Beuel Bound

The long anticipated Karneval season has swept through the Rhineland last weekend and took us for quite a colorful ride.  The main festivities kicked off last Thursday morning in a celebration known as Weiberfastnacht, or Washer women's day.  That morning I walked across the Kennedy bridge to view  the parade in the section of town called Beuel (pronounced something like 'boil').  Thousands of folks were dressed up in crazy costumes, drinking, laughing, and screaming for "kamelle" or sweets thrown from the parade floats.  The parade weaved through the main center and ended along the river at a stage pumping out endless cheesy, yet festive songs.  Traditionally, women dressed as laundry washers and maids would storm City Hall, harass the men, cut off their ties and plant a kiss on their cheeks.  It has evolved into a rebuttal to the male dominated Karneval proceedings during the rest of the week.  Sadly, the building was under renovation, so the women took to the stage and after many taunts, ousted the pirate-clad men.  It was great fun to see the Washer Princess seize the day, but by one o'clock I retreated from the rain and cold for the comforts of my apartment.  Plus, I knew I had to rest up for the big parties in the coming days.  More about that mayhem soon.

~Kyle