"Waggis!"
It was a cold, wet, miserable afternoon in Basel, but nothing stops the Fasnacht festivities! I spent the afternoon watching the Cortege with my friend Sharon. I think the Wednesday Cortege is generally a repeat of the Monday afternoon performance (which I missed this year). It's a big parade throughout the heart of the city, full of bands playing Gugge music (like a brass band), Cliques (another type of musical group) playing fifes and drums, and floats carrying Waggis (guys in crazy costumes) who throw confetti and goodies at the spectators. I love the whole atmosphere and don't understand how people could live and not enjoy it! Perhaps I would have a different opinion if I lived downtown and couldn't sleep for 4 days because of the non-stop music...
The Gugge music is my favorite. It sort of reminds me of music at college football games or in a 4th of July parade-- lots of percussion and also some horns. Here are a few examples of Gugge bands we saw today.
I learned from my friend Sharon (her husband is Swiss and understands all the Fasnacht traditions) that when the floats go by, you get treats from the costumed guys on the float by yelling "Waggis!" at them-- because that's what they're called! By the end of the afternoon, I was really getting into it. Generally, when they offer something to you (like an orange or candy), you also get confetti dumped on you. Here I am after receiving a lovely carnation (and a handful of confetti) from a Waggi.
I came home with a carnation, a yellow rose, a mimosa (a traditional Fasnacht flower), 9 oranges, 2 packs of pocket-size tissue, a handful of candy and a lemon. I was especially happy about the lemon because I'm cooking fish for dinner and forgot to pick up a lemon at the store. I was also soaked from the rain and covered in confetti (literally, it gets inside your clothes and made me very itchy), but it was all worth it!
The Gugge music is my favorite. It sort of reminds me of music at college football games or in a 4th of July parade-- lots of percussion and also some horns. Here are a few examples of Gugge bands we saw today.
I learned from my friend Sharon (her husband is Swiss and understands all the Fasnacht traditions) that when the floats go by, you get treats from the costumed guys on the float by yelling "Waggis!" at them-- because that's what they're called! By the end of the afternoon, I was really getting into it. Generally, when they offer something to you (like an orange or candy), you also get confetti dumped on you. Here I am after receiving a lovely carnation (and a handful of confetti) from a Waggi.
I came home with a carnation, a yellow rose, a mimosa (a traditional Fasnacht flower), 9 oranges, 2 packs of pocket-size tissue, a handful of candy and a lemon. I was especially happy about the lemon because I'm cooking fish for dinner and forgot to pick up a lemon at the store. I was also soaked from the rain and covered in confetti (literally, it gets inside your clothes and made me very itchy), but it was all worth it!
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