[dd74]

I'm in Lucca right now; have been for the last week in a villa atop a mountain. Now with another week to go, we've switched to a neighboring town and are staying in a 19th Century French-styled three bedroom apartment. It's hotter than you can believe here, but beautiful nonetheless.

Tip #1: dress lightly. Shorts, tee-shirts and sandals rule here.

Tip #2: rent the smallest car possible as parking is a PITA. We're with another family and made the mistake of renting a Ford Transit 9-seater. We dropped it the moment we drove in from Rome, and now have twin Fiat Pandas. Request a turbo-diesel manual if you can. You'll need the power for autostradale excursions between regions.

PM me any questions you have. I'm sort of hit and miss with the forum depending on internet access.