Hallia Venizia

On Sunday morning (February 15th), Courtney and I went to the Methodist church near our Wohnheim. It was much more casual than the Evangelical (and in a newer building), and in fact wasn't that far off from what I'm used to at home. The people seemed really nice too.
Unfortunately, I was just having one of those random days where I couldn't stay awake in church, which was really embarrassing (but I was trying hard, honest!). But after church they made heart-shaped cocoa waffles with powdered sugar on top, which were really good!
Anyway, after church, we went to lunch, and then out into town for Hallia Venizia.

Hallia Venezia is the version of Carnival that is celebrated in Schwabisch Hall. The version we're most familiar with is Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and that's what most German "Fasching" or Carnival celebrations are like, with a big party, and dancing, and a parade. Anyway, this is completely different. They celebrate Carnival the way they do in Venice. They still have the bright, crazy costumes, and the "Maskers" (who work year-round to hand-make the costumes) walk around the streets of the city from 12-2, in complete silence. They just walk slowly through the streets, separated, and people take pictures of them, but they never say a word.
At 2:00, they gather on the steps of St. Michael's (the big church in town) for a presentation. Basically, while classical music plays from the loudspeakers, they walk up and down the steps, and interact with each other (but never speak). Eventually (after what seemed to me like a really long time), they come down and sort of dissipate back into the crowd.
The number of people who come to see this presentation is incredible. The main square of town was packed full. We were lucky enough to get near the front, albeit off to the side a bit. It was a pretty cool experience, and the costumes are just fantastic.