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I Love Touring Italy - The Marches Carnevale by:Levi Reiss
The Marches region main Carnevale is held in Ascoli Piceno
, a valley town of some 55 thousand surrounded by mountains on three sides. It is located about 110 miles (175 kilometers) southeast of Perugia, the capital of the neighboring region of Umbria. According to local legend Ascoli Piceno was founded when a woodpecker led a band of nomadic shepherds to the sliver of land in between two rivers on which the town now stands. So you may wish to look for woodpecker masks at Carnevale. Most of the action takes place in the Piazza del Populo (Square of the People), which is richly decorated for the festivities.This Carnevale has quite a set of characters. The procession is opened by a town crier, the Grand Georges. You will find the Grosse Biesse (the Fat Beast), which is about 20 yards or meters long. This beast weighs over 13 tons and sports a long pointed tail, a crocodile's head, scales, a long neck, and large teeth. Grosse Biesse is dragon-like creature with a crested back who spits confetti instead of fire. It is accompanied by about fifty "biessons" (beasties). Tradition has it that trolls once lived in nearby caves and when frightened by the Fat Beast they invaded the town. Luckily enough Nos Petite (Our Little One) could make peace among the trolls, the Fat Beast, and the local populace. We could use his negotiating skills today. Then there is the puppet Gugusse, a cheery little fellow who is constantly placed on a tarpaulin and thrown in the air. When he isn't around, people from the crowd, mostly women, get to replace him. I don't really know if they are volunteers or not.
Other Carnevale participants include The Haute Cour marchoise, the Macrales de la Famenne, the Diables de la Famenne, the Baloches di Morloye, the Zibistoukets and Grutchouyoux, the gilles Les Bons Vivants, the Porte Basse, the Harmonie Communale, and the Amis de Theo. Did you notice that all the names are in French? You can get an idea of this Carnevale's size by considering the statistics for the final Sunday: 1.5 tons of confetti, 1,300 lbs of candy, 4000 flowers and 16,000 oranges are distributed or thrown to the eagerly awaiting crowd.
The Marches hosts additional Carnevales. Fano is a seaside resort of over 60 thousand people. The highlight of its Carnevale is the parade in which costumed revelers throw candies and chocolate. The town of Offida, population about five thousand, is situated about 8 miles (12 kilometers) northeast Ascoli Piceno. The central attraction of Offida's Carnevale is the Corsa del Bove Finto (Running of the Fake Bull) in which after spending the day drinking local wine, traditionally dressed participants run after someone in a bull costume.
About the author
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but he prefers drinking fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and people. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. Visit his Italian travel website http://www.travelitalytravel.com which includes information on Italian wine and food. Filling Out An Antique Car Insurance Online Quote Not Just Vehicle Wraps But Wraps For Boats, Walls And Buildings As Well! Autodvdgps Become The Biggest Retailer Of Custron Livery Automobiles In Review Find The Right Car On Finance For You Easily Online The Faq Of Buying A Caravan Get Your Car Insurance Online Quotation Today~ Car Insurance Online Quotation, Discover The Method And The Myths Evaluate an Auto Insurance Quote Online How Product Design Affects for Your Car Car Insurance Problems The Auto Industry Online Think Of These Factors When Buying A Card Printer Auto Shipping With Companys Responsibility