Happy Holidays: Karneval

So several places in Europe celebrate Carnival. Most people think of Venice as a big spot, with the masks and classical costumes, maybe parts of France. But what I didn't know is that it's actually a HUGE deal in western Germany, more specifically in Nordrhein-Westfalen, the region where Dusseldorf and nearby Cologne are.

Technically the Karneval season will begin on November 11th, at 11:11am. Dusseldorf held this big opening ceremony/show type thing but I'd be lying to you if I said it didn't look boring as hell. This old guy popped out of a over-decorated, massive jar, if I remember correctly, in a costume and spoke for a veryyy long time to a crowd of adoring Karnevalers, obviously in German, so I was bored with that real fast. Plus it's cold out. I wasn't down for that. I googled a couple images and clips and that was more than enough for me. Kids usually make these pretty cool lanterns and parade them in the street or around their schools. There was a reason for this, but I can't remember for the life of me what it was.

That's really all you'll hear of Karneval until March. Starting the Thursday before Ash Wednesday the town completely loses it's shit. There are big parades and performers and good lord don't forget all the costumes. People not only come out in full force but they are ALL in costumes of one sort or another, more so than on Halloween even. Haha, just wait till I tell you about my costumes. You'll die. But businesses start closing down for the long weekend and everyone flocks to the Altstadt, or old town (the downtown area).

So practically over night the cobble-stoned streets are suddenly filled with over-priced beer tents, crowds of drunkards & dancers, (eventually one in the same really). Your ears inescapably flooded with horrible, corny Karneval songs not only blaring from speakers but accompanied by intoxicated singers. But it worked. It all worked. The atmosphere was so alive, and it was such a blur of beautiful colors.

Now Dusseldorf and Cologne are somewhat of sworn enemies. They hate each other. So don't tell any of my Dusseldorfer friends but from what I hear it's even bigger and better in Cologne. I didn't end up going, which I somewhat regret now. But at the time I was tuckered out! If you think about it, it is a non-stop party for 5, almost 6 days! That's not a sprint, that's an effing marathon. So no, I didn't make the trek. But I experienced it in Dusseldorf, and that was okay with me.

So here our my experiences from a Dusseldorf perspective. Thursday the Altstadt is full by midday, and everyone in it is wasted shortly there after. I had never seen anything like it so a couple of the girls and I just walked around to see what all the hub-bub was about. It definitely lived up to it's hype and everything I said above is completely true and then some. But we all had to work on Friday so we kept it light. Friday was a different story. We put on our first round of outfits and hit the bars. Now, let me tell you about my costumes. My host mother's heart was in the right place but she got me these horrible outfits and I just couldn't say no to them. Damnit, she is my kryptonite! So the first night I was a cheesey 1920's flap dancer. But it was cold, so I put on black leggings, and borrowed a pair of steffi's black boots-- I'd rather be warm, I had no one to impress. But I ended up looking like half witch, half flapper. There was a black wig that completely removed whatever color I had left in my face and I layered in over a long sleeve black shirt. Bah, bad. My friend showed up in a chef's outfit, however, and we ended up switching back and forth throughout the night. Not so bad. Also, creepers come out in full force during Karneval. Just be aware if you ever go. They think it's like a 'feel free to openly creep' card or something.

I can't even remember what we did Saturday, but we stayed in that night. Can't remember Sunday either. Not because I was wasted, because I wasn't, this was just too long ago. But the next good part is Monday. It's called Rosenmontag, Rose Monday. It's a holiday, everything is still closed. There is a huuuge parade through town with tons of groups and floats. Their big thing is that they throw candy out to the crowds. When I came home later my host fam asked how much candy I made out with. I said one piece, but left it behind for someone else. They thought this was unheard of, and then showed me their entire shopping bag full. Apparently I'm a disgrace and shouldn't be seen with them.

So before heading to the parade I had to get all spiffy and put on my SECOND costume. Get ready for this one. A cowgirl. And not just any cowgirl. A frumpy cowgirl. My host mother got one for me and then one for herself. Again, lord bless her, but jesus. Partly what made it so bad was that it was still so cold out, it's early March in Germany! So I think I had a fleece AND my peacoat underneath this outfit, so it was just all around frumpy.

But I went to the parade anyway. Everyone got a good laugh out of my outfit, as they should. The Zug, or train, as they call it, was fantastic. Covered in vibrant colors, some floats clever, some funny, some just.. interesting shall we say.. It wound down the Hofgarten (a big park), around the Altstadt (the downtown), through Konigs Allee (a major shopping street), down towards my house where my host family always greets it every year, where there are smaller crowds and more candy to be had.

On Tuesday I heard in Cologne, where it's always 'bigger and better' of course, like in Texas, that they burn puppets, which is meant to symbolize the people burning their sins from the days before, and to prepare for Ash Wednesday the next day. But in Dusseldorf we were already back to work. So none of that.

Pictures: Finally figured out that my camera wasn't dead.

The streets on Thursday

People watching, enjoying the overpriced beer

Just a snippet of the trash in the streets. It was like this everywhere.

And this is by 5pm on the first day of this thing, mind you

The masses. It never ended

Disheveled by this point, and don't know where the

headband is at the moment, which I'm sure you can

tell really makes the outfit, but you get the idea

But eventually we switched and

I became a Chef instead

People are back out on Monday for the parade. Not

as many costumes, but still a few. Including the frumpy

cowgirl about to make her first appearance

BOOM. There it is. The Frumpy Cowgirl.

It's OK, you can eat your heart out now.

Aaaaand still eating your heart out, I'm sure.

And yes, I'm wearing another crazy wig.

Didn't know what any of these floats

were about, but they were crazy

I keep seeing these colorful lions popping up around

town at certain events. Still have no idea what they're from

The Venice float

I'm assuming this was the 'Dusseldorf float' because it has several Dusseldorf Landmarks, the Fortuna Football symbol is I think at the bottom, the Eurovision sign which is like a Europe-wide American Idol type deal that was held here this year. But strangely the people on the float don't match the float itself. Lady Liberty is up there, a cowboy (WHAT UP), a disco woman and a couple others... dunno.

Self explanatory