Slowing Down with Art: Living in Italy and Falling for Fra Angelico

January 12, 2026 by JLF

Living in Italy has changed the way I experience life and art. So much of Italy is old; our city has Roman, Medieval, and Renaissance structures and art. Being surrounded by centuries of art has slowed me down, encouraged deeper looking, and turned curiosity into long-term study rather than fleeting admiration.

Where My Love of Art Began

I have enjoyed art since I was young. On my first trip to Europe at age 17, I encountered works I didn’t fully understand, yet found beautiful and intriguing. Years later, as a senior in college, my schedule finally allowed room for a few “fun” classes alongside my math and science requirements, and I took an Art History course. That class transformed how I looked at art—not just as something beautiful, but as a reflection of its time and place, shaped by the artist’s life and influencing generations to come.

Learning One Artist at a Time

Over the years, museum visits in both the U.S. and Europe deepened that appreciation. After moving to Italy about six years ago, my relationship with Italian art grew more personal and immersive. In 2022, I read The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone, a historical novel about Michelangelo that inspired a quest to see his surviving sculptures in Italy (and a few beyond). Once I completed that journey, I began studying artists one at a time—Giotto, Botticelli, Leonardo, Raphael, Lippi, and others—allowing each to unfold slowly.

This Year’s Focus: Fra Angelico

This year, my focus (okay… perhaps my obsession) was Fra Angelico. His name may not be as recognizable, but he has completely captured my heart. Living at the transition between the late Middle Ages and the early Renaissance, his work evolved from flatter, more symbolic forms to the more naturalistic, three-dimensional style of the Renaissance. A Dominican monk, Fra Angelico was less interested in spectacle than in creating art for quiet devotion and prayer.

In the fall of 2025, a major Fra Angelico exhibition opened in Florence, split between the Museo di San Marco and Palazzo Strozzi. Jim and I went with a friend from Florence, committing to a full day immersed in his work, with a leisurely lunch in between to reset and reflect. Even so, by early afternoon we were overwhelmed—the exhibition included more than 140 works. My goal was simply to take it all in at an overview level, knowing I would return later to spend more time with selected pieces.

A side note… do you know that there is an illness that occurs in Florence from seeing too much beautiful art. Those inflicted experience rapid heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, confusion, and even hallucinations from overwhelming artistic beauty. It sounds dramatic, but it’s real… google “Stendhal Syndrome”. I’ve never experienced these severe symptoms, but I definitely reach a wall when viewing “too much art” that causes me to lower my gaze to the floor and head to the exit.

And so, we returned to Florence for a two-night stay. I spent one afternoon at Palazzo Strozzi and the next morning at the Museo di San Marco. I also really limited the pieces that I looked at. Jim opted out of my second Fra Angelico deep dive and wandered around the city on his own.

Palazzo Strozzi, with lots of banners for the special exhibit
Lots of people enjoying the exhibit, including these monks

My favorite part of the exhibition was at the Museo di San Marco which also houses many of his works permanently. The building was once a Dominican convent where Fra Angelico lived. Each monk had a small room, or “cell,” used for sleep, meditation, and prayer. What makes San Marco extraordinary is that Fra Angelico painted frescoes in each cell—not for public admiration, but for the private devotion of the monk who lived there. Most are simple, a few more complex, but all were created to support quiet meditation and prayer.

On that same floor, in the hallway, is Fra Angelico’s most famous fresco, The Annunciation, depicting the angel Gabriel telling Mary that she will bear the Son of God. There are many fascinating technical aspects to this work, but what moves me most is Mary’s gentle expression and the soft, calming colors that create a sense of peace and stillness. Fra Angelico does not paint to impress—he paints to slow the viewer down.

Fra Angelico also created large altarpieces and fulfilled commissions by the wealthy patrons of the day, demonstrating that his deeply contemplative style was equally at home in major public commissions.

Here are three versions of The Annunciation for different places and intended uses:

Annunciation of Cortona is an altarpiece intended for display in a church. Lots of gold, deep colors, decorations and complexity.
The Annunciation at San Marco is at the entrance to the residents’ area of the convent, in the hallway. The monks would see this every day. Gentle colors, simpler composition. No gold.
The Annunciation in one of the cells or rooms of the convent. The fresco is even simpler with just the essence of the story, intended for prayer and mediation.
Closeup of the Annunciation in a cell. As founder of the Dominican Order, Saint Dominic appears as a model of prayerful contemplation for the friars living in the cells.

