Italy 2017

Ciao,

Il sole è brillante e il cielo è molto blu. (The sun is brilliant and sky is very blue.) The walk on the wall was wonderful as great as we remembered throughout the past year. We noticed a few more art exhibits. The walk is about 3 miles around the city.


Abbiamo fatto una fermata alla Canuleia Trattoria per il pranzo. (We stopped at the Canuleia Trattoria for lunch.) It has a beautiful outside garden area were we've always eaten when we have been in Lucca. The food was very good. Homemade pasta, and cooked perfectly. Dow's fish was very tasty.


Iera sera  abbiamo comprato i biglietti al concerto di Puccini. (Last evening we bought tickets to the Puccini concert). It is always a treat to hear opera music performed in Italy. It is the history, the music, and performers that transport you to another magical time.


The city is putting finishing touches on Il Luminaria – an annual candlelight procession devoted to the Holy Face (Volto Santo every Sept. 13. Candles are lit all over the city starting in the afternoon. Every candle is lite by hand, and finishes just before the procession. We took some pictures however; there was only light from the candles - difficult situation. The procession takes over 2 hours. It is packed with people watching and participating. This is a very big deal for the city and its people.



Click on next line for website for pictures

https://bagnidilucca.wordpress.com/2012/09/13/lucca-lights-up-for-santa-croce/

Click on next line for website for video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw8Y_G_aKZI



Click on a pictures to see a slideshow - you can pause or go back using buttons on lower left of slide show


September 13

The top of the wall
BIkers
Mountains in the distance
another picture along the wall
The wall and area outside wall - the wall extended out in places for a military advance in medieval times
New art this year
Old men watching the world go by
nice hat
work by a Mexican artist - representing a fragment of human history
further explanation
30' tall equestrian guard on rampart above the city's principal gate - also by the same Mexican artist
Canuleia Trattoria
Creamed cod fish on red pepper sauce
Beef tartare on mustard sauce with a green salad
Cod fish with braised fennel on saffron sauce
Gnocchi with squid and beet sauce
What a lunch with bella donna
Candles everywhere
Lighting candles lit by hand - everyone!
Be careful
Even on the top of the church
snack on the patio
I salumi e i formaggi
Puccini Concert
In a church
No need for a microphone
intermezzo
Tenore
Domenico Menini
Basso - Roman Lylukin
Bravi
This is the church where the procession ends
Piazza
Piazza where the church is located
Those are all candles
Everyone in Lucca is in the procession
we are watching from the area where it starts
not much light here, but less crowded than when it gets to the streets with stores etc.
Pictures taken with iPhone 7+ (not bad)