Calm Before Chaos in Late October

A quiet hidden corner of Lucca

October is when the crowds in Lucca begin to thin a bit.  There is a marked shift in the air – over are the special events of the Settembre Lucchese festival month. The evenings and early mornings are chilly, and this year the days are wonderfully sunny and warm. The early mornings and late evenings are a crowd-free breath of fresh air.

Life is normal - the olives have been harvested and the new oil has arrived, the markets are full of fall produce, there are morning coffees with friends, children play in the parks and ride the carousel, there are small concerts, and the streets are a little quieter. We can feel fall creeping in with the falling leaves.

But we also can’t miss the signs that say we should enjoy these last calm days because chaos is on the way.

A warm October day, before the start of Comics, is the perfect time for a ride on the carousel.

The chaos (my word, others would call it excitement) comes in the form of the approaching Lucca Comics and Games event.  The first sign of the chaos to come is the appearance of tents along the walls and in the main piazzas of the city.  I think of this as “la stagione delle tende”, the season of the tents.  It is a short but intense season here in Lucca. The white tents seem to go up earlier and earlier; they even crept in during the last week of September this year, well before the late October start date for Comics.  The smaller tents materialized first up on the walls, but soon the sound of larger ones being erected rang out in Piazza Napoleone, Piazza San Martino, Piazza Santa Maria, and even in the historic Piazza Anfiteatro.  Tents don’t make for interesting photos – so I will post just this one !

A beautiful October day along Lucca’s walls in the “season of the tents”

A photo from many years ago, still one of my favorite costumes. Imagine the work it took to create this elaborate dress.

 I must admit I have a bah humbug attitude about comics.  I hate to see Lucca’s beauty disappear as the tents take center stage and I dread the crowds (100,000 tickets per day!).  I generally plan to be out of town for the 5-day event, but this year my plans fell through and so I will be in Lucca throughout Comics.  Funny (or perhaps not so funny), but the same thing happened last year as the illness of a friend meant staying in Lucca.  It seems the universe laughs at my escape plans and arranges for me to be here.  At least it will mean some great photos!

As much as I don’t like the crowds (especially difficult for us short people who can’t see over all the heads), I do plan to approach the event with a good attitude. I have purchased some essentials and my freezer is as full as a tiny Italian freezer can be (negotiating the streets to go shopping is a challenge, best to stock up beforehand). A couple of friends and I hope to escape by bus on some days to one or two of the smaller towns near Lucca (avoiding the packed trains at all costs!).  And the early mornings, before all the participants arrive, is a good time for a walk in the crisp October air.

There are some things that I enjoy about Comics.  The costumes are amazing and the work that people put into designing them is impressive.  There is one fountain in particular where people go specifically to be seen and photographed (top photo).  I will try to sneak through the back streets to avoid the masses and arrive there early one day and grab some photos.    

And there is one Comics aspect that I truly love – the Steam Punk parades. This year the parades will feature participants showing off their very elaborate Steam Punk style in three scheduled events, each with a unique theme.  Count on photos and descriptions in November blog posts

Steam Punk 2024

But before comics, I am off on a travel adventure beginning in Budapest and ending in Passau, Germany. I’ll be back just in time for the chaos (I meant to say fun) of Comics. My camera is about to get a workout with photos from both my October travel and Lucca Comics and Games!

Changing leaves, October shadows, and a stretch of wall without any tents!

Rainy Day Rules

Umbrella sharing highly encouraged

This month in Lucca has been the coolest and most rainy September that I can recall.  The past week has brought big storms (fierce enough to have destroyed one of my window screens entirely) and some dramatic thunder and torrential rains.  Overnight rain has been common and day times have seen a mix of weather – sunshine one minute, a downpour the next.  And many hours of drizzle.  To me, it feels more like March than September.   But, if I must choose, I much prefer the crisp rainy days we’ve had lately to the years when September heat made for a very long month.

After living 30+ years in the high desert of New Mexico, it took some adjusting to living in rainy Tuscany.  I don’t think I even owned an umbrella before moving here.  In the years since my arrival in Lucca, I have learned a few things about life in a rainy climate, so here is my list of rainy-day “rules”.

Shopping in the rain is easiest with both an umbrella and a “nonna cart” for keeping groceries dry.

The first and most important rule is that life here does not stop due to rain.  In a dry climate, we tended to just wait for the sky to clear before going out to run errands.  Sometimes even a little rain would cancel an event.  And going out in the rain often meant dashing to a warm, dry car.  Not here!  In Lucca, it is impossible to manage without going out in the rain.  Errands don’t wait except in major downpours.  A bit of drizzle ?  Just get on with it.  Even the recent luminaria event was not delayed due to a light rain. Which leads to “rule” number 2.

