Entroido 2015: Galician Carnaval

Welp, now that the sardine is supposedly buried, all the pre-Lenten wild times are officially over. Let's recap this year's festivities:

FRIDAY

Help! There's a wolf among us!

Carnaval was celebrated at school with bakery and costume contests. The teachers went as sheep. It was actually fun preparing last minute, because we sewed all the outfits the day before (I say we because I actually sewed one). I was disappointed that over half of the students didn't even dress up! Why would you not take advantage of being able to wear something crazy?! There were the typical costumes of soldiers and boys in drag. Three of my older students took it a step further with outrageous outfits: black tights, a pink thong over, and just an apron and mask on top. "OMG" personified. After all, Carnaval is about being unexpected, so I guess they were on track there. Afterwards we went out for the burning of the scarecrow, this year with the face of Pequeño Nicolás.

The bakery contest was a big hit with everyone. We sampled traditional freixós, a relative of the sweet crepe. I had thought they were called filloa in Galicia, but the difference is that freixós are sweet and made of just egg, flour, and sugar while filloas technically are made with pig's blood. I have yet to try a blood filloa, in that case. After all the students left, the teachers had their annual Cocido lunch. Cocido is a variety of foods boiled together. It's common in Galicia, especially during winter. There was garbanzo beans, potatoes, greens, butelo (meat), and chorizo. And orejas (like elephant ears) for more dessert!

SATURDAY
I started off the night with an alternative rock concert. Mola! Except that I went in my sheep costume and...nobody there was wearing a costume. What the heck! My roommate who is a dj and thus very familiar with the night scene told me for sure people would be dressed up. Oh well, at least I was able to take it off (it was hot anyways). Then as I was outside waiting for my friends, people would pass by and say "oh, a sheep" to each other, so I bleated at them haha. Then they would chuckle and I would chuckle and everyone was merrier. At night a good number of people were dressed up, at least in the places I went. It also adds to the fun when you see cashiers and bartenders in costume. Viva Carnaval!

SUNDAY

Lights shaped like Cigarrón heads

In the afternoon we headed to Verín, Ourense which is a big town in the south of Galicia, known for its Carnaval celebrations. Unfortunately, we missed the main character there called cigarróns, and the flour fight. But there was definitely ambiente. There were street bands that were lots of fun and had us dancing in the street in our costumes. Also it just so happened that on the street where our hotel was, there was a sheep theme so a ton of people were also dressed as sheep. I found a new flock! One guy came up to me and in all seriousness said, "Hey, the flock is going over that way, cmon" Hahaha I've been accepted!


MONDAY

Belle and Tink with their punky gloves

We headed back to Lugo in the afternoon. As we were passing through Xinzo de Limia, another town in Ourense known for it's Carnaval traditions, we glimpsed the pantallas parading/running through the streets with their instruments of pig's bladder on sticks. So the trip south was not completely lost as far as Carnaval traditions go! At night we went out as rocker Disney, which included Ariel, Belle, Pocahontas, Tinkerbell, and Minnie Mouse. I think our outfits were top notch. This night it seemed everyone was in costume, so it was a lot of fun. We met Snow White (a dude) and the 7 dwarves. They were all so cute!!

 

Extended Birthday Weekend

As the years go by, I think my birthday celebrations just keep getting better. This year, thanks to snow days, my birthday was smack-dab in the middle of a 6 day “weekend.” Saturday was Diego & my not-so-surprise party. For me, it was no surprise since I was actually on the planning committee for Diego’s birthday until I said “Hey, that’s my birthday weekend,” at which point they promptly kicked me out. So Saturday afternoon I didn’t put up a fight when two of my friends wanted to get a coffee. After wasting enough time, it was safe to return to my apartment, or so we thought.

This pandilla rocks.

