Author: Dominic Glaze
A couple of weeks ago, Keira, Andrew, and I spent a weekend in Munich, Germany. We were fortunate to arrive on Munich Brewers’ Day, when breweries from across the region parade through the city before gathering in Marienplatz to serve free beer. Before joining the festivities, we stopped by the Viktualienmarkt, where we picked up a pickle or two and enjoyed a delicious bratwurst. Later that afternoon, we wandered through the Englischer Garten with our beers in hand, taking in one of the largest urban parks in the world while watching people swim and float down the river.
The next day, Keira and I toured the Munich Residenz, the former royal palace of Bavaria. The ornate rooms, impressive art collections, crown jewels, and centuries of history made it easy to imagine what life was like for the royal families who once lived there.
Afterward, I headed to the Deutsches Museum, one of the world’s largest museums dedicated to science and technology. It was filled with exhibits covering just about every scientific interest of mine, from historic airplanes and musical instruments to space exploration, photography, chemistry, and atomic physics. One exhibit was especially exciting because it focused on X-ray diffraction, a technique first discovered in Munich by Max von Laue, a breakthrough that earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1914. X-ray diffraction is also the main technique we use in my research, so it was fun to see the city’s important role in the history of the science I’ve been working on. Even outside of Emilia-Romagna, physical chemistry somehow finds its way into my travels.
Fast forward to the following weekend, when I visited Acetaia Giusti for a balsamic vinegar tasting and tour. Giusti is one of Modena’s most famous producers of traditional balsamic vinegar, often called the region’s “liquid gold.” The family has been making balsamic for centuries, but for much of its history it was almost unknown outside the Modena area. That changed in the 19th century when they introduced it at international exhibitions, eventually earning recognition from the Italian royal family and becoming an official supplier to King Vittorio Emanuele III. Today they still produce authentic traditional balsamic vinegar, along with more affordable varieties for everyday use. Naturally, I couldn’t leave empty-handed, so I picked up a couple of bottles, including one infused with truffle.
Back in the laboratory, Professor Paolo Pio Mazzeo and Dario had collected X-ray diffraction data on one of our crystal systems at several different temperatures. My job was to compare the crystal structures before and after a temperature-induced phase transition, which is a change in the way the molecules are arranged inside the crystal. By overlaying the two structures, I was able to see exactly how the molecules shifted as the crystal changed forms.
Collecting the data wasn’t straightforward. The crystal needed to be heated well beyond what the X-ray instrument was designed to do, so Professor Mazzeo engineered a creative “high-tech” workaround, shown below. The following day, I presented my results at the IRES CRYSTAL Dynamics group meeting and was able to show Mike the evidence he had been hoping to find for this system.
After that, it was off to Siena for the Palio di Siena, the city’s famous bareback horse race that has been part of local tradition since the Middle Ages. The modern version of the race dates back to 1633, with each Contrada, or neighborhood, represented by a horse and jockey. While the race itself lasts only a few minutes, the real competition begins long before the horses ever reach the starting line. Neighborhoods negotiate alliances, hire jockeys, and even strike secret deals that can influence the outcome.
Andrew, Keira, Simon, and I were lucky enough to watch one of the practice races the day before the Palio. That evening, we were graciously invited to dinner with Onda, one of Siena’s Contrade, thanks to Wes, one of Mike’s former professors from SUNY Geneseo. Unfortunately, just as the food began arriving, a downpour soaked our plates and filled our wine glasses with rainwater. Rather than letting it ruin the evening, the people of Onda kept singing and celebrating until the storm passed, and then dinner resumed as if nothing had happened. Later that night, Wes generously welcomed us into his home while he helped us arrange a taxi after the buses had stopped running.
We stayed at a campground just outside the city overlooking Siena, complete with a swimming pool that provided a much-needed escape from the summer heat. Because of the rain, the Palio itself was postponed by a day, so we extended our stay and spent Thursday exploring the city. That evening I had one of the most memorable meals of the trip: octopus slowly cooked in red wine, creating incredibly rich and complex flavors. It now ranks among my favorite dishes in Italy, right alongside the horse tartare I had in Parma.
Finally, race day arrived. We joined thousands of spectators packed into the Piazza del Campo as the colorful parade wound through the square and anticipation continued to build. Onda had drawn one of the strongest horses in the race along with an excellent jockey, but we also drew the final starting position. In the Palio, however, the last horse to line up controls when the race officially begins, giving Onda an important strategic advantage.
That advantage became even more significant because of the negotiations taking place moments before the start. Our jockey reached an agreement with the jockey from Aquila, the Contrada that had gone the longest without a victory (34 years). At the critical moment, our jockey gave a subtle signal, allowing Aquila to get a perfect start. Aquila quickly took the lead and never looked back, leading the pack by a wide margin all three laps around the track. As the horse crossed the finish line, the crowd erupted while members of Aquila flooded onto the course in celebration.
Although Onda didn’t win the race, the alliance proved worthwhile, earning the Contrada a substantial reimbursement for helping secure Aquila’s victory. It was a fascinating reminder that the Palio is as much about strategy, diplomacy, and centuries-old tradition as it is about the race itself.
To end the trip, Wes invited us to dinner at his home in the heart of the Onda neighborhood, just steps from the Piazza del Campo. Sitting there after witnessing one of Italy’s oldest traditions felt like the perfect ending to an unforgettable week. My only hope is that one day I’ll have the chance to return and experience the Palio again.
