Italy 2015

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Tredici settembre domenica ( September 13 Sunday)

Piove in Lucca (It rains in Lucca). Rain, rain and more rain in the morning. At times very hard and some thunder and when it thunders here because the buildings  are so close together it triples the noise.

It cleared up later in the afternoon. The Santa Croce Procession celebration is tonight - always on September 13th. Click here for an explanation.

We went for a walk but not on the wall because the weather could turn in a heartbeat.

Dinner at Osteria Vispa Teresa, a small local place where tourists do not go. And it is out of the way, so all the locals were eating near the parade area (the entire center of the city). Menu hand written and only in Italian. Primo, Dow ha preso ravioli di ricotta e pomarola e ho presso lasagne al ragù. Secondo, Dow ha preso cinghiale in umido con olive e ho preso trippa al toscana.

Dopo la cena siamo andati alla celebrazione di Santa Croce  (After dinner we went to The Santa Croce celebration). It was crazy - hundreds of people lined the streets, candles on the walls of all the buildings - amazing atmosphere.

It was so dark the most of the pictures did not turn out. All of Lucca was in the parade every organization was represented -sort of  like the labor day parade in Pittsburgh.  Every organization and/or religious group instead of trucks and labor unions.





Click once on  pictures below to view a slideshow

Our front door
Our front door
first flight of stairs
first flight of stairs
2nd flight of stairs
2nd flight of stairs
Dow going down - 45 steps total
Dow going down - 45 steps total
They have to put up every candle and then light them.
They have to put up every candle and then light them.
lighting the lights
lighting the lights
lighting the lights one by one
lighting the lights one by one
Menu
Menu
lasagne
lasagne
ravioli
ravioli
wild boar stew
wild boar stew
tripe
tripe
Streets before parade
Streets before parade
lights everywhere
lights everywhere
all hand placed and hand lit
all hand placed and hand lit
Even in the tower
Even in the tower
the Italians were efficient and on time with litsing the candles
the Italians were efficient and on time with litsing the candles
all candles were lit that afternoon
all candles were lit that afternoon
even on churches
even on churches
Here it comes
Here it comes
All of Lucca is in the celebration
All of Lucca is in the celebration