Capodanno

Happy New Year Everyone!
Happy Birthday Trina!
Happy Birthday Matt and Inga!

Let's see if I can avoid my typical verbal vomiting (unlike the girl in the bar last night who couldn't avoid verbal or even regular vomiting) and make this mostly about pictures.

But more about the girl. What a trooper. It's 1 or 2 in the morning and she comes in to the bar with a group of friends looking very pretty and festive and in no way like she is about to ruin her very expensive boots. Well three times in the span of about 30 minutes she boots on her boots. Raimondo and I assume we have seen the last her when she is carried out of the bar and driven off in a friend's car. Not so. About an hour later she is back, upright, walking. The show must go on indeed!

My evening was nothing like that. It started at about 11:00 in Piazza Cavour with a concert put on by the city. It was quite remarkable seeing the huge crowds all gathered for the occasion. I've seen these types of crowds in public squares for years in the news and was looking forward to being a part of one when I moved to Italy so it was pretty cool to be standing in the middle of it all.

There was a very interesting band playing when we arrived. Their instruments were all self-constructed from found and recycled materials. As part of their act they handed out instruments to the crowd so everyone could play along and join in. It was mayhem and highly entertaining.

This is the band.

Raimondo being highly entertaining (not smoking a bong).

After the first group, the mayor came out for the official countdown to Buon Anno (Happy New Year)! Unfortunately, there was no official clock so his watch became the official timepiece.

This is the countdown.

Happy New Year! Buon Anno!

There is no such thing as an illegal firework in Italy so there were flares being set-off in the middle of the crowd (like you see in the stands during football matches), I think actual military flares being launched, and a fireworks show supplied by the general public. Fingers may or may not have been blow-off by the people bringing you the explosions in these pictures.



It had rained all day but dried out as it got dark. However, after the fireworks a biblical rain began to fall. It chased us and everyone else from the piazza into the waiting bars and clubs.

This is what a concert looks like from under an umbrella.

Wet, cold, happy, sober. Seriously.

We stayed indoors at various bars and clubs until around 5am when we decided it was time for the first meal and sleep of 2010.

How does a bowl of spaghetti bianca con olio e peperoncini and a nap grab you?

And that's the end of 2009 and the start of 2010. When last year began I never could have predicted it would end with me in my hometown piazza in Italy. Makes me more than a little curious about how this year will go. I hope I'm lucky enough to spend a little of it with some of you. I wish you a very happy new year. To steal someone else's line: "May the best year of your past be the worst year of your future."

Tomorrow I am off with a friend from work to see Bologna. She is from there and promises to give me a locals tour. If the weather cooperates we're also planning to see Venice and maybe Verona. Right now Venice is under 20 cm. of water from winter storms so it might not be in the cards for this trip. There is also a festival this time of year that involves an old lady called La Befana and this region is famous for its celebrations which includes burning witches and drinking. I think. I'll let you know.