Pagan Festival or Religious Conformance?

[Wills]

There is a fifty year old woman outside my apartment wearing pyjamas, sucking a dummy and holding a teddy bear. With her is a five year old ghost and very young Flamenco dancer, oh and a monster.

Yes folks its Carnival Time.

It's going to be a great couple of days as people of all ages resort to the ludicrious in the vain hope of scaring away the clouds - they are all under umbrellas - it's tipping down, hailstones and everything.

if you ever thought Brits were ecentric you should come to Portugal in February, with sunshine most of the year why choose the worst month of the year for Carnival? Of course it is because Lent starts next week, this is ridding the excess before sobering down for Easter. Happy Carnival one and all.

Will's (Masquerading as a Grown Up)

PS: For real Pagan Festivals see the Torrablot thread.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

I wish we had carnivals!!!

*eagerly counts the hours until Tuesday, when it's finally time for a "semla"*

 

[dr_mabeuse]

There is a fifty year old woman outside my apartment wearing pyjamas, sucking a dummy and holding a teddy bear.

Sucking a dummy? I'm afraid to ask.

---dr.M.

 

[oggbashan]

The local Carnival in August is still great fun. It is almost entirely amateur and non-commercial. The winning float last year was the Alternative Carnival Queens - three hirsute gays riding a giant tricycle in peach bridesmaids' dresses.

They won, not for the float or their costumes, but for their repartee with the crowd. They also got free beer by begging from the public house floats.

The primary school floats have to be separated from the sports club and public house floats by something innocuous like a marching band or they would see and hear things they shouldn't.

This year's real Carnival Queen is a very talented young lady. Apart from being the Carnival Queen all year, she was the female lead in the local pantomime, singing solo, dancing and dealing with the small children invited on stage just before the second act. She is a hit with the Old People's Homes - visiting them is part of her role.

A few years ago the Carnival Queen was a single mum who worked as a motorcycle despatch rider. She would turn up for official engagements in leathers on her motorcycle, change into her prom dress in the toilet, and back into leathers afterwards.

Og

 

[Wills]

Well the sun has just come out and Death has just gone by wielding a sythe (made out of cardboard - but very realistic). I'm not worried, he looks about six years old.

There is a Sheperdess in the park in a very fetching bonnet. And a girl dressed in leathers dragging her boyfriend/husband on a leash.

There is a three year old Panda bear and a fairy who is too tiny to walk.

In fact the whole street is becoming somewhat surreal - I think I'll have another glass of wine.

I knew something was up when I went to the bakers this morning and they were all dressed as clowns!

Keep you posted, parade is late, should have started at 4.00, they haven't even closed the road to traffic yet.

Will's

 

[SummerMorning]

Carnival here in Slovenia as well...

weather looks like some Sky God's having diarrhoea...

...yesterday a Batman accosted me trick-or-treating. Bloody soddin' hellerweener commercialism...

Need I mention that the Batman accosted me at around 9 a.m., throwing me out of bed on a Saturday morning?

 

[Svenskaflicka]

if you ever thought Brits were ecentric you should come to Portugal in February, with sunshine most of the year why choose the worst month of the year for Carnival? Of course it is because Lent starts next week, this is ridding the excess before sobering down for Easter. QUOTE]

You celebrate DUST?

 

[Weird Harold]

Re: Re: Pagan Festival or Religious Conformance?

Sucking a dummy? I'm afraid to ask.

---dr.M.

I did a double-take at that, too. Then I remembered it's a Britism for a pacifier.

 

[Guest]

Re: Re: Re: Pagan Festival or Religious Conformance?

I did a double-take at that, too. Then I remembered it's a Britism for a pacifier.

O, Harold, you persist in destroying my illusions. .

I want to hear more from Wills.

Perdita

 

[Wills]

There are three men outside in dresses. They look pretty cool - especially the redhead. At a guess they are all in the fourties. The only other place where I see anything like this is cricket matches in the UK. (Who said cricket was boring - actually maybe that is why they dress up.)

Looks like the parade may have been called off because of the weather. Today is only a dry run for Tuesday (wet run) so let's hope the weather clears.

On the question of dummies, the dummy is staying inside, the one I was talking about was a 'pacifier'.

Will's

 

[oggbashan]

Participate

You can't have a good Carnival without getting involved.

Wills should not be reporting but experiencing. Get out there - in the rain - and boogie.

I and my family have been IN our local carnival for years. We startled some exchange French students by getting them out in the Carnival procession the day after they arrived to stay with us.

When they passed their colleagues and teachers they were proud. It gave them 'Street Cred' for the whole fortnight. They weren't tourists - they were the 'in' crowd.

Og

 

[SummerMorning]

Carnivals rock...tho' I hate batman masques

 

[CharleyH]

Agree with Svenska - all we have is Pride, 7 days of complete debauchery and indulgence, drag queens/kings everywhere, hot bodies pressed against hot half naked bodies, followed by a parade of naked bodies, spectacle floats, the mayor and millions of people showing up taking over the gay bars and begging to find debauchery. Well, at least they put out.

 

[Wills]

Carnival update.

