each day. You may find crisp cookies, jam filled squares, vanilla or chocolate glazed cream puffs, fruit topped delights, tiramisu, zeppole, cannoli, and delicious cakes.  You’ll even find gluten free and vegan options. Orders for custom cakes or pasty trays are always welcome.

 If you are in the Albuquerque area, be sure to stop in and say Buongiorno to the delightful Linda (you’ll find her back in the kitchen, hard at work).  Even better if you want to practice your Italian with her! 

 Don’t these photos make you hungry?

By the time this blog posts on Monday August 14th I will be back in Italy. Look for me enjoying a cappuccino and cornetto at one of the wonderful bars or pastry shops in Lucca!

A big thanks to Linda for giving me permission to use some photos from her website in this post.

August, Relaxation, and Bicycles

Summer is prime time for all ages to bike along Lucca’s walls

It’s hard for me to believe that another August has rolled around. Where did June and July go? Like many, no matter where we find ourselves this month, I am a bit tired of the heat. Isn’t there a summer equivalent of Ground Hog’s Day to tell us how many more weeks of hot weather lie ahead?

In Italy, this is the month for holidays at the seaside, doing crossword puzzles on a lounge chair, celebrating Ferragosto with friends in mid-August, and taking time to slow down and relax. This week, as I prepare to return to Italy from my summer visit in the US, I am embracing the Italian attitude toward August and taking a bit of break. And while I haven’t even caught a glimpse of the Italian seaside this summer, I am looking forward to spending some time later this month at an Italian lake. Fingers crossed there will be some cool lake breezes!

Instead of writing for this week’s blog post, I have been looking through some old photos. In doing so, I realized just how many times a stray person walks into the perfect shot I had lined up, a car messes up a photo of an ancient building, or a big ugly trash can ruins the photographic potential of a little alley.

This fading fresco (since restored) is even more interesting with the blue bicycle.

The one thing that shows up in a photo and always seems to make a scene even more interesting and classically Italian is a bicycle. Lucca is full of them and they often show up in my photos.

A bike may be parked in front of an ancient vista, chained to a window grate, peeking out from behind a gate, or cruising along the wall that circles the historic center of Lucca. Sometimes the bike is just a serendipitous part of the photo and sometimes it is the main focus.

Bikes can be handy when visiting the flower markets.

It’s not unusual to see a group of bicycle racers flying around the walls or a couple of Lucca’s local police.

Some bikes are workhorses, moving goods - or children - around town. Some even deliver gelato!

Bicycles really are an integral part of life in Lucca. I can’t seem to stop taking photos of them! And here’s one that offers a glimpse of fall.

Castles and Vineyards Along the Middle Rhine Valley

One of the highlights of a Viking Rhine River cruise is sailing the stretch of the Rhine between the cities of Koblenz and Rüdesheim. The day I sailed this stretch of the river (in early Spring) it was gray, windy, and chilly. But that didn’t stop me from standing along the rail on the open sun deck at the top of the ship.  That’s where the best views were! 

Burg Thurnberg is also known as Berg Maus - the “mouse” castle is just a bit away from the “cat” castle. The on-board narration explained the long-ago rivalry between the two owners.

 For about 4 hours the Viking Baldur moved slowly past breathtaking scenery.  There were steep vineyards, small medieval villages, steepled churches, and – best of all – ancient castles.   Some were ruins but others were remarkably well preserved.

The Lorelei Rock - we got close, but not too close when navigating this tricky bend in the Rhine

We also sailed by the Lorelei Rock which sits at the narrowest and deepest section of the Rhine. Legend has it that many sailors were lost here. Enchanted by the song of the Lorelei maiden they lost their way and crashed into the rock.

I didn’t hear her song that afternoon and luckily neither did our captain as we passed safely by the Lorelei without crashing into it. 

Our afternoon of sailing ended in the charming town of Rüdesheim where we had just enough time for a stroll through the streets of the Drosselgasse before returning to our ship for dinner. 

Marketplatz, Rüdesheim

 The Drosseslgasse is an area of narrow streets which wind through the oldest part of Rüdesheim.  The alleys are lined with half-timber houses, shops, wines cellars, pubs, and restaurants.  On the evening we visited there was jazz music spilling out of one pub, intriguing wines on display in a shop, and some really enticing aromas coming from the restaurants.   

