Karnival Costumes--Feb 2

The costumes of Karnival go from the very simple to the extremely elaborate.  This is John and Kris Black.  They own the Altes Brauhaus Guesthouse.  We stayed with them when we first got to Germany.  They hosted the Karnival "bbq" and we watched the parade from the front of the guesthouse.

More of Karnival

Here we are enjoying the parade...Cameron was a candy magnet.  

Karnival in Langbroich--February 2

We have experienced our first Karnival in Germany.  It is a custom celebrating the time before Ash Wednesday.  It is meant to celebrate and endulge before you must give up "whatever" for Lent.  This year, because Easter is so early, Karnival is early....it is a time of parties and parades and crazy shenanigans.  For example, on Women's Day (Thursday) women traditionally storm the city halls and capture the mayor.  They also go about the town and cut off the ties of men who have forgotten NOT to wear them.  For Deron, on base the women tried to take their uniform patches.  You can be spared this only by giving the Karnival Kiss....usually a kiss on the cheek.

There are comedy nights and "talent" shows held in the town tent.  Then there is the parade.  Each village has a parade with floats from all over the region.  The teenagers, and some adults, of the village dress up in costume, keeping in theme with their float and give out candy, flowers, onions (we haven't figured out the significance of that) and alcohol.  There was beer galore and these little shot bottles of liquor.

Karnival will end Ash Wednesday, 46 days before Easter.

Mardasson WWII Memorial...Bastogne, Belgium

Saturday that Maji was here visiting, we took a day trip to Bastogne, Belgium, to a World War II Memorial and museum.  The Mardasson Memorial is a tribute from the Belgium people to the US and its solidiers who died liberating this area of Belgium from German occupation.  It is here that the famous Battle of the Bulge took place.  The museum housed many original artifacts from the war including uniforms, helmets, guns, motorcycles, ammunitions, etc.  We also watched news reel footage of the actual battles.  The museum is small but the memorial is very impressive.  You could look out over the countryside and imagine what it might have been like.  On the particular day we went it was very cold and rainy, but nothing compared to the cold that our US solidiers endured during this decisive time.  The town square of Bastogne was lit up for Christmas and we enjoyed a nice dinner at the "Oh Nuts" restaurant....an homage to the famous reply that General McAuliffe gave to the German surrender demand.

More Christmas Market

Did I mention that it can get cold here but still many, many, many people venture out to enjoy the sights, smells and shopping of the christmas markets?  Here we are freezing, but having a great time, at Monschau's market.

Cameron's First Christmas

Christmas 2007 will Cam's first christmas.  We got him a picture with Santa Claus.  Not sure he knew just exactly who Santa was....

German Christmas Markets

   

In 

Germany, almost every village, town and city holds a Christmas market.  Some are very small and others are huge and elaborate.  At a Christmas market you will find everything German...handmade wooden ornaments, nutcrackers, lots of sweets and Gluhwein.  The villages decorate their storefronts, lights are everywhere and everyone dresses warmly to walk in the cold weather through the cobblestone streets.  People shop, eat and drink!

The town of Monschau is a quaint little village that winds along the banks of a little river.  We visited their Christmas market and it was like we walked into a Dickensian christmas story.