Although this exhibit ends on 25 January 2026, many of his works are permanently on display at the Museo di San Marco. If you visit Florence, I strongly recommend that you visit. It is a two-minute walk from the Galleria dell’Accademia which houses Michaelangelo’s David.

Who’s Next?

So, who will I study next? My current plan is Luca della Robbia and Donatello. And yes, Donatello will complete my study of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. 😊

Living in Italy makes this kind of slow, immersive exploration possible. Art here isn’t something you rush through —it becomes a companion over time. Studying one artist deeply, returning again and again, and letting understanding unfold gradually has been one of the great gifts of living here, and it’s a journey I’m grateful to continue.

In closing, here are some of the Christmas lights we saw as a bonus on our weekend visit to Florence. Not all serious art, but also glitzy lights!

Christmas tree in front of the Duomo
Christmas lights near Piazza Repubblica, where we stayed.

Another Milestone in Our Italian Immigration Adventure

November 9, 2025 by JLF

Saturday we reached a big milestone — we now have our permanent carta di soggiorno, or permission to stay in Italy indefinitely.

How We Got Here

2017–2019: What began as a dream of moving to Italy slowly turned into a rough idea, then a sketch of a plan, and eventually into a detailed, deliberate decision.
2019: We applied for Elective Residency visas while still living in the U.S.
2020–2022: After moving to Italy, we began the bureaucratic marathon:
- Annual permesso di soggiorno
- Official residency
- Carta d’identità (national ID card)
- Tessera sanitaria (health card)
  All of this took from March 2020 to January 2022.
Driver’s Licenses: After one year in Italy, you must get an Italian driver’s license. The written test is notoriously difficult — even for Italians. After lots of studying, we both passed. Jim even passed the motorcycle exam, so a Ducati may be in our future.
Annual Renewals: Every year we had to apply for a new permesso di soggiorno and tessera sanitaria. The permesso expires after one year but sometimes takes longer than that to receive, so you pick it up already expired and start all over again. A never-ending loop.
Year Five: After five years of residency, we became eligible for a permanent carta di soggiorno — and we applied right away.

Each application required piles of documents. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve submitted our 14-page lease (always printed double-sided!).

The Stressful Part: The Suitability Certification

To apply for the permanent carta di soggiorno, we needed:

Everything required for a regular permesso, plus:
Italian language certificate (A2 level)
Criminal record in Italy
Certification that our home is “suitable for habitation”

We provided all documents except the last one. The last one was the hardest. Our apartment easily meets the standards, but the city wanted a properly scaled floor plan and additional documents we didn’t originally know were required. We asked the owners, the building association, a neighbor, even the building’s architect (who we know personally). Still — we could not get the last document.

Then, out of the blue, Tony (our Italian fixer for all things bureaucratic) told us our permanent carta di soggiorno had been approved and was ready to pick up. We still don’t know how or why, but we are so grateful. Truly an answered prayer.

What’s Next?

Our lease expires in two- and one-half years. Rent will probably increase after eight years at the same rate — which is fair — or the owners may decide to sell. If that happens, we don’t know what we’ll do. Long-term rentals in Lucca are currently scarce because of the conversion to short-term rentals. Maybe things will change in two years. Maybe we’ll compromise. Maybe we’ll move to another city. Buying isn’t likely — the tax implications and housing market are complicated and very different from the U.S.

Mostly, we’ll continue our retired life in Lucca. We usually have a major trip or event about once a month. In between, we plan for those adventures, study Italian, enjoy our hobbies, spend time with friends, and appreciate the simple rhythms of daily life.

After ten years of residency, we’ll be eligible to apply for Italian citizenship. That requires a B1-level language certification. I’ve already passed mine; Jim is studying for his now. We decided it’s easier to take the test at age 66 than at 71, and we’d prefer not to do it under pressure.

