Fasching

So they have this celebration here right now called Fasching. It's basically Mardi Gras in Deutschland. It's the celebration of the 40 days prior to Lent. People dress up in really elaborate costumes, and there's a 4 hour (or longer) parade through various cities. It's not like any parade I've ever seen in America. There aren't floats, just people walking. Often, they grab members of the crowd; they may carry them over their shoulders down the parade route. They may throw you in a device that spins you around until you vomit.

We visited one such parade (umzug) in Pfullingen last weekend. I found the costumes to be quite scary, actually, especially for the little children. But it seemed like the little children must have been warned beforehand. Some of the characters give candy or bon bons. Some of them throw confetti all over you. Some smear paint or grease on your face. It's really interesting. The different groups of characters called out something in German, and the audience shouted something else back. I didn't really understand what they were saying, but it seemed like fun. By the end, I had green paint all over my face. There's a really big celebration in the city of Rottenburg next weekend, and I think we'll visit that one too. Until then, I've posted photos on the "Photos from Deutschland" site. Please visit.