Lucca

Lucca is the last in tact and remaining fortified city in Italy. This creates a fun atmosphere in of itself. It is a pretty quiet city…except when it comes to their soccer team! I was walking through the town in my aimless way, feeling the gravitational pull to the inside confines of shopkeepers doors, and I heard this chanting and loud music coming from down the street. Like the pied piper the sound pulled me in and I started walking toward it. I walked to a square where there was a whole hoard of people and a stage. I managed to walk right into this parade of sorts. The community of Lucca was having a celebration to announce its soccer team. The event was M.C.’d by some beautiful celebrity (have no idea who she is), televised and certainly not lacking with enthusiasm. Often whomever was talking; puffery and long winded speeches is not limited only to our politicians and friends in the states-like I have learned with so many things, some things are certainly universal; would be interrupted with this super loud chanting from these young men that were reverent in displaying their love for their hometown team. Lucca in my opinion is understated with its prominence and could easily be forgettable and blend in with other Italian cities, its this simplicity that is maybe its most attractive feature.