Second Entry from Lucca

Coming to you through the magic of cut and paste…

Saturday morning, I spent a little bit of time shopping and a lot of time people-watching in downtown Lucca. The house in which I am staying is a short walk from the busiest area in the old part of Lucca. I had the intention of getting some gelato but somehow that managed to get away from me. Perhaps it was because the last gelato I had, {coffee flavor} had seemed a little rich. So, I walked slowly {because of the cobble stones} down the Via Fillungo looking in all the shop windows. I did buy myself a pretty pair of black and white earrings and something I hope Fred will like and that was the end of my shopping. I was actually looking for a hat with a brim because I had forgotten to pack mine but the clothes in the shops now are for fall and winter so I couldn’t find what I was looking for.

The streets are very narrow and there are many people riding bicycles and just a few cars. The bicycle riders weave in and out of the people walking and the cars wait patiently {with no horn blowing} for the people to get out of their way. There are large groups of tourists being led by their guides who often carry a small flag so he or she can be seen. While I was doing my people watching, I saw an English group and two German groups.

But there are also many local Italians shopping too. Almost without exception, Italian women, young and old,  are very attractive.  I can see “la bella figura” which, apparently, means to look good.  The only overweight women I saw were, without exception, tourists. Most Italian men look as if they take care of themselves although a few of the older men I saw had a little paunch and I did see one very fat policeman!
Many people with children were riding bicycles. The child sat in a little seat behind or in front of the adult. I saw several women with a child in front and a child behind. No one, adult or child, wore a helmet. The bicycles were parked outside the shops and I only saw one woman lock hers up. One interesting thing I saw was that there were quite a few young Italian men pushing a child in a stroller. I was also surprised to see a nun all in white riding a bicycle.

I had lunch at a little trattoria which had tables outside. I ordered focaccia con pomodori {tomatoes} and melted mozzarella cheese with water to drink. When I arrived in Italy, I quickly found you have to order “l’aqua minerale” or “l’aqua naturale.” I just don’t like the taste of mineral water.

I am taking photographs but I think I am going to wait until I come home to upload them anywhere. I have wireless access at the school but that means that I have to do the email reading and/or posting to OD in the afternoon when all the students have gone.  I write these entries in the evening in my room.

More later…

QUOTATIONS:

"Step by step. I can’t think of any other way of accomplishing anything."

Michael Jordan

If you have the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed.

— David Viscott