There is something to be said about a country that has a festival every week somewhere throughout the country. Our town just had a music festival for 4 nights, because nothing of course here really gets going until the evening. It was nice to open the opens and here the music being sung down in the town circle. All American, all 80s-90s and even some more recent hits. Makes you feel right at home in your local karoake bar, only this music carries a few miles outside of town. Nonetheless, it was awesome to hear.
About a week ago, we found out there was a Pokemon festival held once a year near Rimini. And my kids and husband are HUGE Pokemon fans. I swear I don't understand half the stuff they tell me because they are always talking about some character whose name I cannot pronounce. Well lo and behold, we happened to plan our arrival just right because 3 days ago, we attended said festival. It was held in Ravenna, about 2 1/2 hours (on a good day without Italian beach day driving) south of us. We drove through Bologna, through the Emilia Romagna area, beautiful countrysides with old structures and small castles. Even a few walled cities. But I must say my favorite view of all were the sunflower fields, as far as the eye could see. And this was not your "we're in Kansas Toto" type of sunflower fields, these things were huge! The ride itself was simply breathtaking and I enjoyed every minute of it, except of course the crazy drivers on the autostrade who really don't care that you read the manual and know the correct speed limits, etc, etc, they will just blow right by you like you are out on Sunday stroll down the road. My 130kph was nothing compared to their 160-170kph. (For those struggling to make the American conversions, multiply the kph x 6 and drop the last number).
Most of the driving was pleasant until we reached the Rimini area and then well, it was DC traffic all over again. Eh well at least I am used to that.
Alas, we finally reached our destination around 12pm. The festival was located inside the Mirabilandia theme park, complete with shopping, plenty of rides for the kids, a stage area, and even a couple water rides. Let me emphasize, it was a not a complete waterpark per se, but that did not have an effect on the clothing of choice of the Italians. After we paid our extremely inflated entry fee into the park (oh the things you do for kids) and received our information on the festival inside the park, we entered and the kids's eyes were immediately drawn to everything Pokemon. There were figurines, cards galore, card packages, cases, etc. I just stood back and waited until the begging could begin. It took all of one minute until I heard, "Mom PLEASE I want that deck and those figures and those cards, Please, I won't ask for it all, just a couple things." I sighed and replied, "Later, let's go do the activities first." They had this festival from end of park to the other end, with little activities set up in each section. In one section you could learn to play the game. In another section, you participated in Pokemon games. Once you completed all 5 Pokemon games, i.e. throwing Pokemon balls at a target, rolling dice, Pokemon Plinko, spin the wheel of Pokemon and name that character, and then Pokemon evloutions, you could be entered to win a huge Pokemon prize. We completed all the games and the kids cleaned up on everything from Pokemon tins, figurines, magazines, activity books, and cards (Italian ones no less). My oldest got put into a junior tournament with her DS. There was a big tent set up by Nintendo where they were holding a senior tournament for the adults and a junior tournament for kids. My daughter did a great job and beat her opponent a few times. After my initial explaining to one judge that she didn't speak Italian, the other judge would help field some of her questions. Then she even had an Italian girl helping to show her a few moves. I was damn impressed at well she actually did. She was finally beat, but she did a great job.
Towards the end of the day, we found our way to the free Pokemon t-shirts, and card sets. Everyone was in Pokemon heaven despite the excessive heat. What I noticed all throughout the day though was the lack of what we American would consider proper clothing. I understand that we have our hangups about body types and body parts that should or should not be shown, but then i remind myself that i am in Europe and the culture here is quite different. I could understand the bathing suit attire, but then the guys wearing speedos, and only speedos, kind of threw me. I can say, they defintely weren't Channing Tatum. As my husband kept singing 'Sexy and I know it' as the guys walked by, I had to keep elbowing him in the stomach to keep quiet. So then he just started in with the "wiggle, wiggle, wiggle" lyrics. It really was hard not to laugh. There were plenty of kids, maybe age 10 and below without shirts, and not just the boys, girls too. That kind of surprised me too. Then we moved on to the women. Now here, I swear I could have taken off my top completely and there would not have been a problem. Since we moved here I have seen women take their shirts and roll them up under their bras, leaving their stomach, flat or not, completely exposed. However, at the park, aside from the bathing suit bikinis, which alot of women of all sizes wore, some women opted to just walk around in their bras and shorts. Apparently if I plan to fit in here, I need to find some other types of bras that I would not mind wearing in publib should the need arise. I just know that I have never seen grown women, of all sizes, shapes, and ages, walk around in a bra in public. That simply unnerved me but I suppose, when in Rome...I will say I ended up taking my top gauzy shirt off and walking around in my tank, bra straps showing, because honestly I was hot.
By the end of the day we were exhausted. We stayed for the Pokemon show, saw life size versions of Picachu, Oshawott, and Tepig characters, watched a Pokemon quiz show all in Italian, and even received entertainment from teens and young adult fans who dressed up as their favorite character. i can't say it was amusing but I think the kids kind of enjoyed it, even though they couldn't understand a word being said. Of course, we bought some cards on the way out and headed back home. I can't say it was my first choice in cities to visit during our Italian tour but at least with the kids' festivities out of the way, we are now clear to enjoy some mommy and daddy activities. I can't wait. Our next trip will definitely be Venice. Buono notte, I am tired.
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