Today is the 25th of Aprile. In 1945 Italy was liberated on this day. But as the Germans moved northward up the country much damage and many lives were lost including citizens of Umbertide. Also on the 25th of April but in 1944, one year earlier than Liberation Day, Allied bombers, attempting to hit the bridge over the Tiber, killed 72 people in Umbertide. The square, since called Piazza 25 Aprile is now a parking lot but where the walls of the houses were is delineated in red brick with openings where the doors used to be as well as the house number. There is a plaque on the wall with the names of the killed.

We knew something was up yesterday when the Kilometer Zero market set up on an unusual day of the week, Friday. This morning the street cleaners made the Piazzas pristine and I noticed all the police were wearing their spiffy dress uniforms. Then, at 9:15 am the bell in the old church tower on the piazza began to ring. I wondered at the significance of the time. Later I read the bombing started in the morning, probably at 9:15. I didn’t count but perhaps they rang it for each person killed. Then the Umbertide band marched through town.

We ventured out a while later and they were giving speeches in the Piazza 25 Aprile. I noticed a number of old men about. I wonder if they remembered the day. Later when I was talking to Susan about it she mentioned that she felt guilty and avoided the celebration because the Americans did the bombing. I had not felt that way at the time. Perhaps I was being insensitive.

Last night I took this picture of the Tiber. It was a pretty sunset.

Spring has sprung just in time for the Easter festivities (called Pasqua here). Tomorrow is Venerdi Santo (Holy Friday). I am told they carry a cross through town playing dirge-like music with all the religious town folk following. It is not, however a holiday here unlike in most of the rest of Europe. We have planned to take part in an all fish dinner on Vererdi Santo evening. This is the tradition. Then on Easter Sunday we will go for a traditional end-of-Lent lunch. We will be going with Gary and Susan and I will post about it afterwards. The big celebratory day is Monday. We are told all the Italians go to the seashore…at once! And party all day.

Yesterday I went on a photo shoot and gathered some pictures of the amazing eggs that are all around town as well as Easter cakes. We heard the Italians will spend 400 million Euros on chocolate and cakes for Easter!

This is the window of the little pasticceria down the street.

These next two I took in the wine shop where we buy our wines. They obviously sell other stuff besides wine. Here are eggs bigger than my head!

And the shelves are full of cakes (bottom) and eggs (top)

Next I took a few pictures to show that spring is on the way all around town.

Here is the town plan of the Centro Storico.

Here is a tiny alley, one of my favorite streets. It parallels one of the streets into the Piazza.

Here is a view of the Reggia river (yeah, it is a very SMALL river) along with the walking path that winds into the Centro with La Rocca in the background.

We actually got a few more errands done yesterday. We bought and I installed our “rabbit” fence for the terrace. This will allow the cats to go out but still with supervision. I think it looks pretty nice.

Today is Epiphany. I looked it up and it is the day the Magi came to the baby Jesus. The day before Epiphany is called Twelfth-night or Twelfth-day and marks the end of Christmastide. In Italy the Eve of Epiphany is when Befana comes bringing gifts for the children.

The Piazza was filled with booths selling things. Many of them seemed to be linked to Befana. I noticed LOTS of stockings for sale like we are more used to seeing at Christmas.

So I looked it up on Wikipedia and here is what it says:

In popular folklore Befana visits all the children of Italy on the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany to fill their stockings with candy and presents if they are good. Or a lump of coal or dark candy if they are bad. In many poorer parts of Italy and in particular rural Sicily, a stick in a stocking was placed instead of coal. Being a good housekeeper, many say she will sweep the floor before she leaves. To some the sweeping meant the sweeping away of the problems of the year. The child’s family typically leaves a small glass of wine and a plate with a few morsels of food, often regional or local, for the Befana.

Pretty familiar. I liked the sweeping away the problems of the previous year. In Umbertide Befana arrives in an Ape (pronounced app-ay). One of those little 3 wheeled vehicles with a truck bed. How perfect! They attached a chair for her to sit in and she throws candy to all the children who surround the Ape. It drives around the Piazza. There was a band of course. The Ape beeped it’s horn as it went.

I was shooting these with my zoom from our house so they are kind of blurry but you get the idea.

I am not sure if there is any activity associated with the Epiphany. I heard the church bells ringing this morning at 8AM. I believe there is supposed to be a feast.

Luther is now fighting the cold I had. We also are waiting for Emanuele to bring some packages of things I ordered. Last night when Luther went into the kitchen all the lights went out when he turned them on – there was a POP sound. uh oh. So hopefully Emanuele can fix them.