The city of Lucca has always been my favourite. Not only because it is only 25 minutes away from our home and I go there at least two or three times a week, but also because you do not feel like a "tourist" there.
Gala Placidia's activity
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In this icy cold weather, hot drinks and comfort foods are a must. Preparing and consuming them are good ways to spend time when we cannot venture outdoors.
Wed, 02/08/2012 - 06:10
The cold weather is affecting most of Italy and creating difficulties concerning energy supplies. Russia, the most important supplier, has been reducing the provision of gas up to 30% due to increasing demand in their area.
Tue, 02/07/2012 - 02:22
The San Francisco Chronicle publishes today this most interesting article:
Sun, 02/05/2012 - 12:45
Whenever we are in Italy, we love to visit antique and vintage markets and fairs, looking for that special piece that we would love to have. Sometimes, we find it...
Wed, 02/01/2012 - 02:47
One of my favourite activities in Italy is to visit those markets that sell antique and vintage items.
Tue, 01/31/2012 - 06:38
Some members may have noticed that I have been fairly quiet for the past month and a half. The reason for this was that we have been visiting our daughters who live in San Francisco (CA).
Fri, 01/20/2012 - 02:59
The new ½ûÂþÌìÌà government has been announced and it is obvious that we will have a fight between technocrats and politicians.
Wed, 11/16/2011 - 14:24
A lot has been written about the dangers of overheating Teflon coated cookware. Toxic fumes can be extremely dangerous for our health. Personally, I have never liked that type of cookware and I do not buy it anymore.
Sat, 10/29/2011 - 06:24
In another thread, we were discussing Tuscan herbs and "funghi porcini". Tuscany is a paradise for herb lovers and many varieties, such as rosemary, sage and "nipitella" grow wild.
Thu, 10/27/2011 - 11:23
Comments posted
 Some interesting statistics concerning illegal immigration throughout the Eu
 Well, we always learn something new and this topic was also very interesting.
 Here is some interesting information:
 I have to agree with Angie, those "feral" cats quickly become "domestic" cats if they get good care. We have had several of them as our girls used to pick up any scrawny kitten they will find. They were taken to the vet, neutered as soon as possible, well fed and well educated and we never had a problem with those stray cats. A couple of weeks teaching them what they were expected to do and they adopted us.We had large houses with large gardens and they would not even wander beyond the fences. We had a couple of chihuahua dogs who were used to live with cats and they happily shared everything with the newcomers. On the other hand, a couple of cats purchased from breeders (a Persian and a Burmese) had lots of health problems which required constant trips to the vet. I think that it had to do with inbreeding, something that does not happen with the ferals. Same thing with the dogs. The ones with a Pedigree have always had health problems, our latest one, a shih-tzu X terrier is incredibly healthy and she is now a senior dog.
 I found the story most interesting, Postmac. Thank you.
 Thanks Alan, I do not know what happens with my links... Sometimes they do not work
 An interesting event to attend if you happen to be in London:
 Obviously, the author has not researched the topic thoroughly. The south has a rich and varied mixture of cultures and what has been said about its cuisine is total nonsense. The South is different from the North; however, this does not mean that their culture is inferior to any other one. They are just different and, as the French say: "Vive la différence!" You can add to the list of famous writers from Sicily Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, the Palermo born author of "Il Gattopardo", (The Leopard), one of the best books ever written about Sicilian society at the time of the Reunification. This book is a must for anyone interested in history. Also, you can watch the marvelous movie directed by Luchino Visconti, featuring Burt Lancaster, Alain Delon and Claudia Cardinale. A real delight!
 Hi Beeryspice. I sort of welcomed you on another thread but it never hurts to do it again. We look forward to hearing more from you and your plans. Best wishes
 Was the purchaser Count Dracula or one of his relatives?