Monday - November 21st: Today is our last full day in Lucca and with our family from Naples. I have really been looking forward to riding the trains in Italy, so today we decided to take the 10:30 train to Prato and be picked up there. Unfortunately, I decided that since I had not walked out through one of the wall-exits that this morning was the day to try that route, and unfortunately it took longer, and as I was late returning from my early morning walk, I made us late for the train... but Carol ran ahead since my bad knees dont allow me to run any faster than walking, and got in line for the tickets. We made it with plenty of time to spare, but the lines at the Lucca train station are not very fast. Everyone has to chat with the ticket seller. Once you get your ticket you then have to find the Binario and go down steps to get under the tracks, and then up stairs to the correct Binario. Fortunately, the train was also a few minutes late, so we arrived in Prato later than expected, but of course our cousins were there waiting for us. This time, Carol showed me how to stamp the ticket on the yellow machine -- I will add a picture later when I can download it from that camera. On this trip, the conductor was coming through checking tickets.... so I was glad we had stamped the tickets as landing in trouble in Italy is not high on my list.
The first stop was the Emperor's Castle, also known as Fortress of S.Barbara or Castello Svevo, is considered important Prato architecture from the 11th and 13th century. I found the ramparts to be particularly intersting as they were not squared like so many castles. It was the headquarters of the Imperial party in the Florentine countryside, seat of the Imperial Viceroy of Tuscany. The castle's construction begun in 1237 and ended in 1248 by order of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II.
The interior has a bichromatic maiolica frieze by Luca della Robbia, also author of four tondo depicting the four Evangelists in the cupola. The external façade is unfinished, only the western part being completed in the 19th century according to Sangallo's design. Some kind of service was being conducted in the church.
Next we headed off into more of a central location of Prato, to the Duomo - I am always fascinated by the exterior pulpits.
In the square was the Basilica Cattedrale Di Sano Stefano - which houses Il Cacro Cingolo. This is the main Catholic church of Prato. It is dedicated to St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr. It is one of the most ancient churches in the city, existing already in the 10th century and having been built and in several successive stages in the Romanesque style. During the 14th century, the Cathedral acquired an important relic, the Sacra Cintola or Belt of the Holy Virgin. This brought about the enlarging of the edifice by the addition of a transept which is attributed to Giovanni Pisano, but probably the work of a pupil of Nicola Pisano. The Cintola Chapel was also built at this time to house the relic. Another important feature was constructed in the early 15th century, a new façade was added in the International Gothic, in front of the old one. In the space between the two was created a corridor leading to the external pulpit, built by Michelozzo and decorated by Donatello between 1428 and 1438.
From here we walked around the center of Prato which is filled with stores and other fascinating places. Carol sprung for hot chocolate for everyone -- my first Italian hot chocolate. It is much thicker than american hot chocolate. .
I wanted to punch this waiter, as he was very rude -- Carol spent about $50 on hot chocolate yet this waiter was very disturbed that we were messing up his dining area. THere were siz of us, so we took a 4 person table and added 2 chairs. The waiter insisted that we move one of the chairs we borrowed back to its place (no one could possibily get to that location around us.... but that table was missing a chair, so it had to be replaced). Most of us american's tip waiters... but this guy got niente. I had further iphone withdrawl as i watched Michelangelo work his phone.
We then went over to Fulvio's apartment. For a first home, this is very nice and much larger than most peoples first home. As an investment -- looks great to me. Two bedrooms, a kitchen, living room, kitchen and very long terrace. Valeria's apartment is in the building next door, but is being rented out so we could not see it. The building is one that Michelangelo's company built.
Next was back to Villa Vigilante in Ponte Buggianese, where Mirella had cooked up another fantastic lunch. We started with pasta and then she had made three types of pizza. Wow. She really should open a restaurant, as everything was fanstastic.... but retired life means she should be enjoying the Tuscan/Napoli life and not cooking for so many American guests. However, we really appreciated their hospitality.
Michelangelo has four kiwi trees that were full of fruit, so we picked the trees clean and had a huge amount of kiwi that Mirella will make marmalade and other great concoctions, as well as share with her sibilings in Naples.
Since Carol and I go to Milan tomorrow, we decided that it needed to be an early evening... with such regrets we had to leave our family. They go so such great efforts to make us so comfortable when we come to Italy. I hope at some time they will consider a visit to the US. As a surprise on our return to Lucca, Mirella had Fulvio drive us to Montecatini Terme for some locally special cookies - Brigidini... and they she made sure that Carol and I both left with a huge box of the cookies. According to legend, the origin of the Lamporecchio brigidini dates back to 1300 when a Swedish nun began a long pilgrimage and stopped off in the Montalbano area, in the heart of Tuscany. Here she founded the homonymous convent of the Brigidine order, where she began to produce a delicacy called ‘Brigidino’ made by using special engraved plates that formed the shape of a consecrated Host. Its ingredients are very simple: flour, sugar, eggs and anise seeds. The recipe is handed down from one generation to another by skilful local craftsmen.
So back to our apartment to clean up and get ready for the 4 hour train trek to Milan tomorrow.
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