Hello and nice to see you again!
The day before yesterday ended in Köln the fifth season aka the Karneval. For one week the city went totally crazy and I managed to keep up with the festivities for 5 days. :D
Thursdays went full throttle starting at 11 a.m. until the middle of the night, Friday I went to a traditional German party with live music and dances, Saturday was the time for a house-party with friends. Sunday I had to rest and recover in order to make the best out of the Rosenmontag with its catchy floats and delicious Kamelle. Finally on Tuesday the Nubbel was tried and sentenced to death, so at midnight all the parties came to an end.
If I caught your curiosity read further for details, photos and videos ;)
The day before yesterday ended in Köln the fifth season aka the Karneval. For one week the city went totally crazy and I managed to keep up with the festivities for 5 days. :D
Thursdays went full throttle starting at 11 a.m. until the middle of the night, Friday I went to a traditional German party with live music and dances, Saturday was the time for a house-party with friends. Sunday I had to rest and recover in order to make the best out of the Rosenmontag with its catchy floats and delicious Kamelle. Finally on Tuesday the Nubbel was tried and sentenced to death, so at midnight all the parties came to an end.
If I caught your curiosity read further for details, photos and videos ;)
Thursday marked the beginning of the festivities in Köln, the so called Weiberfastnacht. This year I wanted to try several costumes and the first one would be a daring Mexican - Pedro. For that I had to wake up pretty early and shave my beard and leave a Mexican touch. Then I got together with some friends in the dormitory: an egiptian Pharaoh, a medieval Lady, a witty bee, a crazy nun and so on.
At 11 we went to the city center at a private party in an old mansion. The people of all ages were partying either on the ground floor with DJ music or on the first floor with the live Band or eating and drinking in the hallways. The Karneval hits were sung by all participants but you could also dance on some modern hits. The kölsch beer was great and the Würstchen made sure you don't get hungry. Things went on until the middle of the night when we went home for a good-night sleep.
At 11 we went to the city center at a private party in an old mansion. The people of all ages were partying either on the ground floor with DJ music or on the first floor with the live Band or eating and drinking in the hallways. The Karneval hits were sung by all participants but you could also dance on some modern hits. The kölsch beer was great and the Würstchen made sure you don't get hungry. Things went on until the middle of the night when we went home for a good-night sleep.
Friday we went to Porz, a part of Cologne, where we enjoyed a traditional German Karneval party. It was held in a building that looked like a barn but that spiced up the things. We were able to stay on the first floor and observe the band down-stairs and people that were celebrating. I started as Ion Țiriac in his youth but then we changed costumes and I managed to also be a king.
The highlight of the evening was an instrumental band with a lot of drums, trumpets, trombones and other brass instruments. The members were of different ages, both boys and girls, but they formed an extraordinary group. I managed to record one of their songs, and I'm sure you'll start dancing in your room. :P At about 3 a.m. we left the party with lots of good memories.
The highlight of the evening was an instrumental band with a lot of drums, trumpets, trombones and other brass instruments. The members were of different ages, both boys and girls, but they formed an extraordinary group. I managed to record one of their songs, and I'm sure you'll start dancing in your room. :P At about 3 a.m. we left the party with lots of good memories.
Saturday was the day to try a house-party at a good colleague of mine. The german style get-together offer me a chance to meet a lot of new people from different cities who came to Köln for Karneval. One of the friends was dressed as a fortune-teller and offered me to pick a magical fortune cookie. And inside it said that I would meet a lot of new people and have interesting conversations. Funny, right?
Monday is probably the most expected day of them all. Big crazy floats, people dressed up, music bands and horse-riders walk through the city spreading joy, throwing sweets at the crows and giving flowers to young ladies. They have been doing that in an organized way since 1823 when the Karneval Committee was founded.
The "train" starts in Chlodwigsplatz at 10:30 and ends after 7km in Mohrenstrasse. The whole march takes 5 hours and over 1 million people come to see it. The added lenght of the participants is greater than the actual 7 km, so when the first group reaches the end of the track, there are still some floats at the start point.
At the end of the day we split the spoil of Karneval: candy, bonbons, jellybeans and chocolate. It should last for the following month. :P
At the end of the day we split the spoil of Karneval: candy, bonbons, jellybeans and chocolate. It should last for the following month. :P
Tuesday was a special day for me. I witnessed for the first time this strange custom: Nubbelverbrennung. The Nubbel is a straw puppet that represents the sins that people made during the festivities. It is hung above bars Thursday and on Tuesday they take it down and burn it. Before 1913 they used to throw the puppet in the Rhine instead.
Many restaurants and bars especially in the Zülpicher area organize the event. I went to Mannis Rästorang. Until 11:15 we enjoyed the party there and afterwards everybody went outside. The Nubbel was carried at first on the shoulders of a man and afterwards in a hearse. Other people with torches followed and in the back the rest of the crowd.
A funeral march follows on the streets, where people yell, cry and experience all sorts of emotions, some of them real, some of them not. Other people shout: "Töt den Nubbel!" ( Kill the Nubbel).
Afterwards, on a large street all the people gather, take out the puppets and give them to a strong man on top of an iron cage. He fights with each of them, defeats them and then throws them in the cage. Finally the head of the ceremonies list the reasons why the Nubbel is to blame: for the spring temperatures,for the Charlie Hebdo story, for the PEGIDA demonstrations, for the conflict between Putin and the EU, for the Paps actions, for the football results of FC Köln, for the high price of student accommodation, for the fact that our wallets are empty, and so on and so forth.
He is then convicted and sentenced to death. A priest comes along and says a last "prayer" while they burn the puppets. After that the music plays some last songs and everybody goes home happy, or not, because the Kareval came to an end.
On the way home, in the tram a lady with a crochet goose on her head caught my attention and that image stuck with my for the rest of the night.
He is then convicted and sentenced to death. A priest comes along and says a last "prayer" while they burn the puppets. After that the music plays some last songs and everybody goes home happy, or not, because the Kareval came to an end.
On the way home, in the tram a lady with a crochet goose on her head caught my attention and that image stuck with my for the rest of the night.
This was the story of the Karneval in Köln 2015. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I'll see you hopefully next year to join the festivities and taste this crazy festival.
R.C.
R.C.