Reflections

I often say Italy “dares” you to live here. The bureaucracy can be slow, confusing, and sometimes absurd. Expats usually respond in one of two ways: frustration or acceptance. We realized we had officially joined the second group the day we waited 45 minutes for new tessere sanitarie, only to be told (in very polite Italian) that the computer was down and nobody knew when it would be fixed. Jim suggested we try again tomorrow; I suggested we give it a week. There wasn’t much point stressing; an expired health card doesn’t really change anything.

People often ask if we like living in Italy better than in America. The truth is, two big life changes happened at the same time: we retired and we moved to Italy. I can’t compare working life in America to retired life in Italy. What I can say is this: even knowing everything we know now — every document, every line, every impossible requirement — we would still do it again.

And we’re staying.

Discovering Spello: The Art of Le Infiorate Festival

July 26, 2025 by JLF

In June, Jim and I spent twelve days exploring Umbria, the stunning region just southeast of Tuscany. I shared plenty of photos on Facebook of the towns we visited — each beautiful in its own way — but I held back on Spello. Why? Because what we experienced there simply cannot be captured in a few pictures or captions. Spello deserves more. It deserves more — a story.

And that story is about Le Infiorate.

Every year, on the feast of Corpus Domini (Corpus Christi), the streets of Spello are transformed into a living canvas—flower carpets that stretch for meters, designed and laid down entirely by hand using flower petals, leaves, and seeds. No glue or adhesives are allowed; instead, water is misted on to keep the petals fresh and in place. The effect is dazzling: sacred art underfoot, created in the middle of the night, and gone by sunset the next day. The official website is https://www.infioratespello.it/.

Here’s a brief overview of the main events of Le Infiorate:

Saturday Morning–Afternoon: Local groups mark the street with large design templates and set up tents to cover the designs from wind and rain.
Saturday starting at 6pm: Volunteers begin work and continue through the night, preparing thousands of flower petals, carefully separating colors and textures, then placing petals by hand onto the designs using tweezers, cards, and their hands — with plenty of chatting, singing, and sharing food.
Sunday at 8am: All designs must be completed, because the judges start their walk through town assessing each carpet in several categories.
Sunday at 11am: A religious procession passes over the flower carpets, a symbolic act that also marks the end of their brief lifespan.
Sunday Evening: The streets are cleaned, and the petals are swept away, leaving only memories—and lots of photos—of this fleeting, floral art.

We arrived on Saturday morning and, to our surprise, discovered that our apartment was right along the procession route. Throughout the day, we explored the town and saw around 60 different flower carpets designs. However, we paid special attention to the one just outside our door. I used photos of that particular design to illustrate the Infiorate process.

Saturday 11:00 AM: Each group has a tent for their work. They place a large white sheet of paper with the design and colors of the flowers on the street. They may use wallpaper glue to secure it.
6:00 PM: The group begins preparing the flowers. They use scissors to cut the petals from the flowers.
The flowers are ready!
11:00 PM: The group places the flowers on the design. They use their hands, small cards, and tweezers. Many also talk, sing, and eat!
Sunday 6:30 AM: Almost finished. Judging begins at 8:00 AM.
Many groups display signs that explain their design and the message or meaning behind it.
7:30am Final touches!
8am It’s done!
10:15 AM: The carpet is finished! The crowd waits for the procession.
12:00 PM: The procession, which started at 11am and took one hour to reach our appartment.
After the procession, you can see the flowers are all messed up.
5:45 PM: Street cleaners begin clearing the flowers.

There is a tremendous amount of work needed to prepare the flowers, so some groups invite visitors to help. We found one of these groups and helped for about an hour. So much fun to participate in the activity!

Jim, hard at work with the others gathered around the table
We cut all of the petals! And a container full of white petals too!
Here they are using petals like we prepared

The designs are created and judged in four categories:

CARPETS / QUADs: flower displays of at least 24 square meters that represent a religious theme in a figurative, abstract, or symbolic manner. These dimensions are reduced for particular narrow streets.
FIGURATIVE CARPETS: flowered carpets measuring at least 12 linear meters or 12 square meters, but less than 24 square meters, in which at least one figurative element is present.
UNDER-14: flowered carpets measuring at least 12 square or linear meters created by groups whose members are under 14 years of age.
GEOMETRIC CARPETS: flower carpets of at least 12 linear meters, in which the repetitiveness of the shapes prevails.

