OMG! What neat shots. Viareggio Carnevale looked like a hoot!

What fun!! I am now going back and looking at all your other stuff! Thanks for the link.

Wow, thanks Elizabeth, that must have been a really fun day. Lots of political commentary there reflecting the Italian people's disgust with how things have been going.

I was on Facebook with an Italian friend the other day and asked her if there was any resolution to the election and she said "resolution?" "more like revolution!".

Ah, found it -- will read it later today--a quick look reveals much to enjoy

It was great fun......really worth a visit. In Amsterdam now for the last 5 days of our 2013 Winter Sojourn! It's minus 1C here and plus 9C in Toronto - guess it's time to go home! (but I had forgotten how much I love Amsterdam)

Thanks for the great report/blog, Elizabeth--especially the videos!

Yes, we don't know why the Viareggio Carnevale isn't talked about much, but it is truly an amazing experience. I couldn't get over just how much of the 'Minotaur' actually moved--even his knees shifted so that he changed his stance menacingly. There are so many subtle details that you don't even notice until you look a the pictures later (like how in 'Potere Maschiere' the euro coins spilling out from under the hats, which I wasn't sure was just clever hair curls or are actually representing "hidden" money)

We too were a little shocked at the difference between American and Italian representations of the black populace, but then remembered that actually the point of Viareggio carnevale is to NOT be PC, and that's half the fun of it. It's sort of like Robin Williams who pokes fun at EVERYONE in his monologue, so it's harder to take offence by it.

Just an FYI for anyone planning on attending in the future...
1)we went to the first and the last parade this year and there was quite a dramatic difference in the number of floats/walking figures between the two. I believe, as many things in life, there's always the huge "push" to get a project finished by the deadline, and I don't think they always make it. There were at least 3 large floats (including the very fun volcano) and several small groups that didn't participate in the first one. Also, the eyes in "Potere Maschiere" weren't lit for the first parade.
2)So, if you have a choice, don't go to the Opening Parade, but there certainly was nothing wrong with it and we definitely got our money's worth, if that's the only date you can make it.
3)the parade lasted upwards of 2 1/2 - 3 hours, so for people who can't stand for long periods of time, it would certainly be worth the extra fee to sit in the bleachers. That being said, we absolutely LOVED the freedom allowed in walking around/with the floats during the actual parade; it was like we had become one with the parade--and you got to see up close how all the mechanics operated! There was very little intervention by security and the public could get as close as they wanted--amazingly, for all the revelry, both times it was a funloving, very well behaved crowd (though I'd imagine that the eveing after-parties sponsored by the local hotels are rather rambuncious!)

Thanks again!

Klondike - thanks for that great information. Where were you? We were in Lucca for a month - too bad we didn't have a GTG!

For those who might not visit at the time of Carnevale you can still see the floats all year in their special construction area -

http://www.viareggiomusei.it/