St Wendel hosted a magician's fest recently ...
lots of magicians circling the church ...
some good, some not so good ...
This gentleman and his partner were fantastic!!
Could have watched the two of them all day long ...
Holly
Showing posts with label fiesta fun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fiesta fun. Show all posts
Monday, December 1, 2014
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Fancy rolls
Fancy rolls being hand shaped by a baker in Monterosso Almo, Ragusa province, here in Sicily.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Monterosso Almo
On the 26th, DH and I visited Monterosso Almo (in Ragusa province) to see its Living Navtivity.
Most of the town gets involved, you follow a route that leads you through the lower section of the town, past scenes of life as it was in the 1600-1800's (or so)... cobblers, laundresses, bakers, cantinas, rope-makers and a lot more... it's fun to see and experience.
Our group was one of the first allowed through .... so we had time after completing the route. DH and I explored a bit and climbed to the upper church where we were able to look over the Nativity areas.
Most of the town gets involved, you follow a route that leads you through the lower section of the town, past scenes of life as it was in the 1600-1800's (or so)... cobblers, laundresses, bakers, cantinas, rope-makers and a lot more... it's fun to see and experience.
Our group was one of the first allowed through .... so we had time after completing the route. DH and I explored a bit and climbed to the upper church where we were able to look over the Nativity areas.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Honoring St Agatha
St Agatha is Catania's (nearest major city) patron saint.
The main Duomo (cathedral) in Catania is dedicated to her.
The last time DH and I visited the Duomo,
the altar was banked by flowers in honor of St. Agatha.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Good Friday, 2012
Our Lady of Sorrows during the Good Friday procession in Ferla, Sicily.
DH and I hadn't seen this procession before. It was quite impressive.
DH and I hadn't seen this procession before. It was quite impressive.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Saturday, March 17, 2012
St Giuseppe parade - Scicli
St Joseph is one of the most important saints here in Sicily. His saint day is March 17th.
Scicli in the southern part of the island has a fantastic parade every year.
The horses are decorated with huge or elaborate floral displays.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Jester at Medieval Festival
Three more clips of the jester ...
even not understanding Italian, I think he's fun to watch.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Jester in Motta S.A.
Recently Motta Sant'Anastasia (CT) Sicily had its annual Medieval Fest
and celebrations in honor of the town’s patron saint, Santa Anastasia.
This jester was a lead performer one night.
He's also a juggler and ventriloquist and a bunch more all rolled in one.
He was a riot to watch!
Monday, July 25, 2011
St James candlelighting - Caltagirone
This year's luminaria design on the Sta Maria steps
in Caltagirone for the St James Festival (24-25 July).
Made for a long day ... didn't get home until nearly 2 this morning.
We enjoyed the day even so.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Sunday, October 31, 2010
IT'S FALL ..IT'S FESTIVAL SEASON!
DH and I have been exploring local festivals the last few weeks ... lots of them going on this month. Here's a couple shots from Bronte (pistachios), Militello (prickly pears) and Zafferana Etnea (all sorts of produce grown on Mt Etna).
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| A car on display at Bronte that DH and a co-worker stopped to drool over ... |
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| Street lights entering the town of Bronte ... |
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| I'd rather eat the pistachios ... a window display on the main street of town ... |
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| Beekeeper at Zafferana festival |
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| Some of the items grown or produced on Mt Etna - this is at Zafferana's festival |
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| Prickly Pear liquor from Militello - this area is famed for the prickly pears grown there |
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| Always searching for love ... this is just of the many balloon characters on display |
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
IT'S FALL AND FESTIVAL TIME!
Lots of festivals going on here in Sicily now. Last weekend, DH and I went to both a Pistachio festival in Bronte and another festival in Zafferana Etnea that will celebrate a different products every Sunday this month. Last Sunday, the focus was on grapes. Other Sundays will focus on chestnuts, mushrooms, honey, wine and apples.
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| Street lights in Bronte |
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| Produce just picked this morning ... all kinds |
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| In a Bronte butcher window -- just thought this was funny |
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| Getting ready to spin the honey before bottling right in front of customers in Zafferana |
Sunday, August 22, 2010
MEDIEVAL FESTICAL IN MOTTA
The Medieval Fest in Motta was held last week. DH and I checked it out for a couple of hours on Tuesday. Here is a clip of a dancing act held in the square in front of the castle at the top of town and another of one of the jousters. The jousting was held on one of the two main streets -- the town brought in a bunch of dirt to cover the surface and lined one side with hay bales so the horses weren't at risk of clipping the edge of the sidewalk. Lots of fun!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
ORANGE FESTIVAL IN FRANCOFONTE
There are large orchards of Tarocco (blood) oranges south south of us. I've been told that after both the world wars, that veterans were given land and encouraged to grow oranges. The region is now famous for blood oranges -- I think they are a bit sweeter than the more common orange....though it still seems odd to pour red juice in the morning. The oranges in this picture isn't even very red ... lots are solidly red.
