My Exchange to Austria!: A day trip to Innsbruck and Fasching

Last Thursday, the 28th, a friend of mine's host dad took me and the other exchange students in my town to Innsbruck!!!! Even though this was my second time visiting this beautiful city I still love going and was super excited to see it again. It did not disappoint.

Bad Ischl before we leave

Ahhh

waking up to this makes my day

now actually in Innsbruck

Goldenes Dach- Gold roof

Typical Innsbruck photo

Back at the ski jump place

Cemetery with the best view in the world

looking out at the mountains

loving Innsbruck

The next adventure I have been able to experience here in Austria is this wonderful event called Fasching. Fasching starts either on the 11th of November or the 7th of January. It is "celebrated" right before Lent. So the Sunday, Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. In Austria this is usually parades and "balls" where there is a lot of dancing and drinking. It is a celebration of fun, food and festivity before Lent and fasting time. In the old days it was used to scare away spirits and drive winter away. Now it is more just a time to have fun and dress up!! I can not think of an American tradition that is similar, maybe a bit like Halloween. Here are photos and hopefully that can help explain.

Sunday:

wearing Lederhosen with my host family..we have black/ash smeared on our face.

Ashley, an exchange student from Idaho and I. We are at the Würderer Ball which is on top of the mountain in Bad Ischl

Its only 3pm......Austrians know how to drink

Wow

Top of the mountain

On the Katrin with Austrian friends.

Monday:

On Minday my host family and I drove to Ebensee, a near by town, where we watched the "Umzug". An Umzug is a roughly a parade in English. This was super cool to see.

They are coming

The front part.....I have noticed that in Austrian traditions you end up getting hit a lot. These joker creatures and Krampus....

Lets just appreciate this mans make up and out fit

impressive rag dress

Taking my Barbie horse for a walk

And now we have donkey kong out for a stroll

i need a mask like this for Halloween

It has two faces........ermm

This is beyond impressive and some serious dedication

I was given a new hair style and was sprayed with water by the masked people

To finish an amazing day off...

Tuesday:

On Tuesday, Bad Ischl had its Umzug. (Bad Ischl is the town that I am living in). This was also quite impressive!! For this Umzug (parade) everyone dresses up and has lots of fun. After the parade everyone goes crazy with dancing and in general having lots of fun before Lent starts on Ash Wednesday.