So it's almost midnight (ignore the time below that logs when this post was submitted...it's still on central time), and I just got back from a successful trip to Porto Santo Spirito to purchase tickets for myself and the fall students to attend the quartieri's dinner Saturday night before the joust on Sunday. I realize that that sentence is loaded with references (seemingly in regard to Medieval Times) that probably mean nothing to just about everyone, so let me explain:
The Giostra del Saracino, or The Saracen Joust, is an event that originated sometime around 1200. Unfortunately, the game does not involve man to man jousting (no Heath Ledger in this town), but rather a man on horseback aiming for a small score-sheet located on the shield of the Saracen (an object that looks like a half armored man that stands across the piazza from where the horsemen begin running). There are 4 'quartieri' or neighborhoods, that compete against one another in the joust which takes place the second to last weekend of June and the first Sunday of September. Think OU vs TX vs Tech vs Chase Daniel. People are extremely loyal to their neighborhoods, and spend the week before the joust (which is the most active I've ever seen Arezzo) trash talking, wearing scarves with their neighborhood colors, and eating and drinking together. This brings me to the point of this particular post, which is the process of buying tickets to attend the official dinner of one of the four quartieri, which takes place the evening before the big event.
In June, I was lucky enough to have one of my very best friends, Elisa, make an easy phone call and reserve tickets for a group of students. This still involved some under the table passing of large sums of money, but otherwise the entire thing was quite seamless. We all showed up the evening of the event, Elisa had our tickets, we enjoyed a four course meal served by 20-somethings native to that particular neighborhood and drank endless bottles of wine (See above photo). This time, however, I went off on my own search for dinner tickets, and it went something like this-
1)Tuesday-First stop: Sant'Andrea. This quartieri has not only racked up the most victories at the joust, but has gained the reputation of the 'party' neighborhood with more young people than I have ever seen in Arezzo on every weekend combined since I got here in February. It is also located just outside the main bar, Mr. Blooms, which just happens to be one of the few bars that serves guinness here. Check. I stopped by around 4:00pm (right as things start to pick up again after a little siesta), and I was not surprised to find that there was nobody in the office. So, a nice older man pointed me in the direction of the bar across the street, so I walked over to do some investigating. There is always a point person for these ticket sales, and it is always impossible to find them where they are supposed to be when they say they will be there. I started talking with the group outside of bar and they all just said to come by later (around midnight), and whoever was selling the tickets would most likely be there. Just as I thought I was blending in, one of the guys made sure to let me know there was always an office open in his apartment. I appreciated that.
2)I started heading back towards my apartment, but stopped by another neighborhood, Santo Spirito, to inquire about their tickets as well (I was assuming there was a chance Sant'Andrea was already sold out and needed to be thinking my usual 98 steps ahead). I walked into what looked like an office/kitchen, and was told to come back later on to talk to their ticket dealer..also around 11pm. So at this point I head home, make my usual stop at the grocery store because I'm sure I can find something that I didn't already buy earlier, have a glass of wine and wait. Thank goodness, around 10, I was able to talk to someone via phone that knew finding 15 tickets together would be difficult, so I just decided to shift my focus to Santo Spirito, knowing that we could easily walk over to Sant'Andrea after dinner. So I waited a little while longer and then walked over to SS. After a little searching, I was introduced to Simino, who said 15 should be no problem but I would have to come back tomorrow, after 9pm for the tickets.
3)Santo Spirito 9:30pm Wednesday-after a glass of wine with some friends, I casually walk back over to where I've been spending what seems like the majority of my on and off time the past two days. I think I'm starting to look suspicious. I asked a few boys my age if they new if Simino was there, and they said he would be back around 11pm. So I left, again, but feeling confident that progress was being made.
4)Santo Spirito 11:00pm-Every now and then, after doing so many little things on my own these past few months, I still have this random, brief moment when this wave of shyness (is that a word?) comes over me. Particularly at 11pm, walking into a party alone, and starting to ask people if they'd seen Simino. Well, Simino was still out with friends, but I was given his phone number by about 3 people if I wanted to call him. I'm pretty sure he was probably beginning to think I was stalking him anyways...so I just thought I'd wait it out for a few more minutes. Surprisingly, I wasn't very frustrated. I was kind of enjoying talking to new people, and one of the guys that had been cooking brought me out a great little drink with red wine, lemon soda, and sugar. I realize you're all probably finished with reading this entry so I'll wrap it up! Simino finally walks in and just about everyone at the dinner had been looking for him for me, so I immediately got his attention, and asked him about the tickets. Well, this time he looked a little concerned, which made me a little concerned, and I waited while he shuffled around asking a few questions. Finally, he walked over and told me to follow him. He heads up a dark staircase, right above the small kitchen I had first walked into, and I'm thinking maybe I should have had some pepper spray. But, to my surprise, he opened a heavy wooden door into a huge, bright room with all of the costumes for the joust, and huge table full of tickets, with several people organizing everything. First, I couldn't believe I could have just walked up the stairs and found an office full of people with the tickets I had wanted! But, after I realized that the process was almost finished, I was just appreciating the way that all of this was organized (or unorganized). Simino handed me my fifteen tickets, I handed him an envelope full of cash, and that was that. I even made some new friends! I walked out in my cropped trench coat (it's been unseasonably cool), feeling completely satisfied. I'll be back with more pictures and updates from the real event this weekend! Buonanotte!
ahahhah :D
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