Here are pictures of designs in each of these categories, along with some street scenes.

Quad category
Main piazza, with people checking out one of the carpets with a ladder that gave you a better view.
Figurative category
Under 14 category
Cute Ape truck filled with flowers
Under 14, Carlo Acutis, an Italian teenager who passed away in 2006, is being called the first Millennial saint.
Geometric category
Geometric category, on a narrow street with too many people!
The streets were one way – even for pedestrians. But our apartment was on the street, so the police let us proceed (very slowly).

Another flower contest, Finestre, balconi e vicoli fioriti, is also held that brings color and creativity to windows, balconies, and alleyways. Displays are judged on beauty, originality, and how well they highlight the town’s historic architecture. These blooms give Spello a lasting charm. Here are some photos that capture that beauty.

If you are considering visiting Spello for Le Infiorate, here are a few tips for you:

Go! It is worth it!
The 24-hour period from 4pm Saturday to 4pm Sunday gives you an opportunity to watch (and participate!) in the preparation activities, see the completed designs, and watch the procession. If you can only go on Sunday, get there as early as possible, preferably well before 8am.
Stay in the town of Spello if possible. I made reservations six months in advance and there were few rooms available. Plan early, but also check for openings later if that is your only choice.
Reserve a parking space online then walk into the city. We brought only what we would need for the two nights, because the hills are steep!
Be prepared for crowds and focus on the beauty and community spirit instead.

Le Infiorate may last only a single weekend, but the spirit of creativity, community, and beauty lingers all year. Whether you come for the fleeting floral carpets or stroll through flower-filled alleyways in another season, Spello offers something truly special. It’s a town that celebrates art, honors tradition, and welcomes visitors with open arms—and, of course, plenty of petals.

We’re so grateful to have been a small part of it.

Alpine Splendor and Verona’s Charms

April 25, 2024 by JLF

When people visit Italy for the first time (or two), the biggest destinations that come to mind are Rome, Florence, and Venice. Each has spectacular and unique sights to see – and also lots and lots of tourists. After a few visits to Italy, people often want to visit locations that feel more authentic without the throngs of tourists. We visited two of these locations recently – the Dolomites of Northern Italy’s Alps and Verona, known as the city of Romeo and Juliet. I also visited Mantua (called Mantova in Italy) which is filled with important art and history and seems to be mostly visited by Italian schoolchildren. This blog post will highlight my visits to these lesser-known but wonderful locations.

Diana and Jed are friends from Lucca; they recently purchased a condo in the Dolomites so that they could enjoy the winters skiing. And from their property, they are just a few steps from the ski lifts! They invited Pasquale, Jim and I to visit in April, with a special request – that Pasquale set up a few visits to wineries in the area, using his in-depth knowledge of Italian wine producers. This turned out to be a bit of a challenge because many wineries were unavailable due to “out of season” or they were preparing for Italy’s largest wine show in just a few days – more on this later. We visited three:

Weingut Lieselehof – on a beautiful mountainside near a lake. And they have a very interesting “wine museum” that has over 100 different types of grapes growing from all over the world. They study how they grow in this environment and are particular interested in disease-resistant varieties.
Markus Prackwieser Gump Hof – a wonderful family-owned winery that weaved the story of family, local history, and hard work together leading up to a wonderful wine tasting. Our favorite winery of the three.
Kloster Neustift Abbazia di Novacella – a winery and an abbey together! This was quite a large winery that produces LOTS of different wines. The grounds, abbey and library were gorgeous. Too bad the wine wasn’t as good.

Beautiful and peaceful in the mountains – surrounded by vineyards and a surprise lake!
The vines grow on very steep slopes so all work must be done by hand.
Pasquale enjoying the wine at Markus Prackwieser Gump Hof.
This area looks, sounds and feels more like Germany than Italy! More people speak German than Italian.
Entrance to the abbey complex. Note the cute round building on the left.
We explored that cute building but then realized that it was closed – the door was only opened for the men working inside. Jim and I exited quickly, but Pasquale and Diana had begun exploring upstairs. The men started locking the door but I tried to explain in Italian that there were two friends still inside. Apparently they spoke only German but they did understand once I got animated!
Beautiful baroque library of the abbey!

