… to Garfagnana – well, almost …

… we couldn’t seem to find the right entrance into the hilly little town, and also couldn’t find parking to explore our options on foot, so we ultimately opted to drive away, and stop in Lucca on our way to Firenze instead. We took a fond look backward at our hotel on the hillside, and at Pascoli’s house.

  

Also the little cluster of buildings I looked at from our balcony every morning. For the first time since we’ve been here, we saw a shepherdess at work with her dog, tending a flock of sheep by the roadside.

  

Around another bend, we were slowed down by an Ape (ah’-pay), a tiny three-wheeled truck, overloaded with sticks. We saw piles of sticks and logs everywhere; I’m not sure if they are used in fireplaces, or for some sort of building.

Lucca’s becoming somewhat familiar; we know where the ATM machine approved by Bank of America is, and where to get really good hot chocolate. We got another great parking space, and had a quick lunch before heading to Firenze to check into our new hotel, Marriott’s AC Firenze.

We walked to Mia’s apartment, which is only a few blocks away from our hotel. After an apartment tour, we strolled through her neighborhood, across one of the many bridges to the other side of the Arno river, and then towards a restaurant where Mia made reservations for us and two friends. Ponte Vecchio, the “Old Bridge,” was a spectacular sight at night in the lights.

We stopped to peek inside a church on the way, and because we arrived early, had a quick hot chocolate at a chocolatier next to the restaurant.

  

I’brindellone is named for the ceremonial cart used on Easter in Firenze’s pageant. The restaurant is a typical neighborhood restaurant, serving Florentine dishes to locals. We met Mia’s friends, Brad and Valentina, and started our meal with the appetizers everyone there was eating: fried bread dough balls, with proscuitto and a type of cream cheese. The hot dough balls were delicious! The main course was bistecca Fiorentina or Florentine beefsteak, which turns out to be the largest cut of meat I have ever seen served in a restaurant. It is basically a very thick porterhouse steak, served with the bone in. Brad did the carving honors, and we all helped ourselves to contorni, or side dishes, of cannelini beans, salad, stewed zucchini, and fried artichokes, washed down with local Chianti wine. Everything was tasty, and the conversation was sparkling.

  

On our walk with Mia back toward her apartment and our hotel, we stopped to look at yet another huge church, preparing for Good Friday services. We were thrilled to get back to the hotel and collapse!

… the Devil’s Bridge …

… and learn to cook pasta and sauces. With our time at Il Ciocco winding down, we wanted to do those things we hadn’t made time for. High on that list was a stop at an unusual stone bridge on the way to Lucca. The bridge was built in the 1300s; its asymmetrical arches and its peculiar shape are explained by a legend which says that the architect got partially finished, and then was baffled about how to complete the project. In despair, he made a deal with the Devil in which the Devil would finish the bridge and in return, claim the soul of the first one to cross the completed bridge. The Devil built the rest of the bridge in just one night, and waited to claim a soul. But the architect, being clever, sent a dog across the bridge first, and the Devil was left with the dog’s soul. The bridge is very steep and the stonework is exceptional. It is a beautiful landmark along the way.

  

     

  

Of course after we had slowly and carefully trudged our way to the very top of the bridge, a group of kids came running up one side of the bridge and down the other! After catching our breath, we stopped briefly in Borgo a Mozzana, the town where the bridge is located; it’s a pretty little town like most in Tuscany, with several beautiful churches and winding streets.

We had extra time before our 4 pm cooking class, so we went back to Lucca, our favorite Tuscan town. We found a great parking space inside the city walls, with the magnificent San Frediano church nearby. Founded in the 8th C., it was rebuilt in the 12th C., consecrated by Pope Eugene III in 1147, then restructured in the 13th C. The exterior features a large Byzantine mosaic. Inside, the church has an embarrassment of riches. As the Pope’s church it received special embellishments, including ancient marble columns brought to Lucca from Rome, a marble baptismal font from the 12 C., a large della Robbia terra cotta decoration, beautiful carved marble crypts in the floor - and the whole incorrupted body of Saint Vita, encased in a glass coffin.

     

We also stopped by the old Roman ampitheater, now an oval area of little shops and restaurants; it’s a great place to spend time.

Our main activity for the day was a cooking class with chef Paolo Monti, at the Hotel & Ristorante La Cantina di Carignano outside Lucca. We selected Lesson 5, Fresh pasta, ravioli and sauces. In the first hour, we made six different sauces as well as a chicken stock: tomato sauce from fresh cherry tomatoes, tomato sauce from canned whole tomatoes, a creamy mushroom sauce, a spicy curry sauce with blood orange juice and peel, a matriciana sauce (tomato sauce with pancetta), and a creamy tomato sauce made with fresh mozzarella cheese.

