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
 What has been shown on TV is devastating. I feel very sorry for those people who are losing their homes. Fatalties have not been reported as they were able to evacuate those dangerous areas in time. The problem is that the weather patterns are still quite complicated and there could be more landslides.
Time always tell who is everybody as in the short... or long run everyone shows his/her true colours. That is why I always welcome everyone. The final judgement will come at a much later stage. In a forum you get all sorts of people.Â
 Florence is an excellent choice, although you may find that it is a bit more crowded than you anticipate. Have a great time and learn a lot!
 Hello and welcome, Michael. Florence is a wonderful city. Best wishes.
 I have not seen any introductory post signed by you, Beeryspice. I only want to give you a belated welcome and I share Angie's idea that your post is a breath of fresh air. And we badly need one.....
 I think that it is important to welcome anyone who joins the Community, particularly when they ask for help with a personal problem. Time will tell whether they are genuine or not, but cannot judge them from the very start without listening to them. Unfortunately, I was travelling at the time when the thread was started and I was absent from the Community for four weeks. Otherwise, I would have sent my usual welcome thread to anyone who joins in. I wish Tess all the best, but the most important thing is that she has found friends to look after her.
 Hi Alan, sorry to hear about your predicament. It is a very complicated case where you need advice and guidance from a clever lawyer. If you are unhappy with the way your local avvocato is handling your affairs, it would be better to engage another lawyer. What are the other four people who bought the remaining apartments? Have you had any contact with them? Best wishes
 Actually, I don't understand why Italy has been included on the list or even mentioned, as the group of "PIGS" is made of Portugal, Ireland, Greece and Spain. The public deficit as a percentage of the PIB is -11.6 for Ireland, -10.3 for Spain, -9 for France (Mon Dieu!!!!!), -8.7 for Greece and -8.3 for Portugal. Italy only appears to have -5.6, next to Germany with -5.6 All this appears in the data published by the prestigious Spanish newspaper ABC in today's edition. I really don't think that Italy will revert to the Lira. Actually, I think that the Euro will maintain its position. Perhaps the US Dollar will gain some points against the Euro as it is currently doing.
Angie, I was unable to find the original thread in the old Forum, so I searched the net and found the hilarious collection of characters. Just as you said, it was a lovely thread, everyone behaved, lots of humour and a good time. Most of us ended up as composite characters, with a bit of this one and a bit of another one... It was also very funny to realise how we see ourselves and what other members think.... So I've thrown down the gauntlet. Please be nice.....
 Let's see now: