Life's Adventures

PalmenGarten
Frankfurt, Germany

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Hollis and I joined our friends and spent the day exploring the PalmenGarten. This is a very large botanical garden. It has many gardens, multiple buildings , a large pond, playgrounds, and a water play park for the kids. We spent a few hours here and visited several of the indoor areas. Majority of the gardens (outside) are still in their winter slumber, so there wasn't much to see outside yet, but looking at the amounts of flower beds and trees, I'm sure it's paradise when in bloom. I hope to return in late Spring or Summer to see how things have changed.

The indoor areas were large glass buildings that housed many different types of flora and fauna. One room was a desert and full of cactus and other spiky objects. Others were like the rain forests, so humid that my glasses fogged right up the moment I walked in the door! Lots of fun walking through the various rooms.

Well, here's the pics from the Palmengarten, including our adventures to the play area where Hollis surfed a turtle, and took a ride in an unusual swing.

Enjoy!

Fisher

The water in here appeared to be boiling. I didn't stick my hand in to find out.

Yep, I let her run free in cactus land, but kept a close eye...

Fisher, Kristin (mom) and Piper

Like all boys... he had to see what the cactus felt like. Mom is attempting to pull out the super fine cacti that are now all over his fingers.

Hollis surfin' a turtle at the kid's playground

Trying out the basket swing... she liked laying in it better than sitting.

This is the kid's water play area... of course, too cold, but what we can look forward to later.

These funny shapes spin and shower water. Fun!

Yellow buds beneath a tree... a certain sign that Spring is on the way!

Empty gardens awaiting there flowers.

Piper and Fisher having a good time in the leaves!

More signs of spring.

Leaving the PalmenGarten, we headed to our U-Train. Down the street is the well-known tower of Bockenheimer Warte, so I grabbed a quick shot of it.

Also, well known is the very unique entrance to the U-Trains.

Great Day, Great Gardens with Great Friends!

Sunday, February 10, 2013
Frankfurt, Germany

"HELAU" everyone calls out! (Pronounced like Hal-lo)

Hollis and I got to experience our first Fasching Parade today. We had loads of fun watching all sorts of costumes (it's like Halloween and Mardi Gras in one) and floats cruise by. After two hours of cannons booming, bands, dancing girls, and costumes galore, we packed it up, even though the floats and parade just kept on coming. We were told that we'd seen about 60 and they said there was probably as many as 200 groups/floats/etc. in all... so many more were still to come. It's not just people in the parade that dress up, but the crowd as well. Babies to Grandparents donned costumes, crazy hats, wigs, sparkles, antennae, face paint, even men in tutu's! Everyone goes crazy for the candy and toys being thrown to the crowd, and as my new young friend, Piper (age 4) exclaimed as candy and confetti came flying towards our faces "I LOVE THESE PEOPLE!" It was certainly the quote of the day!

What is Fasching?
Fasching is the German equivalent of Carnival or Mardi Gras. Originally it was a Pagan festival which came out of ancient Rome or Greece and has in more recent centuries become more associated with the Christian Church. Different areas give it different names, for example Karneval, Fastnacht, Fasnet, Fosnat or Fasching. Officially the season starts on November 11th at 11:11am. In this magic hour, the "Council of Eleven" comes together to plan the events for the upcoming festivities. The official hats of the councils’ members: Colorful fool's caps with little bells. It continues pretty low key for about 3 months. Things really begin to happen in February or March - 7 weeks before Easter. It is a time for people to dress up in fun costumes, go to parades, and party a lot. So, you will see a lot of people drinking at the various parades and many pubs and bars will have Fasching parties.

The following Monday is known as Rosenmontag (Rose Monday). Marching bands, dancers, and floats parade down the streets, throwing confetti, sweets, and toys. The elaborate floats often show caricatured figures mocking politicians and other personalities. Thousands of dressed-up Germans are flocking the streets every year to watch this spectacle.

Faschingsdienstag (Carnival Tuesday) is the last day of Fasching and when most of the festivities happen. More commonly known to expats as ‘Fat Tuesday’ (US) or ‘Shrove Tuesday’ (UK), Faschingsdienstag is not an official holiday but workers usually get the afternoon off and costume balls are held all over Germany. Then quiet Ash Wednesday marks the end of the frenzied fun.

And now to the goods... the PICTURES!

Hollis and her new pals