Is that an oompah I hear?

A couple of weeks ago, on a Sunday morning, I got up and headed down our 76 steps to begin the trek to Sarah's school. I think she had left earlier to work. Anyway, I was on my own. Sometimes we turn east down Via dei Neri to take the Borgo Pinti route north. However I turned west on Via dei Neri to take the slightly longer, but more scenic Via dei Servi/Via Gino Capponi route. Regardless, I would have headed west anyway because as soon as I made it out our front door I heard an interesting sound. Somewhere in the distance I heard a large crowd and the distinctive sound of German oompah-like music. So of course I headed to the Piazza della Signoria to find out what was going on.


Sure enough I was greeted by a large crowd that was watching a parade of mainly Alpine looking men. I missed the beginning, but I guess they had come down Calzaioli to the Piazza and were heading down through the Piazzale degli Uffizi as seen above.


I just caught the end of the parade, but the festivities weren't over. Apparently there was more going on in the Piazza.


Wait! A few last minute parade stragglers came through.


So I guess they weren't German. They were groups that had something to do with the Italian Alps. I have no idea what was going on. But I loved their outfits. Of course, the Italian Alpine areas are right up against the Swiss and Austrian Alpine regions, so I wasn't too far off.


The plaid shirt and featheredhat brigade kept a'coming.


David looks nervous as the Swiss attack.


Some people will make any excuse to put on their medieval kits. They're as fanatic as our Civil War re-enacters. Is that how that's spelled. Don't answer that.


And the band played on...as Menelaus aids the fainting Patroclus.


Nurses were on hand. Just in case.


I had trouble seeing the person being saluted over all the feathered hats.


Apparently the worries over what noise does to the Renaissance statues was not considered when the Austrians came marching in with their brass bands.


As I headed north to Sarah's school I ran into some lost standard bearers and their well-trained eagle. These gentlemen did not get the memo about the mandatory plaid shirts.