ITALY | Sunday, 13 January 2013 | Views [1024] | View Smaller Image
Palio di Siena, Italy. The locals call it "Il Palio". Each horse and jockey represent an area of Siena called a contrada. Each contrada has its own distinct mascot, colour and patterns. It's a horse race that dates back to medieval times. Ten horses riden bareback around the town square that is transformed from a cobblestoned market place into a horse track with three inches of tightly packed dirt. The event is a religious one that honours the Assumption of Mary. It is a festival that lasts a week and packs the streets with locals and tourists alike. The blue and white contrada named "Onda" is the wave contrada and depicted by a large fish that we nicknamed the "Angry Dolphin".
