Carnaval 2007

Carnaval is Dutch for Carnival. In the Catholic areas of The Netherlands, Carnaval is celebrated with great gusto. See the Wikipedia article for more background. Yesterday we went with friends to the little town of ‘s-Heerenberg to see the carnival parade. This is organised by citizens who belong to an organisation that glories in the name of d’ Olde Waskupen (the Old Washtubs). The whole town – and indeed the whole region – throws themselves into celebrating Carnaval. If they are not in the parade, then they are watching it – and usually in fancy dress themselves.

 

After the parade was over, we retired to a cafe for a beer. The place was already packed when we got there, but shortly after we arrived, the last of the parade passed by and the doors opened and a further deluge of people poured in from the street. I could not help fail to notice that out of this great mass of humanity, I was the only one not in fancy dress. I made my excuses and left, pursued by the quizzical glances of those left behind. I finished my beer out on the street, being eyed at by a man dressed entirely in black, with a black top hat and a stuffed raven perched on his shoulder. I couldn’t help but feel that I was breaking some sort of rule by being dressed in my everyday clothes. OK, next year, I’ll go with the flow…

 

Here’s some of the pictures from the parade, more are up on Flickr.

 

 

 

These clowns were scary – I can see why some people have coulrophobia…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even the onlookers were in fancy dress…