Fate? I Think So...

Now I know what you're all thinking-that's not THE Rick Steves, is it?? Oh, but it is! My dorky travel tendencies were in full swing Easter Sunday when an old American lady in the crowd pointed him out. After the celebrations, I told Maureen and her family that we absolutely had to find him and get a picture with him. Maureen's dad (who is also a HUGE Rick Steves fan-he even has a RS backpack and money belt) said, "If I know Rick Steves, he'll be by the back door, like his books say," and sure enough, when we went around to the back entrance of the Duomo, there he was!!

I introduced myself, shook his hand, and was super original in saying, "I'm such a big fan!" We had common ground to talk about because his daughter is a junior at Georgetown (I knew her name and everything, I'm such a stalker) and in fact many of my students are friends with her. When he found out I worked for the Georgetown program he asked me for my card (!), to pass on to his son, who started a new weekend travel company for study abroad students (which I already knew about). So I gave Rick Steves my contact info (which he has in his pocket) and told him to have his son contact me. Does this sound like fate to anyone else? This means one of two things: 1) I should be working for my travel hero, Rick Steves, or 2) I should be marrying his son. At least I have options!

Meanwhile, Easter in Florence is quite the production. Before the mass, there is the "Burst of the Carriage" in the main piazza, which begins with oxen carrying in a giant carriage that will later be lit with fireworks. It is a fusion of Christian and Pagan traditions that dates back to the first crusades. Maureen and I kept wiggling toward the front for a good view of all the costumes, white oxen, flag throwing, religious ceremonies, and fireworks. It was such an exciting experience to participate in this extremely important tradition for Florence.

Traditional costumes

The oxen carrying in the carriage

Blessing of the ceremony and the crowd

We thought we were being gassed,
but it was just part of the show

The fireworks rounded the bottom of the carriage
and worked their way up to the top

Sometimes it sounded like gunfire

And we kept yelping and ducking in terror

Easter mass inside the Duomo

Easter Sunday lunch with Maureen and her family,
as well as Hope (another student) and her sister

Piazzale Michelangelo