Karneval was the weekend of February 19 through the next Tuesday, February 24. We didn't know quite what to expect. We found out that it is a really big deal around here -- Cologne has one of the biggest parades in Germany. A lot of the other towns and villages do parades, as well. It starts on Thursday at 11:11 AM (that day is called Weiberfasnacht, I believe, -- Carneval for women). Several women at work brought in pastries / donuts, and a handful of people at work were dressed up in costumes. On Thursday, the primary school had all of the kids dress up in costumes, and then they paraded around the halls of the school a bit. Heidi went in and took a few photos. That night she got together with several of her friends at one of their homes for.....exactly what I couldn't tell you. I think they had fun.
Grant is a basketball player (obvious), Mallory wasn't in her costume yet, but likes to pose, and Luke was a .... guy with a bowler hat and an umbrella.
Here's Mallory, finally dressed in her Little Red Riding Hood costume. Heidi can't stand Halloween because of the lead up to Halloween and all of the indecision about what each of the kids wants to do for a costume. Despite asking them weeks in advance what they want to be, there is always a last minute change from at least one of them, and a frantic scramble to find a new costume. Now we have 2 holidays per year where we get to do that. Maybe the kids will get better at deciding on a costume and sticking with it.
On Friday the secondary school dressed up in their costumes. They didn't do a parade. Nash had a cape to go with this, but I think it was in his backpack. He wanted to put a bunch of tortilla chips on the brim of his sombraro and walk around with a jar of salsa. We talked him out of it.
On Saturday night, Luke and I went to a basketball game to see the Telekom Bonn Baskets play another professional team from Germany. Yes, there is a professional basketball league here in Germany (half or more of the players on both teams were American). Luke and I had a great time. A large portion of the audience were dressed up in their costumes and in the Karneval festive spirit.