The following day, Jed and Diana took us on a drive around “their mountain”. The views were spectacular and even though it was quite late in the season, we were able to watch people ski. I was surprised to learn that you can ski from town to town and essentially spend all day skiing through the entire area. I was also surprised to learn that the weather could be so warm with snow still blanketed everything. I brought all of the wrong clothes. Diana and Jed are great hosts – they prepared several wonderful meals for us and we even played billiards in their cantina! What a fun visit!

Group selfie! Pasquale, where are your sunglasses???
We went to a beautiful field surrounded on three sides by mountains. It was a gathering place for people and animals when invaders were coming. Today there is a beautiful community chapel for remembering locals who have died.
And a lovely mountain stream was flowing through the field.
More slopes!

We then headed south to Verona. Jim and Pasquale attended VinItaly, the largest wine event of the year in Italy. It gives them an opportunity to enjoy old favorites, discover hidden gems, and visit with producers and wine lovers. There are thousands of wines to try, and they typically taste (then spit) over 100 wines per day!

While Jim and Pasquale were tasting and spitting, I explored Verona. We have visited Verona several times, so I have already seen the biggest sights (the spectacular Roman arena that is still used today and the fictitious location of Juliet’s balcony from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet). My objectives during these days were to enjoy the pleasant piazzas and learn more about some of the Veronese artists. I had plenty of time to peek into courtyards, wander the streets, and enjoy a cappuccino at the cafes. And I visited more than a few churches… but I have included pictures of only my favorite: Basilica di San Zeno.

The basilica has a rather unusual layout – there are three different levels: the central church, a raised Presbytery and a lower Crypt.
The San Zeno Altarpiece by Andrea Mantegna, an important Renaissance painter from Verona.
The crypt houses the body of Saint Zeno and has 49 marble columns! You can also see the giant columns from the main part of the basilica. Very cool space!
Bronze door from the Medieval times. I’ve never seen anything like this!
Piazza dei Signori with incredible architecture and art, along with a fancy car for the VinItaly crowd!
Very elaborate tombs for the Scaligeri family from the 14th century.
Arco dei Gavi, white marble arch from the Roman times!
Verona is a very wealthy and elegant city, so I wasn’t too surprised to see this Masserati in front of the castle.
Nor was I surprised to see these elegant Afghan Hounds with their legs carefully protected.

I took a 40-minute train ride south to spend the day in Mantua, “a city surrounded by 3 artificial lakes in the northern Italian region of Lombardy. It’s known for the architectural legacy of the Renaissance Gonzaga rulers, who built the Palazzo Ducale. This imposing building houses the Bridal Chamber, decorated with Andrea Mantegna frescoes.” Unfortunately, no pictures and only 5 minutes were allowed in the Bridal Chamber but I was very pleased with myself for finding a way to visit it for two 5-minute periods!

Beautiful and peaceful courtyard of the Palazzo Ducale
Piazza Erbe and Rotonda di San Lorenzo, a round church from the 11th century
Mantova and Verona are known for their incredible domes, especially with tiers of people, some of which may look like they are reaching down from the dome.
A quiet canal going through Mantova. I could live here!

As I bid farewell to these enchanting places, I carried with me a sense of gratitude for the opportunity to uncover the secrets of this captivating country. Where to next?

Belgium and Cologne Germany

March 17, 2024 by JLF

Jim enjoys attending wine tasting events with Pasquale, our friend who owns our favorite restaurant in Lucca. They attend several in Italy each year, and this is the second time visiting ProWein in Düsseldorf, Germany. I decided to come along this year, not for the wine tasting but for the travel and adventure.

The plan started out simple… Jim and I would stay in Cologne, Germany while Pasquale stayed with friends in Düsseldorf. Cologne is less expensive during ProWein and far more interesting. Then the plan grew a bit… why not go someplace else before or afterwards? We looked at the map and quickly picked Brussels. Hotels are expensive there so we decided to use some of my remaining Marriott points (leftover from all the business travel). Reserve 4 nights, stay the 5th for free. What a deal! We now had time for a day trip to Bruges and one to Ghent.

