Unexpected Parade on a Saturday Afternoon in Florence

Today was supposed to be a lazy Saturday afternoon with no clear plans for me in Florence – just a day to do some laundry, food shopping, and maybe a walk while the weather was holding. But then I started to hear drums and trumpets outside my window on the Piazza Santa Croce, and a quick look outside showed a large group of musicians and flag bearers in Renaissance costumes and a large gaggle of tourists already swarming the piazza to take pictures and shoot videos. This is what is great about Florence: something exciting and visually stunning is always around the corner even if you do not expect it.

Parade in front of the Basilica di Santa Croce

Florence’s Symbol

Renaissance Costumes of the Band

Once I joined the group of onlookers on the piazza, I figured out that RAI – Italy’s National Broadcasting Company – was shooting a segment about Florence’s Calcio Storico, also called Historical Soccer (see previous post for more details). The games in summer usually start with a parade of musicians and more in Renaissance costume through town. The matches take place on the Piazza Santa Croce, and one of the calcio teams was actually on hand for the filming as well today. The white team from the Santo Spirito neighborhood of Florence was posing for the TV crew and tourists (especially groups of young women) on the steps leading up to the Basilica di Santa Croce.

The White Team from Santo Spirito

Participants of the Parade Posing in front of the Basilica di Santa Croce

Flags Thrown into the Air during a Performance

Since filming always takes a while and different shots need to be set up, the participants spent minutes at a time just standing around and unintentionally acting as perfect photo opportunities for tourists. Since this event was unannounced as far as I could figure out, the crowd was still relatively thin, and I had a chance to take plenty of close-ups that I would not be able to take during a parade before a match.

The Symbol of Florence – the giglio (do not call it Fleur-de-lys if you do not want a lecture from a Florentine)

Close-up of the Participants

Close-up of Parade Members

More Participants of the Parade – Love the Large Feathers

I loved the colorful costumes and flags in front of the white facade of the basilica, and the drums and cheers of the group still followed me as I crossed the river for a walk into the hills overlooking the city center.

Basilica di Santa Croce and Renaissance Parade

Calcio Storico in Florence: Historical Soccer

Over the last few days, workers had transformed the Piazza Santa Croce and covered it with a deep layer of sand surrounded by haystacks and fencing. Even though it was in the middle of February, a match of Calcio Storico, “Historical Soccer”, was planned. Italians really are not too bothered by dates and punctuality; supposedly, these famous games usually take place in June only but for some reason that I still have not figured out, a game was surprisingly scheduled in February. Since I would not be here anymore in June and did not expect  to be able to watch a game, I was happy about this change in schedule.

Game Announcement

Very Wet Sand Pitch on the Piazza Santa Croce

Calcio Storico is also called Calcio Fiorentino and was created in the 16th century. It is a mixture of rugby, American football, wrestling, and to some degree soccer. Both hands and feet can be used to pass the ball, but it actually did not remind me much of soccer but much more of rugby. The goal is to score a point by getting the ball into the narrow goal that runs the width of each end of the playing field. A team consists of 27 players and there are no substitutions, so any injured players just means fewer players on that team. A half point can be scored if the opposing team tries to score a goal but kicks the ball over the goal. The game lasts 50 minutes with no halftime or break. In addition, tackling players even if they do not have the ball is perfectly acceptable and actually good strategy it seems.

Another Tackle

27 players for each side and one ball that is hard to make out.

Wet and very deep sand pitch.

The game I watched was played by the Bianchi (Whites) of the Santo Spirito neighborhood of Florence and the Verdi (Greens) of the San Giovanni neighborhood. The Verdi won by 5 points (or 6 points – I cannot remember) to 2.5 points, so yes, the Green Team tried a to kick a goal and missed the net.

The ball can be kicked or passed or thrown directly at the goal.

Tackle! A part of the goal is visible to the left.

Here is what amused me during the game and/or here is what I learned: The players are blessed inside the Basilica di Santa Croce before the game starts (this reminded me a lot of the prayers in the locker rooms that are always shown in Hollywood sport movies).

The White Team Coming Out of the Basilica di Santa Croce after the Blessing

Team Flags Are Carried onto the Field before the Game

The uniforms of the referees at the Calcio Storico are even more ridiculous than the “zebra uniforms” of the American Football umpires and Footlocker employees.

Outfit of the Line Judge at the Calcio – And here I thought the “zebra uniforms” of the referees in American Football were hilarious.

The best defense seems to be to just tackle the best players of the other team and sit or lie on them. Seriously, this seems to be allowed and practiced. Even if the play is whistled dead, these interlocked pairs are still fighting for dominance.

