The time when all conventions lose their power,when the holiday is in the air, when the rules become something insignificant, and the heart of the planet begins to beat in the same rhythm with the hearts of millions of people - this is the time of carnivals. On these days, weekdays and the dull grayness of everyday life are prohibited by law. And how can you think about anything if your heart echoes the rhythms of samba, the blood in your veins crackles in unison with the explosions of firecrackers, and your eyes run wild from the bright colors of masks and costumes that look like works of art! And everything you have ever dreamed of, thinking about a real holiday, a holiday without borders, becomes real. You want to plunge into all the carnivals of the world at once, into this riot of colors and sounds, for a few days become part of the unbridled joy, one with people from different countries, now rejoicing in the same thing as you, with the spontaneity of a child. It so happened that almost all the carnivals take place at the same time, in the last week before Lent. The dates of their celebration change depending on the time of Easter, but the heart of the planet begins to beat faster on one day. Here, thoughts involuntarily come to mind that our planet is alive. And the behavior of entire nations depends on its desires and well-being. Otherwise, how can we explain such simultaneity of holidays and the following fasts. And how we would like to visit everywhere: the most romantic carnival in Venice, the most unusual in Spain, and the most enchanting holiday in Havana. Let's imagine that today you have such an opportunity - to visit different points of the huge globe at once. Are you ready? Then go to the carnival!
Gallop on the carnivals of Europe
The Germans are reserved and calculating in their attitudeCarnivals showed ingenuity. It is in Germany that the longest carnival takes place. It lasts for three months. True, the main festive processions take place in the last week before Lent - traditions are traditions. But small performances and bright colorful parades roll across the whole of Germany long before the main holiday. On weekends, crowds of fancifully dressed musicians and street artists walk along the streets of Dusseldorf, ready to share a good mood with all the city dwellers. But this is only preparation for the main event. And for that, you will have to go to Cologne. Usually reserved burghers dress up in bright costumes, paint their faces, drawing grimaces on them or hiding their faces under masks on Dirty Thursday. On this day, everything turns upside down. On this day, women are allowed to do everything. They choose the most revealing outfits and cut off the ties of all the men they meet. And no one dares to object to them. Such a local matriarchy for one day. No rules of decency, away with Domostroy, women get everything they want on this day. And on Clean Monday, the cobbled streets of Cologne turn into Piazza del Polo and Sambadrome in one bottle. Masks, fireworks, stunning costumes and confetti. Fiery rhythms of samba in cool Europe and revealing costumes made of glitter and feathers. A mix of European romance and Brazilian passion. And how else to explain the fact that on this day adultery is not a reason for scandal and divorce? Only because the carnival has turned the Germans' heads. Then comes Ash Wednesday, when the foreheads of carnival participants are decorated with the ashes of an atoning effigy and all sins are forgiven. After all, as with other nations, the burning of the carnival effigy has an atoning character. And ashes are used to mark everyone who has atoned for their sins and can fast with a clear conscience.
Carnival with French accent
Even the best carnivals in the world can'tcompete in pedigree with this aristocrat among carnivals. The carnival in Nice, the beautiful pearl of the French Riviera, has a centuries-old history and truly royal origins. In 1294, the Duke of Anjou (and you remember that he was the brother of the King of France), having arrived on vacation, decided to brighten up his stay in the province with colorful balls and masquerades. And the streets of Nice, like a fire, were swept by festivities and festive processions with fireworks. As always, the carnival erased all boundaries and differences, mixing in the crowd of celebrating aristocrats and common people. Princes of the blood went out into the streets and, forgetting about etiquette, ate by no means noble varieties of cheese, washed down simple food with sour cheap wine, flirted with commoners and danced folk dances. True, the tradition of the presence of the king with his retinue at the festival, albeit the king of the carnival, has been preserved. Every year he is chosen from among the celebrities of France. And since each year the holiday has its own theme, the kings are titled differently each year. Sometimes His Majesty the King of Dance, sometimes His Majesty the King of the Kitchen, sometimes His Majesty the King of Laughter. Giant dolls, carnival costumes and carriages decorated with flowers, march in a procession along the streets of the city. It is worth noting that the costumes at this carnival are created with truly French sophistication and sense of style. And the beautiful girls on flower chariots appear in the image of fabulous flower fairies who give bouquets of flowers to the crowds of celebrants. Or rather, throw flowers at them. It is like the most beautiful and sophisticated fight in the world.
The most satisfying carnival
The Spaniards seem to be true gourmets ifjudge them by their carnival. Not only is the main "character" of the carnival the sardine, but there is also a competition at the carnival to see who has the most delicious tortillas. And not only that: Spanish sausages and wines, seafood dishes have become an integral part of this holiday. After all, only the best representatives are allowed to participate in the carnival. But this is not the only thing that the carnival in Spain is famous for. Imagine the sultry beauty, temperament and openness of feelings and emotions of this people, and you will be able to get a vague idea of what happens on the streets of Spanish cities during the carnival. Here everything is mixed up: men in women's dresses, women in men's clothes. A cheerful funeral procession following a fake sardine. In the role of inconsolable mourners, of course, are men in disguise. Behind them in the procession walk mummers, all the participants of the carnival are poured funeral glasses so that the sardine rests in peace. The procession is closed by people in pig costumes, who, according to tradition, must be fed and sung a lullaby. All this will certainly bring abundance and happiness to the house of the carnival participants. But the most important and colorful show is put on by professional troupes of artists. And you can talk about Spanish dances endlessly. Although they themselves will tell about themselves, and not only about themselves. Here and there in the city squares, in the rhythms of paso doble, flamenco and fandango, whole stories from life are told. Dancing bullfights, romantic love stories and tragic stories about forbidden passion.
