Offida: jazz and wine and Rura, Quintana in Ascoli Piceno

7 Agosto  Here are the last couple of weeks in pictures.  First we have Offida with its Jazz and Wine night and separately a group of Scottish musicians who go by the name Rura, quite stellar and finally the Quintana parade in Ascoli where they always dress in the heaviest draperies you can find on the hottest day of the year at the hottest time of the day to walk the streets of the town.  I didn't envy any of them.

The big orchestra in the Piazza del Popolo in Offida

Roberto and guest at his wine store in Offida

Each plaza had a little group playing at various times and then the wine booths were set up all over town as well for Wine and Jazz/Offida

Pierpaolo on bass

New jazz fan, he's got the rhythm

Rura is made up of students from Scotland who played four concerts in Italy, Offida being their final gig before "returning to the rain and cold".  Also below

The following fotos are from the Quintana parade in Ascoli Aug 7, 2011, 93 degrees F. with everyone wearing their heaviest clothing.

Norwegian junior cycling team at Nascondiglio di Bacco, World junior cycling championship at Offida

20 Agosto
I am trying to catch up on blog posting.  We were the fortunate hosts of the Norwegian junior bicycling team who voyaged south to Offida, Le Marche of all places for the junior bicycling world championship.  They were a great group, 12 in all with coaches, trainers, cooks and riders and I was able to snap photos of most during either the time trial or road race.  I can tell you, our Fiat Doblo has a hard time with the hills these young men and women raced around.  The top finisher for the squad was a young man who snagged 10th of 130, I believe with youngsters  from plus or minus 55 countries, including Namibia.  All the Norwegian males were in the top 40 for the road race and was the only squad to finish 4 in the top 40.
As you can imagine our meager breakfast of homemade breads, jams, dessert cakes, yoghurt, etc wasn't enough to fuel their engines, so they augmented our fare with stuff that would make a good supper for most of us.  There were a few cases of road rash, but otherwise no serious injuries and we are hoping to see many of them again next year for the European junior championship.