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Fall in Love in Cortona

18 Jun

IMG_0006Italy is a popular destination for weddings, and Cortona ranks second, behind Venice, as the city of choice. Not difficult to see, as this lovely Etruscan town offers an incredible historic and romantic setting. I have written about weddings in the past, including one local wedding where the bride and her father arrived at the church in a horse-drawn carriage and another, a military wedding at the Municipio. Lovely.

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This past weekend, wedding planners hosted the first annual Fall in Love in Cortona weekend. Festivities included a broad display in the park of everything needed for a destination wedding including clothes for the bride, groom, attendees, and children; table settings; floral arrangements; make-up; honeymoon locations; food service; bar service, etc. On Saturday night, a speed dating event took place in the piazza. On Sunday night, a fashion show graced the steps of the municipal building. Wonder if any of the speed daters bought a dress on Sunday???

Not sure why the planners felt the need to make the steps of the Municipio look like the Arizona desert, but they did. They were filled with palms, sand, large pieces of drift wood, etc. It took several men all day. Oh, well, not my choice but the bridal dresses were beautiful.

From the first annual Fall in Love in Cortona:

In the Park:

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Sunday Evening Fashion Show

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As the sign says:

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Get married in style! Why not Cortona?

Ciao,

Judy

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Giostra dell’Archidado 2013

10 Jun

Once again, and as repeated every year, the people of Cortona celebrate and reenact the 1397 wedding of Francesco Casali and Antonia Salimbeni. Over many days, and with great pomp and circumstance, they fill the piazzas with medieval markets, craft fairs, traditional food, medieval games, falconry, and various forms of entertainment including musicians, flag throwers, fire eaters and jesters. The more serious events include the celebration of Santa Margherita, Cortona’s patron saint; the wedding reenactment; and the crossbow competition. For the latter, five areas of Cortona, called quintiere, each have a team that competes. Last year, our neighbor Vincenzo and his team won. And this year, they repeated, so we were delighted.

Here are some of the sights and sounds of the weekend.

Flag throwers exhibition, one of many…

Participants…think Renaissance Fair, but serious!

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Spectators: not so serious!

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Best Hairdo!

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The Victors:

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The Victors’ Parade. (Note: as my neighbor Vincenzo approaches to give me a hug, video is affected!)

Another weekend in Cortona filled with history, passion and great fun!

Ciao, and Complimenti ai vincitori!

Judy

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Festa della Liberazione

30 Apr

Before we close the month of April, I want to take a moment to highlight a special Italian celebration…the Festa della Liberazione.  Each year on April 25th, the day is dedicated to celebrating Italy’s liberation from Nazi occupation. According to an article in Italy Magazine, “The day marks the liberation of the country by Allied troops in World War II and is celebrated throughout the peninsula with parades, concerts, demonstrations, speeches, and more.”

In the States we have the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds. In Italy, they have Frecce Tricolori, or the Three Color Arrows.

Rivolto

Rivolto (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For more on the celebration, and to see the Frecce Tricolori in action, click on the article by Carol King, Le Frecce Tricolori, the flamboyant aerobatic antics of Italy.

And if you happen to be in Italy this summer, or even in November, you might be lucky enough to see Le Frecce in action.

According to Carol, “This year, the Frecce Tricolori take to the skies to perform displays in Italy and abroad, starting on 5 May at the Falconara Air Show in Ancona…The Frecce Tricolori will round off the year on 4 November in Rome to celebrate the Giornata Unità Nazionale e delle Forze Armate (National Unification and Armed Forces Day). The day marks the anniversary of the unification of Trentino-Alto Adige and Friuli-Venezia Giulia with Italy, as well as the end of World War I.”

Italiano: Frecce Tricolori all'Air Show di Fal...

Italiano: Frecce Tricolori all’Air Show di Falconara Marittima, Ancona, Italy. (Wikipedia)

A cause for celebration indeed! Buona Festa!

Ciao,

Judy

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Springtime in Cortona

29 Mar

Cortona Spring is more than just a time of year. In the town of Cortona, it is a week of events commemorating spring and Easter week.