Best Defense – Lie on an Opponent (this can go on for minutes)

Tackling – but lying/sitting on an opponent also seems to be the best defense and can take minutes in this game.

There are no personal penalties; it seems normal to walk past an opponent and hit him on the back of the head with one’s elbow if the opponent is not paying attention; this can also happen away from the ball and does not trigger any penalties. I am not even sure there are penalties – just a ball out of play is called it seemed to me.

The players wear odd Renaissance-style puffy pants and regular T-shirts that also seem to be of very poor quality since many of the T-shirts get torn a few minutes into the game. It seems like no shirts at all would make more sense and is preferred by the players.

Calcio Player

All the music played before and after the game is Renaissance-style music – no hip new top-of-the-chart hits for this game.

I am wondering what costumes any cheerleaders would wear – if they had cheerleaders.

Calcio Players after the Game

The game is pretty entertaining to watch and easy to figure out especially if you are familiar with rugby and/or American Football rules. The 50-minute game passes quickly since there are no timeouts. If you are in Florence during the time Calcio is on the calendar (or even if there is a surprise unscheduled match),  I hope you have a chance to check it out.

Carnevale di Viareggio

Italians really do not worry about punctuality too much – not even when it comes to the end of Mardi Gras/Carnival, which traditionally celebrates the last few days or maybe weeks leading up to Ash Wednesday and Lent. The keyword is leading up. Here the Carnival parade can last deep into Lent. One of the famous Carnival celebrations in Italy and also shown on TV is Carnevale di Viareggio in the small seaside town of Viareggio about a 90-minute train ride West of Florence.

Close-up of the dancers on one of the floats.

Sometimes the back of the float was a large surprise; this is the back of the “Mouth-Float” – the figure and panther moved.

The parade takes place on several Sundays in a row in the streets bordering the beach. It is a family affair, which means even though alcohol is served and visitors are dressed up and dancing in the streets, the celebrations do not seem to get out of hand (at least at the one I attended). The parade starts at 3 in the afternoon and is a slow procession of huge paper-mache floats, dancers, and smaller costumed groups. The tallest floats dwarf the  five-story buildings next to the parade route. The parade is slow enough that one can walk faster than the floats and the parade route is a large oval, so there is no worry to miss something and always a chance to see a favorite float or group again.

The mouth of the fish opened and closed and a female contortionist/dancer was dancing inside the mouth – visible only when the fish opened its mouth.

This pig float included loud oinking over loudspeakers.

The first Carnival celebration in Viareggio took place in 1873, and paper-mache floats were added in 1925. Just as with the American Rose Parade, artists work on the floats for a whole year. In contrast to the Rose Parade, there are no flowers on the floats, a lot more biting political commentary in the theme of the floats, and more dancers (who are not strapped down to the floats as in the Rose Parade). Unfortunately, my Italian was not strong enough to decipher the political commentary. One float made fun of Facebook and Zuckerberg and seemed to criticize the hold Facebook has over our lives; signs on the float read “Io sono dio” (“I am god”). Another float was clearly criticizing Angela Merkel’s tough stance on the Euro and her/Germany’s influence in the EU. And another float showed Hillary riding a donkey with Bill sitting behind her; the word “Bill” had been edited to now read “Hillary.”

Zuckerberg and Facebook Float – Io Sono Dio!

Merkel Float – She was called the locomotive of the Euro.

Many of the statements, unfortunately, were lost on me; for example, I could not figure out what the point of the float was that was filled with dancers in a Uncle-Sam costumes.

I could not figure out what the USA float was all about.

One of the Hillary floats.

The official site of the event mentions that over 200,000 people attend the parade, but the event does not feel too crowded or out of hand. Most visitors were dressed up or wore at least a small mask. Plenty of vendors sold cheap masks for a few Euros as well as wigs for those who did not plan ahead. Of course, they also sold bags and bags of confetti as well as spray cans of silly string. The streets were covered with confetti so that they seemed covered in snow. I had so much confetti in my hair that I could not get it all out and still found confetti on my pillow the next morning. There are also food and beer vendors and a few cafes and restaurants, so it is easy to spend several hours at the event.

Confetti “Snow”

The parade includes more than just the large floats.

Visitors are dressed up as well.

Visitors to the parade need tickets as the whole area is fenced off, but that also makes it easier for police to check bags of visitors coming in and I think keep the event more controlable. The Carnevale is still on for a few more weeks: Feb 21, 2016; Feb 28, 2016; and Mar 5, 2016 in case you want to go. Check the official website to learn more about the event and where to buy tickets.

Close-up of a Float and its Dancers

The floats are very tall and include a lot of dancers.