When we arrived Diego was downstairs inside the elevator waiting. So the 4 of us went up and they made Diego and I wait outside for at least 20 minutes while they finished decorating. SURPRISE! Haha, but honestly the decorations and theme were awesome, so I didn’t mind the wait. The theme was rock, and when we walked in “We Will Rock You” was playing, and our friends were all dressed in their most rocker attire. The dudes had black wigs on and the girls had lots of black makeup. And denim everywhere! It was a lot of fun; Diego and I are into rock so we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. In addition to balloons taped to the walls, they built a sort of sparkly stage with a picture of the guests of honor, in front of which we took plenty of photos. Bien currado, amigos! There were even 3 chocolate cakes made by Lauren! We savored the leftovers for days. She said, “Sorry for making so much cake.” Can that sentence even exist?!

Sincerely, the party and having great friends was present enough, but on top of that they gave us gifts! We got Diego an amp, because his was kind of lousy. So far, no complaints from the neighbors, but give him time haha. And for me they got a cookie cookbook, a plaid shirt, and my favorite punk-rock-looking shoes. I had the same ones, but they were destroyed one night, so having them again is just wonderful. Additionally, Lauren made me coasters with pictures of us on them, how sweet! And she gave me a cup which is to be kept in my room, since my roommates joke that I steal and hoard all the cups in the place.

English speakers, don't let me down!

After rocking out at home (the benefits of being the guests of honor—you get to pick the music!), we headed out. Well, by the time we were ready, only 5 of us actually went to the center. The night was a success because we made it to my favorite place (which is because they play my favorite music), despite Diego believing I’d go home by 2 AM. Hohoho, I certainly showed him, because Lauren and I got home at 8 AM. That must be the latest I’ve ever returned because we went to 2 afterhours, those bars that open at 6 AM and are packed with people who aren't yet tired. That didn’t last long though, because the music was crappy and I was falling asleep on my feet!

What else could I possibly wish for?

On my actual birthday, I woke up late, obviously. So unfortunately, we didn’t go south to a Carnaval celebration. It is my goal to go this weekend when Carnaval is in full swing. But I digress. At night before bed, Diego brought me the cake with candles lit and then I talked to my parents on skype. To conclude, it was an amazing and rockin' birthday and I feel immensely lucky to have such swell friends to celebrate with. 

Snow Day!!

At 8:30 AM, I received the best message one can get at that hour. No school!! The best part was not only was it snowing in my school's town amongst the mountains, but it even snowed in Lugo Capital. That didn't happen last year. When I went out to delight in the flurry, I thought people were silly for using umbrellas. I mean, c'mon it's snow! Take it all in! But actually they were well-prepared for the huge, fluffy flakes that covered you and of course later melted. Anyways, it's nice to see snow again. It's not as much as back home, but I'll take it. As long as I'm toastily observing it from under the covers. :)

München, Bavaria: Beer, Food, and More Beer

If I had to pick between Munich and Berlin, I don't really know which I'd choose. They are cool in their own ways. Plus since Berlin is in the North and Munich in the South (Bavaria aka our stereotypical German image), they have different vibes. For example, the Berlin food scene is good for its variety of nationalities, whereas in Munich beer halls and traditional German food places abound.

Once again, in Munich we took advantage of a 'free tour' to orient ourselves. At noon, the main clock tower had a cuckoo clock showing. It was nice to watch, but I didn't bother filming it like the vast majority of people in the square. Lunch break was in the market, where we had a wurst and beer for 5 euros. Here they also have a May pole. On one section it has the 7 official beers of Munich, of which Lauren and I sampled a mere five (Next time I'm coming for you, other two!) Apparently, if you steal the may pole you can hold it for ransom. And in this city the obvious choice for ransom is beer.

We spent one of our dreary days indoors at the Residenz Palace, inside the city. Pretty spectacular, and it's been a while since I was in a palace. Being in Europe you sometimes forget the fact that they are all around the continent. My favorite room was probably the hall with busts of Roman figures, some of them recovered from Roman ruins and others sculpted a few centuries ago. The ceiling of the hall was very elaborate as well (see photo). Unfortunately, the facts we learned on the audio tour only floated around in my brain for a few hours. But it was a nice way to spend a few hours that you can't really experience stateside.