Who is where, and we are in Tenerife
Can you imagine that a holiday can becombine with a first-class holiday? Or stand with one foot in Spain and the other in Brazil? If not, then you urgently need to go to the Canaries. Or more precisely, to the Canary Carnival, which has absorbed the traditions of the Spanish Carnival and the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. More precisely, here, as in Spain, it is customary to bury the sardine, but the passion of dance steps, costumes and unbridled joy are truly Brazilian. The Canary Carnival is the most peaceful, if I may say so. No competitions, no, not even comic, battle scenes and no spectators. Complete democracy. And it does not matter whether you are a native, whether you have a costume or a colorful mask. If you find yourself in Tenerife during the carnival, you are part of it. You can only fight with confetti. And dance, surrendering to the mercy of hot music and the warm sun. During the carnival days it seems that everyone has suddenly forgotten how to walk and speak words. Only dance steps become the universal language of people. And the main thing in this language is that it becomes equally native, both for local residents and for numerous guests from different countries of the world.
Not all cat Venice
I haven't written about the Venice Carnival yet.the laziest. But in Italy these days there is another, no less colorful carnival. And if the Venetian carnival can be called the most romantic, then the carnival in Putignato rightfully bears the name of the longest in Italy. It is a little short of the German one, only a month. And it lasts from Christmas to Lent. And this carnival is also associated with the knights of the Order of Malta. In the distant 1394, the Maltese knights transported the relics of St. Stephen, who became the patron saint of Putignato, to the city. And today the holiday begins with the transfer of a symbolic burning candle to the king of the ball. This is a kind of request for forgiveness for future sins and outrages that carnival participants can afford. And at the same time an indulgence, since in the last days before Lent you need to celebrate from the heart. This carnival in Italy is somewhat revolutionary in nature. Most of the figures at the carnival depict local or world politicians, so it is easy to understand the political preferences and preferences of the country from the figures. And poems and songs sometimes very harshly ridicule the government's policies. They are read in the local dialect directly from festively decorated platforms. A kind of days of complete publicity. In the last days of the carnival, comic processions in the clothes of priests absolve everyone who wants to have their sins absolved. However, do not be surprised if you are forced to dance half-naked or act like a chicken to be absolved. This is a joke. And here, too, there is a comic funeral. Only at the end of the holiday, they bury Mr. Carnival. And his widow receives condolences; of course, if she convincingly portrays the universal "grief".
Carnival with Russian roots?
Our people have managed to make their mark in so many placesCompatriots! And so in the history of the Mardi Gras carnival in New Orleans they "left their mark". Initially, the holiday, like all similar ones, had a purely religious character. And they had never heard of Russians there. Everything was decorous and noble. The planters celebrated for themselves a week before Lent, even the Creole slaves were given permission to discreetly and quietly celebrate the wild week. Of course, the temperamental Creoles brought their pagan dances to this holiday, and therefore, by order of the church authorities, the carnival was banned. But it is not that simple. It should be taken into account that America was beginning to be populated by adventurers, pirates and convicts, and you can't joke with them. No matter what clothes they changed into, no matter what titles they acquired for a modest fee, their freedom-loving character and wild temperament do not go away so easily. And the authorities, gritting their teeth, were forced under pressure to return the carnival to the masses. But beforehand, the holiday was given a touch of nobility and royalty. This is where our compatriots appear in history. In 1872, Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich was appointed the honorary king of the ball, and the colors of the Romanov imperial house became the colors of Mardi Gras in Orleans. This circumstance is associated with a small scandal in the imperial family. Alexei Romanov never became the king of the ball, because he received an urgent dispatch from the emperor that such buffoonery casts a shadow on the Romanov house. But he was allowed to be an honorary guest, which means that some semblance of involvement of a member of the royal family in the carnival could be considered accomplished. Even such an insignificant participation of a royal person in Mardi Gras left its mark on the carnival and gave it a truly Russian scope and daring. Firstly, they celebrate the holiday for a month and a half, and secondly, instead of confetti, they use candies, dried fruits, toys and small souvenirs. Wasteful compared to modest paper circles. And the Russian custom of thanking for such confetti is to strip to the waist, regardless of gender. Of course, no one will force you, but it would be nice to observe the tradition.
Argentine tango
The Argentine Carnival will appeal to bothboth adults and children. For the former, there are a lot of colorful carnival processions and dances, and for the latter, the most delicious Argentine ice cream and special children's processions of fairy-tale and cartoon characters. So, if you are going to the carnival in Argentina, you can take your family with you. True, the evening carnival processions and the main parade are a spectacle that is not childishly hot. All of Argentina lives in the rhythm of Latin American dances. Slender dancers, glitter, feathers and incomparable passion. It seems that the carnival is intended for those couples who are looking for an opportunity to add spice to their relationship. Sparkling festive festivities, infectious dance movements make the general emotional background soar, mixing crowds of participants and guests. It is not important to be able to dance, the main thing is to be able to feel the rhythm, to surrender to the holiday, to the general joy, to catch the mood of the crowd, to forget about the limits and boundaries for short moments of dance. Here it is, the true Argentine carnival! It boils in the blood. And what is most striking about this carnival is the absence of affectation and artificiality. Not a single false note. A person from the crowd of guests can join the smooth formation of the carnival procession and, adjusting to the rhythm, perform steps no worse than professionals. During the week, the world lives in the rhythm of multilingual and multi-voice melodies. The streets of the cities where the most famous carnivals of the world take place turn into either a fair or a living decoration for a pompous or deliberately simple performance. People forget about their differences and everyday worries. What do you prefer: passion and unbridled fun, romance and mystery, or perhaps sophistication and sophisticated entertainment? There are so many different carnivals in the world that all you have to do is choose the one that suits you, take part in it and let your heart beat in the same festive rhythm of the planet.