Truly American Experience: The Rose Bowl

I will be spending four months in Europe this spring for work with the majority of the time in Florence, Italy but also nearly a month in Austria. So the blog will include a lot more photos and stories about Italy than fits the name of the blog. But before I left the U.S., I made sure to “pile on” truly American experiences and that included in addition to the Rose Parade (see previous post) the Rose Bowl itself – because what is more American than football at the oldest bowl game in the U.S.?!?

Iowa Marching Band before the Game

Iowa Marching Band during Break

The Rose Bowl – also called the “Granddaddy of them all” – is the oldest of all college football bowl games (playoffs). In 1902, the first post-season game in the nation took place here between Stanford and Michigan (Michigan won 49-0). The Rose Bowl included many firsts –  for example, the first transcontinental radio broadcast of a sporting event in 1927 as well as the first national telecast of a college football game in 1952.

Iowa Hawkeyes Fans – Love the Hat!

The current Rose Bowl Stadium was built in 1922 and is listed as a National Historic Landmark because of its importance in American culture and history.

Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, CA – 2016

Even though the team we rooted for (Iowa) was beaten badly in this year’s game against Stanford (45-16), the Iowa fans kept up the good mood and atmosphere in the stands and made this a great experience as my last big event to visit before I go to Europe (there were some grumblings and complaints about the Stanford band making fun of Iowa and sticking to stereotypes that showed very little knowledge of Iowa and made me question the maturity and creativity of Standford students, but that is a different story – read more here if you are interested: Article on Stanford Band). Although I am excited and curious about Italy and look forward to spending some time in Austria, I am a little sad that I have to miss the Super Bowl experience in San Francisco this year (it is not that often that the event is that close to where I live). Next time, I will be posting from Florence. Ci vediamo!

Shirts for the Super Bowl for Sale at the San Francisco Airport

Rose Parade

The Rose Parade in Pasadena, California on New Year’s Day is over a century old and is usually shown on American TV. 2016 marked the 127th year of the parade. All floats have to include only natural materials such as flowers, seeds, and grasses and most floats take a year to construct by mostly professional float-building companies. Seeing the parade live though provides a lot more behind-the-scene details and close-ups than ever shown on TV, and this year I had a chance to see the parade live.

What I did not realize was that people actually reserve spaces on the sidewalks along the over five-mile long parade route 24 hours before the parade starts at 8 in the morning on New Year’s Day. Plenty of people camp out over night just to ensure the best spots to view the parade.

Claiming sidewalk space 24 hours before the parade

Setting up to spend the night waiting for the parade

It is getting late and cold but people are settling in to spend the night on the sidewalk.

 

Some people were really settling in for the night:

We went the more traditional route and put chairs out the day before but hoped they would still be there in the morning even if we did not spend the night. Another option was to spend money on grandstand tickets.

The empty grandstands the day before the parade.

The parade route just a few minutes before the floats come. This is close to the end of the route.

 

And it worked! Our chairs were right there in the front row waiting for us. Someone actually moved them even closer to the line during the night, so we sat so close that I was worried some of the members of the larger bands would actually trip over our feet.

Banners at the beginning of the parade

University of Iowa Marching Band

There were so many large bands:

Allen Eagle Ecadrille from Allen, TX

Wyoming All-State Marching Band

The floats were even more impressive close up than on TV since it was really obvious how many flowers were on these large constructions:

My favorite floats were the the ones with strong colors that popped against the bright blue sky and seemed to vibrate in the sun:

Downton Abbey Float – Public Broadcasting Company

“Treasure Life’s Journey” from Donate Life – all people on the flat actually received donated organs

Other details that the TV broadcast usually does not show is that many floats that are very high actually have to lower some of their parts to fit under the freeway and some of the floats break down and have to be pulled by a tow truck, which also leads to some delays towards the end of the long route:

The large tower in the back had to be lowered to fit under a freeway.

Another detail is that the poop-scoopers walking behind the groups of horses in the parade actually get more applause than the bands and floats (I forgot to take a picture of them though – they are dressed in white and push a garbage can for the over five-mile walk). The parade is unique and more exciting in person than on TV even though it does take hours; this year’s parade featured 95 different participants: floats, marching bands, and horse groups. It is a New Year’s tradition just as the New Year’s Concert of Strauss waltzes in Vienna is an Austrian New Year’s tradition.

And there was even room for some political comments during the parade:

Sky writing during the parade

Fight for Whiskey

“The Whiskey Rebellion” (ca. 1795 Unknown Artist), Metropolitan Museum of Art: George Washington before his march to suppress the Whiskey Rebellion

Some receive fruit of the month club shipments, others receive monthly wine selections as part of a club or membership, and I receive a monthly whiskey shipment (I am pretty sure it beats the fruit of the month club although I have never received that). Every month, I receive a new bottle of whiskey or bourbon from mostly small distilleries that are hard to come by in regular stores (even those specializing in selling alcohol). Each bottle comes with a booklet about the distilling process, the region, the distillery, the history of whiskey or bourbon and more. So it is actually very educational – or at least that is my justification why a bottle of whiskey a month showing up at one’s doorstep makes perfect sense.

