with love, from Austria: End Of Faschings, skinny houses and Wien Schnitzel

So last tuesday was the Fasching Tuesday which is the last day of Faschings. We had to wake up early at around 6.00am to prepare for our final day of Faschings. It was strange getting ready for our last one, considering that I was use to going to Thomas', the Fasching Prince, office, getting my make up done and then travelling to goodness knows where!

Anyways, so this morning got there really early and there were free leberkase for us all for breakfast! Then we headed out to different vans or buses to let out all the schools in Bregenz. Yes I kid you not, we let out all the schools at like around 9.00am. Unfortunately I went into the smaller van and didn't get to let out my school but it was still fun though!

We walked into the teacher's room to find a teacher doing another teacher's makeup. Basically all the students were in costume as well either they were young enough that they parents dressed them up or they were hungover from the previous night and came to school in their costume!

AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE! OI OI OI!

We met the Snow white in midst of getting her makeup done and now comes her seven dwarves! All dancing to a strange tune!

Yes, some children's dresses were increidbly amazing!

I didn't take photos of every school we visited since I couldn't be bothered and some of the students laughed at us! But it was pretty hilarious and some schools because one of the principals called us back to have drinks! It was insane because basically the students were let in and then the teachers were like 'BRING OUT THE BEER!' Haha!

Anyways, afterwards we met up with the other train in a petrol station store! And there were croissants and sandwiches and drinks for us all! It was a good way to empty our stomachs! :D

Afterwards, we headed to the Parliament equivalent for the State of Voralberg which was really nice inside. People who were going to perform were practicing while we could order anything we wanted and it would be put on a tab! So Emily and I chilled for a while and got Chococino and then the lady offered us leberkasse and krapfen so I couldn't resist. By then my stomach was about to bloat like heaps! But then again, it was the end of Faschings!

Doesn't it look like inside of the Australian Parliament just a bit?!

Look at that band's instruments! Aren't the cool? I'm still not even sure what they are. They are like these pipe things!

Our band!

How adorable is this toddler that was wandering around in this mouse costume!

Some of the performers for the politicians in the building!

This was at lunch. All the Faschings group came together and ate in this huge hall!

There were some performers for us, the actual performers! And these two people were lip-syncing and it was kind of hilarious!

The Wein Schnitzel that was meant to be for each of us but by then I was so full like crazy and so was Tyler so we ended up halving it since we didn't want to waste food!

Another Rotarian, Thomas' children! How adorable are there! We met them on the way to Bregenz's centre! Thomas had this awesome mini gun which was part of his belt. And the small gun actually worked. Like it didn't have bullets but it has pellets which when you shoot has this loud bang which is freakilish cool!

We performed for the crowd for fun! There was heaps of rides of little children and in the background there is the rock-climbing for children! How cool is that?

Balloons that the Bank handed out. We each got a couple and then played along with the helium in them! Haha! We just stood around for a while handing out the rest of the candy to the children while the previous Prince of Bregenz was handing out free Krapfen since it was one thousand Krapfen days. Krapfens which are jam donuts if I hadn't explained, have a dollop of marmalade in the middle and has a donut bread around it. However, there's no hole but it's a traditional Austrian sweet that everyone eats during carnival or whenever! "D

Some people were so tired and just rested on the float, floating into the cloud of sleep....

Some of the children that were begging for candies! It was pretty insane. Some were just ridiculous as they begged for more when they had plenty and then even went to the extent of fighting for it with other children!

As time goes by...

All the candies, sweets just gone... gone with the wind...

This was one of Thomas' kid rocking it hard to the music of our float with another of the Faschings' member's kid who was on crutches but could somehow dance wickedly with them!

Emily took a photo of me looking like a loner and dancing like an idiot!

Thomas brought his children's car. I kid you not, this toy car actually had a pedal for go which WORKED! and the steering wheel work! It was amazing. He let me have a go with it and the princess' daughter was laughing at me when I tried!

