There's a party going on around here...

This week is Carnivale here in Vigevano (it's next week in Milano) and this seems to be an excuse to dress up and throw confetti around. Now, the dressing up is done mainly by the children (although I did see one dubious young man with a long dress and grey wig on) but the confetti - I don't know. I do know that when I went out for a walk on Sunday evening the city looked like there'd been one huge wedding and I'm told that the water guns were out in force - I only saw some teenagers covered in silly string and shaving foam.

I think Carnivale has some sort of religious link, maybe the last celebration before lent? (and it's where the British Notting Hill Carnival comes from). However, there are a large number of Muslims in Vigevano and, like me, they don't celebrate Christian festivals so while there have been princesses and bumble-bees on the streets, there have also been a large number of bemused adults wondering what the world is coming to.

And this all goes to prove that Italians will use any excuse for a party!