Brussels is the capital of Belgium and the administrative center of the European Union, giving the town two distinct flavors – historic/traditional versus international/modern. I liked the mix of the two…

My favorite in Brussels was the Grand-Place (their main piazza/square) at night. Magical! This large square is surrounded by beautiful buildings decorated with gold paint. The combination of the architecture, decor, gold, and lighting make it truly unique. The square was filled with people enjoying this special site. We returned during the day when we could see the buildings’ details and statues better, but the nighttime view couldn’t be beaten. The buildings were built, rebuilt, and restored several times, but are generally in the Baroque style. They were mostly built by the different guilds as well as the Town Hall and the King’s house (although he never lived there). One explanation for the highly decorated facades is that the guilds wanted to remind the King and the Town government that they were equally wealthy and needed to stay in line! The only thing better would be a visit at Christmastime for the Christmas market and beautiful festive decorations. Check out this blog post by our friends Ilene and Gary.

Here are a bunch of pictures – be sure to read the captions for a bit of context.

Enjoying our first Belgium waffle as we enter Parc du Cinquantenaire
Parc du Cinquantenaire, was built in 1880 for the 50th anniversary of Belgian independence. Today there are museums and lots of green space. We arrived to one of the early Springish days, so lots of people were simply enjoying the warmth of the sun.
Parc du Cinquantenaire, required touristy selfie!
Parc du Cinquantenaire is the home to a group of parakeets. I know that I shouldn’t be pleased to be seeing an invasive species, but I did enjoy watching these brightly colored birds soaring through the skies and trees.
Parc du Cinquantenaire with early spring daffodils and other wildflowers.
The Grand-Place of Brussels
The Grand-Place of Brussels
Mussels in Brussels is a must! Along with the ubiquitous French Fries, which Belgium claims they created.
The Manneken Pis, the most visited (and small) tourist site in Brussels. Many legends regarding why they built the statue of the little boy peeing…
New and modern buildings in the European Union quarter. We visited an EU museum and learned a lot about the history and purpose of the EU.

We took a 30-minute train through the Belgian countryside to the smallish city of Ghent, with one main objective – to see the Ghent Altarpiece. Many consider it one of the most important pieces of art in the world and was the first major oil painting. It represents the transition between Medieval art and the Renaissance in Belgium and the Netherlands. It was painted by Hubert and Jan van Eyck and was finished in 1432. It is also known as the most frequently stolen piece of art in the world, so there are lots of fascinating stories that go with the altarpiece. But the stories don’t compare to the beauty of the artwork – vivid colors, detailed faces, symbols, and depicted stories. I didn’t take a bunch of pictures because there are many high-quality pictures online that my phone’s camera can’t capture.

Oh, and we really liked Ghent. Parts of it are a bit seedy, industrial, and not beautiful – but the other parts have beautiful architecture. I especially liked one of its main squares that was filled with locals on this early Spring day. Check out this video I posted on YouTube.

Here I am contemplating (ok… perhaps gawking at) this great work of art.
Ghent Altarpiece, closer view of the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb panel
I saw lots of sarcophagus’ with the guy in this position. Just chillin… In Italy, they are usually laying all of the way down.
The stained glass windows in both Belgium and Germany were gorgeous. We don’t have a lot of windows like this in our Romanesque churches.
Italian churches usually have marble pulpits, but the ones in Belgium and Germany were mostly made of beautifully carved wood. So beautiful!
OK, this pulpit is a combination of wood and marble and looks like they were going for some prize in the fanciest pulpit!
I loved the architecture in Ghent!
The Taco sign caught my attention – so out of place. But check out those sculptures at the top of the building! Apparently this is the Masons Guild House on Sint-Niklaasstraat and those are dancing figures leaping through the air. And O’Tacos is a French fast food chain!
Korenmarkt (Wheat Market), one of the main squares of Ghent. Again, I love the architecture and the tangle of bicycles!
Belgium is serious about their beer. Lots of different kinds AND each one has their own glass. This was a fun stop for lunch, which did include a beer!
Selfie in front of Gravensteen Castle from around 1180. Right in the middle of Ghent!
Every castle needs a moat and we spotted this European Coot on a nest. Soon the male came up with a fresh fish lunch for mama. Fun to spot a bit of nature in the middle of this city!

