On Saturday I was invited to a Borussia Dortmund soccer game, which was absolutely incredible. I have never seen a city so passionate about their sports team (and coming from Boston that says a lot). There was so much energy, support, and "Echte Liebe" that radiated through the stadium. I can honestly say that this was the first sporting event that I have actually watched entirely and paid attention to. It goes without saying that BVB won the game 3-0 against Nürnberg and now holds 2nd place in the Bundesliga. There's nothing like German Fußball.
On Sunday and Monday "ging es richtig ab"( the party really started). Sunday I spent the night in a hostel with 30 AFS students along with our wonderful counselors. I met even more AFS students from the area, and we got ready for the real party on "Rosenmontag".
Rosenmontag is the peak of carnival, a festival which is celebrated around the world in Catholic areas. It celebrates the time before lent, when everything becomes serious and solemn for Catholics. In Germany the Rhineland is the more Catholic region, and its center, Cologne.
Cologne celebrates carnival like no other German city. One million people crowd the streets of Cologne every year to experience the parade of a lifetime. Everyone is dressed in ridiculous costumes, even more ridiculous than those seen on Halloween in America (pictures to follow). People drink in the streets, catch "Kamelle"(candy) from the parade floats, and scream "ALAAF"at every chance they get.
Although I am trying to explain carnival in Cologne, I don't think I can do it justice. It's an experience that speaks for itself, one of which I am so happy to have experienced.
I am so happy I have seen so many parts of Germany and all of the cultural events that I've heard about for years at Waldsee. The only words to describe it are, "Kamelle", "Alaaf", und "Prost!"
Der Umzug
Die volle Straße
All of our crazy costumes
BVB Spiel
Beim Rhein
No comments:
Post a Comment