So for a "Happy Lent" post, thought I'd bring out some photos from last year's celebration...
It actually doubled up as a fun birthday present for me too, as we took the train from our apartment in Florence with a couple friends to one of the most famous city hosts of Carnival in the world...
ahhhh, Venezia.
Where else can you walk past costumes like this? Some made of bright tulle, some of black and white NEWSPAPER!? (yep, the guys in the 3rd photo)...
...or wander down an empty alley and cross a bridge to find this costumed man standing by his gondola. Seriously, no one else was around. Felt like he was a scarecrow or something. But, he waved. He was real. We visited the shop of the mask-maker who was the artisan for all the masks on Eyes Wide Shut, and watched him at work, then happened upon an open-air theater production outside the Doge Palace...
...and had to peek around a zebra and a squid to see.
Then discovered the new life the city brought on at night...wearing a mask of my own, enjoying full on club party in St. Mark's Square with a live DJ, dance party, lights on the church, and finding strange costumed doormen in alleys guarding entrance to private masked balls.
This year, we just had our regular Tuesday night community dinner...but cut into a fun Marti Gras King Cake for dessert. I wasn't the one to find this scary fellow in their slice. But all the luck to Kelly, who did...she even got a crown to wear made of tin foil.
I don't think I'd want this jacked guy near my mouth. :) So that's a good photo to end on, eh? HAPPY LENT!
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7 comments:
I have been reading all the expats blogs in Italy too!!! The carnivals are fabulous..nothing here in the Uk though :-(
A one of a kind event in a one of a kind city. Thanks for sharing Erin. And when I first read *crown* I thought perhaps your friend bit down to hard and needed a crown on her tooth.
Whew- thank goodness it wasn't THAT kind of crown :)
Happy Belated Birthday! Can't believe that a year has passed since you were in Venice for Carnevale!
We have not yet made it to Venice for carnival, next year is the year! While I get around to make all the arrangements and the masks, I will have to live vicariously through pictures like yours. Thank.
to go to carnevale in venezia is one of my life-long dreams. thank you for sharing the lovely photos
Wow, what a glorious time you must have had celebrating Carnevale in Venezia!
I unfortunately bit into one of those little plastic critters embedded in the King Cake, though I was told it was good luck. I am still not convinced finding an ugly plastic thingy inside your food is lucky. ;)
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