Party in the DE

It has been awhile. And now I am using time on the train, and the fact that I decided to take my computer this weekend, to catch up on blog posts. First off, I will touch on a few subjects that are quite in the past. And I am sorry about that. But hopefully, by the time this train makes it to Essen (about an hour) I will have a good amount written (but not posted, as there is no Internet on this train, but the details of train travel will come later).

One of the number one things that Americans, and really the rest of the world, associates with Germany is Oktoberfest. And really, the Germans just like to party. The weekend before Lent begins, known in America as Mardi Gras, summed up this party experience. To the rest of the world, its called Carnival (Karnival). I traveled to Düsseldorf and Köln (Cologne)to partake in the partying before the 40 days and 40 nights fast began.

I was told that to “fit in” during Karnival, one must wear a costume. Finding a costume on a budget, in a foreign country, was going to prove difficult. So I looked at my wardrobe, and make the realistic choice, a cowgirl. I had jeans, I had lace up brown boots, I had a denim button down shirt. I could braid my hair, and find a cowboy hat. In strolling through the Dutch version of Target, I found small red, white, and blue pinwheels, that I fixed to bobby pins and added to my braided hair. I splurged a bit, and bought supplies for a real Karnival mask, mainly glitter glue, feathers, and well the mask.

Once adorned in Red, White, and Blue Cowgirl Pride, I set out to the party. Elin was dressed as a 50’s Rockabilly girl, and Myrthe as Robin Hood. We first wandered the streets of Düsseldorf, saw the day time party that included great deals on cocktails, full families dressed up in matching costumes, and delicious crepes. After finding four Waldos having a beer, and seeing boys dressed in cat costumes climb trees, we hopped the train to where the real party was supposed to happen, Köln.

Our group then a bunch of strangers dressed up in quite the elaborate costumes

Düsseldorf and Köln have a rivalry, and each has their own city song. One must not sing on song in the rival city. And the only Karnival song we knew was “Viva Kölnia”.

It was dark by the time we arrived in the great city, and we first holed up in the only place one can find free Wifi in Germany, Starbucks. Even the baristas were dressed up.

We were meeting other au pairs and friends from around the country who had planned to be in the city that weekend. After a few minutes of waiting, our group of three, two Dutch and one American, grew to a loud, fun group of fifteen, including American, British, and Spanish au pairs, as well as friends from Germany, Spain, and Mexico. I had never heard more Spanish spoke in Germany.

From the train station we set off into the night. The Köln Hauptbahnhof sits right next to one of the grandest cathedrals I have ever seen. And right in front of the cathedral was a drum line concert, people blowing bubbles, singing, drinking, and of course, partying.

We passed wine and beer bottles around, and headed into the crowd. After moving from party to party, crossing the parade route, we found ourselves on a street that ran parallel to the Rhein River. We set up camp, near a cheap beer stand, and started dancing. As it was February, it was freezing, and beer and dancing kept one warm. We met more Americans, other Germans, and heard about every European language. Köln is known for its parting, and its partying is known for Karnival. Sometime in the early morning we convened and headed home.

Now that I have experienced a real Karnival, with broken beer bottles at every step, fireworks set off in the streets, and bands setting up and playing at will on the sidewalks. With smoke and bubbles in the air, a 1000 year old cathedral lit up with golden lights, and an entire city, complete with international tourists, coming together to sing one song, Now I know why one must rest and fast for forty days and forty nights.

Along with Karnival, I have attended other parties and celebrations in Germany. Most recently my own small city’s Wine Fest and a near by city’s Kirmes or city fair.

The Kirmes, while free to get in, was expensive for any food, drink, or tickets for rides. My group, once again, was diverse. It was the usual suspects, the other au pair girls from the area, another America, a Dutch girl, and a girl from Spain. In addition to our foursome, we had invited two people from my German class, another girl from Spain who taught Spanish in Germany, and a young man from Pakistan who worked as an engineer at a nearby rubber plant. All together we spoke a mix of English, German, Spanish, and for the first time I heard Catalonia. A dialect from southern Spain.

The Kirmes was like any state fair, just without the animals. And like any state fair, we gorged ourselves on fair food. However, instead of hamburgers and funnel cakes, we had corn on the cob, fries topped with curry sauce and onions, and of course, crepes.

We all decided to buy tickets to one ride, a fun house that was themed in a mix of Caribbean, Spanish, Mexican, with a touch of Hawaiian. We were given leis, and told to take a shot of tequila before jumping on wobbling stepping stones in two feet of water. After climbing a robe ladder and sprinting down moving sidewalks, we played on tilting surfboards and laughed our way to the the exit, a replica of a tug boat.

We then ate more food, sauteed mushrooms in garlic sauce, churros, and real cotton candy.

The Wine Fest in Marl was a small event, taking place in the open air market that I often take Eliano to walk through. In front of my favorite pharmacy was an American Hot Dog stand, and down the way was of course, more crepes. The wine was German wine, made from sweet grapes of the river valleys, or more dry from the south. Either way it was delicious and only five blocks from my house. The DJ played Glee covers of old rock songs and the middle aged of Marl danced their heart away. The girls and I were not only the only ones speaking English, we were the only ones under the age of 45. It was relaxed, and fun, and a great way to kick off a weekend.