As the English author Alfred Wainwright said, ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing”.  

I learned this the hard way when my smooth soled boots saw me hydroplaning on wet marble sidewalks and when a flimsy, undersized umbrella left me wet through and through.

Rain wear basics are not optional here.  Good rain boots, water-resistant jackets, and hats.  As for ombrelli (umbrellas), I always have two – a small one that can be carried in a bag or backpack when rain is anticipated and a larger full length one that is needed for the heaviest rains.  In Lucca it is easy to find umbrellas for sale in shops or by street vendors.  And with a variety of colors, the umbrellas turn the rainy streets into art.

The portaombrelli is the place to leave a wet umbrella when entering a shop

Another rule – never carry a wet umbrella into a shop.  Instead use the portaombrelli (umbrella stand) located near the door.  It works best for the full-size umbrellas; the shorter ones can be left beside it.  Just grab it on the way out – though they is easy to forget if the rain has stopped.  I will not comment on the number of umbrellas I have accidently left behind.  Let’s just say I support the sale of umbrellas quite well.

A bit of umbrella etiquette is also nice.  When everyone has their umbrellas open in the street, things can get quite congested.  The danger of being clobbered with the umbrella of a careless passer-by is considerable. It is most polite to stay to the side of the street and to either tip your umbrella to the side to avoid “kissing” umbrellas or to life the umbrella high allowing others to pass beneath. Does everyone do this?  No, but I sure do appreciate the ones that do.

Did he jump? You bet he did. The splash made us smile.

Another hazard – puddle splashers. 

This is usually caused by a car going by at speed.  Walkers beware! Sometimes a bike or just a heavy-footed person will make a splash.  No “just for fun” puddle splashing allowed by anyone over the age of 6.  But I do love when little ones jump in the puddles.  Makes me smile. 

Lastly, we can’t control the weather, so might as well make the best of it.  A rainy day is a perfect time to make a soup or a fragrant peposo (a peppery beef dish). 

The rain leaves beautiful drops on leaves.  Puddles reflect buildings and light. The rain smells wonderful. The chill is refreshing.  And the return to blue skies after a rain is a welcome sight. 

After the rain … blue skies and soft clouds

BTW, Italians don’t say that it is raining cats and dog.  Instead, they may say there is un’acquazzone (a downpour) or piove a catinelle (it’s raining buckets). 

And sometimes, if you are lucky, the rain is followed by an arcobaleno (a rainbow).

La Festa di Pane (The Festival of Bread)

Tourists, and big tour groups, are everywhere in Lucca right now. One of the challenges of living in an historic city!

Today, September 22nd, is the autumnal equinox, officially the first day of fall.  But, after having hints of fall weather in mid-September, this past weekend saw a return to summer-like temperatures.  Between the warm temperatures and the large number of tourists in town, it is hard to believe that fall is just around the corner.

The Settembre Lucchese events are still going strong, even after the conclusion of the Luminaria di Santa Croce event which happened a week ago. The past week has seen disco music in Piazza San Francesco, the monthly antiques market, and the start of Lucca Film Festival.  The Film Festival continues this week with film screenings and appearances by several well-known actors and directors.

My favorite event of the past weekend was La Festa del Pane (The Festival of Bread). The event, which took place in Piazza Napoleone, featured local Lucchese bakers who set up a bakery right in the piazza.  

In the pop up bakery they produced many different types of breads, from beginning to finished product.   Tables were laden with rustic loaves, whole grain ones, and even fancy shaped breads fresh from the ovens.  On Saturday, the star of the show were the various breads and focaccia. 

On Sunday morning, sweeter Lucchese specialties were baked. There were beautiful trecce (braids) studded with chocolate bits and loaves of Buccellato, a sweet bread scented with anise and dotted with raisins. Both are typical Lucca foods.

Another Lucca specialty also made an appearance, Torta di Becchi. This is an unusual local torta (not quite a cake, not quite a pie) with both sweet and savory elements.  Imagine a pastry crust filled with a mixture of chard, pine nuts, raisins, sugar, eggs, milk, and spices.  Perhaps a dash of rum or some candied citron.  The edges of the pastry crust are pinched up to form the becchi (beaks). It is a bit of an acquired taste, but a much loved one here in Lucca.

 Samples were handed out to the onlookers, making them very happy. The breads, pastries, and cakes could also be purchased for a donation, which went to support a local charity.

Un assaggio?

The Festa di Pane was a great way to sample some of Lucca’s specialty breads. It’s just one of the many Settembre Lucchese events that make this a great place to visit in September. 

Even Spider Man dropped by to serenade everyone! 

Bright Shiny Objects in a Medieval Town

Lucca never fails to surprise and delight, especially when it comes to outdoor art.