Bottle of Bower Hill Bourbon

This month’s whiskey proves my point. It has taught me about a U.S. rebellion that most textbooks overlook. How come I was not taught about the Whiskey Rebellion when I had to sit through U.S. History?! This month’s bottle is from Bower Hill, and its name shows a clear connection to the aforementioned Whiskey Rebellion. According to the nifty little booklet that comes with the bottle, the U.S. Government decided to create a whiskey tax in 1791. It was the first tax of the federal government levied on goods produced and sold in the U.S. The main goal of the government was to recover the costs of the Revolutionary War, so I guess people must have sold and drunk plenty of whiskey for the politicians to expect the tax income to be large enough to impact the costs of a war.

Farmers, distillers, and other supports – mostly from Western Pennsylvania – came together to resist the tax, and this rebellion lasted several years. It seems to have been serious enough that George Washington himself led an army against the rebels. In July 1794, over 500 rebels attacked the home of John Neville, a prominent tax collector. His estate was called Bower Hill and burned down during this attack (Neville survived the attack, and it seems only a couple of men were killed). Eventually the rebels lost, 170 of them were arrested, and the whiskey tax was enforced until is was repealed under President Thomas Jefferson.

Historical Marker for Bower Hill (found on Explore PA History)

The Bower Hill bourbon is named after this estate and according to the manufacturer is celebrating the “rebellious spirit” connected to the Whiskey Rebellion. The flags on the bottle are the flags of the Whiskey Rebellion. The bourbon is a blend of bourbons from Lexington, KY and is extremely delicious (smooth and pretty sweet). In addition to receiving a great bottle of bourbon, I also learned a little more about U.S. history – a win-win situation in my book.

Ready to Enjoy a Taste of Bourbon in front of the Fire

More American Than Apple Pie

The phrase “as American as apple pie” describes something or someone that is typical of the U.S. or the people of the U.S., so is a first-place apple pie then even more American than just any ordinary everyday apple pie?

Winning Apple Pie at the County Fair

My visit to the rural county fair of Amador County, CA was entertaining and provided plenty of cliches of the “typical” America. Amador County might be better known for its many wineries (where I spend way too many weekends), but I am glad we skipped the typical wine tasting this time and checked out the county fair although this was the second fair in as many days. This particular fair was my favorite one I have been to in California because I found all the small cliches associated with rural (Western) America. Half a building was dedicated to prize-winning pies, cookies, and other deserts locked behind glass in display cases. How am I supposed to appreciate the first-place peanut butter cookies without tasting them?? Which leads to my next question: how does one become a judge for the baked goods at a fair?

More Winning Desert Entries at the Fair

Even tomatoes and onions and zucchinis could win prizes, which was rather baffling; they all looked the same and I cannot imagine one red onion tasting so much better than another red onion (maybe I am not cut out to be a food judge after all).

Winning Vegetables

Of course, there was the obligatory rodeo, which meant more cowboy hats in one place than I have ever seen – and thus another stereotype of America to check off. I am wondering whether there is a special term for a group of cowboys: a posse, a band, a cabal (even if this group is not plotting)…

Cowboys Waiting for the Team Roping Event at the Rodeo

I think deep down the chance of seeing/experiencing what I thought America and especially the West was like before I moved here from Europe explains my fascination with rodeos and fairs. The tally for this year so far: three different fairs, two different bull riding events, and one rodeo – but the year is not over yet and there are still plenty of events to come to enjoy the “typical” America.

Longhorn at the California State Fair

Dirty Feet Dining : Table to Farm

Dinner in the Orchard and under the Stars

When diners and all-day breakfast and soda fountains are one side of the coin that is American cuisine (see my previous post on diners), then farm-to-table is the other side of this coin. This farm-to-table (or also called farm-to-fork) movement that connects diners with locally grown (usually organic) produce and more modern and unusual dishes has become more and more popular. This movement is now connecting the consumer and the farmer even more closely in a movement I would call table-to-farm movement: the chefs, the tables, and the guests are all coming to the grower, so some produce does not ever leave the farm before it is consumed. Last weekend’s Dirty Feet Dining event (love the name) at Twin Peaks Orchards in Newcastle, CA was such a table-to-farm event.

