I hope all is well in the real world where dreams do not come true. Here in dreamland, things are super fabulous. Tonight is Festa della Rificologne (festival of the paper lanterns). It is a festival that is specific to Florence and has existed forever. Well, not forever, but for a ridiculously long time, like everything here. Basically it started when the farmers would come down into the city from their homes for a big market that took place on September 8th. They wanted to get a good spot to set up their booths in the piazza because the money they made at this market would support them ALL winter, so they would pack up their stuff and leave in the middle of the night the night before. In order to see the path at night, they carried paper lanterns attached to poles. The local Florentine children (all of whom were very rich because everyone who lived in Florence then was very very rich compared to the mountain and village folk from the surrounding areas) would make fun of the ragged clothes that the farmers and their families wore and they would mock their lanterns by making their own and walking behind the processional singing mocking songs and ditties. (To this day in Florence they still call people who dress poorly a "rificologne.") The children's making of lanterns and parading around the city with them became a tradition which continued even after the market ceased to take place. Now it is known as Festa della Rificologne, a festival that takes place on the night of September 7th and the morning of September 8th.
Sorry for all these history lessons I've been giving you all, but I'm learning so much about the culture and traditions and history of this country and this city and these people and it's all so fascinating. Their culture is so beautiful and unique. I've heard the paper lanterns that the children carry in the parade are absolutely beautiful. I'm so excited to see them!
In other news, it is also the 21st birthday of one of my new friends, so we're going to go out for a little bit and celebrate. I'm meeting up with a few people to watch the parade and then meeting up with other people later to go out. So many new friends!! Tonight is going to be a good night. (That song is actually playing on my iTunes right now. I kid you not. Wow. It really is going to be a good night. Fab!)
In other other news, I have explored the cell phone that I got last week and have come to the conclusion that it is hilariously crappy, but that it also has the most brilliant "tool" I have ever heard of. And by the most brilliant tool I have ever heard of, I mean it has a function that is in the tools folder on the phone and is called "fake call." Basically you can set an alarm which, when it goes off, will call you therefore enabling you to get out of something. For example, if you were to go on a date that you were worried would suck or that you didn't really want to be on, you could turn this on and your phone would call you at whatever time you told it to, you could answer it, pretend something urgent had come up, and leave hurriedly. And you plug in a number or a contact who will be the person that will then "call" you. So there's no embarrassing my-phone-rang-in-my-ear-while-I-was-desperately-pretending-to-be-on-it moment. The call also shows up in your received calls folder, so if they don't believe you, you can show them the call on you phone and (falsely) prove that someone actually did call you. The Italians truly are a very ingenious bunch. Gotta love 'em :)
Finally, I have one more thing to add to the 10 Things I Love Most about Italy list (thus making it the 11 Things I Love Most about Italy list), and it is this:
11. The moped culture here. There are women in 4 inch heels and skirts who cut off the busses fearlessly on their way to work. There are men who are in gorgeous Italian suits who fly by with their ties flapping in the wind over their shoulders. There are cute boys who wink as they drive by. They are all so aggressive and don't obey the rules of the road AT ALL. They drive between lanes to pass busses and cars and at stop lights they all make their way to the front of the traffic so that when a light turns green, one or two thousand mopeds speed off before any of the cars or busses. They are truly fearless people. They are so smooth and skilled. It's fascinating to watch. I'm very envious of their obvious talent, actually. Maybe one day a gorgeous Italian man will pull me on to the back of his as he drives by...I should only be so lucky...
Until next time my chumly wumlies. Love you all!
No comments:
Post a Comment