world cup mania

Tuesday, July 4th, was also the day of the Italy-Germany semi-final game. You could feel the energy increasing after each Italy win and so I was pretty excited to be in Torino for the semi-final game. In Italy world cup is called i Mondiali and the 2 ways to cheer on Italy's team are Forza Italia or Forza Azzurri (azzurri meaning blue as their uniforms are blue). I asked around and found out that the match would be broadcast on a huge outdoor screen in Piazza San Carlo. After I left the Mole, I started to see little stands of flags sprouting up all over. You could feel the energy and anticipation of the game. I stopped back at my hotel and then grabbed some focaccia for dinner and headed to the piazza.

It was CRAZY!! There were so many flags waving and the horns blasting constantly!! When Italy came out before the match began, fireworks started going off and then there was colored smoke everywhere and also something that looked like a fire by the statue in the middle of the piazza but since all the police, which were positioned all around the edge of the piazza, did not budge, I figured it could not be a fire but for a minute it looked like the statue was going to burn up. The singing and the cheering and just being in the crowd with everyone. It was amazing! This was one of the highlights of my trip. I was so fortunate to be in Italy during the world cup and have now learned to enjoy soccer. The minute the first half ended everyone evacuated the piazza! My guess was everyone was going somewhere to use the bathroom?? I spent the 2nd half and the end of the game back at my hotel as I was not brave enough to be there with the crazy crowd when they won just in case a riot broke out since this was my first day in Torino and I did not know what the city was like at night. The game went into overtime and ended at 11:30. Italy scored 2 goals back to back right at the end of the game. The town went wild when they scored! The celebrating went on for over an hour after the game ended.

FORZA AZZURRI!!

more later...off to paint my bathroom!

ciao!