Urban Explorer- Germany: Karneval

Bratwurst stall on the street near the parade.

This past February 2012, I went to my first Karneval (Carnival in English) parade ever in Germany. Carnival is a christian holiday usually in February and occurs just before lent. New Orlean's Mardi Gras is the equivalent of Carnival in Germany, minus the beads. In Germany (and in Brazil, for sure!), Carnival is celebrated in different cities with a local twist and people go CRAZY! In Cottbus, craziness was kept to a minimum, but in cities like Cologne, which is famous for its carnival, people don't hold back. I saw pictures of men dressed like blue smurfs and someone dressed up as cheese.
English website to Cologne's Carnival

Carnival is Germany's halloween. Just, not so scary. Kind of strange... adults dressing up in costumes for no real reason to me. I mean, in the US we dress up in scary costumes. Scary, spooky, weird- because it's the Hallow Day before the spirits come out.

But carnival-- what does preparing to fast for lent have to do with dressing up as a barn animal. Is that perversion? Dressing up as a smurf: that's funny.

Cultural differences can be so strange. Just when you think that you don't notice differences anymore, the logic behind cultural events or traditions strike you as unexplainable!! And then, you realize the following: you are a foreigner living in a weird place and nobody is as normal as you and your fellow countrymen, of course!

But, to be honest, it is a pretty fun idea to have a crazy holiday in February. Winter is so cold in Germany, any funny holidays help to pass the time before Spring.

Also, don't miss the special treat for you in the last image of the post. ;)

The photographs pretty much explain themselves.