Elisa, Lady of Lucca

It’s still raining but the trains are running, so we spend the day going back to Lucca to retrieve the luggage we left there while cycling the Via Francigena. It is a little over 2 hours by train, and it takes 2 trains. When we got to Lucca, we got a bite to eat and a couple of cappuccini at Pasticcieria Elisa, which is around the block from our Lucca apartment on Via Elisa. We quickly checked out the freebie exhibit across the street on the “Letters of Elisa”. Her brother Napolean, installed her as ruler of Lucca, while he was expanding his empire. The show displayed her handwritten letters, golden inkwell, and leather & wood carved traveling writing desk…plus her portrait (the blip of the day). We didn’t have much time because we had to get back to Bologna for a 5 pm concert (pianoforte and viola) held in the Sala di Mozart…so called because the genius actually played there in October 9, 1770.