Poster advertising the festival...
...Cannoli filled with pistachio, orange, strawberry or white creme fillings....
....filling cannoli...
...yum... cannoli with orange filling....love Italian desserts! ...
Francofonte (Siracusa province), Land of the Best Oranges in the World ...
....little side corner of the town ...
Poster advertising the festival......Cannoli filled with pistachio, orange, strawberry or white creme fillings....
....filling cannoli...
...yum... cannoli with orange filling....love Italian desserts! ...
Francofonte (Siracusa province), Land of the Best Oranges in the World ...
....little side corner of the town ...
Thursday, February 25, 2010
A UNIQUE UNESCO ARTIFACT - SICILIAN PUPI
When one thinks of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and preservation - normally one thinks of ancient ruins like Stonehenge, the Acropolis in Athens or natural wonders like the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. Afterall, the purpose of UNESCO is to encourage the protection and preservation of items of such cultural or natural significance that these items are not simply part of a single nation's culture ... instead are considered as belonging to humanity as a whole. UNESCO has designated Sicilian Puppet Theatre as part of humanity's "oral and intangible heritage" and has devised a plan to save it from extinction.
Pupi means puppets ...but these are the small marionettes that are commong in the States and most of western Europe. No - these things are about three or four feet tall and can weigh between 100 and 150 pounds.
or The modern tradition that can still be seen in Sicily originated in the early 19th century but the history of Pupi theatre can be traced to at least the 1400s. Puppets and marionettes were a popular form of entertainment throughout Medieval Europe for all classes of people and it is probable that the earliest performances involved local history and folklore.
In Sicily, puppet theatre uses wooden marionettes on strings and metal wires instead of hand puppets made of cloth. Sicilian marionettes vary in size depending upon the locality. Catania are nearly twice the size of those used in Palermo and the closely related puppet tradition of Naples uses marionettes that are a meter tall.
Sicilian Puppet Theatre: Famous Characters Many of the characters portrayed in the Opera dei Pupi come straight from the history of Southern Italy. Heroes of the Norman Conquest such as Roger (Ruggiero) and Tancred (Tancredi) do battle with the Saracens or vie for a maiden's hand. Other characters like Godfrey (Goffredo) and Reynald (Rinaldo) are fictional characters whose origins are based upon real-life participants in the Crusades. The most popular character is arguably Orlando, the Sicilian version of Charlemagne's (Carlo Magno) nephew Roland and the most common marionette sold in gift shops. The villains of the Opera dei Pupi are more fanciful and besides the Saracens who once ruled Sicily, are based more in legend than in fact. Agricane is one such villain who is identified as the King of Mongolia and fights Orlando for the love of a princess. Another foe of the hero Orlando is Alcina, a sorceress. Argante is a powerful Saracen warrior that battles Tancredi in a fight to the death at the walls of Jerusalem. Whether good or evil, the characters and their deeds are all much larger than life, the equivalent to today's fictional super heroes. Subject matter of the Opera dei Pupi is derived from various periods of Sicilian history, works of literature, folklore and comedy. Performances that pit the Norman knights against the Saracens are taken from Sicily's turbulent history, with various liberties taken for the sake of art. Plays which feature Orlando and Carlo Magno are the famous Song of Roland (Chanson de Roland).
Opera dei Pupi also covers subjects from classical Greece and Rome such as Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. Religious and Biblical performances can include tales from the Old Testament, including the tale of the Exodus. The dialogue of Sicilian Puppet Theatre is usually improvised, even if the plot remains the same. Therefore the skill of the performer is not only displayed in the actions of the marionettes, but also in the clever improvisation of the dialogue. A major component of the Opera dei Pupi is the violence: swordfights, jousts and battles with monsters or sorceresses. When a hero slashes with his sword, limbs can fall from the villain. In some performances the wounds actually bleed, the blood being made from beet juice.
Much of Sicily's history has been violent and over the centuries it has imprinted itself in this most traditional form of entertainment. Sicilian Puppet Theatre: Preserving the Tradition Sadly, the popularity of Sicilian Puppet Theatre began to decline sharply during the middle of the 20th century. With the advent of more modern forms of entertainment, many family-run puppet companies had to close, selling off their props to collectors. Today there is no shortage of shops in Sicily selling replica puppets for the tourist market, but actual puppet theatres have been in serious decline.
