The day started at 6:00, when I got up to shower and eat and that sort of thing. At roughly 7:15, I walked out the door to help set up the targets, but I'm not sure how much help I was because all of the archers are just about convinced that I am some sort of fragile lady (it must be the skirt that keeps them fooled). Nonetheless, I helped a little bit. At about 7:30, I got changed into my costume and went down to the piazza to see if there was anything else I could do, or at least show my face and let them know that I was ready!
So I have a question for all of you. How would you like being woken up to a bunch of archers in medieval costumes standing outside your door, complete with one of them reading (from a scroll) "I salute thee, wife of ______, daughter of ______, in the name of Arcus Tuder…" and so on?
Well that is just what we did to a certain couple who had invited us to breakfast before the gara. I kid you not. Although I'm not entirely sure why we were greeting them…
Then came the gara. There were a total of 10 targets and 100 archers (exactly). I was in piazzola two, along with Jeremy and Matteo. The first target was one that looked a bit like spinning sushi ( I think that they were supposed to be logs). The second one was a lot scarier… it was an apparatus with a target on the back and an ax swinging in front of said target. It was particularly hard, as the target was rather small; it was special target, meaning that if you hit the target right off, you got 15 points. After that it decreases in value. Then there was a soldier, a fairly normal target. At this point the family came out to watch. The next was a target with a windmill in front of it. Then I had an absolute triumph. THE APPLE TARGET! Which was essentially a T-shaped structure with apples, about the size of a fist, hanging on a string on either side; this was another special target. I hit the apple with my very first arrow!
But it was a hard act to follow. After a short coffee break, we proceeded to San Fortunato. The next target was in someone's garden (imagine that happening in the States!). Then we shot another hard one: another soldier, but this time, we were shooting at a target that had a large hole in the middle of the bullseye (there was about an inch of bullseye around the hole). Matteo got the highest possible for that target: 30. The maximum points was raised because it was so hard; normally the highest you can go is 24. Then there was a target where we were standing on a wall and shooting at some animals (they were more or less even with our shoulders). It was really fun, but I nearly tripped on the hem of my dress… oh, well. On the ninth target that we did that day, I got 21 points, the second highest score you can get. The target was a simple round target, with a bullseye and an area worth five points.
The very last target was very hard for me (I got no points on that one), in which the target moves around in circles, big circles, and you have to hit it while it is moving.
All in all, I got 90 points.
Then there was lunch in the Bishop's rooms- free for all those in medieval costumes. Which meant two hours of appetisers, lasagna, meat and dessert. Oh, and a free history of the rooms. We also gave out prizes at this point.
Then there was the corteo, meaning a sort of procession and standing around looking cute. We had horses. And archers. And courtiers.And the flag dancers (which is just about the only time boys can dress up in dresses, dance with flags and still look dignified). And drummers.
After watching the flag performances for a while, we processed up to San Fortunato in a very orderly fashion. Then we had Mass, which a large number of archers drifted out of. After Mass, those who remained processed into the piazza again, where we then broke up to go our various ways. I went upstairs to change and then back out to help take everything down, and this time I got to help at least a little. After everything was packed up on the trucks, I headed home to get started on my homework. It was about 7:30 at this point and it had been a very long day on my feet.
I'll post some photos below.
Ciao,
Florence
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| The scores- and none of us have any idea why my last name is now De Hook |
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| Gathering before the gara |
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| Cinzia (l) and Carlo (r) |
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| The ax target |
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| The last target (the one that goes in big loops) |
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| This twirls in little circles (front worth 8, side worth 5) |
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| I have no idea who this guy is. He and his wife wanted photos with us. |
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| Standing guard to make sure nobody got into the line of fire |
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| Our banner |
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| The moment of "now what" after finishing the gara |
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| Picture time! This is everyone in the piazzola except for Jeremy |
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