© irene waters 2015
In Germany the Karneval ,which starts before Christmas on 11/11 at 11:11 am is a very important event. At this time the council meets wearing fools hats and performances of song, dance and comedy. Then all is quiet until after Christmas when on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday there are costume balls, street parades and is a time when everyone has fun and a few pranks. The street parades are generally held on the weekend. Along the Rhine the karneval is very important starting in around 1823 as a way to express parody and mockery and subversive anti-Prussian and French sentiments during the occupation.
I came across the Karneval in a small town fairly close to Lorsch where it is called Fasching. The diversity of the floats, from large to very small, was immense as were the colourful costumes.
It was as though the entire town had turned out for the event despite the cold, wet miserable winters day. The excitement was electric. I was told to shout out Helau which I heard as Hallo as the floats went by. I did this with gusto and was well rewarded with lollies being thrown my way in abundance. The more I got the more I wanted and the crowd around me were amused by this Aussie girl shouting Hello louder and more often than themselves. Soon not only were the floats diverse but also the sweeties which now filled my hat as everyone around me started offloading their sweets on to me. I had a supply to last me a few years.
© irene waters 2015
In response to Thursday’s Special
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
What fun!!
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Yes it was Cindy.
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Cindy said it for me: What fun! Is there special food?
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Not to my knowledge. Just lots of lollies
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What fun! It reminds me of 4th of July parades in small-town America. Lollies included!
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I think they would probably be very similar. Especially if there was lolly throwing.
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You’ve had some fine times, Irene … 🙂
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We all have M-R. 🙂
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True; but you’re good at getting ’em across. 🙂
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Ta muchley.
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Great photos. Fasching is also huge in Austria. I found some photos the other night from Austria. It is also the ball season – the Vienna Opera Ball is a huge one and where debutants are also presented – now just a tradition, not serious as it used to be. It is a time to let go and have fun. Then Ash Wednesday it is very serious and Lent begins.
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I would so love to attend a Viennese Ball. Did you live long in Austria? I guess a lot of the traditions are similar in Austria and Germany.
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I lived for 11 years in Austria. It is a bit like Australia and New Zealand and America and Canada. Similarities but different at the same time.
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I think with the internet the differences between countries is becoming smaller. Food is becoming similar worldwide and apart from the types of older dwellings there are we probably all do much the same activities.
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Haha 😀 You always get into the spirit of things so well Irene, this post exudes with your joy and also the image of all those yummy sweeties 🙂 ❤
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That’s what life is Sherri. You just have to throw yourself in with gusto and you’ll get gusto back (in this case sweeties) XD ❤
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😀 ❤ xx
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Oh this is a wonderful parade. You were able to get some great photos. I like the fish best. Thank you.
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You’re welcome. It was a really fun day despite the rain and I loved the way the lollies rained my way. The fish was great.
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