Tonight, on Good Friday, there’s a procession through the streets. Men carrying statues of Christ from various churches process through town. The statues, large and heavy, are carried on the shoulders of strong men in hooded cloaks.

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Others carry large crosses in the procession.

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Locals and visitors follow behind as the procession, which begins at the Church of Santo Spirito, passes several other churches and eventually ends in the historic Piazza della Repubblica.

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Patricia, my local friend, describes the procession as “quite dramatic.” On Saturday evening, assuming the weather cooperates, the skies above Cortona will once again be lit by lanterns (minus the Christmas decorations!).

Chinese lanterns Cortona 29 12 12 2

On Sunday, as in many parts of the world, families will gather at one of the many beautiful churches in Cortona to celebrate Easter. Later in the day, in their homes, they will gather with family and friends to feast on traditional dishes and Easter specialties.

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Whatever your traditions may be, I hope you have time to celebrate them with family and friends.

 

Buona Pasqua a tutti!

Ciao,

Judy

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Carnevale in Venezia – 2013

5 Mar

This year, the Carnival of Venice, or Carnevale, was held from January 26 – February 12. About three million people participated in the festivities. While Venice is such a popular destination any time of year, the few weeks before lent offer something extra special.

My friends Mario and Marco, who just returned from an amazing trip, were fortunate enough to be among those participating in the 2013 festivities. Although the weather included some flooding and snow, none were deterred. The amazing pictures that follow were taken by their friends Anthony Guida and Raffaella Spilotro.

Photo: Anthony Guida and Raffaella Spilotro

Photo: Anthony Guida and Raffaella Spilotro

Photo: Anthony Guida and Raffaella Spilotro

Photo: Anthony Guida and Raffaella Spilotro

Photo: Anthony Guida and Raffaella Spilotro.

Photo: Anthony Guida and Raffaella Spilotro.

The word for masks in Italian is maschere, and in Venice, some of the most popular ones include the Bauta, a mask that covers the entire face; the Columbina, a half-face mask that is either tied in back or held by hand with a baton; and the Medico della Peste, meaning The Plague Doctor, symbolized by a long beak.

Photo: Anthony Guida andRaffaella Spilotro

Photo: Anthony Guida andRaffaella Spilotro

Photo: Anthony Guida and Raffaella Spilotro

Photo: Anthony Guida and Raffaella Spilotro

Photo: Anthony Guida and Raffaella Spilotro

Photo: Anthony Guida and Raffaella Spilotro

Photo: Anthony Guida and Raffaella Spilotro

Photo: Anthony Guida and Raffaella Spilotro

Masks are abundant in the shops in Venice. They are made by hand by Mascherari and have long played a part in Venetian culture and history.

Photo: Anthony Guida and Raffaella Spilotro

Photo: Anthony Guida and Raffaella Spilotro

Photos: Anthony Guida & Raffaella Spilotro

Photo: Anthony Guida and Raffaella Spilotro

A panel of international costume and fashion designers shared the task of selecting “La Maschera piu bella”  – the most beautiful mask.

Photo: Anthony Guida and Raffaella Spilotro

Photo: Anthony Guida and Raffaella Spilotro

Photo: Anthony Guida and Raffaella Spilotro

Photo: Anthony Guida and Raffaella Spilotro

Hard to pick a favorite – they are all so beautiful.

Photo: Anthony Guida and Raffaella Spilotro

Photo: Anthony Guida and Raffaella Spilotro

And just in case you have the itch, next year’s dates are February 15-March 4. Be sure to make your reservations early and remember to rent your costume in advance.

Photo: Anthony Guida and Raffaella Spilotro

Photo: Anthony Guida and Raffaella Spilotro

See you there…well, I can hope too!

Grazie molto Marco, Mario, Anthony and Raffaella for sharing these incredible photographs! And many thanks to the Venetians for putting on such a remarkable show!

