Karneval
Posted by Rube | 25 February, 2006
The little lady and I were in the Cologne-Düsseldorf-Neuss metroplex this week, where the annual pilgrimage Karneval was in full swing. It's a solemn time for Christians in Northern Germany, as they contemplate the coming Ash Wednesday, and the 40 days of Lent, costuming themselves in the symbols of their faith: The Angel, The Devil, and the Slutty Fishnet-Wearing Nurse.
In Cologne, one of Chrisitanity's holiest cities, the final resting place of the three wise men, the people are so drunk and rowdy during Karneval, that the police just sort of mill around, watching the show in groups of five or more. It's the epicenter of stupidity in the world until Tuesday, when it moves to New Orleans for Mardi Gras.
