Last weekend (18th,19th) I got to go to Maastricht in the very south of The Netherlands. You can walk to Belgium from here if you want. On Saturday I took a train with a few other girls who I have met here and we headed to Maastricht to celebrate Carnival! It is similar to Mardi Gras as well as the celebrations that happen in Brazil. It is Catholic in its roots and this why it is in the south of The Netherlands( below the rivers) because above them of course in history was Protestant. Now I think it is just a big excuse to dress up and party. The best way for me to describe it would be you know in the Disney film "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" when there is the big celebration scene? well it is a mixture of that, Halloween and the streets after the Vancouver Canucks had won a game during play offs last year ( note I said "won" a game). It was crazy to see all ages of people dressed in the most ridiculous costumes singing and laughing and drinking together. That is one thing I have noticed is that the view of alcohol here is very liberal and kids really have no choice but to be exposed to it because it is just such a big part of the culture. I saw some very neat costumes. It seems like people spend a lot of time and money on their costumes, and again it is for all ages. With our short amount of time there we managed to walk around the main city centre of Maastricht and really experience Carnival. The music is one thing I will never forget! Very upbeat. One reason I will never forget it is because on Sunday morning at 9am this music started blaring! Again, back to my point that the dutch have super powers... I just really don't understand how they do it. We were not up late at all on saturday night compared to most people and for me I was not taking part in the drinking that so many were so how they can do Carnaval for three whole days with very little sleep amazes me. We were there for the first day of it, it did not officially start until the Sunday and lasts until the 21st. I was exhausted after one day- and I would say the biggest parties we saw were the people aged 50-70. It is a shame but there really is no way for me to really show you what Carnival is like from photos but maybe a youtube clip will do.
The sunday we got to see the parade and so many more costumes. Had lots of fun just people watching! I felt underdressed in my bright yellow, red and green scarf( carnival colours) and red mask but I was glad I had something to show spirit. You could wear whatever you wanted and it would have worked. It was the strangest feeling getting back on the train with all the costume people and arriving to quiet Utrecht. I felt as though I had just visited some wacky world- which in a sense I had.
Doei for now,
The Dom tower of Maastricht is red!
My lunch... sugar donut sort of thing.
A whole beer garden set up as a part of a costume set! Lederhosen and everything.
I did say all ages and the whole family is included...
My friend Sarah and I in Carnival decode... look at right corner... creeper lederhosen.
This is pre-maddness
The Parade!
-Xoxo
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