Crazies at Carnival

We started having a nice little Saturday. We hiked up to Uetliberg which is one of our favorite spots in Zurich. I told Susie we were going hiking and getting a brat when we were done. Well its a little more than an easy hike. Parts are pretty steep and it was covered in ice so we were hanging on for dear life. The brats were well deserved! We took the train down just to be sure we wouldn't slip on the ice (or exhaust ourselves anymore).

It was a beautiful day when we got to the top after all the ice.

Then we called Mandy and Nathan and Mike and Milene to meet us for dinner down town. We went to Spaghetti Factory because I had a gift card there. Thinking it would be a low key evening walking around down town and enjoying some Italian food.

Well little did we know we would be right in the middle of Fasnacht which is Zurich's version of Mardi Gras, even though they celebrate it a week after the real Mardi Gras. So who really knows the reason behind it. We had a great dinner (with plenty of wine) then walked outside to this...

Jeff the drumer in a one man band cart. This guy was pulling around a traveling band on a cart so Jeff naturally joined right in.

Zann and Mandy couldn't miss out on the action.

Then the beer and wine kept coming out the Zann Jan Sport and we somehow wound up with clown noses...

We heard a great band behind us playing. Playing something off what sounded with a high school band version of a pop song. Oh wait thats Jeff conducting the band WHILE doing his famous jumps. If you have never seen Jeff's jump act, just look how much higher his head is than the others in the picture. So why shouldn't we go dancing more?? We proceeded on to Nelson's to finish the night off.

And this was the feeling by the group the next day...

But we couldn't miss the parade that ended the Fasnact celebration. Whats with the scary masks???Not sure...this one was not one of the ugliest, but my camera died.

Susie and I were just enjoying the scenes and having confetti dumped on us, then....

She was gone. A member of the parade just threw her over his back and off she went

This is Zann while the comotion of Susie being kidnapped is happening, maybe it was the loud music making his head pound...

About 5 minutes later, look who comes down the road. Yes that is Susie now trapped on a float throwing candy and confetti. We did get her back but she said she had to throw many elbows to get herself out.

Then it was onto Many. Full body tackle onto the group and more confetti put in every imaginable part of her body!!

Not your typical American parade huh??

The next day there was not a trace that there had even been a parade, even though the entire down town looked like it had snowed paper. I guess that efficient Switzerland for you!

**Check out Mandy and Nathan's blog for funnier side of the story and more pictures**