Monday, March 17, 2014

Fasnacht in Basel

Dear Friends, I am The Homesick Potter,

Call it madness or the call of Fasnacht, but I did get up at 1 am after having slept only 3 hours to catch a special train that left at 2 am from Zurich to arrive in time for the "Morgestraich" at 4 am in Basel. The Basler Fasnacht is the largest carnival in Switzerland. It starts on a Monday morning after Ash Wednesday and lasts exactly 72 hours.

As I leave the station other trains arrive from the neighbouring cities and countries. A steady stream of people make their way to the city centre.

At exactly 4 am the city is plunged into complete blackout. Surrounded by people, young and old, enveloped by darkness, silence and anticipation. The signals are given by the drum majors for the "Morgestraich, vorwärts marsch!" (Morgestraich, forward march). Everything happens simultaneously,  Lanterns are lit and are now the only source of light, the Cliques march and play, and so begins Fasnacht 2014.


It is truly mad, weirdly wonderful and magical. Music surrounds you, masked musicians wearing lanterns march along the streets. The musicians seem to come from everywhere maneuvering their way  in a seemingly uncoordinated fashion. 


Each person wears a  mask and a head lantern (Kopflaterne). 


Each Clique has a parade lantern (Zuglaterne).


The masks, caricatures of odd, grotesque  faces, are made of papier-mâché,
 meticulously hand-painted. I love the attention to detail.

As soon as the sun is up, the cliques disperse but the piping and drumming continues. Everybody has a bit of a reprieve until the next parade which starts at 2 pm. A cozy place with a warm drink are in high demand since it is still nippy outside. I find a very crowded pub and try the obligatory flour soup (Mehlsuppe). I understand some are better than others, I am not sure if I will pursue the search for the perfect flour soup. 


I have lots of time on my hands until the beginning of the next parade and so do the participants. I meander around the city, bumping into various cliques, marching, breakfasting, gathering, celebrating. 


 Some take a confetti bath.  

I did mange to have a cat nap in the sun before the 2 pm parade. 

 And then it starts again,


 only louder,


wilder, 

bigger

  

more pipers


and smoking hot. 


When the clown leaves it's time to go. 

What an amazing day.

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