  

In the second hour, we made six types of pasta: a white pasta, a green spinach pasta, a red tomato pasta, a black squid ink pasta, and a chocolate pasta, as well as potato gnocchi. We also made two kinds of ravioli filling: ricotta and spinach, and for the squid ink pasta, shrimp filling. We had a quick break for spaghetti with carbonara sauce, eaten as soon as we made it. And so good!

     

  

After that, it was all just good eating! The chef combined the pastas and sauces, and we were served each dish in the dining room of the restaurant. It was so much food we couldn’t begin to do it justice.

  

After our pasta main courses, we went back to the kitchen to help the chef prepare our special dessert: chocolate ravioli with caramelized pears, in a a caramel and strawberry sauce. It was magnificent!

  

… to a winery …

… near Lucca. The concierge called early in the morning to ask if we wanted to go to a local wine tasting. Two other American couples had apparently signed on for a tasting and she thought perhaps we would be interested. Having nothing else planned, we ate a hasty breakfast and drove the hour to the winery, a lovely place in the countryside near Monte Carlo called Tenuta del Buonamico. It turned out to be the source of the wine we had the night before at the hotel restaurant. We arrived first and enjoyed a glass of rose spumante while we waited. We toured the wine making rooms with the vats, the enclosed sparkling wine room, the barrel rooms with racks that can be easily rotated by a single person, and the bottling area with pallets of wine ready for shipment.

  

  

We even saw the special cellar with the owner’s private historic wine collection. The winery is one of the oldest in the area, although it dates only to 1964. We tasted eight of the wines produced here, four whites and four reds, all made from the winery’s 40 acres of vines. The tasting room dispenser was a marvel of modern machinery, chilling each bottle to its best temperature, keeping pressure in the bottle to prevent degradation for up to a month, and dispensing precisely measured tasting quantities into each glass automatically. 

  

After the wine tasting we ate a simple buffet lunch of bruschetta, a hearty salad of tomatoes and spelt (an interesting and ancient grain which tastes a little bit like barley), several types of parmesan cheese, olives, and cherry tomatoes. And of course, glasses of whichever wine we liked the best from the tasting. The meal ended with a glass of grappa, strong enough to put hair on your chest!

From the winery, we drove to the nearby small town of Monte Carlo, and walked around in the chilly, wet weather, wandering into a lovely church, and looking at the old city gates. We found a café which served hot chocolate and warmed up. On the way back to the hotel we stopped at E.Leclerc, a Walmart-type store which sells everything - just to check it out. A few of the items we discovered were a sandwich toaster, and, of course, a pizza oven! This is Italy, after all…

  

Back at the hotel, we changed into our bathing suits at the spa and soaked in the warmly heated indoor pool. A lovely end to the day!

… to Firenze (Florence) …

… so Mia didn’t have to take the train. Firenze is only about an hour and a half from our current hotel, and it would have taken us 45 minutes to the train station. It was a rainy day, despite which we got to her apartment easily. At Mia’s suggestion, on the way back to Barga we stopped to check out the town of Pistoia.

Pistoia was a well-known and ancient city. It was mentioned by Dante in the Divine Comedy; Michelangelo called the residents of Pistoia the “enemies of heaven” – for reasons unknown. Today it is noted for its azalea gardens and springtime flower shows and markets, all of which won’t take place until next month.

There is one large square in Pistoia, surrounded by impressive buildings. The most beautiful is the Cathedral of San Zeno, built in the 12-13th centuries, and its bell tower, octagonal baptistery, and bishop’s palace.

   

  

Unfortunately almost nothing was open. We weren’t sure if it was because it was a Monday afternoon, or if there was some other reason. Pistoia advertises that it has “seven museums within 100 meters,” all located around the Piazza del Duomo – on this afternoon, there were seven closed museums! Other buildings on the same square include an archeological museum and a civic museum. We wandered into the civic museum only to be told by a friendly guard that the museum was closed. After thinking it over, he said there were two rooms he could take us to see, and pulled out two of the largest keys you’ve ever seen outside of a “key to the city” ceremony. He unlocked the council chambers, where the town council meets, and another large civic auditorium. The flag of Pistoia is very striking. The council president sits at the head of the table, and instead of a gavel, wields a bell.

