Niscemi Artichoke Festival Friday afternoon found us heading to Niscemi for their Artichoke Festival. We had low expectations, because apparently people who went last year couldn't even find an artichoke to save their lives. We were actually going specifically for the opening parade because every year the sailors who work out at Niscemi march in it.

Our first stop was meeting up a bar. We and the couple we had given a ride to were the first ones there. So, we ordered some delicious sandwiches. About five minutes til four, an Italian cop who had been hanging around the cafe for a while talked to one of the guys, who then informed us, that they were supposed to be there at 4 pm. Why the cop didn't say anything earlier, I have no clue. So, we left the cafe with a police escort driving down the narrow streets in the huge 12 passenger duty van. At one point the cop parked on the side of the street and left us there for a few minutes, with many angry Italians having to drive around the huge van. We finally made it to the main square where the parade was supposed to start.

I hung out with a new friend A while the guys, beautifully decorated horses, a band, and various groups of school age kids lined up. We snapped a few pictures, and the parade began, and thirty seconds later, it had passed us. Well, it was short and we looked around for what to do next. We noticed that all the Italian onlookers had begun to somewhat join the parade, walking next to the performers, following along. So, we decided to do the same.

We walked alongside the guys for the most part, trying to stay on the narrow cobblestone sidewalks, that unfortunately have rocks jutting out every few feet. Poor Carlee had a very bumpy ride. We went up hills, and around curves, cars honking every now and then, because apparently they could not tell that there was a parade going on.

The parade kept going, and while we were talking and wondering how long it was meant to last, a huge ostrich ran right in front of the parade. I had actually wondered if maybe it was from the front of the parade, and maybe we had missed it, but the Italians' reaction proved that it was indeed an unplanned visitor. The parade halted, and the entire audience and even some participants of the parade (mostly the kids) ran ahead to get a look at the poor bird being chased by the cops. They finally closed in on him, and a man who I assumed was the owner of the wandering ostrich roped him up and calmed him down. The parade finally started up again.

A few minutes later, after everything had calmed down, we found ourselves in front of a building. We waited. We weren't sure what they were doing, or what we were supposed to do at that point. It seemed to us that someone was getting interviewed. Suddenly, everyone started going into the building. A and I wondered if we were supposed to go too. Once we saw them usher the guys in, we decided to go for it. "Maybe the artichokes are inside," I joked. We had been wondering the whole day where the actual festival was.

We got inside... and there were no artichokes. Some people were going upstairs, some were taking pictures in the stairway, and many were just standing around, including us. Tony finally went upstairs to see what was going on, and eventually came down to inform us that it was a museum upstairs, and that this was the grand opening. "So, this wasn't the parade for the artichoke festival?" I asked. He shrugged.

It was sometime during this waiting for information period that we had a stressful semi parenting emergency. You see, the last time I looked for the wipes in the stroller bag, they were nowhere to be found. I guessed that when Tony put the stroller in the duty van they must have fallen out. I hoped that it would be fine, that since I had just very recently changed Carlee, and that she had already taken care of THAT business today, that hopefully (PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE) hopefully, we wouldn't need them. (I also thought we were only going to be in Niscemi for a few hours, too.) Well, while we're standing there, I smell something. So, I look, and sure enough.... she did THAT business again.

We found the unmarked bathrooms down the hallway, and Tony looked at me as if to say, "What do I do?" "Come in here with me." I told him. There was no way I was about to deal with this on my own, and if any Italians had any problems with it, well they should have had the bathrooms labeled. So, he started his job of handing me wads and wads of wet toilet paper. I hope you have never had to change a dirty diaper with wet toilet paper. It's near impossible. But somehow, we managed, even with a few Italian women coming in to use the bathroom. Surprisingly, I wasn't too stressed. I guess with Tony's help, and knowing that Italians love babies, and don't even care where you change them, eased my worries.

We made it back to our crowd and eventually found out that the festival was being held right at that moment BEHIND the building. OOOHHH! If only we had known that a hour before, instead of standing around the exit of the building! We went and looked around a bit, but since it was only 7 pm, hardly any of the food stands were open, and it was pretty empty around. There was one food stand, however, that was giving free samples to the Americans, so we got to try artichoke bread, grilled artichoke, and some kind of artichoke quiche. The bread was my favorite, it was really good. Other people got to try an artichoke & rice side, and another kind of bread as well. After that, we split into two groups, those of us that wanted to head home and those of us that wanted to stay.

We would have loved to stay, but our jackets were in the car, and it had gotten pretty cold, AND earlier in the afternoon we were unable to find a working ATM so we only had about 5 euro on us, AND we were still out of wipes. But the cold was the main thing, I didn't want to keep Carlee out there any longer than I had to. So we headed home. But it was fun and exciting. I'd like to go back next year later in the evening, so that we can see it when it's really alive.

So here are a few videos and a link to the Niscemi Parade Album on snapfish. :D Enjoy!

Labels: Sicily, travel

  ¶ 5:43 AM