Party for the Saints!

Every town in Italy has a patron saint, and every year the town celebrates the saint.  I was able to experience two parties for saints in one weekend!  On Saturday, while I was in Ravenna, the town celebrated Saint Apollinare.  I first found out about the celebration when I walked into the Duomo in Ravenna and found a special mass taking place.  I arrived at the very end of it, so I waited patiently outside to not disturb the worship.  I wasn't sure exactly what was happening.  When I ran into Michela and Alfredo shopping after my going to the Duomo, they explained to me what was going on.  When towns celebrate their patron saint, it is like a national holiday for the town.  Stores close down and people celebrate.  In Ravenna, a special concert was thrown for the town.  Nina and I were able to listen to the music while we walked, and when we returned home, we could hear the music from the apartment.

On Sunday in Porto Potenza Picena, the town celebrated St. Ann.  The Boccaccini's and I headed down to the town around 8 to get pizza for dinner.  No, we did not ride in the Porsche this time....

but we did ride in a..... 

... Ferrari.  It was the California model in a champagne color.  

All I could do was laugh at the fact that in the course of a week, I have rode in a Ferrari and Porsche.  If I had to choose, it would be the Porsche--it has a lot more power!

There was a lot of traffic because everyone was headed into town.  It was really funny because while we were in traffic Michela asked, "How do you say in America, people looking us?"  I responded, "Everybody is looking at us."  The reason why she asked this was because EVERYBODY was pointing and looking at the car.  Each time I rode in the Porsche or Ferrari, I felt like I was in a car commercial.  We would go at the speed of light around the windy roads of Italia.  Windy roads that led through the hills and green fields filled with sunflowers.

After getting through the traffic, we got a parking space and made our way to the restaurant.  We all ordered pizza.  I got a vegetarian pizza, and it was very good.  The restaurant owner was a friend of Alfredo.  The owner had a lot of business, as everyone in the town was coming out to eat.  The restaurant was right on the beach, so people were able to camp out and wait for the fireworks.  The town was absolutely beautiful.  There were lights everywhere (kind of like Christmas).  The church was outlined in lights, and the main street had lit ornaments outlining the street.  It was really neat to see all the people come out to celebrate the town.