Florence filled with feathers-The Bersaglia

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This past weekend, along with being the culminating point for a week-long celebration of creativity, invention and science in Fiorentine Geniu, also hosted a Notte Bianca, with all the stores and piazza's open until the wee hours of the night.
I've never seen my city so filled and active. Spaghetti supper in Santa Croce, Irish music in Santa Spirito. It's midnight and I'm pooped. What an old lady I am.
This weekend we've also been overrun with bike riders as the huge race (I'm at a loss for what it's called) has ended and the racers are enjoying the prize-gelato. As well, we have had parades and impromptu bands with trumpets, trombones and drums at the wee hours of the morning...and today I have finally realized who they really are...these strangely hatted, uniformed men (some women) that are walking around this city.
Well, this is the definition I found. Bersaglieri-Florence is hosting their grand reunion (or meeting) and they have come from all over-Palermo, Torino, Arezzo, Calabria, Venezia, etc. 8,000 total. In the parade they are proud, charming and energetic-running, stomping in place to the "up, up, up" of the headman, carrying high the banners laden with medals, or riding their bikes with their great black-feathered hats fluttering past me. I am interested to find out more....

* Italian motorised infantry, organised in regiments each of two or three battalions
Bersaglieri

* The Bersaglieri are part of the Italian army created by General Alessandro Lamarmora in the 18th century. They have always been a high-mobility infantry unit, and can be still recognized from the particular hat they wear, which is decorated covered with Capercaillie feathers.
Bersaglieri

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Comments

[anonymous]

Ciao!
Hello - I am a Chicagoan, and was in Florence this past weekend as well. I was delighted to see the Bersaglieri - what fun! The bands were so lively, and we had a great time watching them. :) - Barbara