Karneval
Saturday was a celebration of Karneval here. While I was fixing lunch in the kitchen Saturday morning, the German party van drove by, thumping base and all. The house shook, I swear. The German party van itself was decorated to look like a castle, if that makes any sense. It was almost like a float, but...a van. I wish I could explain it.
Earlier in the week Kel and Cynthia had offered to take us to the Karneval events in Sittard. Sure! So Saturday rolled around and we showed up around 5:00 p.m. at their place, and carpooled from there to Sittard. We drove around a little bit, really to show Probst where the parking was for the train station (we couldn't find it last time and it foiled our first attempt at Amsterdam), then settled in a little sandwich shop in the central park for some dinner. You're going to laugh at me, I know, but I had a Panini Hawai (that's how they spelled it), and it was delicious. I would have gotten something more befitting the locale, but for the fact that all that food contained salami or some other variety of lunch meat I know that I don't eat. Regardless, this sandwich was delicious. Even Probst loved it, and she doesn't care for pineapple. Kel recommended I try the Leffe beer there, and it was pretty good. Not my favorite, and a bit darker than what I usually drink. We tried the lighter version as well, and it was okay, but the darker was better.
The waitresses were moving chairs and clearly closing, but Kel was assuring us they'd tell us to leave when they wanted us to. After what seemed like forever, I finally suggested we head outside. I felt guilty about sitting there all that time, and it really wasn't that cold out. The streets were still relatively empty, but were much cleaner compared to the mess when we got there. People and machinery had been strewn about all over the square setting up for the night's party. Now all that was gone, Braadwurst was being made and beer was being poured.
Beer? Of course! We needed more. Kel bought me two beers, each a different variety of Grolsch. Again, one was dark and one was light. By light, I mean something like a Budweiser. By dark, I mean like Guinness. Of the two, the dark was better. However, it wasn't thick or filling like a Guinness. It had great drinkability, and I feel like the alcohol content was ridiculous.
And so we stood, drinking our beers and watching the people go by as the central park gradually became more crowded. Various forms of entertainment appeared and left the stage--a children's choir, a Dutch band, the announcer. All of this was in Dutch, and we understood not a single word. I did hear them say what sounded like asslooter at some point, and almost fell over laughing. People were taking Karneval very seriously, and it was something like the Mardi Gras of the States. A lot of people were dressed as clowns (the mascot, I guess you could say, of Karneval) or a stereotypical Mexican (sombrero, poncho blanket thing, etc.) or were wearing traditional area costumes (LEIDERHOSEN!). Everyone seemed to have gone all out of the occasion, and Probst and I regretted not having dressed up.
We had a good time, I'd say, despite the older couple (Kel and Cynthia) tagging along with us. We swayed with the crowd to songs in a language we couldn't comprehend and people laughed at the silly foreigners.
This morning we made a second attempt to see Amsterdam. However, we'd forgotten that it's Rose Monday. I don't know what that means really, except it's some Roman Catholic holiday or something that I think the Dutch invented to go with Mardi Gras so they could have time off. The Germans celebrate Karneval all week. As in, schools are closed all week for this event, and at least today many of the businesses are closed. The streets were deserted as we drove to Sittard. What if the museums were closed? We decided not to risk it, and to wait until later in the week instead. Amsterdam just really does not want us to visit.
Quote of the day: Don't do drugs...
Earlier in the week Kel and Cynthia had offered to take us to the Karneval events in Sittard. Sure! So Saturday rolled around and we showed up around 5:00 p.m. at their place, and carpooled from there to Sittard. We drove around a little bit, really to show Probst where the parking was for the train station (we couldn't find it last time and it foiled our first attempt at Amsterdam), then settled in a little sandwich shop in the central park for some dinner. You're going to laugh at me, I know, but I had a Panini Hawai (that's how they spelled it), and it was delicious. I would have gotten something more befitting the locale, but for the fact that all that food contained salami or some other variety of lunch meat I know that I don't eat. Regardless, this sandwich was delicious. Even Probst loved it, and she doesn't care for pineapple. Kel recommended I try the Leffe beer there, and it was pretty good. Not my favorite, and a bit darker than what I usually drink. We tried the lighter version as well, and it was okay, but the darker was better.
The waitresses were moving chairs and clearly closing, but Kel was assuring us they'd tell us to leave when they wanted us to. After what seemed like forever, I finally suggested we head outside. I felt guilty about sitting there all that time, and it really wasn't that cold out. The streets were still relatively empty, but were much cleaner compared to the mess when we got there. People and machinery had been strewn about all over the square setting up for the night's party. Now all that was gone, Braadwurst was being made and beer was being poured.
Beer? Of course! We needed more. Kel bought me two beers, each a different variety of Grolsch. Again, one was dark and one was light. By light, I mean something like a Budweiser. By dark, I mean like Guinness. Of the two, the dark was better. However, it wasn't thick or filling like a Guinness. It had great drinkability, and I feel like the alcohol content was ridiculous.
And so we stood, drinking our beers and watching the people go by as the central park gradually became more crowded. Various forms of entertainment appeared and left the stage--a children's choir, a Dutch band, the announcer. All of this was in Dutch, and we understood not a single word. I did hear them say what sounded like asslooter at some point, and almost fell over laughing. People were taking Karneval very seriously, and it was something like the Mardi Gras of the States. A lot of people were dressed as clowns (the mascot, I guess you could say, of Karneval) or a stereotypical Mexican (sombrero, poncho blanket thing, etc.) or were wearing traditional area costumes (LEIDERHOSEN!). Everyone seemed to have gone all out of the occasion, and Probst and I regretted not having dressed up.
We had a good time, I'd say, despite the older couple (Kel and Cynthia) tagging along with us. We swayed with the crowd to songs in a language we couldn't comprehend and people laughed at the silly foreigners.
This morning we made a second attempt to see Amsterdam. However, we'd forgotten that it's Rose Monday. I don't know what that means really, except it's some Roman Catholic holiday or something that I think the Dutch invented to go with Mardi Gras so they could have time off. The Germans celebrate Karneval all week. As in, schools are closed all week for this event, and at least today many of the businesses are closed. The streets were deserted as we drove to Sittard. What if the museums were closed? We decided not to risk it, and to wait until later in the week instead. Amsterdam just really does not want us to visit.
Quote of the day: Don't do drugs...