European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 25, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Continued from 5 exclusionary about the festivities. And who n the marchers pause in a Pul in doff their masks and quaff a Beer visitors Mil baseless become part of the same festive Celebration. With ii i coniing of Dawn the Morge Marjii to begins winding Down. hers and spectators alike retire in packed Reshaur iils ind us Emo fortify themselves with the breakfast of Mph Kupst Burnt flour soup topped with grated cheese to be washed Down with Many a Cool brew. At i . The clique return to the streets for the afternoon . Joined by two other kinds of organisations the Guggen Musig paper music groups and the u iwo a. 1 he groups Are brass bands hysterical off key renditions of Well known songs. Their instruments Range from battered f Rene h horns and tubas to Rube Goldberg collections of pipes and plumbing fixtures. The do not March but ride above the crowd in wagons towed by Irac tors or teams of horses. Wearing costumes that parody alsatian peasants they Pelt the crowd Wilh Candy blood oranges Flowers and confetti. A Spectator getting too close while reaching for an Orange May instead get a half bucket of confetti stuffed Down his neck. Tile Only ones to escape the Haggis pranks Are Small children who Are treated with tenderness and deference. Spectators who Are not wearing f Ali n. The Small Metal pins Bee ome special targets of the Haggis tricks. Money from the Sale of the to ten. Which Cost from about 2 francs to 20 francs is used to finance the . Vendors sell them on the Street. The Morita is Loo cold and too Early for very Young children but the monday afternoon Parade is an Ideal family event. Ii nearly always seems to Lake place under Brilliant Sunshine and is one of the Besl natured joyously boisterous celebrations anywhere. Along the Parade route the Chilly air is keen with the scent of roasting chestnuts. Cli Ihlein Mullet wine Anil grilled Wurst. And unlike some of the German / in Lini parades Basel s event is never wild and Rowdy in Basel there Are no obnoxious drunks Tii broken Boll Les in the streets. As afternoon turns to evening the groups of musicians gradually disperse or Drift off to March separately. This is the time for spectators to follow along As. Singly or in Small clusters drummers and Piccolo players wind their Way through narrow Back alleyways Ami along the Rhine tar into the night. In the hotels and pubs the Walls ring with merriment. But outside in the darkened streets it is As much a Lime for reflection As Celebration. Four years ago the Blue skies that had accompanied the Parade turned to heavy Gray c louds at dusk. With darkness came the first big flakes and soon in was Snow ing heavily overing the cobblestones and c on Felti. Muffling the music and the of the Man hers. Under the Street lamps the masks and costumes were Brilliant splashes of color again. The Snow. Alter mum Lav the Celebration continues Oil and on for two More Days with Mother big Parade wednesday in Trennon. Ii Euls sometime 111 till1 wee hours of thur slav morning when the haunting sound of the last Piccolo drills away Over the rooftops. Swiss talk dial to decked out in lantern Hals masks and Tolor Lul costumes Pipun make their Way along a dark Street. Traveler s tips if you drive to Basel from the North you c an avoid the Swiss Highway tax. By leaving the autobahn at Weil Arn Theill Wesl Genii no. I Ollow the signs to Basel and once Vou have los de the Border look for directions to Bardisi her Hahn of. I rom there you will Al be Able to Imd your Walo 111 i ill i i ii it. I in r Vou have arrived of w ill a i. T no us Lor Vir " again until you leave when its c Ili ens a not i /.jsll.km. It v., streets and h ils make Hasel one of tin1 ot-.t i i is in 1 mope to l is about two third of a mile irom the Middle linage Over the Klein. It is a pleasant walk but Street t ars and Are Ako available. I Lelli i Hovinen of the Eliasel a in ii to oilers a few other tips for visitor ii you take i Hildren to the a Risje Mumn i. Make sure of hold them by the hand. Don t go to the al.iral/. to observe the lights out. This is where the crowds Are biggest. Arrange ahead of time a Lime and place in meet in ase you gel separated from your friends or family. It is nearly impossible to find anyone in the darkness among the tens of thousands of people. Those wanting More information about Iii in i Oistad the Basel tourist office Blumen rain a Init Basel. Swit Elaml from West Germany dial dim i -111 2tir Ltd. 1 Nollsh Speakma personnel Art available to help americans. Kene Bichsel at Hasel hotel reservations save their ire still ,111 of ovations available Lor this Yeai s i. But in thetty i sell the Only hotel rooms still available for the first two nights Marc h -1 and in Are in five Star hotels. 1 Here Are still mid Range hotel looms available downtown for tuesday and wednesday Marchand 71. Bit Heel says the moderately priced rooms for the lust Days of i Assai lit Are usually fully booked by Jan. I. I or those who want to see the i but Don i want to Pav for a top to lass hotel there Are Vivo main alternatives Iii Heel says. I he first alternative is to slay in a private Home the room Tost is 27 Hants about $111 a night per per in. A minimum St. of three nights is required. The other alternative is a hotel room outside the i Ity. The hotel reservations Offit e still has Many Modena Tell Prii etl rooms available in Weil am Klein and i Orrach Germany is. I Ouis i ram e and other nearby towns bit Heel says in most cases Public into Basel takes Only id minutes. I Here will be Street tars and buses running Early monday morning Man h 5 for the Mew my Rich. Bit hse says the Normal Price Range for rooms in the t ill is 110 to kill francs about $5 to s2 5hi. There Are a handful of rooms Hal Are t Heaper or More to Book a room or get More information about i t of Modalion in Basel contain t Basel hotel reservations 7, Kish Basel from West Germany dial 00-11 i m 770 1. Allol the personnel Are multilingual. . Tripes mtg nine Jinx any 2s, 1990
