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
Questions Asked
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
Welcome to the Community and we hope that you will enjoy it. Learning a language is a long process and doing it in a country where you cannot get an immersion into the language and culture creates many difficulties. You need plenty of patience and work and the idea to come to Italy for an intensive course is an excellent one. There are plenty of courses available in different cities and regions.Good luck with your studies.Â
 Congratulations to all the wonderful workers. You had a hard time with the weather but you can be proud of the results. And the people from L'Aquila will be very grateful. Well done!
 Very interesting information, Charlotte. Thank you. Would it be advisable to update existing wills so that they will comply with the new Regulation as soon as this is in its final form and approved? Could there be any conflict in the case of existing wills not complying? I can see quite a few grey areas.  Anyway, this could be the perfect time for anyone not having a proper will to look into the matter. Otherwise, your beneficiaries only inherit a big headache.
 It is a good idea to have the group as there are many changes in EU laws which will affect us. I am not in the legal profession, but I am very interested in the Law, perhaps because my late father and four of his five brothers were all lawyers, as well as many other relatives. So I have joined in.
 It is not too complicated to organise. You have to talk to your parish priest who will tell you when the ceremony can take place. Usually it is on a Sunday and is part of the Mass. Some parishes have short courses for parents and godparents to attend, but it all depends on the particular parish. After the ceremony, a family lunch or similar takes place at home or at a restaurant. It is customary to invite the celebrant, although he may decline if he has too many commitments on that day. Guests receive small favours as souvenirs of the ceremony. Some people have religious stamps engraved with the date and place of the Baptism and the names of the children and godparents. Also, small pouches with sugar almonds are distributed amongst the guests.I can tell you that the whole parish will be delighted....
 It will be of great benefit to members to have a group administered by Charlotte who always gives sound advice concerning legal matters. We have had quite a few queries on this topic, both in the Community and in the old forum. Also, legal matters within the EU are fairly complicated as there is no uniformity and this particularly affects those amongst ourselves who own properties in different EU countries. I will be happy to join the group as soon as it is posted. Right now you get a notice stating that access is denied. It usually takes a couple of days to set up a group. So it will require a bit of patience...
 If you want to complicate things - although in an interesting way- you can drive Firenze - Montecatini (exit) , Pescia, Collodi, then take the road that ends up in Boveglio. From there to Bagni di Lucca via Benabbio and then turn right to Abetone - Modena. From there to Verona. But it is much shorter and easier via Bologna.
 Not much experience with potatoes, but I think that it is a bit late. Nothing nicer than home-grown and baked Pontiacs.... Yummy!!!!
I think that the "Grazie" button was very useful, but it is also true that sometimes it was abused for all the wrong reasons. It is like the wheel, a very useful invention, Â but also an instrument of torture. It all depends on how it is used and whether the intention is good or bad. Human nature!Â
 Hi Angela and welcome. Enjoy the Community and let us know more about your future plans.