The theatre we went to has been around for several decades and is a family run theatre. Afterwars, we met the grandfather, father and mother, kids and even grandkids who all worked to put out each play.
Pupi means puppets ...but these are the small marionettes that are commong in the States and most of western Europe. No - these things are about three or four feet tall and can weigh between 100 and 150 pounds.
or The modern tradition that can still be seen in Sicily originated in the early 19th century but the history of Pupi theatre can be traced to at least the 1400s. Puppets and marionettes were a popular form of entertainment throughout Medieval Europe for all classes of people and it is probable that the earliest performances involved local history and folklore. In Sicily, puppet theatre uses wooden marionettes on strings and metal wires instead of hand puppets made of cloth. Sicilian marionettes vary in size depending upon the locality. Catania are nearly twice the size of those used in Palermo and the closely related puppet tradition of Naples uses marionettes that are a meter tall.
Sicilian Puppet Theatre: Famous Characters Many of the characters portrayed in the Opera dei Pupi come straight from the history of Southern Italy. Heroes of the Norman Conquest such as Roger (Ruggiero) and Tancred (Tancredi) do battle with the Saracens or vie for a maiden's hand. Other characters like Godfrey (Goffredo) and Reynald (Rinaldo) are fictional characters whose origins are based upon real-life participants in the Crusades. The most popular character is arguably Orlando, the Sicilian version of Charlemagne's (Carlo Magno) nephew Roland and the most common marionette sold in gift shops. The villains of the Opera dei Pupi are more fanciful and besides the Saracens who once ruled Sicily, are based more in legend than in fact. Agricane is one such villain who is identified as the King of Mongolia and fights Orlando for the love of a princess. Another foe of the hero Orlando is Alcina, a sorceress. Argante is a powerful Saracen warrior that battles Tancredi in a fight to the death at the walls of Jerusalem. Whether good or evil, the characters and their deeds are all much larger than life, the equivalent to today's fictional super heroes. Subject matter of the Opera dei Pupi is derived from various periods of Sicilian history, works of literature, folklore and comedy. Performances that pit the Norman knights against the Saracens are taken from Sicily's turbulent history, with various liberties taken for the sake of art. Plays which feature Orlando and Carlo Magno are the famous Song of Roland (Chanson de Roland).Opera dei Pupi also covers subjects from classical Greece and Rome such as Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. Religious and Biblical performances can include tales from the Old Testament, including the tale of the Exodus. The dialogue of Sicilian Puppet Theatre is usually improvised, even if the plot remains the same. Therefore the skill of the performer is not only displayed in the actions of the marionettes, but also in the clever improvisation of the dialogue. A major component of the Opera dei Pupi is the violence: swordfights, jousts and battles with monsters or sorceresses. When a hero slashes with his sword, limbs can fall from the villain. In some performances the wounds actually bleed, the blood being made from beet juice.
Much of Sicily's history has been violent and over the centuries it has imprinted itself in this most traditional form of entertainment. Sicilian Puppet Theatre: Preserving the Tradition Sadly, the popularity of Sicilian Puppet Theatre began to decline sharply during the middle of the 20th century. With the advent of more modern forms of entertainment, many family-run puppet companies had to close, selling off their props to collectors. Today there is no shortage of shops in Sicily selling replica puppets for the tourist market, but actual puppet theatres have been in serious decline.
The theatre we went to has been around for several decades and is a family run theatre. Afterwars, we met the grandfather, father and mother, kids and even grandkids who all worked to put out each play.
Monday, January 4, 2010
STA.LUCIA LIGHTS IN BELPASSO
Planning to up-load videos of lights in near-by towns soon ...this is looking up and down Via Roma in Belpasso.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
PRICKLY PEAR FESTIVAL IN MILITELLO
Looking out over the country-side while driving to the festival
..a cactus farm on the way to Mitello. Prickly pears have only been grown commercially in Sicily for the last 15-20 years. Lots of farms and homes have some plants growing near the edges of the property ... provides a traditional food for the table and also makes a good deterrent to discourage animals from escaping. The straight rows indicate that it is a farm....
..close up of a cactus farm ...
... prickly pears for sale ... the Sicilan name for them is "fico (or figli) de India" ... some are sweet, some are bland, lots of different types. They can be peeled and eaten fresh (seeds and all, and there are lots of small seeds in them), used to make a thick sweet (Mostardo) that is about the consistancy of the fig filling in a Fig Newton or made into candy....
--detail on apartment building balcony ....
A baker (his shop is through the door part way up the steps) offering freshly made sweets of locally grown figs, almonds, cactus pears ....
....side street ...
A square within the festival area ...
Carriage from the mid-1800's ....
Some wonderful bells in the city museum ...
Bell detail ....
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