Little Girl, Big City: Week Three: Carnevale di Viareggio!

This week was filled with adventures! Last Sunday, after I published my Siena post, I went to the opera Don Giovanni at the Teatro Comunale with my opera class. Being my favorite opera, I couldn't have been more thrilled to see it performed here, in Italy. The performance was interesting. While the voices were incredible, I was a little disappointed in the direction and the set - or lack thereof. The stage was huge and could have been utilized much more efficiently. Regardless, it was great to see, and vocally inspiring, as always.

This week was Valentine's week! And in celebration of Valentine's Day, I went out to dinner with my friend Alyssa. We found this amazing hole-in-the-wall restaurant that served really cheap, authentic Tuscan food. After dinner, we visited the chocolate market, bought something at almost every single stand, and then walked to Gilli and ordered tea and (even better...) cioccolata calda (Italian hot chocolate). I also may or may not have bought myself a Valentine's day dress that's super adorable from a vintage boutique here in Florence.

My host mom made homemade gnocchi this week. I don't know if I've mentioned enough how amazing her food is. Pictures to prove it.

This weekend, my friend Eli visited Florence! We went to high school together, and both happened to be studying in Europe this semester. He's studying in Barcelona. While he was here, we climbed the Duomo, went to the Accademia, and toured the Boboli Gardens. We also went to this amazing restaurant called Vivanda. They cater to vegetarians, vegans, and the gluten-sensitive! The food was incredible.

The Boboli Gardens are my favorite part of Florence. They're just gorgeous. Located right behind Pallazzo Pitti, the palace you see in the picture above, the gardens provide an excellent view of Florence.

Built in 1458, the Palazzo was commissioned by a Florentine banker, Luca Pitti. The Palace was later sold to the Medici family in the mid-1500s, during the rule of Cosimo I.

Eli and I on the Ponte Vecchio. It was so bright, it was difficult to get a shot that wasn't faded out in the background.

Yesterday, a few girls and I took a train to Viareggio for the last day of Carnevale. Carnevale traditionally ends when Lent begins, as it is a celebration of feasting and in general, eating meat before it's given up for 40 days. However, Viareggio's Carnevale, while more "local", still draws a large tourist crowd, and makes money off of the extra days of celebration. So, we went, dressed in masks, and watched the parade.

This was a church in Viareggio. I liked it.

My mask!

The floats are enormous.

I was also shocked to see how political the floats were. This float is filled with dancing soldier clowns, and the picture at the top is President Obama kissing Angela Merkel. The back of the float had a parodied Uncle Sam poster pasted on it.

This float was also insane. She's sweeping out a bunch of the Italian political leaders. (And the back of the float is a closet filled with colorful skeletons.) And the Italian dancers on this float were in black face.

And this float:

The license plate reads "The marriage of dried figs" - and it's the Italian President Giorgio Napolitano (in the dress) and Prime Minister Mario Monti on the right.

There were anti-Berlusconi signs, puppets of multiple Italian political leaders dressed as babies, and the majority of the floats had something political to say.

But on a lighter note, I met Charlie Brown and Lucy!