Lost in Italy: Bruco loses and Leocorno is triumphant

Amazing! Absolutely amazing! The Unicorn has won the race! After who knows how many years!

We watched the race from bar (Dario's suggestion so we could actually see the starting line politics) but the energy was unbelievable. If you look closely you'll see one rider get unseated on the escond turn. That would be the Bruco rider.

After the race finished people flooded the streets singing, waving flags, beating drums. We followed the crowds along to the Duomo to see the winner be blessed by the bishop. He was literally carried on the shoulders of the Leocorno contrada all the way to the church.

Then it was off to dinner. Great food (is it possible to get bad food in Italy? I don't think so to be honest. And if someone out there has had bad food in Italy, I'd be curious to know how . . . ). I started out with poached calamari stuffed with seasoned sardines, then onto an incredible wild boar in a red wine sauce. Just gorgeous. If I'd actually remembered to take some photos . . . . but I was a little preoccupied with the wine and the celebrators who were walking by every few minutes.

The celebration seemed like it could never end. Drums rattled through the streets until the sun rose.