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:http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/
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 Italian 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
A bit more time is needed. You will get used to the new format and I am certain that there will be more improvements.
Hi, Masterphoto, and a very warm welcome. We all look forward to hearing more from you. Keep on fighting and be positive. Enjoy your holidays. Best wishes.
Glad to see your name back. It is taking a bit of time to get used to the format, but we are getting more confident.
After following the excellent advice given by Fox and having narrowed the area, visit the place both in summer and in winter, to ascertain the availability of services, possible isolation, etc. All areas look terrific during the high season, but you have to see them during the low season as well, particularly if you intend to reside there.Before buying a place check first how much it is going to cost you to heat the home in winter as many people are surprised by the high cost of energy in Italy. The house has to be cost efficient and for this you will need double glazing, a good heating system and proper insulation. Winters can be cold in Italy. We checked all that and we haven't had nasty surprises.
I agree with Gromit as nowadays it is basically the same rule all over the EU, namely:If you are over 65 and a pensioner from any EU country, your rights can be transferred to your new EU country of residence (ie Italy), providing there is a Health agreement between the two countries (origin and new residency) and your country of origin gives you the right paperwork.Under the age of 65 and coming from another EU country, your health entitlements depend on whether you have a job or a business and make contributions to the local Social Security. Then, in the case of Italy, you will be given the same entitlements as any other citizen or resident, because you are contributing to the system.If you are an early retiree or you are not working, you should provide proof of your health cover through private health insurance, and this will be a requisite in order to obtain residency.The same rules would apply not only in Italy, but also in France and Spain (as far as I know) and I guess that it would be a similar situation throughout the EU countries.
Hi Serge, I lived in Australia for many years and I loved bottlebrushes. I am glad to see that they are now sold in Europe, together with many other useful natives. Some "purists' will not like the introduction of foreign flora; however, many species that we consider to be European are only adopted plants from other countries and continents. I love eclectic gardens, with a bit from everywhere. In the old times, this couild be considered an exotic garden.Regarding callistemons, I guess that the one you have is the classic "Endeavour" or Callistemon citrinus "Endeavour", a beautiful plant with characteristic bottlebrush flowers in red. It usually flowers in early summer and then again in autumn. Prune just below the flower heads after the flowering season and careful with caterpillars (worst enemies). Otherwise, it is a hardy plant.Other varieties for callistemons which are worth looking for would be:Callistemon viminalis "Captain Cook" (Dwarf red bottlebrush), a very dainty red-tipped shrub with arching branches that flowers very liberallu in spring and summer.Callistemon pallidus (Lemon bottlebrush), with pale yellow flowers.Calothamnus (sic) sanguineus (One-sided bottlebrush or Silky-leaved blood flower)Callistemon salignus or Willow bottlebrush, a small tree which blooms with cream-white flowers that can grow up to 3m in 5 years or up to 9m at maturity. Used for decorative purposes in many Australian and New Zealand gardens.There are more species, it all depends on what you can get through local nurseries.Happy gardening!
We found that property prices in Bagni di Lucca are excellent value for money, particularly because you are only 25 minutes away from Lucca and the road is very good. Pisa airport is less than an hour away. Florence an hour and 15 minutes, but you can also catch the train at either Lucca or Pescia. There is a train station and regular buses. Plus it is a beautiful location with plenty of services that are available all year round. Obviously, your friends will have to carefully look at properties as there are some which are excellent and some which leave much to be desired. As in every other town.
Never mind, Serge. We are all learning. Your other post is fine.
I guess that you have forgotten to mention it as it grows very well.Your garden will make all of us envious!!!!!
A great pictorial dicionary is the Oxford-Duden Pictorial. There are several versions, Italian-English, French-English. Great reference books to have at home.