Architectural Hiking/ Escursioni Architettonico: Part 1

      This cool idea came to mind sometime around Christmas 2013 and me, the master procrastinator, has just now found the inspiration and assembled photos to share in an interesting concept.... Since I love to hike and having lived in Costa Rica for 5 years now, I have seen my share of hikes in jungles, rivers, & mountains. The cruel thing about living in a place so packed with natural terrain and beauty there is a great absence of another great love of mine, ancient historical architecture. So, I figured why not combine the two concepts to exercise the body and mind simultaneously. Here, I offer you a visual presentation of architectural hiking we have experienced here in Italy. I hope you enjoy it!

VOLTERRA!!!

Volterra's Palazzo Priori: four stories of grandeur with grand staircases, trancept ceilings, Prior's quarters and a gorgeous belltower with views of the Tuscan hillsides below.

 ROMA!!!

Castel Sant'Angelo, Rome: The fortress orginally built for Harian's tomb, later a place of santuary for the Popes in times of siege, the pope could run through an adjointing wall connected to the Vatican (which still stands) to safety in this fortress which sits along the Tiber River. It has many interior levels and climbs with spectacular views of the city!

Lover's walk, Via dell'Amore, Cinque Terre-a trail set against the side of the mountain overlooking the Meditterranean Sea. Wonderful views of the 5 Italian rivera towns and the sea all around you.

 VENEZIA!!!

St. Mark's Cathedral, Doge's Palazzo & the belltower of St. Mark's, Venice. The catherdral is mesmorizing with the gold mosaic frescoed ceilings, relics from the crusades and an awkward, uneven climb of stairs to the balcony where you can view the original version of the horse sculptures that set atop of the facade outside and see the mosaics up close. The Doge's palazzo is equally amazing with many marbled sculptures of Roman gods, grand staircases, and Doge's quarters.

PISA!!!

The Leaning tower of Pisa. A climb of fun with lots of stairs and a funhouse feel as you ascend closer to the top, using walls to hold you up.

It's views of the Duomo and Piazza of Miracles and outward toward the Arno river are spectacular!

ROMA!!!

The Spanish steps in Rome afford you the ability to take in sightseers and locals enjoying life!

FIRENZE!!!!

The Duomo, Bell tower and Palazzo Vecchio, Firenze. We first took to the belltower( over 400 stairs), then a short break and then climbed to the top of the duomo up to the roof- such a spellbinding view of the city! Surely a cardio fix!  The Palazzo Vecchio, similar to many other bell towers in Tuscany. This one housed the Medici family. The place where Eleanor of Toledo, Spain hailed as a well-respected mother and Grand Duchess of Tuscany. Lots of stairs and a belltower view of the city as well.

SAN MARINO!!!

San Marino, San Marino!

A city-state that still separates itself from the rest of Italy with it's own government. It is comprised of a pristine city below with three ancient fortress/castles set atop high mountains that give you a view of the Adriantic sea.

One of the many outdoor sculptures in San Marino, this one spoke to me as they are libellulae,(dragonflies) my favorite! 

SAN GIMIGNANO!!!

One of San Gimignano's many towers built as a testament of city dweller's wealth and prominence. Medieval Manhattan is a favorite for many of our friends. To climb inside one takes a great deal of strength if you are fearful of heights. The stairscases lie around the exterior of the towers' walls and offer inerior views of great heights inside. With external views of the countryside, whew, I did it.

 ROMA!!!

About 17 years ago we visited Rome and  the entrances were quite different than today. They were an enter at your own risk, you had to climb the crumbled steps and hope you had two solid ankles at the end. Today, since the milenium celebratory(2000AD) renovations, it is quite an improved site. Still quite a site to know gladiators fought to the death and sea battles were staged below. All for entertainment of the masses! Perhaps, humanity has not changed so much?

And lastly, the first Medieval city that stole my heart! 13 Years ago, Bill took Grant and Liam up these stairs of Torre Mangia, beyond where I climbed these Esher-like stairs of monotony and to the top where the bell hangs. My view from the crinilations: rows of vineyards and olive orchards in the countryside were priceless.

We were so moved by the "Citta" that a year later when our daughter was born we gave her it's namesake:

SIENA!!!!

Lenten Sacrifices/ Sacrifici Quaresimali

       I sit here giggling and smiling because I am still here. It is the Lenten season in Toscana and I am sitting on a terrace overlooking a Medieval garden. It has been quite a while since I last tuned in and what I am saying sounds much like words used when visiting your priest for confession: "bless me father for I have sinned...." I think my Roman Catholicism is showing! But, what I am about to tell you may be the cruelest joke of all jokes, the ultimate of sacrifices in the breadbasket of the world. While I was away from the writer's chair, It seems life and circumstances caught up with me. I, Lynore Soffer, the biggest proponent of not being a "cry baby" or complainer, has developed a gluten allergy. Insert frown face emoticon here. It seems I overdid it!
     It was late January and I discovered that my limbs started to hurt. Yes, all four. but not a sore limb thing from exercising or lifting heavy objects from moving house, no, no. The kind of pain that became progressively worse as time went on. It eventually lead to sleepless nights, worrisome days and a lot of time laying in bed as I felt best when I could rest. I finally could not take it anymore and with the aid of my supportive husband, we walked down to the hospital Emergency room. After a 30 minute wait, (socialized medicine at it's best) we were brought in for me to have my vitals taken: normal blood pressure, normal heart rate, coagulation tests passing, so what was going on? My legs were like lead rocks being dragged along. The emergency room and local medical examiner referred me for more blood test in Pisa (90 minutes away). In the meantime, I began research of my own, speaking to friends about their illness experiences to see if I was on the trail of something scary. I thought I was dying!
    My sweet friend, Anna Gutkina, a breast cancer survivor, suggested I try WEB MD for a symptom review...everything pointed to a vitamin D deficiency - muscular aches and strong pains etc. Then, another friend, Jude Gladstone Cade ( ironically another cancer survivor), sent a general message on facebook the 5 hidden symptoms of a gluten allergy. I discovered, I had 4 of the five...the 4th being a rash of raised bumps on my hands, arms and legs. So, even before my blood tests in Pisa,  I stopped all gluten ingestion, I did a quick internet look up of naturally occurring gluten in many foods and straight up eliminated them. Within 3 days my pain and rashes were gone!!! I also paid a visit to the local pharmacy and loaded up on other minerals,vitamins and supplements which I knew I needed: A multivitamin, an adrenaline modifier, Magnesium and Iron.  The day prior to my blood tests, We visited Viareggio, the beach side town here in Tuscany known for it's Carnevale celebrations. We all as a family, danced and sang in the streets. I ironically had  a new destiny of a pasta and bread-filled diet to relinguish on the eve of the Catholic season of  sacrifice. A diet change, a lifestyle change. All for the will to live pain free and more healthy. I was grateful for the new lease on life and the chance to keep myself whole for my family. It helped me to recognize what is important for living: being present in each day's unfolding wonders and listening to the messages my body and the world around me are there to communicate. A huge gift! And now, to continue my writing, a love of mine lost in the shuffle of regaining health and balance. Felice Primavera!