I know that many of you are anxiously awaiting Italy pictures....well....it's going to be a couple of days. I really want to keep this in chronological order and I have a few things to post first. So, today I'm going to try and blog about Fasching and Bruges (in separate posts). Hopefully tomorrow I can start on Italy (which will most likely have to be split up into multiple posts as well). I really need to start blogging about these things as they happen so that everything feels more fresh. Unfortunately, life gets in the way. (Dratted laundry!)
Fasching is the German version (I believe) of Fat Tuesday, or Carnival. It takes place right before the start of Lent. The Germans celebrate Fasching with parades, by dressing in costume, consuming large amounts of alcohol (don't worry - I didn't share with the kids), and parties. Basically, as Ian so aptly put it, Fasching is like Halloween, but EVEN BETTER.
There are two Fasching parades nearby, one in Schwetzingen and one in downtown Heidelberg. I decided to take the kids to the Schwetzingen parade for a several reasons. 1 - I had to take them by myself. 2 - I had to take them by myself. And 3 - I had to take them by myself. (Don't you think that the Army should give Ben German holidays?)
So, our Fasching experience....
We took Flat Stanley along for the ride. Actually we took Flat Stanley and Flat Sarah. Stanley and Sarah really liked the parade - especially the part where they had kilos of candy chucked at their heads. I hadn't realized how much candy would be thrown. Fortunately a kind German woman behind me handed me a bag to hold our loot. Unfortunately that meant we brought home a lot of candy. We still have a huge bag full of Fasching candy that Stanley and Sarah have yet to eat. Maybe if it had been chocolate...
Ian had sawdust dumped on his head by one of these Buzzel-Hexe. (I think Buzzel-Hexe means ugly witches. It's what they had on their sign. Any thoughts on this?) Fortunately, Ian thought it was funny.
And finally...amazing costumes. The people in blue (not sure what they are) painted the kids' noses blue (not sure why).
Because it was colder than I had expected, and the kids didn't have their coats with them, we didn't stay for the entire parade. From what I hear, that may have been a good thing. I think by the end of the parade the hard liquor was starting to catch up with people. (One of my favorite moments was when one of the beauty queens (while on her float, mind you) chugged back a shot of something potent. I had to laugh.)
Next year I think we'll have Ben take the day off and attempt the larger (and probably rowdier) parade in Heidelberg. Maybe. We'll see. Then again, the Schwetzingen parade was pretty good....
7 comments:
I believe Buzzel-Hexe does mean ugly witch. That's based on my sad, short German education in high school. I remember that because Joe Farnsworth and I used to call our teacher that as a joke. She didn't think it was funny. Anyway, cool pictures! I love Flat Stanley and Sarah! Your kids are adorable, as usual.
That story sounds surprisingly similar to my weekly shopping trips at Walmart -- drunk people, ugly witches, people dressed in what HAVE to be costumes...
No candy though. We'll need to keep our eyes peeled for that!
Fasching is one of the things I missed out on while living there. I was there the first 4 years after 9/11, and it was determined that it would be too dangerous for military members or their families to attend the festivities.
There were always a lot of big anti-American protests going on. There were several non-holiday days that we would get notice not to go into the Kornmarkts because it was deemed a security issue.
Another reason I need to move back!
What amazing times you all are having!! You know where I run into your mom? The credit union. Last time I saw her she was sending $$ to you for her trip to Berlin.
When is that? I hope you all have fun.
wow! that is better than Halloween! Only two more weeks!
Every time I read your blog I feel like taking an adventure ... with 4 kids it tow, I think we'll start small and work our way up to Germany!
xoxo
what a cool parade!
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