Bruges is home to the Bruges Madonna, a beautiful sculpture of Mary and Jesus created by Michelangelo. It was his only sculpture to leave Italy during his lifetime and I was eager to see it. It did not disappoint…

Both the Bruges Madonna and the Ghent Altarpiece are highlighted in the movie The Monuments Men. If you’ve never seen the movie or read the book, I highly recommend doing so. It’s a great story about how some art scholars were recruited into the Army near the end of WWII to find and return stolen art. And it’s based on a true story.

In addition to being the home of the Bruges Madonna, Bruges is a very cute town, but a bit touristy. The architecture is beautiful, lots of canals and waterways with bridges with cute squares. The one-hour train ride from Brussels was well worth it.

Madonna of Bruges by Michelangelo
Another one of those crazy wooden pulpits!
Colorful and cute town square, with everyone enjoying the early Spring sunshine
JoAn on a bridge over a canal
Jim enjoying the nice weather during our daytrip to Bruges

And our final stop was in Germany…

Jim’s wine event was in Düsseldorf but it is very expensive to stay there during the event and there is very little for me to do or see there. So, we decided to stay in Cologne (Köln), a 30 minute train trip from Dusseldorf. Jim would go back and forth each day and I would enjoy the sights of Cologne. I had heard that it was a beautiful city… quaint, fun, and the home to the most gorgeous Cathedral. We stepped out of the train station and there it was! We splurged on a hotel that was just a few minutes from the Cathedral and the train station. I was really looking forward to exploring this city. I had a list of things I wanted to see and do, but I also made time for wandering the city.

Our first morning I attended the church service at the Cathedral but couldn’t understand a word. But I enjoyed the beauty of the cathedral, watched the procession of priests and others with their candles, incense (lots of incense), staffs, etc. There was a choir made of young boys and men; they made beautiful music – a cappella, so I did not get to hear the church organs. Afterwards I crossed a bridge over the River Rhine and enjoyed the Sunday afternoon with many locals and tourists. It was delightful start for my time in Cologne.

Then it started to rain and frankly my visit went downhill from there… I tried and failed two times to go on a English-language tour of the Cathedral. I went inside one other time, but much of it was inaccessible due to another service. A bathroom attendant tricked me out of some money… I confronted him, but he denied it. It was just a few euros, but it was so annoying… I wandered up and down the main shopping street while getting slightly soggy despite having bought an umbrella.

Then we learned about the train strike planned for the last day of the wine event – Jim planned to take the train to and from Dusseldorf, and then we would both take a train to the Frankfurt airport for our early morning flight the next day. Some trains continued to run, so Jim made it to Dusseldorf but then decided to take a bus to Frankfurt instead of trying to get a train. I went to the train station early and planned to get on the next available train. One was supposed to come at 1:55, but was delayed 30 minutes, but then never came??? So, I got on one about an hour later.

Oh, I forgot to mention that Lufthansa was also striking and we had bought tickets through Lufthansa. Thankfully, the flight itself was provided by Air Dolomiti so we were fine.

Postscript… German precision was in play after the train strike. We returned to Lucca on Wednesday morning and I requested a refund from unused train tickets on Thursday. The money was in our bank account on Friday.

Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Cologne
Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Cologne, at night

Overall, I really enjoyed Belgium, struggled in Cologne and was glad to get home to Lucca after 10 days of travel. So how do they compare – a simple (over simple, for sure) chart:

	Brussels	Cologne	Lucca
Languages spoken	French, Flemish and everything else	German and English for the tourists	Italian and English for the tourists
General attitude	Neat and tidy. Near EU: confident, busy, important	Compliant by day, boisterous in the evening	Relaxed
Foods	Chocolate, waffles, French fries	Pub food	Tordelli pasta
Drinks	Bottled Belgium Beer with matching glass	Local beer on tap	Italian wine

I hope that you enjoyed reading my blog post and looking through my pictures. Have you ever been to Brussels, Bruges, Ghent, or Cologne? How were your experiences similar or different? Leave a comment!

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