Friday proto-Carnival

The main parade is not until Sunday, but the festivities really get going on Friday ight when work closes down and the bars open up for the long weekend. At 5 pm, I was still beavering away in my working garret: friends were leaving notes that they were heading on without me.  I pressed through hurried phone calls back t0 the US:  a budget, a clinical trial approval, a note to my Dutch administrator about the Taal-toets scheduled for next week.  Dusk fell, the music rose, and I fled the workroom.

There were bands outside the Pothuiske and crowds inside; everywhere music, color, laughter, beer.  The costumes aren’t really out in force until Sunday (when more snow is predicted), but there were already a few souls showing their creativity to set the mood.

This really is one of my favorite celebrations in Maastricht: the midwinter timing is a perfect antidote to February blues and work overloads.  It’s well worth a trip down if the weekend permits.