Rüdesheim Caffe. (thanks to M. Bird for this photo)

 Rüdesheim is famous for both its wine and for Rüdesheim Caffe.  The coffee, laced with a local brandy and served in a fancy cup, is just the thing to warm up a gray afternoon. To make the coffee, brandy and sugar cubes are flamed before adding the coffee. Then it is topped off with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.  Delicious! We had an on-board demonstration of the preparation before arriving in Rüdesheim, with a tasting of course.  The specialty coffee cups - all curves and pretty patterns - were on sale in many of the local shops.  

 Our ship left Rüdesheim close to midnight, headed for a short stop in Speyer the next day. 

Speyer is where the Protestant Reformation began. It was here, in 1517, that Martin Luther presented his theses against the Roman Catholic Church.   The historic center of the city was full of beautiful architecture, monuments, the remains of a 13th century gate, and a remarkable Romanesque Cathedral which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

As in every stop, a local guide was provided by Viking. She gave us a good dose of history as well as interesting information about modern day Speyer. And while it just wasn’t possible to fully explore the city, we did manage to get a good sense of it between the guided walk and some free time for exploration. It’s a charming and beautiful small city.

Next stop on my cruise itinerary: Strasbourg, France. More on that in a future post.

Fa Caldo !

Even the statues need shades with all this sunshine!

Whether you are in Europe or the United States, right now chances are you are feeling the heat.  In Italian we say fa caldo - it’s hot. 

Much of the world is experiencing a dramatic ondata di caldo (heat wave) which has many of us (me included) feeling more than a little bit grumpy. I am trying to run errands early in the day, the afternoon finds me staying indoors. I’m a bit envious of my Australian friends, for whom it is not summer but winter.  If only they could bottle that cool air and send it our way!

Italians have many expressions to describe the intense summer heat.  These range from the humorous, mi sudano le mutande (my undies are sweating) to the slightly profane (to be used only when it is really, really hot) un caldo della Madonna! Whenever the name of the Madonna (the religious figure, not the pop star) is used, well then, it’s a pretty serious complaint.  Perhaps it is more politically correct to say that there is un caldo bestiale, a brutal or beastly heat.

On a hot summer day in Lucca a Caffè Shakerato is essential. Either straight espresso or with a little milk, this iced coffee drink is just the thing on a hot afternoon.

This summer you could say si può friggere un uovo sulla marciapiede (you could fry an egg on the sidewalk) or sul cofano della macchina (on the hood of the car). In Texas last week, someone was baking bread in their mailbox.  That’s hot!

These very warm days have me thinking about all the ways to keep cool in the heat of summer, from cool summer drinks to no-cook meals to dips in the pool. 

It’s much too hot to cook during the day, so creative entertaining and dining are called for. Fancy entertaining is just not happening in this heat. An aperitivo happily replaces meal preparation. Better yet when accompanied by a crisp white wine or a tart summer cocktail! It’s hard to beat a spritz or a cosmopolitan sipped with a pretty Italian view.

A cold, creamy gelato is practically medicinal in the summer heat. And if a gelato is good, an affogato (ice cream “drowned” in espresso) might just be even better! It’s a real pick-me-up.

Sailing School, Rapallo

I’ve also been thinking of the different places I’ve gone over the years to escape the heat. 

The Ligurian coast, still hot but cooled just a bit by a sea breeze, is a wonderful summer escape.

With August just around the corner it’s a sure thing that the Italians will be headed for the coast.

In the US, coastal Oregon, with its rocky beaches and old lighthouses, provides a wonderful summer escape.  Even the fog was delightful.

The mountains of New Mexico and Colorado are a favorite summer vacation spot for my family. Cool mountain air, river paths to walk, lakes, and lots of fun activities keep my grandkids happy despite the heat. Truth be told, I am happy to be in the low humidity heat of the western US in the summertime and usually head to New Mexico to avoid the hot, humid Italian summers.

England and Scotland provide a nice break from the heat of summer. Even in August a light jacket or sweater might be needed. Better still if you can get to Edinburgh to celebrate the Fringe Festival in August. Fun performances and cool weather make Edinburgh a great summer choice. And the interior of those castles stay cool too.

Wherever you are this summer, I hope your strategies for staying cool are working!   As for me, I will return to hot and humid Italy in mid-August. You will find me cooling off on the shores of an Italian lake.

An August escape to the Italian lakes holds at least a promise of cooler temperatures.

Do you have a favorite place to cool off, or a favorite summer time food / drink? If so, post some photos on the Two Parts Italy Facebook page.  We could all use the inspiration!