Version 1 of Fasching video

This is the first attempt at a video of Fashing, so far it’s just a slideshow. The next one will also have video snippets in but Picasa wasn’t playing ball. I’ll make the next one with moviemaker but I can’t be bothered right now as I spent enough hours on it already this weekend.

Fasching II: Kinderumzug, or not

Saturday morning everyone got up feeling a little under the weather but this was more than made up for by the amazing breakfast. It was a proper banquet, right down to the salmon and cream cheese and scrambled eggs. It was just what we all needed right then.

From Stuttgart we drove to Anne’s house in Mainz. 2 hours north, during which time I was able to take a sneaky nap.

We met her sister Katrin there and all got dressed up for our first Fasching appointment. We were going to the party of Anne’s friend Laura who has a flat overlooking one of the streets the parades go along. Saturday was the Kinderumzug (Children’s parade). Unfortunately, as we had got up too late we missed the parade but were greeted by lots of small (cute) children in the flat. Children and adults alike were disguised, lots of mini me’s running around.

The beer was flowing and the traditional Mainz songs at full blast in the kitchen. Fasching is like Oktoberfest in that there are lots of songs specifically written for the festival, but also lots of general (cheese) songs that always get played whenever there is a big party. The costumes were impressive and the party was really fun.

At about 6 we decamped with Maria and Felix to their flat, picking up supplies of sparkling wine on the way. The burst water pipe in the water closet was the hint.

Felix and Maria also have a really nice flat (all these people with lovely homes, damn them!). The evening was pretty relaxed and despite Martin’s best efforts (the princess in the picture) we went home to bed at a reasonable hour as we were all slightly tired from the previous night and we wanted to be fit enough for the next few days of craziness.

Fasching I: Partytime in Stuttgart

Friday was an excellent day.

It started with Weisswurst for lunch and Erdbeer Prosecco at 5:30 as it was Florian’s last day. He’s (or rather was) my table buddy and so treated us. That was a pretty good way to end the working week and start the party weekend.

The first leg was a birthday party in Stuttgart. The host was a friend of Rudiger’s (Anne’s boyfriend), so someone with whom I had no connection at all. The party was meant to be fancy dress but even hardcore dressing-up fans that we are, Anne and i didn’t really fancy getting dressed in the train. And it was a good thing we didn’t, as the only person who was disguised was the host; as a bumble bee.

The party was fun, including all the normal random things that happen circa 3am. We have a fair bit of video footage of this. Bedtime around 5 am for the survivors

Flathunting and the run-up to Fasching

Thursday night always kills me…the weekend seems so tantalisingly close but yet so far.

This weekend has been full of hecticness. I have been flathunting and I hate it. You have been one of the few selected to visit the flat. You turn up and in the first 5 seconds have to make a better impression than the other 10 people also interested. It is just as bad as a job interview. I’ve been rejected from plenty so far. So in order to attract offers the other way around you put up an announcement, and the only people who contact you are men in their 40s or people who invite you to sleep on a sofa. I visited 3 this week, rang about 30, fell in love with one and have ended up with none. This means that I’m now going to stay in Kolpinghaus for another month. The reasons for this are long and boring.

Apart from that Laure came round on Wednesday to exchange photos as she is leaving and we had supper together. It was nice, I shall miss her.

So right now I’m preparing to go to Mainz for Fasching and considering my costume options for a party in Stuttgart tomorrow night. I would be really excited if I wasn’t so tired. Now I just need to sleep and tomorrow everything kicks off. We’ve also got a bit of a special day as Florian is leaving so Weisswurst and (non-alcoholic) beer for lunch and Prosecco in the evening. Then I hop on a train to Stuttgart and away we go….