Lucca - April 24, 2009

Lucca is about a 15 minute train ride from Orzignano, where I live, and is a charming little city. It is surrounded by a large wall, well there have been three walls built around the city to fortify the city against intruders or anyone else interested in attacking the city. The wall that stands today was built during the Renaissance and is not going anywhere in the next several hundred years. It is probably several hundred feet high and thick enough to plant trees, build playgrounds, and a road on the top of the wall. Napoleon loved Lucca and gave it to his sister as a gift. Lucca is known as the city of 100 churches. Rachel and I rented bikes and rode around the city on top of the wall – it was a gorgeous day and very fun. Lucca is every bit as beautiful as these pictures suggest. Also, I had my first gelato in Lucca. It was more than I expected. I am in love.

A street in Lucca.

Views from the wall:

The absence of light: As I enter these gorgeous cathedrals that were build centuries and in some cases, millennia, ago I cannot help but notice how dark they are. There is very little natural light that can be filtered through the stained glass windows and there is very little light coming from candles or other sources. I cannot help but contrast these experiences with my experiences in one of our chapels. There is so much light. Life is dark enough – I need the light.

View from the wall.

Puccini was born and raised and lived for a long time in Lucca. The city puts on Puccini operas every weekend. I plan to attend them all.

This is the church in the main square in Lucca.

A road in Lucca and Rachel.

The Renaissance Wall.

I like this photo because it shows different layers of bricks signifying different periods building/fortifying the wall.

The tunnel under the wall and me.