Happy Carnival, everyone!

So, it is now 11:11, on the 11th of Novembre. The Carnival Season of the Rhineland, the place I grew up, has now started and will last until February. Ergo, I am wishing everyone a nice Carnival to share my own holidays and festivities with all of you guys! Mostly, because I can and think right now some cheerful topic certainly seems to be a good idea.

So, Carnival in Rhineland is an event which will reach its peak in January and February, where people will particpate in parades in the cities of Cologne, Bonn, Düsseldorf, and basically all of the region (as well as Berlin in recent years). They also will wear costumes, ranging from traditional 18th century garbs to popular fiction to fursuits (I am not making the last one up, I might add. 2011 was memorable.). And during the parades the people standing on the wagons will throw out candy to everyone, which certainly is something that adds to a general cheery mood.
In addition to that, it is also a general festivity for music and good humor. Many people seem to associate Germany with its stern politics in Berlin, while regions like the Rhineland are quite the opposite. On Old Woman's Night (Weiberfastnacht) the woman do even have the right to cut off every man's tie and kiss them with closed lips (this is meant as a friendly gesture amongst two people, nothing more), as based on the historic event where woman protested to participate to gain the righ to participate the festivites.

But enough talk, here is a video with some music to give you non-Rhinelands an idea:

To explain, the Jeck stands for the people that participate in Carnival. However, there is unfortunately no English translation I can offer. The song is about how all people are the same at their core and that in all of them is a Kölsche (Colognian) Jeck.

So then, I hope you enjoy your day and I see you guys around!


On a side note, Happy Birthday Skyrim!