The Americans are coming! The Americans are coming!

Guess what, amici? Italy was invaded...by Americans! And not just any Americans, either. You may even know one of them. She goes by the name "Mrs. Pizzala" (if that is her real name...just kidding, it is!). Mrs. Pizzala came all the way from Parma, Michigan, USA to Italy with Mr. Pizzala and Grandma Pizzala. Since they were coming all that way to see us, we had to make sure that we showed them a good time. However, we are in Italy so that part was easy. While they were here, we showed them our favorite towns, brought them to our favorite restaurants where we ate our favorite foods and we even watched the largest horse race in all the world! I don't know about you, but that seems to me like quite the busy schedule for a short international visit.

Their Italian journey starts in a small town called Rome (well, maybe not so small - more like GIGANTIC!). They arrived safe and sound early one morning. Becky, Justin and I were anxiously waiting outside their gate at the airport for what seemed like a long time then all of a sudden...

WAM!  The doors opened up and the Americans rushed on through, carrying (and towing) their travel bags as fast as they could.  I guess they were excited to get off that plane after traveling for so long.

We checked into our hotel first thing so we could head back out and start exploring the city again.  If you remember, I was here in Rome a few months ago so I got to play tour guide this time around.  If you pay close attention, you may even see some of the same places from our previous trip.  Of course, one of the best things about being in Italy is the food, so we had to get some of that!  My favorite part is always the desserts!  Grandma Pizzala even let me share some of hers.  Yum!

We walked and walked and walked all over the place.  We went to Trevi Fountain and threw coins in it (remember if you throw a coin in that means you will return to Rome one day.  I guess it worked for me, huh?).  Looks like Mrs. Pizzala will be coming back too!

We walked through the Colosseum where the gladiators used to hold their battles...

We saw the Roman Forum where Julius Caesar used to work (although most of it just looks like a big pile of rocks nowadays - at least they are cool-looking rocks)...

We conquered Rome in a day (or two)!  From here it was back to our apartment in Siena.  Luckily for the Americans, Siena's biggest event was just unfolding when they arrived.  In Siena, there is a very famous horse race held two times every summer and it is called the Palio.  The actual horse race lasts less than one and a half minutes, but the Sienese people prepare for it and have parties all year long in preparation and celebration of those few short seconds.  Crazy, huh?  Not only that, but the people of Siena have been doing this every single year for the last 400 years or more!

Here is a bit more background on the race: first of all, there are 17 neighborhoods in Siena.  In Italian, the word for "neighborhood" is "contrada".  Each contrada has their own special flag and symbol that they are very proud of.  If you live in a contrada in Siena, you probably have your contrada flag hanging up in your house, or at least outside your window.  The week before the race actually happens, horses are brought in from all over the world so they can show off their racing skills to the Palio judges.  The judges then have the horses do a few trial runs in the mornings and evenings until the best horses have proven themselves worthy of racing on Palio day.  These horses are then assigned to 10 of the contradas.  But what about the other 7 contradas?  Unfortunately, they don't all get to race at once since Piazza del Campo (the main plaza in Siena where the race is held) isn't big enough for all 17 contradas to race at once.  However, they will end up racing in the next Palio so they will get to have their fun at that time.

So how does this race actually work?  Well let me tell you, if you want to get a good spot for the race you have to get into Piazza del Campo really early.  We got there five hours before the race started and there were quite a few people there already!  Plus it was very, very hot and humid.  When the race time got closer, the piazza started to fill up quickly.  Everybody had to scrunch together like we were sardines packed in a can and then...we had to wait another couple hours.

So much waiting, when is this race going to start?!  Well, before the race starts, every contrada lines up and parades around the piazza waving their flags and playing on their drums.  It was really cool!  There were even giant oxen!

Then everybody cleared off the race track...then...then...BOOOOOOOOOOOM!  We were standing right next to the starting line so the firecrackers that signaled the start of the race made everyone jump a bit.  And they were off...one lap...two laps...aaaaaaaand finish!  The Selva (in English, "selva" means "forest") contrada has won the Palio!  Everyone was cheering and yelling and clapping and crowding around the winning horse.  That is, everyone except for some people from the losing teams.  They surely weren't very happy.  We even saw some grown men cry!

We couldn't get too close because of all the people, but boy was that cool!  Justin even got the race on video so if you able to watch video, click here to watch the Palio race.

The day after all of that horsey excitement we packed our bags and drove to Venice; the city on the water.  We went through all of the cool canals and alley ways like we did the first time around.  This time, though, we were able to get a little closer to the local wildlife!  Justin caught a crab and a lizard and we just had to take a couple pictures for all you critter fans in Michigan!

Hello, Mr. Crabberton!  Careful with those claws there!

This poor lizard was too cold to move.  We found her running around in the middle of a thunderstorm!

On our way back from Venice, we had to stop by our favorite restaurant in Bologna, Belfiore (which means "beautiful flower").  This restaurant still has the best food in the world, if you ask me!

Much like every vacation, this one had to end way too soon.  There was more to see but we simply didn't have the time.  We escorted the Americans back to the airport early in the morning and said our final "Ciao, ciao"s before sadly watching them board their plane heading back to their homes.  It was a grand adventure, amici, and one that we will not soon forget that's for sure!  But don't fret, our adventures don't end here!  There are a few more tricks up my paper sleeves yet so stay tuned.  Until then, this is Flat Stanley saying "Ciao amici!"