Thu 06 Mar 2014 Drinking too much at Karneval 2013 had an unusual hangover - I committed to coming back for Karneval 2014. Yes, a few too many beers obligated me to come back to Cologne, the costume capital of the world... and innovation centre for same.
It was good to see friends again, know the words to the songs and rejoice in the full and implemented ban on smoking in bars as of this year. (It was banned last year, but no one cared).
Unlikely as it is, there has been no snow this year and the temperature has stayed about freezing... so instead of freezing, it was merely cold. Nights of near Zero released to days of double digit Celsius action. There was a little rain to be avoided, but otherwise clear skies.
The itinerary went something like this:
Wed: fly in arrival to Frankfurt and slow train transfer to Cologne
Thursday: Dress up and party in the bar / club district with 10,000 costumed party goers
Friday: Rest until attending a party bar in the evening
Saturday: Rest until attending the "Ghost Train" walk from North of town, feat. Zombies, witches and all manner of dark creatures
Sunday: Attended the region parade at Frechen and scoop up candy galore in a Kangaroo costume
Monday: Gain entry to a Kitchen party overlooking the main parade with crammed in friends, beer, food and candy / chocolate bars flying through the window.
Tuesday: Attend in the city region parades in Duetz and Sulz for some more customed fun. Go out at midnight to watch the local bar burn its "Nubel" - a straw figure that takes the blame for all the mis-behaviour during the year and other bad luck befalling the people and city during the year.
Karneval in Cologne has to be one of the largest drinking parties of the year, which might cause for concern - but despite the large number of people in town, there is no sign of violence at all! Well trained and well costume, most all are in high spirits.
John Nayler
Digital Marketer. Sailor. Speaker
John Nayler
Brisbane, QLD
0407 15 13 11
John Nayler
In a world where it is critical to cut through the noise and stand out, John Nayler quietly delivers significant competitive advantage through an in-depth knowledge and intense fascination with content, information and the digital world. Describing his first contact with the internet in 1998 as ‘Love At First Sight’, John successfully created the laptop lifestyle before it was a buzzword, growing a highly regarded digital and media agency, inventing and commercialising products, and launching niche magazines, from aboard his boat in the Whitsunday Islands – one of the most sought after island locations in the world.
Competitive advantage is a hard-contact, tactical game which can be won or lost in the digital space. John’s education and commitment to his field, and experience at the forefront of marketing and management in the IT space, delivers an innate understanding of how to position, communicate and leverage to deliver improved visibility, lead flow, and ultimately drive sales and profitability...
