These past few days across Europe (and many other parts of the world), it has been Carnival, Munich included (it’s called Fasching here). For weeks the big department stores have dedicated huge sections of floor space to rows and rows of fancy dress gear, some of it more than slightly odd. You name it, and you will probably find a costume version of it! My lovely brother-in-law tried on a couple of the outfits above whilst shopping with my sister and I, but he wouldn’t try on a mustard pot complete with strangely placed string of sausages, much to our disappointment (for future blackmailing requirements)…
Yesterday was Faschingsdienstag, probably the biggest day of the season, culminating in a huge party in most towns – a real day of excess before the start of lent. Depending on what you give up for lent of course (if anything!), you could be completely missing out, as Strong beer season starts as soon as Carnival finishes. This may be a bad thing, or perhaps not!
Whilst for some sad reason we don’t celebrate this time of year in the same way in the UK, we do like to stuff our faces with pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, which is kind of a compromise I suppose. We still continue this tradition in our house, even though Pancake Day is not the same without Tate & Lyle Golden Syrup!
Special foods are an important part of Carnival wherever you celebrate it, and funnily enough a lot of it tends to be sweet and sickly. When we lived in Denmark – as well as the dressing up (and the rather odd traditions of hitting your parents with sticks and whacking cats in barrels), the most spectacular part of Carnival was the Fastlavn Boller (which can mean something very rude if you pronounce it incorrectly)! Beautiful clouds of choux pastry filled with flavoured cream and topped with icing – worth a seasonal trip to Copenhagen for, believe me!
In this part of the world thankfully there are also special Carnival cakes, but this time in Doughnut form! Not just your average doughnut either; if you can think of a flavour, it will be there somewhere, and the bakers often get carried away, sticking bizarre objects such as jam-filled syringes or lollipops on top… I highly recommend the Advocaat, or the mocha, or the raspberry, or the chocolate cream, or the… you get the picture!
I had hoped to go into town yesterday to see the annual Fasching Market Women’s Dance at the Viktualientmarkt, but was warned that it gets completely hectic and raucous which did sound quite fun, but perhaps not the wisest idea when accompanied by two Small People.
In any event the 4 Year old has succumbed to some sort of half-term germs, so we ventured to a smaller town slightly closer to home instead.By 2pm the streets were filled with revellers, all walking around in that slightly self-conscious “we’re in fancy dress but we’re not drunk yet” stage… Needless to say I imagine it got a lot more lively as the day wore on judging by the amount of beer stalls around! Apparently the party really gets going when the floats are welcomed back from Munich.
I could have stayed to people watch all day (as could The Seven Year old who was busy getting into the Carnival spirit and had been dancing the entire time), but Small Boy was getting cold and unhappy, so we gave up and came home. But we got the picture, and next year we will be back, possibly in fancy dress!
helloitsgemma says
it’s looks really fab. Carnivals are brilliant for communities – wish it was part of life here.
bavaria says
Carnival definitely looks great for communities. The one we went to, everyone seemed to know each other. Although that could have been the beer!!! :)
Trish - Mums Gone to says
I’m feeling decidedly peckish after reading this post. Not sure a Club biscuit is really going to cut it when I’ve got visions of choux pastry, doughnuts and golden syrup dancing before my eyes.
We have a flower festival in May where they use the unused tulip heads from the bulb industry to decorate floats. Probably the best carnival I’ve seen was in Nice. I think it must be on at the moment as it was February when we were there.
bavaria says
Well if it’s a orange Club, I will swap you for a doughnut?!? I remember seeing your pics of the floats from the flower festival, they were gorgeous! Emma :)
Erica Price says
Would be nice if we did make a bit more of the carnival season – I think we used to in the past. Not sure about some of those costumes though. We were in Bonn the other year in November when the carnival season was starting. It’s amazing how long it lasts and then climaxes just before lent.
bavaria says
Yes, some of the costumes are slightly odd to say the least! Any excuse to have a party hear by the looks of things! Emma :)
Helen from The good life mum says
Wow that sounds like loads of fun apart from cats in barrel and wacking parents with sticks lol
bavaria says
Thanks Helen, luckily we didn’t experience the whacking with sticks, but my son did win the barrel whacking last year and was crowned King! No cats nowadays thankfully! :)
Windmilltales says
Super! We missed Pancake day this year but will do it very soon, as I love pancakes :)
bavaria says
Thank you! Any day is a good pancake day! :)
Kelloggsville says
How about golden syrup filled donuts….Tate and lyle style? Lol
It all seems so much more fun than pancakes, in the words of asterisk (I know, I know, he was French) ‘these Germans are crazy’.
Lent should be much more serious !
Still it’s not long until the bottle kicking and cheese rolling starts here not forgetting the hare pie marching lol ‘these britains are crazy’ !
bavaria says
Golden Syrup… Now, there’s an idea! Love the traditions we have in the UK as well, sure half the people don’t believe me when I tell them about cheese rolling! :)
Midlife Singlemum says
I love it that every culture has some sort of spring crazy whether it’s pancakes, carnival or Purim (also costumes and partying). Great to hear about Fasching *checks spelling*.
bavaria says
Thanks Rachel! I have actually amended the post to read world, as it’s not just Europe at all is it, silly me! :)