Karneval is over, the magic remains.

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am still impressed. Some days ago I talked about the Karneval in Germany. Well, I have to say that I didn't imagine it would be so important and so great. They were five incredible days of celebration. Everyone was crazy about Karneval, as we are used to be during the World Cup time. Oficially, the Karneval starts am elften elften elf Uhr elf (11th November at 11:11am) and continues in a fairly low-key for about three months before the Tolle Tage (crazy days), a huge party that starts on Thursday and ends on Tuesday with the burning of the spirit of carnival to atone for the sins committed during the carnival session. The Monday of carnival it is called Rosenmontag and incredible parades take place this day. I think I did not see many colors together since my kindergarten. Such a party!

Everyone was dressed up, incredibly dressed up, with amazing costumes and outfits. The people's faces were painted, their visages were full of joy and delight. A lot of sweets and another strange things were thrown into the crowds lining the streets by the ones who were in the floats at the cries of 'Kamelle!!!', it was really awesome. Maybe you are interested in hearing some German karnival music. I have inserted a well-known song of karnival that you can listen while reading if you press Play further down. It is called Viva Colonia, and I am sure there is no one here who don't know this song.

Carnival is not a national holiday in Germany, but in this region the schools were closed during almost all Tolle Tage. It always occurs immediately before Lent. I searched for the etymology of the word, and I discovered that Karnival derives from the Latin "carne vale" (meat and farewell), in fact marking the beginning of Lent.
Rightly the people says it, and not only among Germans, that Rheinischer Karneval is one of the most exciting festivals around the whole world. There is a passion here, you can feel it. I am glad to be here, once again.