lucca

I was super excited to be returning to Lucca as I fondly remembered it from the last time I had visited.  The last time we rented bikes and rode along the perimeter of the city along the wall and then through the entire city.  We were unable to rent bikes on this visit due to time constraints (but Holden was very excited about the prospect of renting bikes so we hope to return to Lucca and do this before leaving Italia).

We first went to La Villa Reale di Marlia before heading through the walls into the city of Lucca.  This was a 15th century palazzo that was belonged to Napoleon's sister, along with an entire line of other noble families throughout the years, with beautifully designed gardens out in the middle of Toscana.  It was beautiful, but I would have preferred to spend the extra time in the city of Lucca.  

Once we were in the city we had a delicious Tuscan meal of pesto ravioli, pear and pecorino risotto, pappa di pomodoro, and that wonderful true unsalted delicious Tuscan bread.  The bread in Genova is good but it doesn't compare to Tuscan bread, really none of the Ligurian food compares to Tuscan food in my opinion.  But that is just my opinion and I'm sure many would disagree with me.  Tuscan food tastes like coming home to me, perhaps because I am so fond of Toscana.  And I'm really looking forward to independent travel week when we plan to visit friends in Caponnole and Castiglione Alberti.  After the lunch, Holden and I went for cappuccino and gelato and skipped out on visiting more churches to do some shopping.  He tried on some new jeans, but opted for a Lego instead.  Then we bought some handmade chocolates to take home and met up with Giudi and Dave and the students to walk along the wall back to the bus.  

And when we returned to Genova a dinner of meatballs (as Holden and I were hoping) was just sitting there awaiting our arrival!


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