I'm not going to go there as I have been few times already:-)
I'm just curious what you going to do during Fasnacht, as for some it is a official holiday.. and some hate it and some love it...
I'm a bit on the fence.
I saw Morgastraich (however it is spelled) once, that was enough. I'm really not a fan of crowds in the first place, and crushing crowds at oh-dark-thirty on a night calling for rain snow mix is not something I want to do. IF I had friends or family visiting who wanted to see it, I'd take them. For myself though, nah, I'll skip it.
I do want to go down and listen to the gugge music sometime. I need to take a look around for whatever kind of schedule there may be though. The drums and pipes, lol, well, I played flute for 7yrs and although the piccolos get my fingers moving again, it does get to be a bit much.
I've been to Mardi Gras 5 times.
Staying shuttered in for Fasnacht.
My daughter loves Fasnacht and we were looking forward to taking her again this year to the afternoon parade on Monday and the kids Fasnacht on Tuesday. I even bought her a dressing up outfit and face paints this year.
Sadly though, we have to go back to the UK for a funeral
I'm going to the fire thingy in Liestal Sunday evening, then will bloat up on wine and fondue, and then go to Morgestraich at 4am on Monday.
I've got friends coming over, otherwise I'd probably not do the 4am thing again, as I did it two years ago.
Sounds kinda cool.
Or at least it does when it's not 4am, and I've got work the next day...Unterageri one was going all night.
My mum and dad are coming over this year for it and we are going to liestal for the fire thingy for a wee while then go home, then do the usual monday parade and things then do the tuesday kids parade and the guggi concert (mabye if my mum is ok as she has limited mobility), we normally give the wednesday one a miss but we will see this year. We have gala days in scotland which is similar (get dressed up, have pipe bands and parades) but it only lasts 1 day not 3. So we love it.
I'm taking my annual ski holiday - well away from Basel.
escape for me
Time for you to escape, cause I'm coming
It'll be a marathon for me 48 hours of non stop Fasnacht
Is Fasnacht beginning this weekend with the lantern parade, do I have my timetable right? If so, what is the exact Swiss time it begins? I can do the figuring and translate it to my time.
Last year, there was a website that provided 24 hr webcams around Basel where I could watch the events, see the crowds, and hear the bands, etc. I was enthralled. (I had it on while I was at work and checked in every now and then.) I even enjoyed watching the crews clear up the mountains of confetti each night, leaving the streets immaculate to begin the next day's revelries all over again.
Sadly, I cannot find my website link to the webcams. One was right on the square outside the cathedral, a couple were on two different side streets, one was overlooking an eatery. It was all fun viewing.
Does anyone know links to live webcams that stream this event?
This is the best I can do at the moment. The Fasnachts Comité is the 'Big Brother' of the Fasnacht in Basel.
REAL Fasnachtlers don't go to bed at all from Sunday night (when they cannot sleep anyway) until Thursday morning when, going to work oneself, one meets them staggering onto the tram bleary eyed and covered in Rappli.
Just got junior a drum and the costumes have come out of storage. Personally I love it.
I have a deep and passionate hatred of all things Fasnacht. Being spontaneously amusing and entertaining 366 days a year (topical) myself, excludes the desire to dress up like a bag lady and strut my proverbial stuff for a couple of days mid-winter. Call me drab, but I'll take a decent piece of rock music played at a not inconsiderable volume over some twat dressed in a Hawaiian skirt with a false wooden nose strumming some Guggemusik shit in any solar system you care to name.
In summary, I don't like Fasnacht much.
We did it for the first time last year and can't wait to do it again!! We live right in the middle of it all and love that we can walk out our door and not have to travel in.
I did not find the crowds 'crushing' at all. You can wander up and down the little streets so are not stuck in one spot. And when you are ready to move on - just tag on at the end of one of the cliques and join the parade.
We got lots of goodies - I made Fasnacht soup from my carrots, potatoes and onions. And one of my freebies was a 'pick-up' biscuit - we are now addicted and never would have tried it without Fasnacht.
I do hope the weather is decent - wet confetti can't be fun!!
We never hit the cellar bars last year - didn't know where to go or what to expect. We have visitors this year so may give it a go.
The only thing that we'll miss is Tuesday - the kiddie parade - it wasn't as good as the main parades and they kiddies were far more aggressive with the confetti stuffing. May take our visitors to colmar during the day and watch the gugge bands at night.
I have to admit I do find Basel a bit boring at times so no way would I escape on the 3 days that it is actually lively!!!
A lot of people go to Fasnacht for an excess of alcohol and wild sex. Can you imagine waking up drunk next to a fat witch?
I suppose some people need an excuse to enjoy themselves, after being constrained the rest of the year. But it's not for me, even if they replaced the Guggemusik with something enjoyable. I found the Fasching in Munich far more enjoyable.
I don't get it
...and as far as paragraph 2, constrained the rest of the year....