I know most of you folks are hard at work, but here in sunny Lisboa - yes bright sunshine for the big day. It's Carnival.

Picking up from the 'pissed thread' for Sub Joe - yes we have Samba. From my window I can see ten speakers strung on poles, I can't hear my fingers on the keyboard. Can't you hear the Samba where you are?

Last night partying went on until about 3.30am. Everyone is lunching now stocking up for the afternoon and night ahead. Been down on the promenade this morning where the floats are lining up, final decoration and in one case some trouble with the first stage boosters on a cardboard rocket, don't think the blue touch paper is sticking out far enough.

Looks like Euro 2004 is the theme, and the footy doesn't start until June!

Will's

 

[Guest]

*Green with envy*

I'm not proud! I'd rather be there than here, doing the samba in the sunshine with my special man.

Lou

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Vampires' Ball, last night. Head hurts. Ugh.

 

[Wills]

Yeh, there OK when you're eating them but they always give me a bad head next day.

Will's

 

[NoJo]

Carnival update.

I know most of you folks are hard at work, but here in sunny Lisboa - yes bright sunshine for the big day. It's Carnival.

Picking up from the 'pissed thread' for Sub Joe - yes we have Samba. From my window I can see ten speakers strung on poles, I can't hear my fingers on the keyboard. Can't you hear the Samba where you are?

Last night partying went on until about 3.30am. Everyone is lunching now stocking up for the afternoon and night ahead. Been down on the promenade this morning where the floats are lining up, final decoration and in one case some trouble with the first stage boosters on a cardboard rocket, don't think the blue touch paper is sticking out far enough.

Looks like Euro 2004 is the theme, and the footy doesn't start until June!

Will's

Don't you envy us a little here, Wills? after all you may have the wild orgy of Carnaval: But back home we're celebrating PANCAKE DAY!!! YAY!!!

 

[Wills]

DAMN, missing pancake day!

Gotta go out on the balcony, first floats on the otherside of the park.

Will post pics later.

Will's

 

[Guest]

It's "Fat Tuesday" for me. I'm going to a Mardi gras reception at the home of a community of priests. It's an annual event and much fun (catered and good wine flows). Tomorrow I get my forehead marked with ashes while a priest says, "Remember you are dust, and to dust you will return". I look forward to Ash Wed. every year. Seriously.

Perdita

Wills: +

 

[Guest]

Yay! Pancake Day here, as has already been mentioned.

I cooked 11. Two each for C and G, three each for Adam and me, and one for Billy. I couldn't leave my doggy out.

Lou, feeling full up and a little bit greedy.

 

[Wills]

Happy 'Fat Tuesday' Perdita, have yourself a really great time. Liked your note about Ash Wednesday, anyone know where it comes from?

In the UK it is a day when the Queen turns up at one Cathederal or another and distributes 'money to the poor' - its a bit like monopoly money - you can't spend it.

Happy Pancake Day Lou. I see Billy got Willy's.

Will's

 

[Guest]

Happy 'Fat Tuesday' Perdita, have yourself a really great time. Liked your note about Ash Wednesday, anyone know where it comes from?

Thanks, Wills, I will.

As for Ash Wed. I think the ritual began in the 6th or so century of Christianity. The ashes are made from the Palm Sunday palm leaves of the previous year; the priest makes a cross with them on our foreheads while reciting the "ashes to ashes" phrase. Ash Wed. is also the first day of Lent so we begin it by being reminded of our mortality and the purpose of repentance.

That's why today is Fat Tuesday (the tr. of mardi gras), we party and stuff ourselves knowing that beginning tomw. we fast for 40 days.

An anecdote. A non-Catholic workmate once asked me what Ash Wed. was about (recall, I work at a Catholic institution). I told her about the ashes and 'returning to dust' phrase. She said, "What the fuck kind of holiday is that?" Cracked me up.

Perdita

 

[OldnotDead]

My family comes from the town with the REAL Mardi Gras but we try not to remind the pretenders in 'Nawlins about it. Unfortunately this year I have to take a pass having 'lucked' into some dentistry that keeps me out of the fun foods for a few more days.

Well, there's always the Feast of St. Joseph to look forward to.

But then, I do not mind Lent. I've always believed that the 'fish is fasting' rule got instituted when Portugal had some sway and the Pope was trying to help out the fishermen. I love fish but wish the price didn't have to go up this time of year as the stores cash in

Enjoy your feasting everyone. I'll enjoy the fasting

 

[oggbashan]

In the UK it is a day when the Queen turns up at one Cathederal or another and distributes 'money to the poor' - its a bit like monopoly money - you can't spend it.

Happy Pancake Day Lou. I see Billy got Willy's.

Will's

You can, but you would be foolish. The Royal Maundy Money is given in cased sets and can be sold to coin collectors for many times its face value. The number of recipients is the number of years the Monarch has been reigning.

Og

PS. As Henry VIII, I thought it a stupid idea. Monarchs TAKE money from their subjects, not give it away. Nothing is as certain as death and taxes. In my reign you might get the first for being tardy with the second. Made the IRS's job easier.

"You don't think you should pay so much? Executioner!"