a nostalgic fat tuesday.
Happy Fat Tuesday y’all! I will not be celebrating, as I did enough of that in Cologne this weekend and I think my body is a weeee bit close to shutting down. This cannot happen as I am heading to Madrid this weekend. I slept 9 glorious hours last night though, so recovery is going well. My shins are also oddly sore today though; I blame it on walking on all the cobblestone streets this weekend #EuropeProblems.
Lately, I’ve been having some major nostalgia. The Fasching (essentially German Mardi Gras) parade will be rolling through town shortly. It really makes me think about life here one year ago and how much has changed since then. Yes, I am still living in Germany, but this time last year I was with at least one of the six people in our group inseparable best friends every.single.day. Usually all of us were together. Today, two of us are left in Karlsruhe. It’s weird to think about and a bit sad sometimes. After having a little Skype date with two of the guys last night, it’s easy to look back and be sad that things aren’t the same. I miss always having plans. It wasn’t should we do anything tonight, but what time are we meeting. Every evening was filled with laughter and “did-you-really-just-say-that” moments. Anyways, I’ll stop thinking about the glory days because…
things are still great here, just in other ways. The parade goes on. I am still very happy here. Fasching today won’t be last year’s cheap-Sangria-fest, but I did just celebrate in the greatest way in Cologne and I do have a nice, warm view out the window of my own office. And I’m no longer spending more than I make. I have my own apartment. I’m traveling more. And most importantly, I have new friends I so adore, too. Happy, happy happy!
Anyhow, now that I’m done with that, this is what is happening outside my office window right now: distracting doesn’t even begin to describe the sounds of marching bands, announcers, and “Gangnam Style” filling the streets of Karlsruhe right now.
And mega congrats to my giveaway winner, Casey from We Took the Road Less Traveled!
Tomorrow hopefully I’ll have some photos from Karneval in Köln ready to share with y’all.
Until then… have a happy Mardi Gras!
So you’ve been to regular Mardi Gras AND German Mardi Gras?! My life continues to suck.
I love everything about this comment. I have been to German Mardi Gras, and it’s way classier than the Spanish sort!
REALLY? I’m so intrigued by Spain’s Carnival – would love to go next year!
It was all broken bottles and getting peed on. Fun for my 22-year old self, not as fun for my 25-year-old self. Big ones are in Cadiz and The Canaries.
Oh wow sick haha – but I could already tell the difference between my 23 year old self at Karneval and my 19 year old self at Mardi Gras in NOLA haha
Get that fiance of yours and pack a bag
omg that looks so awesome and fun. i coming over
Always welcome! I know anything that would occur while you were here would automatically be a party
I’m so sad I didn’t get out to Fasching while we were there… oh, well – there’s always next time!
Schade schade, next time for sure
I remember watching the parade from the window when I worked in kaiserstraße. Yes, very distracting!
We tend to ignore Fasching and go for the British tradition instead – yesterday was pancake day in my household!
You have a PANCAKE DAY in the UK??? This is awesome. Can we please ask our domestic government to adopt it in the calendars?! =)
xx
YES do tell more about pancake day! That was last week in the US but it’s when IHOP gives out free pancakes to raise money for charity.
Traditionally it was supposed to be a day to use up all your fatty ingredients before giving up basically EVERYTHING for lent. These days, people have the pancakes but give up nothing. I am totally guilty of the latter
Basically, it’s our version of Fat Tuesday. In my house, we always have pancakes with a savoury filling followed by sweet pancakes. The traditional filling is sugar and jif lemon (the lemon juice that comes in a plastic lemon shaped container), but you can put anything you like on. Oh, and British style pancakes are closer to crepes than American pancakes – not as thin as actual crepes, but thin enough to roll up.
Ah super interesting – I love the concept! I’d totally need some American style syrup for them though – I don’t like the apple sauce substitute half as much as they do here. But I always love the savory pancakes!
That looks quite distracting indeed!! I have never been around a carnival area (ok, only exception was Eindhoven, but I lived a bit away from the centre and the only things I noticed were clowns, supermen and nurses on bikes and in buses, ha ha) and call my home town a carnival free zone
But I am curious what you come up with photo-wise about your trip to cologne, I am sure this is tempting 
I so know those nostalgic moments. I in fact have them all the time…
The good thing is, look out for some cool re-unions
Svenja
Happybluebird
Cologne was definitely pretty crazy – I don’t know where people get all the energy because mine came purely from Red Bull. Such a fun tradition, you need to take part one year for sure!
And yes, whenever a reunion finally happens for us all…. I can’t even wait
I am so jealous you got to go!
xx
Kelly
Sparkles and Shoes
i think it is really busy
really you have got great blog.
Oh, I absolutely know the feeling of nostalgia! But I am glad you are having a great time and I hope you will be able to see all your other friends too soon!
Yes yes most definitely! Good friends are always there and thank goodness for Skype!