I suggested to Carol that we explore the city in quadrants -- starting with the NW quadrant. Unfortunately, since it was Monday, many places were not open. We started with San Frediano church which has a beautiful mosaic front. It was not open.
Next we went to the Pfanner Plazzo which we thought might be closed (based on the travel books). We paid to enter and see the full plazzo and the gardens which were great. We were able to see the 1st floor (2nd US floor) which had a kitchen, ballroom, study, bedroom, an a room where medical instruments were on display. One of the Pfanners' was a psychiatrist. From the gardens you can look up and see people walking on the city wall -- I waved at a guy, who wondered who those crazy people were sitting at a table in the garden. The garden has diverse plants, many lemon trees, and roses.
The house was believed to be designed by a Genoese architect for the Moriconi family, a merchant family of Lucca who traded in silk and wanted to show off their wealth with a sumptuous palace inside the city walls. In 1680 the house passed into the ownership of the Contronis, another merchant family. It was in this phase, in 1686, that a number of changes were made, including the addition of the outside staircase. The house took the name of the Pfanner family in 1800, when it was acquired by the Austrian brewer whom Charles Louis Bourbon had invited to Lucca in 1846 to direct the brewing of beer in the town, with a brewery that was operative until 1929.
The house is still owned by the Pfanner family and has been open to the public since the 1990s. Inside is the hall, frescoed in the 18th century, and a collection of surgical instruments which belonged to a member of the Pfanner family, a physician. A charming part of the house is the Italian-style garden, created in 1700. A series of exotic and Mediterranean plants, lawns, pools, statues of the four elements and the four seasons, a Roman sarcophagus, pines, fruit trees and magnolias follow one other in a carefully designed arrangement, bounded by a hedge surrounding the entire garden.
Carol then wanted to visit the heart of Sister Zita -- which is a midevil times sort of abused woman's shelter.
St Zita (not Carol) was born in the early 13th century to a poor but religious family in a village near Lucca. At twelve Zita was sent to Lucca to work as a servant in the house of a rich weaver. The Fatinelli house was next to the church of St. Frediano. Despite her dedication to her work, Zita was, for many years, taunted and disliked by her fellow servants for being affected and proud. Zita was promoted to the position or Housekeeper with the full confidence of her employers. Knowing that Zita gave away most of her meager belongings to the poor, Signor Fatinelli gave her permission to distribute some of his funds as alms, which she did with great discretion always keeping him informed. Word spread throughout Lucca about her visits to the sick, to those in Prison, her good deeds and her heavenly vision and she was sought out by made people, rich and poor alike. Her body is enshrined in St. Frediano's Church in Lucca next to the Fatinelli house where she lived and worked for 48 years. Her face and hands are exposed to view through a crystal glass.
Next we went to a chocolate shop that was rated highly on TripAdvisor (yum - we both bought candy, tho Carol did not like what she bought). Next we had lunch at a Trattatoria Rusticaneleoo -- it was packed and they sat us in not such a great place, When I asked if we could wait, they said ok, but Carol heard the woman mutter to her co-worker "americanata"... so we decided to take the table anyway. The lunch was fantastic. We split a pasta dish, and I had a dish called Polpetta con Lucessa Piselli (Meatballs with peas) which was wonderful. Carol had a soup that was not too warm. Wine was good. Next we visited the home of Giacomo Puccini.
Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini (get that for a name) was born December 22, 1858 and died November 29, 1924. He was an Italian composer, famous for La bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot, are among the most famous. In reading about Puccini, ML discovered that he never finished Turandot, for which several places in Lucca are named. Rather, Arturo Toscanini who conducted the opera after Puccini's death, or Franco Alfano competed the piece.
Next we visited the Church San Michele which has the angel with wings on top. I think this is the coolest church facade.
Inside several ladies were busy making flyers for the church as Carol and I stolled around.
Carol came back to the apartment to make her daily calls home, while I went to the bookstore and then got lost. Once finding my route back to the aparment, I set to work for several hours. Around 8pm, I decided to have gelatto.... but nothing was open, so I worked until past midnight.
November 15 -- Today Carol decided to venture to Florence to see the Uffizi.... Having spent a week in Florence 2 years ago, I stayed in Lucca. I took a long shower, ran out for beakfast goodies, and then returned to do a quick load of laundry. After it was done, I decided to walk to the NW corner of the city and to see the Torre Guingi.
The 144 ft tall Torre Guinigi was and still is the most important tower in Lucca, and one of the very few examples left in the region. It was built for the Guinigi family who once ruled over Lucca and defended the city against the Medici of Florence, which helped Lucca retain its independence until the 18th century. The tower has become one of the city's most famous symbols, especially thanks to its rooftop garden and Oak trees that can be seen from all over the city. The Torre Guinigi is one of the two towers that can be climbed to get panoramic views of Lucca and the surrounding Apuane Alps. In the 15th century the tower was added to the Palazzo Guinigi, which was home of one of Lucca's most important families.
Since I chickened out after climbing to the metal stairs that lead to the top (yes, I was 2/3 of the way there and chickened out, as the stair went from being like a regular stairway to metal stairs hanging on the side of the wall with a view to below. I was able to go up the first set, that got you into the tower..... but from there my head started to spin. My fear of heights kicked in and I was not able to go further, and had to sit on the stairs and slide back down to the safer floor ...... embarassing .... a huge missed photo opportunity (me sliding back down but also the panaorama from the top).
So I then set in search of a photo of the tower from the street. The nice young man at the tower suggested a location near the ampitheater as well as from the wall.... so I walked to the northern entry to the wall, and then walked around the east side of the wall until I could get a view. As I approached the wall and old man that looked like my Dad asked if I was lost and he showed me where I was on the wall.... he seemed to need to talk to people. So I decided to greet each and every person that was walking along the wall. There were what seemed like hundreds of buon giorno's. Once I got to the south portal of the wall, it was 12:30 so I decided to go in search of lunch.
One of the restaurants recommended on TripAdvisor was "La Bottega Della Cose Buona" which took some finding. It was basically a deli with six tables well hidden in the back. The reviews said to not be swayed by the plastic plates on the table. When I got there the 60ish gray beard (think Santa) owner was there at the deli so I asked if I was early for lunch... with only a few words he ushered me to the back room where there were six very small tables with marble tops. Two italian men were having lunch. Again with few words he pointed to a table, and I sat.... waiting for about 10 minutes before he returned and I asked for a menu. He reached over and turned over the hand written menu that was next to my plate. Since he didnt take credit cards, and all I had in my pocket was $25e, I was a bit leary of the menu, but saw that he had a fixed prixe section -- a primo and secondo, vino, and water for $15e.... so I ordered two Lucesse dishes: Rigantoni Amatricia and Peposo di Manzo (beef stew) and proceeded to have a wonderful meal. The atmosphere was pretty short but the food wonderful. From there I overindulged again, and stopped at the shop sort of next door and had a gelato (best chocolate, stratachelli was not as good).
Short on euro's I walked back to the Piazza San Michele where there was a bank that I thought worked with Bank of America (meaning, few fees).... so I got some euros. Dropped by the two Pasticceria's that had good cookies but nothing looked like I had to eat it... so no purchases andd I headed back to the apartment. Because construction was occuring on teh aparment next door which is being gutted, rest was not possible.... so I waited for Carol to return since we planned to have dinner together. I got alot of work done in the interim.
She returned around 7pm and I had a telecon at 8:30.... so we went to the restaurant around the corner from the apartment -- next to the theater. We were the only guests. I had pasta, and a salad. When we got back, Carol went to bed and I worked until past midnight.
No comments:
Post a Comment