So today started off with class as usual. We got out at 12:15 and went straight to the campo where they were randomly selecting the horses to race. Only ten of the 17 contradas race and they were already picked out.
Each contrada walked into the campo singing loudly and proudly. The men in the costumes in front of the rest of the parade are the men who take care of and protect the horse that the contrada gets. Everyone in the contrada came up and kissed them on the mouth for good luck (for getting a good horse).
The horses are chosen and their numbers are put up on a chart. Then they randomly choose a contrada and a horse number. The three best horses were 2, 17, and 23. A man named Gordon was explaining everything that was happening and was patiently waiting to see if his contrada got a good horse as well (his contrada is the seashell). We waited and waited. Finally we were down to the final three horses. The unicorn and seashell contrada had still not been assigned a horse, and the two fastest horses and a medium horse were left. Unfortunately the unicorn contrada got the medium horse, but Gordon's contrada got the best horse.
The flags of the ten contradas that are racing.
Corrie and I.
Gordon explaining everything to us.
The flags of the ten contradas that are racing.
Corrie and I.
Gordon explaining everything to us. When Gordon's contrada found out they had the best horse they all rushed up to kiss it then parade it back to their contrada. Gordon invited us to come with the parade, and Miguel and I joined him.
The parade back was crazy, people were extremely emotional. Everyone was hugging each other and a majority of them were crying with happiness. Everyone was singing the contrada song and cheering behind the horse.
We finally paraded all the way to their contrada fountain where the horse will stay. Everyone came up to bless it and touch it and praise it.
They even let me =)
The parade back was crazy, people were extremely emotional. Everyone was hugging each other and a majority of them were crying with happiness. Everyone was singing the contrada song and cheering behind the horse.
We finally paraded all the way to their contrada fountain where the horse will stay. Everyone came up to bless it and touch it and praise it.
They even let me =) Gordon then invited me to the celebration lunch with the rest of the contrada, I sat with him and his friends (aka me and the "old timers"). The woman all called me cute when I tried to speak Italian and they all told me stories about living in Siena and their families and the history of Siena (they are still extremely passionate about the war when siena LOST to florence ... in 1555...)
I then went home and Michelle and I walked around for two hours (that will be a different blog).
At 7 she and I and a group of other friends walked to the campo to see the first trial run. The Jockeys race the horses around to see how they do on turns etc.
When we were on our way to the campo we passed Gordon. He had been so happy to find someone who would ask him questions all day that he invited me to sit and watch the trial run from a balcony!
The owl's are the unicorn's enemy in Siena, and when our horse was being paraded back to the contrada one of them spat at it, so all the men from our contrada started throwing punches at them. Apparently fights are extremely common and the police let them fight it out if it is two enemy contradas.
When we were on our way to the campo we passed Gordon. He had been so happy to find someone who would ask him questions all day that he invited me to sit and watch the trial run from a balcony!
The owl's are the unicorn's enemy in Siena, and when our horse was being paraded back to the contrada one of them spat at it, so all the men from our contrada started throwing punches at them. Apparently fights are extremely common and the police let them fight it out if it is two enemy contradas.
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