Diary 20 Jan 22

 Diary 20 Jan 22

It was definitely the last time we were in a huge crowd. The twentieth of January 2020 and we were in Rimini, Italy.

The Piazza Cavour was literally packed and almost exploding at the sides. People teetering on window sills and even more precariously standing out on shop roof tops reaching out over the piazza. The event so special drawing locals and tourists alike. 

With every moment of the sun setting, the piazza grew prettier. Darkness revealed tiny white lights adorning hot air balloon structures. These  had been placed through the Piazza's centre. The community Christmas tree still standing shone bright and added another level of celebratory spirit to the night.

We were all there to celebrate what would have been the 100th birthday of Rimini's favourite son, Federico Fellini. Born in Rimini, Federico is to this day considered by many as one of the greatest movie screenwriters and directors of all time. Known for his creativity and vivid dreaming the town had planned celebrations for the whole of the 100th year. 

"There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the passion of life"

Frederico Fellini

The show began with the darkness. Laser stars covered the side of the Palazzo Malatesta and the shadows of acrobats on swings glided past. This was a show by internationally acclaimed illusionist and performer Kai Leclerc. Designed to surprise the audience, Kai took many of the famous scenes of Fellini's movies and gave an upside down interpretation. Intertwined in his show the Fidelio company with Elisa Barucchieri an amazing aerial dancer brought the creativity and dreaming for which Felini was most known.

At the end of the show, the moment we'd been waiting for .... and the whole crowd had been waiting for apparently. The cutting of the monumental birthday cake known as the Cake of Dreams. Standing 2 meters high the birthday cake was created by the master pastry chef Roberto Rinaldini ( his brand mentioned here) who personally reinterpreted Fellini's favourite dessert Zuppa Inglese.

 As the announcement was made that the birthday cake was served, the crowd literally lurched forward. Pressed and pushed and a little disorientated we fortuitously found ourselves near one of the air balloon structures. Bien reached out and returned with two cups of the birthday cake of dreams.