Peach Orchard

When the summer nights become warm in Northern California, an al fresco meal could not be more perfect. I have never understood why so many dining options are  in air-conditioned rooms even when the temperatures are perfect. Outdoor dining options are not that common, and outdoor dining options with good food and even better ambiance are pretty impossible to find. Dining in the midst of an orchard and under green boughs full of ripe peaches while watching the stars come up on a clear summer sky is the epitome of a perfect dining location. I am pretty sure I mentioned how beautiful the surroundings were about every ten minutes or so in a dinner that lasted close to four hours – also unusual for American dining options.

Cocktail Menu at the Dirty Feet Dining Event

Gin Cocktail Bar

Dinner started off with cocktails and appetizers. Appetizers were prepared outside as were all other dishes it seemed. All cocktails were made with a locally distilled gin, and between my husband and me, we tasted all the cocktails on the menu. Even though I am usually not a gin drinker, I had a tough time choosing a favorite. The gin was Darjeeling Gin made by California Distilled Spirits in Auburn, CA. I ended up sitting next to the distiller, Ed Arnold, during dinner and learned much about distilling, gin, and whiskey during the conversation.

Prost! A Professor Plum Cocktail (Pink) and a Dirty Tonic Cocktail

Chefs Preparing the Appetizers on the Farm

After cocktails, we walked through the orchards to the highest peak of the farm where chefs cooked over open fire on the outskirts of the orchard, and dining tables, bar, and even a DJ were right in the middle of the orchard and amongst all the trees bowing under the weight of ripe peaches and nectarines. Seating at two long tables and all dishes served family-style on large platers and passed on to share allowed for meeting new people and interesting dinner conversations. The menu was unusual and intricate and did not hint at all that the cooking was done outside as well. I could have maybe handled preparing the salad course outside but definitely not the carp with prawns and pickled apricots, the goat with chickpea puree, or the dessert similar to flan and berries on a cookie.

On the Way through the Peach Orchard to the Dining Tables

Carp as the Second Course Served Family Style

Even though each course came with its specific wine (from Lone Buffalo Vineyards, a local winery on the nearby Placer County Wine Trail), dinner was paused for an alcoholic intermission consisting of tapache, a fermented fruit wine. As dinner service continued, the sunset colored the sky pink and purple above the trees and the lights in the branches and candles placed under the trees started to glow. I doubt I have ever spent that much time during dinner looking up or comment on the setting. Dinner in the orchard has definitely ruined eating in AC-controlled restaurants even more for me. And contrary to the name, the soil and grass in the orchard were just moist enough to keep my feet clean despite the event’s name.

Dinner Included even a DJ in the Orchard

County Fair

Pig Races at the County Fair

I have always loved the county and state fairs even though they have been scaled back here in California (I am guessing because they are not that popular anymore). I have already loved fairs as a kid in Austria, and the American fairs and the Austrian fairs (Volksmesse) are quite similar. Both offer carnival rides, performers, livestock displays, sales people pitching cars and salad spinners and cleaners that can get rid of any stain, and crowds.

Livestock at Display at the County Fair

Two differences are the fair foods and the events. Austrian fair food is heavy on bratwurst and sauerkraut, gingerbread hearts, caramelized almonds, and of course beer. Even though most of that exists here as well, American fairs are known for deep-fried food, and I have learned that anything can be deep fried: candy bars and cheesecake and even Nutella. Deep fried Nutella is  basically a warm doughnut filled with gooey Nutella; warm sugar and fat on a stick – what could be better!

Everything Can Be Deep Fried

Deep Fried Food at the Fair

Another difference is the events. The last fair I went to had piglet races, a rodeo, and a special bull-riding performance. These events also mean more cowboy hats and Western-style boots than I have ever seen in Austria (and not a single pair of lederhosen in sight). As typical for the U.S., the anthem is also played at the beginning of the rodeo and I cannot remember hearing the Austrian anthem at any fair.

Cowboy Leaving the Arena after Being Bucked Off by the Bull

Some Bulls Buck the Rider Off but Refuse to Leave the Arena

In contrast to the large bull riding events, where professional athletes  can earn millions of dollars (pro-rider Silvano Alvez has earned 5.5 million USD so far in his career), riders at county fair events are often high school or college riders, which still boggles my mind. I learned that quite a lot of colleges actually offer rodeo scholarships and plenty offer varsity rodeo teams, including three schools in California. To me, bull riding seems a lot more dangerous than football, and I am surprised that it is a high school sport, but I guess riders have to start at some point.

Before the Rodeo Begins

Sitting so close to the fence, I was impressed and fascinated by the sheer size of the bulls but especially their agility; they can jump so high and twist and turn while in the air even though they weigh 1,500 lbs or more. I cannot believe anyone is willing to get onto one of the beasts. The rodeo, and especially the bull riding, is definitely a major difference between the typical Austrian and the typical Californian fair.

