My first Easter that I've ever spent away from home was one of the most exciting. Fortunately, I was even able to be with my parents and cousin for the morning. In Florence, there is a famous folk tradition called "Scoppio del Carro" which translates to mean "The Explosion of the Cart." Every Easter Sunday, a antique cart is pulled into Piazza del Duomo by elaborately decorated white oxen. The oxen are unhooked from the cart (then taken a safe distance away), and the cart is lit with the holy fire that originates from the First Crusade. The cart explodes into a complex fireworks show that lasts almost 20 minutes!
My family and I braved the cold, rainy weather and stood with the crowd of thousands of Florentines and visitors to see the spectacle. The crowd was thrilled by the show despite the rain. I was in awe of the pyrotechnics and amount of planning that most have gone into sequencing the fireworks show. After an unforgettable Easter morning, my parents left to catch their flight back home.
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| The Cart in front of the Duomo |
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| Explosion! |
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| The oxen who pulled the Exploding Cart into the piazza |
My cousin, Katie, and I took a train to Pisa, Italy on Easter afternoon. We walked to the Campo dei Miracoli where we saw the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It was truly a sight to behold. We took the most touristy pictures that we could think of. As we were doing this, a huge thunderstorm suddenly rolled in. Katie and I took out our umbrellas and started taking even more pictures. We were some of the only people left in front of the famous tower. The storm passed and we walked through Pisa and enjoyed a delicious Easter dinner of what else but pasta!