One day in May, I spotted a bright, shiny object in Piazza San Michele. Large, geometric, and standing on point, it shimmered under blue skies on a sunny day. Even better, I watched as a child first touched it and then gave it a push, which set it spinning. I am not sure who was more delighted – the child, his mother, or me. This is outdoor art of the best kind – accessible, touchable, relatable, and engaging for people of all ages.

Expansión Geométrica II 2021 Gustavo Vélez.

Over the next few days, a collection of these modern art pieces appeared throughout the historic center of Lucca. The works, entitled Geometria Senza Confine (Geometry Without Borders), are the creation of sculptor Gustavo Vélez. The exhibit is presented by Oblong Contemporary Galleries and curated by Eike Schmidt. In all, 14 pieces are on display around Lucca.

Fiore VI, a sculpture in white Carrara marble by Gustavo Vélez. Piazza Anfiteatro, Lucca

Born in Colombia, Vélez has a studio in Pietrasanta, a city known for its sculptors and proximity to the Carrara marble quarries. Many of the pieces in the exhibit are marble, with works in bronze and stainless steel also included. Below: The same piece, Fiore VI, seems alive with movement when viewed from two different angles.

 According to the description by Oblong Contemporary Galleries, Vélez’s art “merges form, space, and movement” working “in dialog with historic spaces”. That makes Lucca the perfect background for this exhibit.

Hipercúbicos V in stainless steel, Gustavo Vélez 2024

The works are impressive in their scale, texture, and forms full of angles, curves, and waves. Seeing them surrounded by Medieval buildings adds a striking dimension. I am not sure if it was intentional or a happy accident brought about by Lucca’s historic setting, but several of the pieces have open spaces which offer glimpses of ancient buildings, stone arches, balconies. Others, the stainless steel pieces, have polished  surfaces which reflect the surrounding buildings, passersby, and even a certain blog writer with camera in hand. Each one invites inspection from all angles and in different lights throughout the day. I find myself taking detours as I walk through town just to walk by my favorites or to watch the one that spins delight people as they realize that they can interact with the sculpture.

 A few of the larger pieces are mounted on bases big enough to serve as benches. The pieces take on quite a different aspect when surrounded by people sitting below them – another way in which the art is immersed in the life of the city and accessible to all. 

The sculptures can be seen throughout Lucca from now through September 21.  They are a definite can’t miss for visitors to Lucca this summer.

Cono Geométrico 2023. Gustavo Vélez

When The Giro d’Italia Comes To Town

The city of Lucca went a little bit crazy (in a good way) this week when the Giro d’Italia came to town. The color pink, representing the Maglia Rosa, the Pink Jersey worn by the leader, appeared overhead in street banners, in window displays, balloons, and even in pastry shops. The pink of the jersey reflects the color of the pages in the sports paper La Gazzetta dello Sport, the founder of the race in 1909.

The biggest crowd gathered at the beginning of the route. Thanks to J. Nichols for this photo.

The Giro d’Italia is Italy’s Grand Tour bike racing event, with teams from many nations participating.  The Giro has multiple stages, taking the riders from sea level to mountain top over a challenging 3-week course. The rider wearing the Maglia Rosa can change with each stage, always worn by the leader at that point in the competition. 

The route varies from year to year. This year’s race began in Durrës, Albania and ends in Rome on June 1st, a total distance of 3,443 km (2139 miles). The rider who crosses into Rome wearing the pink jersey is the winner. This year’s stage 10, one of two time trial stages, began in Lucca, a very big event for the city.

The route took riders along Lucca’s wall as part of the time trial event.

An exhibit on the history of the Giro d’Italia, with photos of past winners and Italian racing superstars, was set up under the loggia in Piazza San Michele. It included an interesting display of old bicycles. My favorite was the bike with a coffee bar attached!

On the day of the race, souvenir stands sold race-themed merchandize, car and pedestrian traffic was rerouted, and Piazza Napoleon became the center of activity and the starting point for the event. 

The route took riders from the piazza up onto Lucca’s wall, about ¾ of the way around, and then onto Pisa, a distance of 28.6 km (17.8 miles). 

Because this was a time trial, the riders took off one at a time rather than in a large group.  Each was preceded by a motorcycle escort and followed by a car bearing the rider’s name and colors.  Fans lined the route, tracking the riders, cheering and waving the flags of various countries as each rider flew passed.

At the end of Stage 10, Dutch rider Daan Hoole had the fastest time to Pisa while Mexican rider Isaac del Toro had the overall lead and the Maglia Rosa. This was the final time trial of the Giro, now the riders move on across Italy and eventually to Rome. Who will be wearing the pink jersey at the end?

The Torre Guinigi all decked out in an Italian flag to celebrate the Giro d’Italia coming to Lucca.