After Bucking Off the Cowboy

Bull Waiting to be Transported to the Next Event

And the Winner Is…

Photo found on http://www.orf.at

…Sweden – which was not a big surprise. A bigger surprise was that Austria (and also Germany) did not get a single point at the Grand Finale of the Eurovision Song Contest. Really??! The song was not that bad, and should not we have gotten a couple of points just for hosting the event (think hostess gift)?

I watched the live online stream of the ORF, and the Austrian host had plenty of good ideas to make the viewing of this annual singing competition amongst European countries (see more about the competition in my previous posting) more interesting.

A surprising amount of songs were in English, which I found rather sad. Even Israel’s entry was for the first time in the competition not in Hebrew. Half of the fun of watching this competition is listening to the lyrics in different languages, such as Armenian, and trying to figure out what they are singing. From the few non-English songs, Italy’s entry, “Grande Amore,” was definitely my favorite and placed third overall.

Italy’s Performance (www.orf.at)

Here are some additional trophies that should have been awarded:

Most doves used in the background – France

Best lit-up costumes – United Kingdom

UK’s Performance – Best Lit-Up Costume (www.orf.at)

Best marching “army” of animated people – Sweden (with France a close second)

Sweden’s Performance – Best Army of Animated Men (www.orf.at)

Best fire in a piano (and also best fire on the stage) – Austria

Austria’s Performance – Best Fire in a Piano (www.orf.at)

Best singer performing while perched on someone’s shoulder – Spain

Spain’s Performance – Best Performance while Perched on a Shoulder (www.orf.at)

Most time spent with the butt to the audience – Germany

Most Gothic costume – Georgia (which also won for best use of feathers in a costume)

Georgia’s Performance – Best Gothic Outfit

Most unusual dancers that distracted from the singer – Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan’s Performance – Most Distracting Dancers

Most fake machine guns – Hungary (which also won for best machine-gun tree)

At some point, it was pretty clear that Sweden would win, and then the competition was more about whether Austria or maybe even Germany would get a point, and we would be all alone in last place (success – Austria shared the last place with Germany as neither received any points). And even though Austria did not move out of last place, I learned that Austria has a world-famous percussionist (who knew there were any famous percussionists, let alone world-famous ones).

Even though the Eurovision Song Contest is not supposed to be about politics (just like the Olympics), the audience often booed when Russia’s representative was on screen, and the Austrian commentator pointed out the irony of Russia singing a song about peace.

All in all, no big surprises but mildly entertaining – but voting for more categories definitely does help.

Eurovision Song Contest: A Tradition

Vinyl copy of Germany’s 1982 Winner – Nicole “Ein bisschen Frieden”

This week is all about the Eurovision Song Contest in the Austrian media, and even though I am several thousand miles away, I am keeping up with the contest. Watching the Eurovision Song Contest is a tradition that I grew up with and that is hard to shake even after years abroad. Yes, many of the songs are not really that great and most sound the same as songwriters seem to believe there is a certain formula to a winning song – either dramatic ballads with a full orchestra or happy, snappy dance songs. This is American Idol but for all of Europe and with only one chance/song to win it all and of course national pride on the line as if it were a world championship in a popular sport. This year, the definition of “Europe” seems to have been expanded as this is the first year that Australia is also participating in the contest (I somehow missed that explanation).

According to the official Eurovision website, 180 million viewers watch each year as up to 43 countries participate (the highest number in 2011). The contest has been in existence continuously for the last 60 years, so it is truly a tradition in May. The commentators are usually tri- or bilingual, and the Eurovision Song Contest was my first experience with numbers and names of countries in French as the commentators announce the points earned per country in English and then French before the local TV announcer translates everything into German in my case. I know just a few key sentences in French, but I am still great with countries and numbers up to 12 just because of this show.

Buks Fizz won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1981 with the song “Making Your Mind Up.” Side note: Who comes up with these band names!?

The voting system has changed over the years; viewers can vote for songs but not the song of their own country (which makes the immigrant vote important to some); in addition, a national jury of five music professionals that are also citizens of the country votes for the best songs; the two rankings are combined, and the results are given live during the broadcast: 12 points for the top-ranked song, ten points for the second-highest ranked song, and so on. So far Norway has been at the bottom the most over the years – 11 times; Ireland has won the most contests with seven wins. Austria has won twice – in 1957 and in 2014, which is also the reason why this year’s competition takes place in Vienna, Austria. The contest is also a great opportunity to show videos of the country and culture in between performances to support the tourist industry of the country, so yes, it is a big deal.

Cover of ABBA (vinyl) – the group won the contest for Sweden in 1974 with the song “Waterloo.”

