Rick Steves had recommended visiting Lucca on one of his PBS radio shows, and I was fascinated by the walled city long before we arrived in Italy. During our drive back from Carrara I'd mentioned our intention to visit the next day, Maurizio offered to drop us off because he was visiting his parents who lived in Lucca for Easter the next day, I was very relieved because I knew it was a one hour train trip and only 30 minutes by car and although I don't mind catching the train it's so much less stressful by car. Unfortunately the weather forecast wasn't clement and Eric had already walked to the Tabacchi in the drizzle this morning wearing my poncho that my fellow Italian language student friend Jo, had given me for my birthday. I borrowed an umbrella as well from Enrica so we could be prepared. The drive was very relaxing and I had a catnap while Eric chatted about the marble mines with Maurizio, before long we'd arrived!
Maurizio pointed across the piazza towards the mura, old Lucca City was not far away at all. We walked through the park and enjoyed the idyllic stream, then through the non enjoyable tunnel under the mura which was littered with condoms and hardcore porn. I'm very prudish so found it absolutely repugnant especially since this is an area where many children walk through with their parents. I presumed a council worker would clean this up but was incorrect because it was still there upon our return. It actually gave me a bad first impression. We located the campanile because it was towering over the other buildings and headed towards it. I wanted to buy tickets straight away for the that landmark and the duomo but EJ needed a coffee first.
We walked through a fascinating antiques market first, oh how I wished I could bring something back with me. We continued on so that we could find this coffee, this took at least an hour as there were so many choices and he couldn't make up his mind as he wanted to find the perfect place. So we walked around for a long time, nature called so our minds had to be made up rather promptly, but we hedged a wrong bet and we got doughy pastries , so-so coffee, service charge and no toilet hmmmmm. Not awesome, so we had to have something else to eat almost straight away in a restaurant of my choice which had a functioning toilet when Eric went and an overflowing cess pit when I went, also not awesome. Staff care factor zero. However the food was fabulous I had spinach and ricotta cannelloni and I chose Zuppa di Farro for Eric , since hs mother makes a beef and barley soup which he loves, I think this was pumpkin based and it was delectable.
Anyway this whole day was dictated by nature's calling, Eric had decided he was all churched out so we found yet another cafe where we had a fantastic coffee and dessert, please bear in mind that this was at least an hour later after we'd walked around in circles looking for the exit/entrance. We noticed people riding around everywhere on hire bikes it looked a lot of fun but I resisted due to my disastrous bike tour in Vietnam with Liz, when I fell straight off the bike because I'd forgotten how to ride. We clambered to the top of the wall and did the 4km walk around the city, it was a picturesque view as we could see into the botanical gardens and each piazza as well as everyone's gardens. During the entire walk we'd somehow not noticed the railway station so we clambered down, and of course nature called and we had to stop and have a pizza. In Italy going to the toilet makes you fat! We ordered a Bianco one with gorgonzola and treviso endive, then I limped behind Eric as we sought directions. A walk through the city was pointed out and i was fast running out of energy I trudged despondently back through porno tunnel and we made it to the train.
When we got home we had an aperitif and some of our snacks as I was too tired to cook. I went to bed early but heard Eric talking to our lovely neighbours and must've been in the land of nod very soon as I can't recall anything after that. So that was Saturday well spent.
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