KARNEVAL!

What do you get when you combine thousands of adults dressed up like cows, pigs, clowns etc., a lot of German beer and sausage, loud music and beautiful weather?!.....KARNIVAL!

The 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour, is the kick off celebration, but that actual week of Karneval is in February. This celebration has been around since before 1341! And going strong ever since! (If you’re interested in a little more details check out this link! http://www.carnaval.com/germany/index.htm)

SO, after I had practiced piano and gone to class I went home to find myself a costume! I was told countless times that the two rules of Karneval are,
1. That you should try to look as freaky as possible….
2. That you need to drink.

My original idea was just to put on all my brightest clothes, lots of make-up and do something wild with my hair….I ended up as a pillowcase superhero! ☺ It actually turned out not too bad (same pillowcase I use as a case for my guitar…..mom, I can’t thank you enough for it! Haha)

My friend Greta came over, (she’s a wicked saxophone player from my school, who studied in England for 2 years, she was dressed as a devil)…and we hoped on our bikes and rode into town.

Although we had missed the official 11 o’clock start, at 3 pm the streets were still PACKED! I’ve never seen so many adults in costume! There was a massive stage with a band playing traditional Kolsch Karneval songs….(which sound a lot like the stuff we hear at Oktoberfest) people as well as garbage everywhere! The garbage was wild! Everyone just throws everything on the ground and when thousands of people do that it equals the equivalent of walking through a small landfill. So, my best advice for you if you ever go to Karneval is keep you head up! ☺

So for the rest of the day we walked around, met new people and danced into the night! If its really true and this is nothing compared to what goes on in the February Karneval, then I can’t even imagine! So, till next time….Prost!