Mardi Gras Memories

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When Julia posted a video of the Carnival revelry in Cologne, Germany she brought back memories of my one and only celebration of same, way back when. Being from the west coast USA, the Mardi Gras celebration was something I'd heard of but never participated in. So, I was in for quite an education in how to beat the winter blues, German style! The guy on the horse above just about sums up the general tone. He always makes me laugh and remember the day.

I lived just outside of Cologne during the Reagan administration, and the subject of Reagan's foreign affairs, especially with the USSR, was always hot topic in Europe. These photos are of floats and "costumes" that went walking by on stilts in 'downtown' Cologne's Carnival parade.

I remember barhopping all over the city on Weiberfastnacht all alone, because my then-beau, a Cologne native, was a butcher and his parent's shop was very busy due to all the activity in town and he couldn't get away. He had promised to meet me at the bar by his shop as soon as he could; by the time he arrived, I had consumed enough of the skinny little glasses of beer called Koelsch to be sharing a pickle with a woman I'd just met. (It really wasn't as weird as it sounds.)

Here's a cool photo of the huge Cologne Dom cathedral that I took standing below it:

I spent so much time walking the streets of Cologne when I lived there; I can still close my eyes and feel, and smell, and hear being there.

So there you have it: my one and only Mardi Gras celebration, and it wasn't even in America! And now, living in Colorado, we don't recognize it, either. So, for all of you reading who are celebrating this week, have one for me!

Comments

barb cabot said…
What a fun memory! Living in Germany for that time must have been a wonderful experience for you. You were lucky to have done that and this specific memory is such a fun one. Thanks for posting.
February 23, 2009 at 7:43 AM
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