L'Infiorata di Spello

We woke up at 5 this morning for one of my favorite Umbrian traditions: the Infiorata in Spello. This event takes place once a year in celebration of the Corpus Domini. Basically, the people of the city of Spello line their town with beautiful tapestries made up entirely of flower petals!...



They start planning all the details of their designs the year before...

(see Andrea in the upper part of the pic talking to an old coach/Infiorata designer!)

And start picking and drying flowers months before...


They work setting down the design all through Saturday night...


Until they finish early Sunday morning and the judges come by...


It's something amazing to behold. All that beauty, the sweet-acrid smell of the petals, the glazed-over look in the eyes of those proud artists who haven't slept a wink in 2 days. And, the craziest (and, secretly, my favorite) part of it all is that by 11am on Sunday morning, it's all gone, quietly trampled over by the religious processions - and by the tired but happy tourists making their way through the town.



p.s. I had to add this one in for good measure...