    

We entered another building on the square called the Tribunale de Pistoia; I have no idea what the building is used for today, but the castle-like and cavernous first floor with its heraldic decorations was impressive.

  

We were chilly after tramping around in the drizzle and stopped for a delicious hot chocolate. This café or “bar” had an extensive menu of chocolates; when you picked a packet of chocolate, they whipped it up with cream and a frothing machine into a drink that has to be consumed with a spoon. They offered dark, milk and white chocolate options, and would also pair the chocolates with various types of alcohol in a shake.

  

Outside, we discovered the sun was shining! Perhaps it was just the chocolate… On our walk out of the city, we stepped inside a lovely church with a 59-meter-high dome commissioned by Cosimo I de Medici to Giorgio Vasari. The dome is currently undergoing some serious restoration, and is encased in scaffolding. This has no impact on the interior of the church, which was originally constructed to house a miraculous fresco of the Madonna; in 1490 in the midst of infighting in the region, blood was observed dripping from the forehead of the fresco (see above).

After a little window shopping, we were on our way back to the hotel to rest up for another day.

… to the races …

… and Barga. We woke up Saturday to the sound of engines revving outside our windows. The 2013 Il Ciocco Rally had begun! Our balcony was a great place to see the cars lining up to start the race. Most car makes were represented, from Fiat to Ferrari. The drivers wore official-looking racing uniforms, and some had large entourages. Many drivers stayed in our hotel for the weekend, which temporarily boosted the attractiveness of the clientele.

  

  

With the race underway, we had to use a roundabout tiny road to leave the hotel, and found the roads wherever we went were full of racers in mid-circuit. Because it is a timed event with a staggered start, the racers must match the clock requirements, so all out speed is not necessarily an advantage.

The race continued on Sunday morning. The weather didn’t look too promising so we scheduled late afternoon massages at the hotel’s spa and headed for nearby Barga to explore. Lucca has very uneven paving, but is quite level otherwise. Barga is extremely hilly, with some of the best sights located in the steepest parts of the city. A light rain began to fall. There was supposed to be a chocolate festival in Barga on Palm Sunday, along with a large market, and we spent a lot of time searching for a sign of either event. Finally someone told us that none of the chocolatiers had shown up, and the market was reduced to just a few vendors because of the rain.

Barga’s origins are unknown, but by the Middle Ages it was a fortified city. It became known for manufacturing plaster figurines; in the early 19th century, many of these plaster crafters (notice I did NOT say casters!) fled to France, Austria, Germany and Russia, and then to the US and UK in the end of the century. They became successful small businessmen, owning saloons in the US and fried-food shops in Scotland, and then returned to Barga to retire, creating a boom in the local economy.

We entered Barga through the well-preserved Porta Reale. In search of chocolate, we chose the most level street, the well-named “Via Mezzo” – the Middle Road. When that street ended in a steep downward path, we began the descent rather cautiously. We were quickly passed by two elderly ladies in high heels – and carrying umbrellas!

   

After wandering up hill and down, we stopped in a café for a coffee for Mia and cups of the region’s thick hot chocolate for Frank and me. People we talked with said the thing to see in Barga is the Duomo; when we checked the map, it was unfortunately located at the very top of the hill on which Barga sits.

 

Huffing and puffing, we made our way up a series of steep and now slippery paths and steps to the top. The most interesting things in the Duomo were windows with thin alabaster coverings from the Middle East rather than stained glass; an amazing marble pulpit; and several terra cotta works by the della Robbias.

  

  

After snapping some pictures from the high vantage point, we worked our way downhill and ate a tasty lunch at Mordimi, which can be translated as “Bite Me!” The deep-fried Roman-style artichokes were memorable; every piece of the artichoke is edible and delicious, including the stem.

  

Driving back to the hotel, we looked for the home of Giovanni Pascoli, a noted Italian poet from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. We saw signs for the house, and had a flyer with a photo of the house, but couldn’t find it – until we approached the entrance to the hotel, and saw that Pascoli’s house sits just below the hotel! We toured the home with a docent, who said everything in the house is just as it was when Pascoli lived there, including his clothes in the closets and drawers. Pascoli’s sister Maria preserved everything for the rest of her life, outliving Giovanni by 40 years. No photos were allowed in the house; here are Pascoli’s chaise lounge on his balcony, and the view he had when sitting in it.

  

We had a nice swim and massage in the hotel spa, and then a great game of cards with Mia, accompanied by pizza and chestnut beer. A very good day!