We are very lucky in Ponte a Serraglio to have Bar Italia. It is open from early in the morning until late at night every day of the year. I go every morning for coffee when I am in Ponte a Serraglio, a perfect start to the day.
Recently, owner and barista extraordinaire, Annalisa, took over the Tabacchi beside the bar. The space is being renovated and will reopen soon as an extension of Bar Italia. All Tabacchi services and some new ones will return with the opening on 5th April.
Bar Italia will close from 24th March until 5th April in order to complete the final renovation work. I will certainly miss my morning coffee and aperitivo at Bar Italia!
There will be an event to celebrate the success of Jasmine Paolini, Bagni di Lucca’s tennis star. It will be at noon, 4th February at Circolo dei Forestieri, Bagni di Lucca Villa. Jasmine will be back where she took her first steps towards her tennis career.
Ponte a Serraglio has lost its lovely fruit and vegetable shop. Piera and her husband have run the shop since 2018 and it has been a great addition to the piazza. I liked to see Piera’s happy face and I loved watching her children playing before they went to school. I will miss them.
They have begun a new venture in Dieciemo and I wish them the best.
We have also lost Giampaolo and Maria Laura Calissi who have sold the Bridge Hotel after decades in Ponte a Serraglio. The well dressed Giampaolo has always been a friendly face in the piazza. They have certainly earned their retirement. I hope they enjoy wonderful times with their family.
It is the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. I look forward to meeting the new owners and wish them every success.
I have been planting the flowers on the bridge in Ponte a Serraglio for many years. I love to see the bridge looking colourful and cheerful.
Keeping the flowers alive over the summer when I am back in Australia has been an ongoing problem. This year there has been a change. My lovely neighbours, Roberto and Donna have put a tap close to the bridge making it easier to water the flowers. Previously I had to carry watering cans from my apartment.
And this summer the flowers have someone to water and take care of them. A huge thank you to Peter Miller! The flowers are thriving and looking great.
Here he is in action.
I hope Peter will be around again next summer.
Here is a fabulous photo taken by Charmaine Birkett Botha of the flowers and the gorgeous view from the bridge.
I’m sure all of Bagni di Lucca is proud of local hero, Jasmine Paolini. She made the finals at the French Open at Roland Garos. Well done Jasmine, what a champion!
Bagni di Lucca’s tennis dynamo, Jasmine Paolini, has reached the womens’ singles 4th round at the Australian Open in Melbourne and is now playing in the doubles!
A wonderful group of volunteers has got together to renovate the tired railing along the river in Ponte a Serraglio. Money raised from two events at the casino earlier this year was used for materials. Now the volunteers have stepped in to do the work.
The old sign beside the bridge has also been cleaned.
The “Siege of the Castle” in Casabasciana was a great success. The organisers and participants must be commended for putting on a fabulous event. The costumes, the flag throwing and archery were excellent and the lucky attendees had a fun day.
Here are some photos from the day, from the early preparation to the evening fun in the piazza.
Getting ready,
The drawbridge opened and the guests were welcomed in to enjoy the food and fun.
Congratulations to the organisers and participants, and thank you Erica Jarman from Sapori e Saperi for sharing the photos.
Our lovely friend Tina Birri has died. She was a huge part of our lives in Ponte a Serraglio. She was one of the first people I met when we arrived to set up our apartment 20 years ago. She helped us navigate our new lives in Italy and we would have been lost without her advice. She guided us through official things which are still a mystery all these years later.
She also helped me to learn Italian. I used to have dinner with her and her (now my) friend Rina each night at Marco’s restaurant. I used what little Italian I had as Rina doesn’t speak English. When I got stuck Tina finished my sentences for me.
Tina spoke English with a Bronx accent. She was born in New York. Her father died when she was young and her mother brought her to the family home in Ponte a Serraglio when she was 12. She told me many wonderful stories of her early life in Ponte.
A favourite story is of a relative who lived next door to her. He bought the first car in Ponte a Serraglio, a Fiat bambino. He used to drive it down to the bar in the piazza, a distance of about 50 metres. He had to show off his new vehicle.
She had lots of stories of the hard times after the war and how Bagni di Lucca became prosperous slowly. She told me of the businesses that flourished in the 60s and 70s and of the later decline. I am happy to have spent lots of time with her to learn about this lovely village and the people in it.
Tina liked to sit at Bar Italia and enjoy a limoncello or two. She had lots of friends there and was always ready for a chat.
She worked until very recently in an office that helped people sort out official difficulties, it is not only foreigners who struggle. She loved her job and it gave her a good reason to get out and about.
She died after a fairly short illness and I am happy that she was able to get home briefly between hospital stays. I was able to visit her every day and continue our chats. I was looking forward to seeing her when I return in October. Sadly, it is not to be.
Ponte a Serraglio won’t be the same without Tina. Bar Italia won’t be the same without her. It is the end of an era.
Below is a photo taken many years ago when Tina’s hair was still red. We are at Marco’s restaurant.
If I was in Ponte a Serraglio right now I would raise a glass of limoncello to my friend Tina.
