Midnight jousting practice

Arezzo will have a fierce jousting competition this weekend in its Piazza Grande. (This sloped town square was in the film A Beautiful Life--check out the opening when the man is on his bicycle riding to his family's shop). Unfortunately, I will miss it (for a good reason-- I'm going to Rome to see classmates Jordan, Leslie, and her husband!) BUT, the teams, which represent the town's different neighborhoods, have been practicing this week, and you can feel the excitement building! It's kind of a Chicago Cubs/White Sox or New York Mets/Yankees rivalry; the city is very divided. Workers have built bleachers against ancient buildings for spectators; created a dirt track through the middle of the square; neighborhoods are flying their colors out windows and storefronts; vendors are selling scarves with team crests, and everywhere, people are tailgating as the main event nears. One night this week, approaching midnight, my new friends and I were walking home, eating gelato, and stopped to watch for a bit. This video doesn't do it justice, of course, but check it out anyway:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV9AL3E7mJ8