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5/7/02 Tuesday
We have driven to Lucca. Elaine psyched us a parking space. Very advanced method of collecting parking fees. There was a woman who came around and entered our car info into some hand held device that was connected to a box on her belt. We got a piece of paper and we pay when we get back. Have just wandered around and sat down at an outdoor shaded restaurant. "Trattoria Italia" and/or "Pizza Italia" on Corte Compagni 2. I've ordered spaghetti bolognese and Elaine a pizza with tomatoes and gorgonzola. I liked mine but Elaine was disappointed. Dessert around the corner.We did a email check then walked around the promenade on the city wall. I was laying on the wall looking at the book of Italy to see our next place to visit and some coins dropped out of my pocket. One dropped into an area that had no accessbut Elaine was saying to leave it so I had to get down there and back. It turned out to be only ¤.20 but I managed. We walked back toward the center of town, passing a mower with a lift system. We took pictures of the hydrolic lift system being used
that my brother Paul holds patents on. Just in case this was in violation. We found the restaurant that Antonio had recommended, "Baca San Antonia" but at 4:30 they were already booked full. It looked good. We wandered around some more, hit a church or two, one of which had the mummified body of Santa Zita .
We got gelato, then looked for another restaurant but couldn't find anything appealing. So we got in the car and drove straight through the gate into town and out the other side headed north. We noticed a sign pointing out a restaurant so we kept following them. It was a nice ride through the country. After several miles and a castle
we found it, "Villa Casanova". It's in the middle of nowhere. A resort type place in the middle of the country, There were horses nearby, clay tennis court, nice view of the
valley. They were accepting outside diners tonight. (Sometimes they only fed their own guests) Only one other table occupied when we sat down. Had Fuisela (twisted) pasta and meat sauce, rosa vino, natural water. Prima course tasted very good to me. Second course is grilled pork chop for me and veal in white wine sauce, salad and mixed veggies for Elaine. Pork great, veal good but I don't care for the sauce. Elaine had to go outside to cool off. Claims it's the red wine. I've learned how to eat European style, fork in left hand and upsidedown and not switching hands after cutting. For dessert torts for me and cream carmel for Elaine, her usual. My torte turned out to be cake
with cherries in it and powdered sugar on top. The wait between finishing a meal and getting the check is interminable. You have to get the waiters attention, then scribble in the air with your hand to get them started. We made it home going over the river and back only once we got to Florence but not too badly lost. We took the Autostrada and learned some new features of the car.For instance, traffic reports automatically pause the CD and give us updates, (of course they're in Italian), a cool French woman's voice warns me when I leave the lights on-in French, the door automatically unlocks if I have the key in my pocket when I try the door- then locks automatically when I walk away, the stereo volume control is on the steering column, and the wipers speed is determined by the amount of rain hitting the windshield. Passing a truck they speed up!