Chance Encounter In Lucca

Celia and Enzo were just as peaceful and sweet in person as they were on their YouTube channel. They seemed a bit surprised to be called out by fans of the channel while dropping their rubbish bag on any ordinary day in April. We described our yearlong adventure beginning with Lucca, Italy. They gave us additional personal tips about where to eat and what to see. Additionally, we described our weekend plans to rent a car for a drive up to their beloved Bagni di Lucca simply because they influenced our decision making.

Finishing the conversation, we were able to inquire about their darling hilltop home which they recently had to sell for health reasons. We felt their heartache in their video and in person because their home was the type we ourselves would have loved as they did. We were thrilled that Celia and Enzo took time out of their day to converse with us on a sunny day filled with family picnic activities. Thank you Celia and Enzo for your kindheartedness!

About a year ago, Greg was scrolling through YouTube and came across a quaint channel called Piazza Talk Lucca. Since Lucca was the first location on our travels, we began watching their show. Celia, a book restorer and Enzo, a Sea Captain, shared their love of the Northern Tuscany area that fewer people visit. They wanted people to understand the mountainous beauty of the north, which is quite different from the gentle rolling hills of Southern Tuscany. Piazza talks also covered information about culture, ordinary life, recipes from Enzo's Neapolitan mother's cookbook (many cooked on an open fireplace), and rental information for their hilltop farmhouse. We, of course, ate up all they shared and drooled over the beautiful food cooked by Enzo.

Fast forward…Lucca 2025… Greg and I are excited that our journey has begun. We’d been in Lucca for one week and were eagerly walking toward the inside walls of Lucca to participate in the annual Festa Della Liberta, a time when Lucca recalls April 1369 and its independence from foreign domination. As we came through our secret little niche in the wall, we paused a moment at the 3-way intersection. A couple had just turned toward the right who had a familiar look. We both had a double take and asked each other if that could be Celia and Enzo? We chose to walk in the same direction to confirm or deny our thoughts. After a few moments we were certain that it was Celia and Enzo from Bagni di Lucca and then questioned each other about whether to approach them. In full agreement, we introduced ourselves as they placed their trash in the local bin.