Mystery Mavens: Seven Seasons in Sienna by Robert Rodi

Seven Seasons in Sienna: My Qixotic Quest for Acceptance Among Tuscany's Prodest People by Robert Rodi is another good book to read in line with Too Much Tuscan Sun. Rodi was a co-writer or assisted Dario Castagno in the writing of his book(s). Rodi story is less short stories and more narrative of his many visits to Sienna and his desire to be apart of the contrada. Specifically the Caterpillar contrada, that Castagno is a member. Rodi and Castagno are obvious friends. (Personal Observation: Friends or a friendship that can stand time and distance is a wonderful thing. I think of that as I read the book and some of the narratives within.)

Sienna, Piazza del Campo - Lovely Medieval City

I am enjoying Rodi's writing style and can see echoes of it in Castagno's books. (I have just ordered several more and cannot wait to receive and start reading them. I just gave my copy of Too Much Tuscan Sun to someone to read.) There is also a long standing Rivalry between Florence and Sienna where Sienna lost in 1555, when this book alleges "Florence put Sienna under oppressive rule and cut them off from outside influence.' [p. 9] This makes the Siennese a proud people, not too crazy about the Florentines. These books are upbeat and fully of history, this one specifically on the palio.

Palio Facts - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_yGZhZItVo [link to video of the palio]

Piazza del Campo transformed into a racetrack for the palio

Two Palio each year to celebrate the Madonna

July 2 - Madonna of Prvenzano [p.43]
August 16 - Feast of the Assumption [p. 43]
Only 10/17 race in each palio as there isn't enough room for all of them to run
"Two lottery drums, one containing the names of the ten racing contrade, the other names of the ten horses." [p. 39] It's all put together by chance.
The remaining 3 contrade are randomly selected to run
The race is run in the Piazza del Campo (center of town) and is shell shaped, meaning prosperity in the middle ages. Palazzo Publico and Torre del Mangia are the main buildings in the Piazza.
Piazza del Campo is turned into a race track over night as dirt is put down by dump truck for the horses to race on.
The horses take 3 turns around the race track. (The sharp turn in the video is the Curva di San Martino.) In the past many horses have wiped out there. Horses can cross the finish line and win without the jokey on back.

Horses

After running in the palio, the horses are entitled to retire to a pensionario where they can run free and are well cared for
Average life span of a palio horse is 28 years
Only half breed horses are selected between the ages of seven and ten years
There are protocols to prevent accidents
Sienna works with animal rights groups to ensure the excellent treatment of the horses
The same cannot be said of the jokey's - they are either loved or hated...

Contrada - city quarter - there are 17 in Sienna; where as there are 3 sections of the city

17 Quarters - Eagle, Snail, Owl, Dragon, Giraffe, Porcupine, She-Wolf, Seashell, Goose, Caterpillar, Wave, Panther, Forest, Tortoise, Unicorn, Tower and Ram
3 Districts - Terzo di Camollia, Terzo di Citta and Terzo di San Martino [p. 43]
There are rivalries between certain contradas
Certain contrada were at one time made up of the tradesmen in the quarter
Today membership in the contrada is based on the quarter of the city you are born in. Families can be split among several contradas. Therefore, according to D. Castagno, contradas are another type of family.
Members work their way up the ranks of the contrada from KP to leadership positions

Drappellone, painted banner given to the winner of the palio

Fazzoletto - scarf tied around the neck of the member of the contrada to designate which contrada they are a member of. eg. Caterpillar colors are blue, gold and green

Symbol of the Caterpillar Contrada

More on the book...
There is one chapter in Summer 2009 - The Debutantes - Out of Pocket, where Rodi looses his wallet in the airport at Pisa and then looses his luggage in a cab he cannot pay for. Travel Nightmare 101! He has friends that help and support him. A great thing in life.

Another chapter in the same section A lot of Chianti, A Little Rose (this one sprung me out of bed at 6 am to write this entry) has a quote that got to me. Context: Rodi is at the Caterpillar contrada and meets Peggy Castaldi, an American from San Francisco who lives part-time in Sienna. She is a member of the contrada. "She is bright and funny... and seems to mesh seamlessly with the natives. I ask her what her secret is, and she looks at me oddly. "Just being here," she says, as if obviously that's all it takes; and I can see that it might be all it takes her. Some people are like open windows; there no artifice, no expectation, no apprehension in them - they joyfully embrace any new experience. [Of the Author] I'm not an open window, not even a shuttered one. I feel more like the trap door to the cellar with the padlock that is rusted shut. Got to get a crowbar and pry that baby open." [p. 98]

Wow, that made me think. First, "joyfully embracing any new experience," does that indicate a certain naivete in Peggy or does it indicate a strong woman who can take what comes into her path. Is it a combination of both? (I haven't met her, but I will go with a combination of the two the latter being the stronger characteristic.) Secondly, can you vacillate between the two extremes? Would that be bi-polar or just plain old humanity? (I'm again hoping for the latter.) Openness is a quality that many Americans lack. We are hooked into buy me, take me, give me at the mall; whereas many Europeans value slowing down and enjoying life. We rush, rush, rush as we accumulate our many possessions and bucket lists. Can you see where I'm going with this? Maybe it's just me and where I'm at now, but it really hit me hard. Be strong, enjoy life. Work hard, play hard and enjoy your family while you can.

I also really like the word quixotic in the title. The word means exceeding idealistic, unrealistic and impractical. But as Rodi writes, you feel his goal is ever more in reach. Could he become a member of the Caterpillar contrada by the end of the book? I hope so, just like Roy Moskovitz (of Too Much Tuscan Sun.)

Listening to Bach Concerto for Harpsicord No. 1 in D Minor (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjSD12OQbFA) as I write, but only half way through, more later/PD
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Pictures from Recent Trip to Sienna