Carnevale in Venice

When I first arrived in Italy it was during Carnevale. I remember walking around the main piazza in Bologna and seeing children in costumes and wondering what was going on. I had heard of Carnevale but solely in the context of the celebrations in Brazil and I did not realize, at that point, that it was also celebrated in other places including Italy.

By year two I had figured it all out and I wanted to visit Venice to witness one of the largest Carnevale celebrations in all of Italy. I had heard there would be many people and that some people wore masks and I was excited to check it out but I was not prepared for the reality.

It was spectacular! The people who dressed up put tremendous amounts of time, energy and passion into their costumes and their characters. They were very serious about the roles they were playing and and they did not break character...even when stopping for a coffee and snack.

We met the couple below when we stopped for coffee at the beautiful Caffè Florian. They informed us that they had travelled from Spain to be a part of the festivities.

There were many couples elaborately dressed in different kinds of costumes. I loved the details and the colors!

There were also some larger groups of presumably friends or family all dressed in matching costumes.

There were even some families with children in full costume as well!

This little guy made my heart melt. He reminded me of a very young Benjamin Franklin. 

It was such a wonderful experience and I highly recommend visiting Venice for Carnevale if you get the chance. Yes, it is crowded (there were times when we could not move because the small streets were overflowing with people) but it is worth it. It was like being transported to another time and place for a day.

Three Years

Monday was my three year anniversary of living in Italy!

It is bizarre to write that because it does not feel like it has been that long. I remember deciding to come here and how nonchalant I was about it. I had no idea what I was getting myself into and how this experience would change my life. At first, I was to stay here for six months but that turned into a year and then another year and all of a sudden I have lived here for three years. In the end I guess in large part it comes down to expectations. When I came here I had certain expectations (I would quickly become fluent in Italian, I would easily make the transition into the Italian culture and lifestyle) and of course, as it usually happens, the reality was very different. I guess I am still trying to bridge that gap. There are still so many things to learn and challenges to face that it feels impossible that I have been here for three years - aren't I suppose to be an expat, Italian expert by now?

To commemorate this anniversary, I thought it would be fun to share some excerpts from a journal I was keeping when I first arrived. These are some of the things that surprised me about life in Italy during my first few days here:

"People dress fancier here than in the US (i.e. no flip flops, hoodies, regular jeans)."

"Coffee always equals espresso and people drink it like shots of liquor. Nobody gets it to go. You stand at the bar, drink it quickly and leave."

"The keys to the front door look like they are for a castle."

"Eggs are not refrigerated at the grocery store."

"There are no dryers. You see people's laundry hanging out of their apartments everywhere."

 The funny thing about writing this post is how normal all of these things seem now.

So maybe in the end I have learned more and integrated more deeply into the lifestyle than I notice or give myself credit for.

Snow!!

It snowed in Bologna!



This was the scene from our back patio this morning.

This morning, I was dutifully hitting the snooze button and avoiding getting out of bed when Andrea walked in and said, "I have a problem...I don't know if I am going to be able to go to work because there is so much SNOW!". I literally flew out of bed and ran to the window to check it out. Then I threw on my coat, hat and a pair of shoes to go out on the patio to take pictures.



For this California girl, who has never really lived anywhere where it snows, it was a pretty exciting way to start the day!



scooters buried in the snow



The streets around our house were empty this morning as most people opted to stay home.



It continued to snow all morning and into the afternoon. After lunch, Andrea and I went for a walk in the city center. It is amazing how the snow made me look at the city in a whole new light and with a renewed appreciation and excitement.



trees heavy with snow

 


bikes in the snow

 


People flocked to Piazza Maggiore to marvel at and play in the snow.
There were snowmen being built, snow ball fights in progress and people making snow angels.

 


a snowman standing proud in front of San Petronio

 


Neptune covered in snow



Piazza Santo Stefano



It was a magical day! The snow has stopped now after dumping a record 45 cm (1.47 feet). I hope that we get at least a little more in the coming days. Bologna truly was transformed into a winter wonderland and it was fun to enjoy the city in a new way and to tromp through the snow without a care and to feel reconnected with simpler pleasures.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!