Carnival parade 2013

There was a lot of creativity and color in the Maastricht Carnival celebration this year, despite frightfully cold weather and occasional rain.  I think that everyone just layered on the padding and drank more bier to get by.

We had the annual Kesselskad feestje as the parade passed by (for four hours), about a dozen friends for a buffet and to enjoy the two-year-olds that are sprinkled through the families.

I was a pirate.  Okay, an old pirate, with spectacles and a flowing black mane.  I’d forgotten how dynamic really long hair is when I walk, and how itchy.  My friend are threatening to make sure the Internet never forgets that I once looked like this.

   

The Moeswijf was raised just after noon to speeches and fireworks and the taps opened across the city.  There were a lot of clever costumes, Shades of Grey and nautical themes were prevalent alongside the feathers, the face paint, and the Crown Prince and Maxima.

And, as dusk fell, the floats dispersed into the sides streets, the crowds filled the squares and alleys, and the music swelled.  There were reports the next morning of riots in the main squares in the wee hours, but we didn’t see any of it.  We swayed to a group mimicking ABBA, flowed with the drumbeats of Segura, and darted into the crowded bars.

    

More pictures, as always, at my Flickr page.