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Category Archives: Contrada
Palio pantaloni!
This is now tied as my favorite photo opp of the trip (along with the old people lined up on the bench in San Quirico Val D’Orcia). These are the tights that the Oca contrada members wore in the Palio … Continue reading
Posted in Contrada, Italian language school, Palio, Siena, Tuscany
Tagged Oca, Palio pantaloni
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Santa Caterina
On my tiny walk home from lunch I stopped in to take some photos of the convent of Santa Caterina. Reminder that her head is down the road in the church of San Domenico, and this is also where the … Continue reading
Posted in Contrada, Italian language school, Siena
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Palio buddies
As I walked home Wednesday afternoon / early evening I came across a lot of Giraffaioli! My landlord told me that Giraffa and Oca are good friends so they were invited over to Oca’s headquarters for a celebration. He said … Continue reading
Posted in Contrada, Italian language school, Palio, Siena
Tagged Fedora, Giraffa, Oca, Palio
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Palio video – August 16, 2011
So what happened exactly? It seems that the Torre horse developed a cramp midway in the race and you can actually see him laying on the track as Giraffa comes around the final bend for the win. I didn’t even … Continue reading
Posted in Contrada, Italian language school, Palio, Siena
Tagged Giraffa, Leocorno, Lo Specialista, Nicchio, Palio, Torre
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Post Palio dinner at Piazza del Campo
The Piazza goes from racetrack to outdoor cafes within about 45 minutes of the Palio ending. It is amazing! Linda, Sarah (a young Canadian girl) and I had dinner at “Liberamente” which is right near the starting post. The … Continue reading
The Palio, exiting the Piazza
After the contrada sieze the Palio they head off to the Duomo, with the horse, to pay thanks for the win. I didn’t go to that but Helen did and she said she got to pet Fedora, the winning horse, … Continue reading
Posted in churches, Contrada, Italian language school, Palio, Siena
Tagged Fedora, Palio
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The Palio! Giraffa by a neck!
Actually, by much more than a neck! Fedora is the name of the winning horse, Giraffa is the winning contrada! As the horses rounded the track for the third and final time they headed into the most dangerous curve of … Continue reading
Posted in Contrada, Italian language school, Palio, Siena
Tagged Fedora, Giraffa, Lo Specialista, Palio
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The actual Palio banner
The actual “Palio” is a banner given to the winner of the race. Palio means “prize” but it has also become the name for the entire event and the race itself. The Palio for August, 2011 is white-on-white of The … Continue reading
The Palio! The pageantry!
And here is an example of how the pageantry plays out.
Posted in Contrada, Italian language school, Palio, Siena
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The Palio! Piazza del Campo
It was about 4:00 by the time we reached the Piazza del Campo and Serena showed me the little alley I needed to take to get to my seat so I made a quick dash to find a toilet and … Continue reading
Posted in Contrada, Italian language school, Palio, Siena
Tagged contrada, contrade, Palio, Piazza del Campo
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Not Quite a Mid-Life Gap Year 