Currently the semifinals are happening before the big finale on Saturday evening (European time) and lunchtime California time. If you are curious, you can watch the videos of all songs here http://www.eurovision.tv/page/vienna-2015/about/contestants or watch the live stream on Saturday, May 23 online (if you live outside of Europe). Since it is a contest, one can also bet on it (but not in Vegas); online sites seem to favor Sweden as winner before Russia and Italy. I actually find the bad songs a lot more entertaining to watch. Here is a great link to watch some of the worst songs throughout the years: Worst Songs.

Many of the worst and thus most entertaining songs do not survive the semifinals, so you may want to tune in now before the finale on Saturday. So far, I do not have a favorite on either side of the spectrum yet, but there are still a lot of hours online ahead.

Happy Lunar New Year – Tet

Lion dancers at a New Year’s Parade in San Francisco in a previous year

On the evening of February 18, 2015, many in California (and around the world) are counting down to the beginning of the new lunar year. Since I have so many Vietnamese students in my classes, I have become very familiar with Tet – the Vietnamese new year celebrations. This year, Tet is on February 19, and I like the idea of a new year’s celebration in mid-February rather than December 31. It actually feels right to celebrate the beginning of a new year now rather than on the last day of December.

First, December is already a busy month. There are plenty of Austrian traditional holidays that need to be celebrated, such as December 5 (Krampus Day) and December 6 (St. Nickolaus Day) – see previous blog posts (Krampus Day and St. Nickolaus). Then, there are the Christmas holidays. It seems odd to have another large celebration/holiday in the same month, especially since per Austrian tradition, January 6 is also a holiday. New Year’s Day on January 1 seems to become nearly lost amongst all the other holidays. By the time mid-February comes around, I could use another large holiday/celebration, so the lunar new year is actually in perfect time.

Blossoms and Oranges

Second, a new year symbolizes new beginnings and in Northern California, nature clearly displays new beginnings in mid-February. I understand that this most likely is not the case in the Midwest and on the East Coast, but here most fruit trees are blooming, the daffodils are out in all their glory, and I have already sown my peas and planted lettuce outside – no greenhouses needed. The new year also goes well with the major spring cleaning that is encouraged by the balmy 70 degrees. It stays light longer and in general everyone seems to be ready to spend more time outside – new beginnings. However, the end of December does not feel like renewal in any way – it still gets dark very early, no one wants to plant anything outside, and plenty of rain and mud do not encourage any major spring cleaning.

Almond trees in Capay Valley, CA in February

Third, the celebrations (especially for Tet) include many traditions that are usually divided amongst several American holidays, so this holiday seems to go all out and have it all: firecrackers, decorated graves, decorated trees, ornaments around the house, ghosts in the streets, parades, large meals/family feasts, new clothes. Whatever you like most about your favorite American holiday seems to exist on this day as well.

Decorations for Tet (found on: http://commons.wikimedia.org)

So the longer I live here and am around the lunar new year celebrations, the more this holiday makes sense. Tet falls on the same day as the Chinese new year. I like that it lasts for three days and each day is dedicated to a special group: the first day is reserved for close family, the second day for close friends, and the third day is for teachers. I am always amazed that teachers are held in such high regards that they get their own day  as part of this holiday. According to Vietnamese students I have met, people visit their former teachers to thank them on this day. Tet also means plenty of cleaning and completing tasks before the new year. There is luck money in red envelopes for children and there is betting (no traditional American holiday I know of includes gambling games). And of course there are special dishes for the new year. Many of the students mention bánh chưng – square cake (rice, mung bean, and pork wrapped in leaves).

Square Cakes – Traditional Dish for Tet (found on: http://www.vietnamonline.com)

So as the year of the sheep begins (or goat or ram – this confusion only exists in translations; learn more about it here if you are interested: http://nyti.ms/1G1Huei ), may the new year bring you all you are hoping for.

Vạn sự như ý – May all wishes come true!

Eurovision Tree Contest: Find the Tree of the Year

My sour mandarin tree would not stand a chance against the stiff competition in the Eurovision Contest for Trees – even though it is a fighter; it has managed to survive in a small pot, a stingy watering schedule, and a hardier climate zone than recommended.

Europeans seem to love their cross-European competitions. The most famous of these types of competitions is the Eurovision Song Contest, where each country submits a song each year and countries vote for other countries’ songs to find the most popular song of the year. It is a beloved competition in Europe; my American husband thinks it is odd and bad but interesting to watch because the whole thing is so hokey. Even though most of the songs do not make it big, a few artists who won the contest did become famous worldwide stars, such as ABBA for Sweden in 1974 and Celine Dion for Switzerland in 1988. Last year’s winner is Conchita Wurst, a full-bearded drag queen from Austria. Since last year’s winner is Austria, Austria will host this year’s contest in May.

