Santa Maria Nuova
Written by admin on 22 September, 2009 – 10:45 am -
The 2009 Palio di Asti was won by Santa Maria Nuova. It is the fifth time in the history of the event that they have been victorious (they recently had back-to-back wins in 2005 and 2006). Tele Cupole, Piedmont’s regional television channel, showed the event live but had to leave before the climax as there were too many false starts (at least three)!
Posted in Entertainment, History, Travel | 6 Comments »
The Oldest Palio in Italy
Written by admin on 17 September, 2009 – 9:17 am -
A Palio, an annual historic contest between the neighbourhoods of a town usually involving horseracing or other medieval sports, is literally the silk banner awarded to the winner of the contest.
The most famous Palio in Italy is that of Siena which is held every 2nd July and 16 August. It dates back to 1644. However, Italy’s oldest palio is that of Asti, Piedmont, and dates back to 1275. It takes place on the third Sunday of September and comprises of 21 competing Rioni or neighbourhoods. About 1200 locals, including the famous Sbandieratori or flag-wavers, parade through the streets in medieval costume and a bareback horse race takes place in Piazza Alfieri in front of a large crowd (ticket holders only). After three preliminary heats and a display by the Sbandieratori the final race is run and the Palio awarded. Last year the winning rione was San Lazzaro, who, as tradition dictates, have been celebrating for the whole year!
Posted in Entertainment, History, Travel | 4 Comments »
A Step Back in Time
Written by admin on 23 August, 2009 – 7:19 pm -
This year I spent my annual holiday back in Great Britain, visiting my parents. What a shock I was in for. I thought I would be escaping the Italians for a couple of weeks. Not so. I found that the Romans are still keeping things under control!
Posted in Food & Drink, History, Travel | 3 Comments »
Giovanni Falcone (May 18, 1939 – May 23, 1992)
Written by admin on 25 May, 2009 – 11:17 am -
Saturday marked the 17th anniversary of the death of the the Italian antimafia magistrate who specialised in prosecuting the Cosa Nostra, the Sicilian Mafia. He was killed in la strage di Capaci (near the town of Capaci, Sicily) along with his wife and three bodyguards, when the motorway on which he was travelling was blown up using 350kg of explosives. His good friend Paolo Borsellino, who was also an antimafia magistrate, was killed by a car bomb less than two months later in Palermo.
Both magistrates received the Medaglia d’oro al valorcivile, Golden medal for civil valour, and in 2006 Time Magazine honoured them by naming them as heroes of the last 60 years. In 2007, at the Festival di Sanremo (Sanremo Music Festival), Fabrizio Moro wrote about the two men with his winning entry Pensa.
An excellent TV film was recently broadcast by Rai. It follows Falcone’s life from the start of his mafia investigations in 1980, up to his assassination.
Photo source – Biografia: vita e morte di Giovanni Falcone
Posted in History | 2 Comments »