People may say Hofbrauhaus is just a tourist trap, but I disagree. Among the foreigners there, during our hours there we talked with real, live Germans! It's set up like a huge beer hall, with high ceilings, and many rows of tables with benches for about 10 people. The idea is to sit with strangers if your group isn't huge. Camaraderie! Love it! After doing a lap around the place, we finally found a sparsely populated table and asked to sit down with a Brazilian solo traveler who turned out to be staying in the same hostel as us. We ordered what we thought would be meatloaf, but was basically just a thick slice of bologna and käse spätzle (like mac n cheese) and a liter of beer each. Because that's basically the only size they work with. Shortly afterwards, 2 people from Hong Kong who I recognized from the tour earlier passed by looking for seats, so we invited them to join us. Then came 3 Germans. I speak about 15 words of German, none of it in full sentences. But I really wanted to try talking to these "natives" so used my basics. The guy got tired of it and said "Just say it in English" haha. I was trying to be polite, because I don't think his friends spoke much English. Before they departed they taught us a Bavarian drinking tradition, where the last person to drink enough so that the mug can balance on the handle without spilling over has to buy the next round. Also, he described our waitress as a typical Bavarian barmaid: short, chubby, cranky, and too busy running around until your wallet catches her eye. Cultural tidbit! 

Soon the three Germans were replaced by a German couple who spoke perhaps three words of English, but I was determined to converse with them, using a pocket German phrase book. First I started with the basics, "Where are you from?" But the man replied something about Alzheimer. What? You have Alzheimer? Memory? Sick? Hahah all I could do was gesture wildly about his head and make scared faces. Now I'm pretty sure they were from the region Altenheime. Same thing, right? Then I found out they were a butcher and baker, only because he took out his business card with a turkey on it (Hey! Now we know who to call for Thanksgiving 2015!). So then I tried to ask which was the best wurst. Bratwurst, which is interesting because I guess I assumed it was one of those food that America does that isn't really authentic. Then we each took a turn with the phrase book, and we all looked up "pleasure meeting you" to say goodbye. It's safe to say all parties were entertained by our cultural encounter. So although Hofbrauhaus may be full of tourists, for me it was the most memorable part of Munich. It's a worthy stop. You might even get the chance to talk to Germans. It especially helps that beer is the main menu item. Speaking of that, here's a fun fact: Hofbrauhaus used to be for men only, and since they were drinking so much beer they got lazy and installed drains under the tables so they wouldn't have to get up for the bathroom. Isn't that delightful?!

Now that I'm on a roll, I'm taking this opportunity to talk about THE FOOD. So good! I do enjoy Spanish cuisine, but German food tasted homier too me, I guess. Especially in Munich the food was hearty, to go along with all that beer they drink. The käse spätzle was probably my favorite. The wursts were also good. But the pastries! That is what a glutton's dreams are made of! Every morning I would try something new--and sometimes at snack time too. They do donuts right in Germany (sorry, Spain). So much sugar, so little time!

New Year's--Berlin Edition

All the way last year, Lauren and I flew into Switzerland. There we had our first travel meal of quiche-to-go. Two for 17€, yikes! The exciting part was being able to order in French. This would be the last of my local language comprehension, as I know a total of 15 words in German. From the Swiss border we took a train to the town/city Freiburg. Here we spent the afternoon roaming around until our night train. Freiburg is a good size, noted by its better shopping selection than Lugo. Perhaps the successful German economy has something to do with the fact that the main shopping street seemed bustling. Many houses and buildings were quaint and colorful. We entered the main Cathedral and had wurst from a street vendor as a dinner/snack. One difference we noticed between Spain and Germany is that most of the cafés there were closing at 7 or 8 PM. We had nowhere to go! It also seemed that people were heading home at that hour, rather than heading to meet with friends as they often do in Spain.

An idyllic square in Freiburg

But one thing the Spaniards can learn from the Germans is train comfort. On Spain´s national railroad, if you don't shell out for the bunk-beds on a night train, good luck sleeping because the seats are your typical, no leg-room, barely reclinable train seats. On the German night train, however, we were pleasantly surprised to find plenty of baggage and legroom even when leaning all the way back in your cushiony chair. Deluxe! Therefore the next morning we arrived quite well-rested to Berlin.

