I carried a 10 lbs watermelon. (From my wife: "They carry the 5 ton "macchina," and you are complaining about a lousy watermelon!") The potluck supper at the school was not very organized, in terms of who is invited and who brings what, but turned out a success, anyway.
A bunch of kids were doing arts and crafts projects for hours -- building paper "macchinas," of course. More parades and flag throwing and catching under our windows.
Finally, "Sollevate e fermi" --"lift and hold," -- the traditional facchini command.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kf-OXTBEhQ.
In a few minutes the macchina "walked" around the corner, stopped to rest for a few minutes at the piazza...
...then passed by our third-floor window.
They normally replace the "macchina" every five years. Viterbo holds a contest for the best design. This one is considered by some to be more modern, more "secular," than the previous "macchinas." Each one has a name given by the designer. "Ours" is called Ali di Luce -- Wings of Light. It is actually used for the sixth year, because its replacement was toppled by a gust of wind last summer, and there were no money to repair it.
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