Ciao,

Judy

The Wedding and Crossbow Competition: Cortona Giostra

11 Jun

The Wedding

On the last Saturday night of the Giostra, the Cortonese recreate the 1397 wedding of Francesco Casali of Cortona and Antonia Salimbeni of Siena. For 10euro/person, you can buy a seat in the stands, which we thankfully did as the event lasted for several hours. The costumes of the different regions were beautifully displayed as the royalty from each area was presented.

Bride and groom

The ceremony

Some of the entertainment

                                                                         

The Crossbow Competition

On Sunday, the final day of Giostra, the festival celebrates the previous night’s marriage with a crossbow competition. Practice begins at 11 AM, but the actual competition, in full costume, begins at 4PM. Once again, the pageantry is extensive, with a parade of important people from each area of Cortona, as well as the drummers, buglers, flag throwers, etc.

                                     

There are five quintiere, or areas of Cortona, and each is represented by specific symbols and colors in the competition. Our house is in the S. Andrea quintiere, so our colors are green and yellow. Each team consists of a Maestro di Campo, or Field Master, and two Balestrieri, or dart shooters. The competition lasts four rounds. Amazingly, the Maestro from our area was none other than our neighbor, Vincenzo, the one who skillfully parks the too big car in the too small garage. He chooses an arrow from a trunk, and he and the shooter ascend the platform. After the Balestrieri carefully sets the crossbow, the arrow is put in place by the Maestro, and amid a hushed crowd, the arrow is shot at a target about 20 meters, or almost 66 feet  away.

Our Neighbor Maestro Vincenzo and the Balestrieri

Judges and other officials after each round

After each round, the judges move in to calculate the results. Points are awarded for each round, and with significant drum roll, they are announced and posted.

This year, two teams tied, so they alone competed in a fifth round. And guess what? S. Andrea won! Must be all that close call parking that makes Vincenzo such a great Maestro! The winner receives a golden arrow, or verretta, then all involved parade through the city.

Golden Arrow

The Winning Quintiere

The Giostra dell’Archidado…and experience we will long remember. Thanks, Cortona!

Ciao,

Judy

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Giostra dell’ Archidado 2012

10 Jun

This year, we are so fortunate to be in Cortona during the Joust of the Archidado, an annual celebration with events spread over 10 days. I have included a description below from a Cortona website:

“This costume festival re-enacts the wedding of Francesco Casali, lord of Cortona, to Antonia Salimbeni from Sienna, in 1397. To commemorate the couple, the crossbowmen of Cortona’s five ‘quintieri’ or districts compete in a crossbow (ballestero) competition, aiming at a target called ‘quintiere’. The winner is given the first prize, the Verretta d’Oro (golden crossbow dart). The event includes stalls selling mediaeval food, mediaeval dinners and entertainment typical of the mediaeval times. This costume festival re-enacts the wedding of Francesco Casali, lord of Cortona, to Antonia Salimbeni from Sienna, in 1397. To commemorate the couple, the crossbowmen of Cortona’s five ‘quintieri’ or districts compete in a crossbow (ballestero) competition, aiming at a target called ‘quintiere’. The winner is given the first prize, the Verretta d’Oro (golden crossbow dart). The event includes stalls selling mediaeval food, mediaeval dinners and entertainment typical of the mediaeval times.” Cortona © ammonet InfoTech 1998 – 2012.

That’s metal, not silk!!!

Bread making

Every part of the festival is a cultural tribute to the past and reenacted with great pomp and circumstance by present-day Cortonese. Two upcoming events, the wedding and the crossbow competition, each deserve their own post.

So far, we have attended the medieval market, seen flag throwers and fire eaters, and enjoyed the local musicians and locals  dressed in medieval costumes. We bought the most amazing cheeses at the market, tried to master the bow and arrow, and watched in awe as the jesters, drummers, flag throwers and fires eaters skillfully performed.

Parmigiano!

A few amateurs got into the act as well!

                                                                                                     

                                                                                                     

The Pros!

Unlike any circus or Renaissance fair atmosphere, we feel privileged to be among the locals as they celebrate the history and legacies of their ancestors.

All in a day in Cortona!

Ciao,

Judy

nut cracker

Falcons

                          

                                                                                                     

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