Fasching

Fasching is Germany's Mardi Gras. It begins on dirty Thursday (Schmuztige Donnerstag), the Thursday before Ash Wednesday, but the festival season can begin as early as January and start dates vary from city to city. Yesterday on my day off, Kristina and I went to watch an opening parade in a nearby city.

I would have to say that it was probably one of my first, if not my first "typisch Deutsch" experiences. There are several things you should be prepared for when attending Germany festivals...

1. It appears as if there is little concern for safety. The festival started with "boat races." A stream ran through the city of Schramberg. A very little (no more than 6 feets wide and 2 feet deep) but very fast moving stream. The objective of this race is for very drunk Germans to sit in handmade rafts/floats in ridiculous costumes and try and float down the stream without falling into the stream. Kristina said over half of them will flip. Also, bystanders are allowed to stand right on the bank, getting soaked, and often "falling" into the action.

2. American's pass out candy along parade routes. Germans pass out some candy, but find it better to toss pretzels and wurst into the crowd.

3. If you have a beer or cola in your hand it will be consumed by those in the parade.

4. Audience participation is completely mandatory. Do not try to resist. (Learned from a mistake... to be honest I didn't really understand what the masked man was asking me, but before I knew it I was picked up and carried into the parade for a good thirty or forty feet before we "fought" and he let me go back to an amused Kristina.)

5. Expect to be terrified. Every person in the parade is dressed in an extremely elaborate costume (costing between 1,000 and 2,000 Euros) that include hand carved masks, real hair, stuffed once-live animals, and real fur. The masks are horrifying and can range from anywhere to a sad clown face, to a cat (I have pictures, Emily), witch, baby, etc. Often members of the parade will sneak into the crowd behind the bystanders and come up behind you. You try and imagine being tapped on the shoulder and turning around to someone in a  very realistic witch costume.

6. The "balloons" they carry on poles to smack the crowd with are actually cow and pig stomachs. NOT JOKING. DISGUSTING.

7. If you accidently stand in front of a small child, the German mother will yell at you.

8. It will take place at an extremely, pictersque, German town nestled in a valley.

9. When they yell German words at you there are responses you are supposed to know to say back. If you don't know them just say something that sounds German and you will be fine.

10. You will have a lot of fun.


Pictures to follow soon.