Unhappy that Faschings were over!

I had no idea what was happening but ended up that for fun that the Prince and Princess got into diving suits! And to end the Faschings Season, the Princess was put into a inflatable boat and she rowed closer to the railings. Then the Faschings Prince was hoisted up by a tractor thing, which a smaller trident and a speakerphone and what happens is that random people from his train (which is around 60 people, us, the band and the performing girls) would stand 'in front of him' and ask him whether he knew our names or not. And if he didn't he would lowered closer to the water. In the end obviously, he was half in the water. Remember that the water was freezing cold! But it was pretty hilarious for everyone!

Look he's floating in mid-air!

I told you how much they love their alcohol here, that after all that commotion they brought out a bottle of schnapps and drank the shots together!

Afterwards we headed over to a restaurant for dinner which was pretty much totally delicious! It was incredibly nice and we had a nice time! We were totally tired that night so didn't stay till midnight but it was worth it just being there!

This was our en tree, well half it was eaten! It was different types of coldcut with bread. The dip however was really strange! I tasted it and looked at it, I swear it was lard with like croutons in it. Susicipious food. Let's just say that's not one of my favourites so far! Haha!

This is everyone listening to anouncements had! There were many thank yous. Some of the Faschings did a parody to say thanks to the MC and the Prince and Princess.

Our delicious dinner!

The Prince and Princess came to every single person who came and thanked them individually and gave them a special pin in which only our train go it!

This was us high on air, tiredness and fun! I swear she looked like the evil witch in Enchanted but when the evil queen turned into the old woman!

This was how tired we were!

The candle thing was our present to the Prince and the Princess was like a replica of the trident since the jewel bit of the trident is part of the Fasching for every year! It was a wooden trident with a metal base which had 'ORE ORE' all over it! And this picture also shows everyone singing a song a woman composed for the Prince and Princess which had all these in-jokes! It was pretty awesome if I'm allowed to say!

And that ended the Faschings! I was both happy and sad. I was sad that it ended because I was tired from attending Faschings everyday since it was physically exhausting yet sad because this would be the only time I would be allowed to be part of such a cultural thing. So yes, I still couldn't believe I was part of it and can't believe it is finally over! Bye bye Faschings!

The next day I spent resting since I was so tired. However I was allowed to attend my first music lesson! It was at Lauterach at 1.30pm and I arrived at Lauterach 15 minutes beforehand to try to find it. Only ended up losing my way completely, trying to call Emily to see if she knew where it was only to find that she didn't. I foolishly asked some people in german where it was, forgetting that I would get a response in german which i didn't understand either! haha I just followed their hand actions in where it was. After asking two people for help, i finally arrived, 5 minutes late, but I arrived nonetheless. :D It was fun and my teacher, Adodt Rausch was really nice. We just simply chatted since i didn't have any music with me and he was wondering what I wanted to learn! But it was great and I cannot wait to have more lessons!

Thursday was a long day yet short!
Camilla was sick so wasn't there to teach me German so I didn't have class then and plus my sport classes were cancelled but I had to turn up for Art. So I had a massive 4 hour break in between so I decided to meet with Steffani and Emily during break! We wondered around the streets of Bregenz taking snappy shots because Steffani got a new camera and was really proud of it!

This is the SKINNIEST house ever. I still can't believe how skinny it is. Apparently, according to Emily, it widens out! One day I want to go inside!

Bregenz has all these quotes on the ground at random points

The cafe that everyone goes to and has the nicest white hot chocolate! :D

Caught red-handed? eating a muffin?! Haha

Later Emily and I wandered around and went in the bookstore! I was so excited seeing this classic... THE RAINBOW FISH!

Emily with Where's WALLY!? however I didn't know translating that would change to Wo is Walter? When does Wally change to Walter? Lol? She thought it was a good idea for a present for Walter at the end?