This past week, Eurochocolate consumed the streets of Perugia. Eurochocolate is the International Chocolate Festival of the World, located in the chocolate capital of the world--Perugia.
Every year, more than 150 chocolate brands and 14 million tourists come to the festival in hopes of discovering new techniques, ideas and delicious tastes. I was unaware of this number when, on the opening weekend, I took a trip to Florence. Upon returning, I took the MiniMetro up to the center and discovered that as I was exiting the MiniMetro I would be herded like I was a cow-away from the coming mass multitude of people sprinting towards the MiniMetro. And as I finally was able to go up the escalators, I realized how big of a deal this festival really was. People were running down the stairs and jamming themselves and their families onto the downward escalators, and of course it was clogging down at the bottom of the escalators. I looked behind as I was headed up (with maybe three people on my escalator) and I laughed, wishing I had brought my camera to take a picture. As I reached the top of the escalators, I was herded again away from the thousands of people waiting at the top to go down. Luckily, Perugia was better prepared the next weekend by providing free buses to the train station... What will they think of next!
Here is a photo of what the city looked like on the days during the festival. Yes, I stole it--but only because I avoided the center to try and stay out of it.
During the nine days of the festival, the city itself turns into a chocolaterier and as one writer says: “The Food of Gods becomes the present protagonist of human existence, influencing costumes and practices of common people and their daily life style.”
Every street in the center is packed with stands, crowds, and vendors--each wanting something the other has. You can find almost anything you could ever want made totally out of chocolate.
Here are some photos for proof:
As my friend Ian and I walked the rainy streets last Thursday, we discussed whether Eurochocolate had a deeper mission than just the celebration and selling of chocolate. Once I got back, I found this quote and sure enough--there was a deeper purpose. “Eurochocolate is also the instrument for promoting protection of important values as solidarity, biodiversity, traceability and sustainability of the production process of cocoa, aiming to guarantee a sustainable future based on the decrease of the differences between developed and developing countries.”
Well, on top of the festival, last weekend marked the first day of Cioccolata Calda. Which is my FAVORITE thing to have in Italy (actually it has a close tie with gelato) But, I know this because I had it on the opening day eventhough it wasn't that cold outside. This next photo is for Caroline... Here's what your missing out on ;) You can come get some if you'd like.... Just ask Mom and Dad to let you fly internationally and come and see me... I'm sure they wont mind....
Until next time,
E
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