We fell a little behind with the posting during Karneval, but here are the highlights... Scroll down to start at the beginning.
Monday is the climax of Karneval, with the
Rosenmontag Parade. We braved the crowds in the cold and the rain to see the grand spectacle. Probably because of the weather, it wasn't so packed in Neumarkt, where we were. The parade was crazy though with lots of candy (mostly chocolate) and sausages (with curry and mayo) being thrown to the crowds. It was particularly entertaining to see the men on floats attempt to get candy into the second and third story windows of apartments lining the street.
We were collecting quite a bag of such treats when we started making friends with the large group of Germans congregating next to us, who know how to spend the day with a kitchen cart full of food and drinks (and they certainly were not kidding around - they had 3 kegs of beer and enough sausages and cheese to last at least 4 days). Chris got to flex his German muscles and such, while trying to get in touch with a friend from German class. We finally saw Max and his girlfriend as the parade was ending. We said goodbye to our new German friends (who invited us back next year) and headed to the subway stop.
As we headed down the wet elevator, I somehow managed to slip, and before I knew it Chris and a stranger were helping me up. Long story short, all our goodies were thrown over the station and Chris and I were headed to the emergency room, where we waited for less than 15 minutes to have about 8 stitches put into my right brow. I guess now I can say that I have fully experienced Karneval (though I really wish I was injured by a flying sausage).
Monday is the climax of Karneval, with the Rosenmontag Parade. We braved the crowds in the cold and the rain to see the grand spectacle. Probably because of the weather, it wasn't so packed in Neumarkt, where we were. The parade was crazy though with lots of candy (mostly chocolate) and sausages (with curry and mayo) being thrown to the crowds. It was particularly entertaining to see the men on floats attempt to get candy into the second and third story windows of apartments lining the street.
We were collecting quite a bag of such treats when we started making friends with the large group of Germans congregating next to us, who know how to spend the day with a kitchen cart full of food and drinks (and they certainly were not kidding around - they had 3 kegs of beer and enough sausages and cheese to last at least 4 days). Chris got to flex his German muscles and such, while trying to get in touch with a friend from German class. We finally saw Max and his girlfriend as the parade was ending. We said goodbye to our new German friends (who invited us back next year) and headed to the subway stop.
As we headed down the wet elevator, I somehow managed to slip, and before I knew it Chris and a stranger were helping me up. Long story short, all our goodies were thrown over the station and Chris and I were headed to the emergency room, where we waited for less than 15 minutes to have about 8 stitches put into my right brow. I guess now I can say that I have fully experienced Karneval (though I really wish I was injured by a flying sausage).
3 comments:
Oh no! I hope Kelly is okay!
I suppose it wouldn't be a full experience in another country if you didn't get to visit ER at least once.
And yet you are smiling through your stitches! It sounds like a day you will remember a long time, and you now have truly experienced Koln... and you found all kinds of ways(some painful) to make new friends! Our 'fat Tuesday' was much more subdued, but I raised my final beer to you... no alcohol for us for the next 40 days.
We request photos of the black eye!!!!! (followed by Chris in the pig costume). ;)
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