.... Carnaval in Maastricht! (English spelling for Carnaval is Carnival)
The writer still remembers Carnaval in Maastricht, in my youth! Born in Maastricht to Maastrichtenaar parents I experienced Carnaval (known in Limburg as Vastelaovend) in the years 1946 - 1952; and as young as I was, I still remember the excitement, the joy and the "fever" that is Carnaval. Many people have written about Carnival, and I have, myself, read a variety of versions and stories on the Internet with respect to Carnaval in Maastricht:
"Carnaval starts in Maastricht" with the running up the flagpole of "het mooswief" (Maastricht dialect for the greengrocer woman) and the firing of "the cannon" on "the Vrijthof", the well-known square in the middle of the city. That is followed by the grand procession (Known as "Optog"), followed in turn by three days and nights of pure celebration! In the streets, in the pubs (Aussie term for hotel) and café (Aussie's call these Taverns) and everywhere around the city.
....Hungry and broke
During these three days we only went home when we were hungry and had no money left to buy a herring or two! For sleeping we had no time...or you just dropped where you could. For three days and nights we would just walk, dance, sing, jump and play in the streets and in the bars, usually just following our parents. Totally broke, extremely tired and most of the time with little voice left, we the children would be required to go to school and father would have to go to work on the Wednesday. In Maastricht carnaval is just indescribable, it's something you have feel and experience to understand!
....Election of Prins of Carnival
Every year they have a new "Prince Carnaval" with his "Council of Eleven", and every year there is another crazy new carnaval song wrtten, that you can hear being sung and played everywhere, and naturally, you sing and dance with anyone even complete strangers, together, in some form of costume or other, like they are long lost friends, throughout the streets, in the hotels/café which have most of the furniture removed for these occasions, except for the beer taps. Out of one hotel, or café into the next. Music resounding throughout the streets, bands playing, (Know as zaate herremenie} everyone being happy, as they move through the warm pubs around "the Vrijthof" and other areas of the city "Maastricht", you dance, you sing, you do whatever you like, you pretend to be a Prince, a Queen, a goat, cowboy or whatever your costume represents but most importantly you are... free to be yourself and enjoying every moment.
"Continued"