Knowing the popularity of the Eurovision Song Contest that has existed since 1958, I was nevertheless surprised to recently learn about a Eurovison Contest for Trees. The tree competition works the same way as the song contest, with the difference that the trees do not sing. The contest has been described as the “search for the most lovable tree, a tree with a story that can bring a community together.”

Fourteen trees from across Europe are in the running for 2015. For example, England is sending its tree of the year to the competition, Sherwood Forest’s Major Oak. It is supposedly more than one thousand years old and Robin Hood hid from the Sheriff of Nottingham in it. Slovakia will be represented by a 200-year-old white mulberry tree; the Czech Republic’s entry is a pine tree that looks like a five-headed dragon; France’s competitor is a 1,000-year-old chestnut tree with a 15-meter circumference (which is over 49 feet). The tree has been described as “half plant, half human.” Europeans definitely seem to love their trees. I am wondering if there is a U.S. version of this tree competition and who would win.

Sherwood Forest’s Major Oak and England’s Tree of the Year (found on: BBC.com)

Voting for the 2015 competition seems to take place in February, so if you are interested and want to support your favorite tree, keep an eye out for an update on this official website: http://www.treeoftheyear.org/?lang=en

Details and quotes are from: Simpson, Eric. “Branching Out: Major Oak Aims to Win ‘Eurovision for Trees.’” BBC News. BBC, 31 Dec. 2014. Web. 2 Jan. 2015. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-30344911

PS: A quick update – the results are in and here is the Tree of the Year for 2015 according to the official website:  “The voting ended on 28 February 2015. The winner is the Oak tree on a football field from Estonia with 59 836 votes. The great plane of Tata (Hungary) with 53 487 votes placed second. Third place goes to Poplar pollard of the Remolinar (Spain) with 13 951 votes.”

St. Nikolaus

St. Nikolaus and Krampus (found on Facebook: Austria Official Travel Info)

December is a busy month for traditions in Austria. Krampus Day on December 5 is followed by Nikolaus Day on December 6. It is the day of St. Nikolaus, and even though the American Santa Claus is modeled after him even in name, they two do not have much in common. St. Nikolaus does bring gifts for the good kids but in the evening of December 6. He was the Bishop of Myra, which is in present-day Turkey, in the fourth century. He is the patron saint for a lot of different groups ranging from students to pirates to prostitutes. I guess he is popular for so many groups to choose him. But the “job” as patron saint for children and students is the reason for the traditions associated with December 6. And because he was a bishop, he is dressed quite differently than Santa Claus. St. Nikolaus wears the robes of a bishop and with that comes a mitre and a pastoral staff. He is usually white-haired and has a long flowing beard but he is usually not chubby like Santa Claus. St. Nikolaus also does not use a flying sleigh with reindeer but walks or rides a horse or a “regular” sleigh. He also does not come through the chimney in the middle of the night, but politely knocks on the door.

St. Nikolaus usually is accompanied by Krampus, a demon-like beast to scare the naughty children (see yesterday’s post). Nikolaus usually asks the parents if the children have been good, and if the answer is yes, Krampus is asked to wait outside the door where he hollers and rattles his chains to warn children to behave all year. Once Krampus is banished, Nikolaus usually asks the children to recite a poem or sing a carol for him before he takes gifts out of his large bag. Since he is really carrying the bag and the gifts, the gifts are usually chocolate, apples, oranges, and possibly books or other small items. To remind children again that Krampus is always watching, a small bundle of birch twigs is included in the gift as well (see yesterday’s post about the birch twigs).

Postcard Showing St. Nikolaus and Krampus (found on Wikipedia Commons)

If the parents did not rent a Nikolaus to come to the house, children still receive gifts though. Little bags or shoes are left by the door and are filled with the gifts once it is evening. The few years when Nikolaus did not come to our house, my mom would ask us into the kitchen and close the door behind us. We would hear the rattling of chains outside the door and my father’s voice as he was supposedly addressing Krampus to tell him that only good kids were living here. My brother and I stood by the door and were straining to hear every word and hoping that Krampus would not be allowed into the kitchen. A few minutes later, we were allowed to leave the kitchen, and lo and behold, there were gifts in our boots!

Even though children receive small gifts on December 6, they will receive more gifts on Christmas, which is celebrated in the evening of December 24. But there is no confusion between St. Nikolaus and Santa Claus in case you are wondering because we do not have Santa Claus. Christmas gifts are brought by the Christkind in Austria (literally: Christ Child), an angel.

St. Nikoalus Is Shown as the Original and Santa Claus as the Imitation (found on: http://www.weihnachtsmannfreie-zone.de/ – which means Santa-Claus-Free Area)