Carnivale III - Floats in the historical center

Peppe Nappa

He holds the keys to the city, and leads all of the Carnivale parades, only to be burned on the last night of Carnivale (actually at about 4 in the morning on Ash Wednesday). He does not seem to mind, and this year, he rode into town on a wine barrel. A fitting image for him, I think.


Well, yes, there is a real Carnivale. It has outrageous floats made of a hardened paper mache with metal piping serving as the skeletons, it has groups of kids from all of the schools dancing, as well as groups of older kids from the various dance troops dancing to the songs specially written for each float, it has parades, and it has tons of people.






To the right is Silvio, riding Alitalia airlines into the ground. The floats usually have some sort of political meaning, and this was the year Italy had to give up its flag carrier to private enterprise.


Frankly, going to carnivale in the evening is a bit much for me. The first few times were fun, but then the outrageous crowds, the drinking, and the noise got a bit much for me, so this year I just went down for the children's parade on Saturday afternoon, and was able to see all the floats lined up for the procession, and some of them actually going through part of the parade route for the children's parade. It was enough for me.


This is Barack Obama, riding into town on a bull. I think one of the things that it symbolizes is that Barack is bullish on America, and more and more, among the people I talk to, so is Sicily.


I talked to a person at the local Mail Boxes Etc that I use, and he told me he was delighted that Carnivale was over. He lives in a small apartment along the parade route, and when I asked him if I could watch the parade from his house next year, he told me that there would not be any room. Everynight he is invaded by fifty of his best friends, who stay and drink until the wee hours, watch the procession, and have a grand old time. He ends up getting no sleep for the run of carnivale.

With that being said, here are some images from this year's Carnivale.

To the left is someone riding into town on a pig (porca miseria, which literally means miserable pig, but is used in the same was as 'holy cow!).







On the right is Michael, Marilyn, and Elvis, the great American trio, backing up president number 44 and his bull.







Okay, riding into town on a wine barrel, a failing airplane, a bull, a pig, then why on on an inner tube at one of our many beaches, or on a dragon, as the chinese merchant, one of a growing number in Sciacca and in Italy, are in these photos.










These are the kids who danced infront of our president. They are bulls, bull fighters, and butterflies. Their parents have charge of the ropes, keeping the kids together as much as they can.






Back to the politics(left), there have been many problems with water being lost, creating problems for residents in cities. Maybe it is not just the old pipes that are to blame!!








Sometimes Carnivale is nothing more than a time to get together with friends and get a bunch of stupid looking hats from the mechants who come to town for Carnivale.




And sometimes it is nothing more than a time to get an even stupider wig, and dance through downtown as if there was nothing better to do in the whole world, and maybe there is nothing better to do.








With all of these visitors, they have to stay somewhere. Some people bring their own hotels. This group of campers appeared in the dilitante port area almost overnight, and there were other parking areas set aside for them as well. In the background you can see Capo San Marco, where I live.







Finally, a shot of Elvis as a third story man, and Marilyn getting ready to flash people as they watch from their terraces. This gives you an idea of how high these floats are.

Complimenti to all the groups that thought of the ideas for the floats, and put them together. It was a good time, few people got hurt or arrested, and the city has just about returned to normal. Of course Ash Wednesday is not celebrated here, however on Carnivelone, the day after Carnivale, the schools remain closed so that families can recover, usually with a nice picnic in the countryside.