Two nights ago, I went to the renowned "Festa di Santa Rosa," during which "facchini" (100 men) carried "la Macchina" (the tower) that weighs 3 tons and is 30 meters high. Not only was the machine beautiful, but also its 800 candles magnified its splendor. (This reminded me of the song from Rent, "Would You Light My Candle.")
I was priveliged to be able to be so awfully close to the Macchina. Because my host parents' friends were police officers, they let us into the "special zone," and I even got to take photos underneath the machine!
I was kind of disappointed by the fact that I only saw the actual march for 10 minutes, despite having waited for an hour. But what can I say, its grandeur just dissipated my exasperation.
These pictures do not do the festival justice, but they are still something :)