Cool, cool Berlin. We arrived their New Year´s Eve and set out to discover it on a very informative tour. There is so much relatively recent history in this city --mostly tragic-- from World War 2 to the Cold War era separation of East and West. We saw the remains of the Berlin Wall, which is about the length of one big building. Behind the section of remaining wall is a free museum called Topographie des Terrors, about the Secret Police and other Nazi atrocities. I've often wondered how they got away with the Holocaust, and why nobody immediately stood up to them. This museum gave an idea why, showing how they used fear to control people. For example, apart from the groups everyone knows they murdered and tortured, they also would publicly humiliate those associated with Jews or other prisoners. For example, women's heads were shaved in front of a crowd of townspeople, and then they were paraded around town with a sign calling them traitors. Granted, this isn't as bad as a concentration camp, but psychological warfare is damaging too. The Nazis also bought a rest home for the mentally/physically handicapped and installed gas chambers in the showers. As atrocious as the information in the exhibit was, I believe it's important to realize these things happen and remember them so it doesn't happen again.

On a related note, we also saw the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, which apparently is a controversial monument for it's abstractness. It's about 100 rectangles of different heights. You are meant to walk through it and in the middle they seem to tower over you. Below the memorial is an exhibit about the Jews. Again, absolutely awful, but this museum did a good job bringing the statistic of 6 million to life. It contained a few families' stories throughout the Holocaust, included excerpts of letters from the concentration camps, and in a dark room was a recording of biographies of Holocaust victims. It would be impossible to leave that place without at least getting teary-eyed.

But not all of Berlin's attractions are depressing. The last open Christmas Markt for example was quite the opposite. Christmas cheer to ring in the new year, ho ho ho. Aside from perusing the stalls of mostly food and other homemade products, we imbibed GLÜHWEIN (hot wine). At first it was nice, especially since outside it was frigid but lightly drizzling. But by the time it lost its heat, the taste was unpleasant. 

Giant pretzels

And then there were the NYE festivities. New Year's Eve was an Armageddon meets alcohol commercial. Germans are serious about their fireworks, and don't seem to control themselves, contrarily to their constrained stereotype. As we were walking with the horde of people headed towards the entrance to Brandenburg Tower (where the big outdoor celebration was), fireworks kept going off in the middle of the street, about two yards away from us! What the heck?! And the police didn't do anything to stop them. We got to the Tower area by 7:00, and by 10:00 it was full and no more people were allowed in. To entertain ourselves there were food stands and bands. Have to say, the band selection was disappointing for NEW YEAR'S EVE in Berlin, supposedly one of the best in Europe. The highlight was David Hasselhoff. Seriously, he played the last and first song of the years. People ate it up! He actually had to be gently escorted off stage because he tried to sing along with the next act. But anyways, it was nice to say that we survived hours on our feet to greet 2015 with a bang in Berlin. As we were heading home, people were out celebrating in the streets, which were flooded with debris. Mostly alcohol bottles. They used champagne bottles to set off fireworks. What a vision, 2015. What a vision.

Brandenburg Tower, NYE (At least there is police presence)

Forza Lugo!

Last night my wonderful, sports-fan roommate got us free tickets to the Lugo division 2 soccer game. Woohoo! The game was at 9 PM on a Sunday, which is why they were giving away free tickets to pass holders. Cool! Well I mean freezing! Must've been 40° F, in an outdoor stadium for 2 hours. Luckily I was wearing my koala hat hoho. I think I'll make it my signature look, since the ticket taker asked me about it and the photographer took a picture of us thanks to my roommate pointing and yelling "look, it's a koala!" For the game we had prime seats in the second row. Qué emoción! Close enough to spit, according to my roommate haha. Because my roomie is a big fan, he knows the chants and tried to translate them into English for me.  The game ended in a tie, but I'll take that over a loss any day.