|
British Mensa Travel Special Interest Group |
|
Home Copyright
© |
Singing
in the Rhine by Terry Gibbon It was my first overseas visit with the Farnham Twinning Association. I had previously been to Baersbronne, German, and Nogent le Rotroux, France with the Midhurst, Sussex group. Because of the association with the Midhurst Grammar School over 20 years the group had become very strong and each trip either way involved two coaches of visitors and their entertainment. When the French came to Midhurst there was one coach of adults and another one for the French choir. When the Germans came there was one couch of visitors and another one for the choir, bell ringers and folk dancers. When Midhurst went to either Germany or France, it was one coach of travellers and another one for the Knockhundred Shuttles, the local Clog Morris Dancing Team, their families, instruments, costumes and beer. A unique feature of their costume was their top hats reinforced with chicken wire in which they stuffed as much greenery and flowers as they could find locally. The Farnham enthusiasm for twinning was not so well established and the group going to Andernach, Germany, consisted of the Town Mayor, the Town Manager, one councillor, 6 other adults, and 11 children and two teachers from Friendsham Heights School. Three adults and the children took costumes with them and took part in the parade as King Henry VIII and his wives. The festival and parade is a yearly event and consists of 5 days of celebrations. Once, when the Germans were having a party on the banks of the Rhine, they were singing their traditional songs when the Rhine flooded its banks. The Rhine Gate by the side of the rivers is a restored part of the town wall, which is many thousands of years old and has many marks to commemorate the different flood levels over the past. The amount of town participation was very impressive with the various town organizations steeped in tradition and history. There were 4 main associations, the blues, greens, oranges and whites. The blues were over 100 strong in full Victorian costumes with weapons, cannons, wagons and very elaborate wigs and band. Whenever one becomes a volunteer, one is entitled to wear the beret of the army of volunteers. One of the volunteers who looked after us was a Jew whose family had been imprisoned by the Nazis, but we did not see any other ethnic minority representatives. There were 30 bands in the parade. A feature of the parade was that everyone and in particular the large floats threw out large quantities of sweets, chocolate, beer, drinks and presents. Children could be seen with large bags full of these items. Lunch was provided for anyone who wanted it in a local beer garden hall. It consisted of traditional soup made of beans and German sausage, and was served in a very large bowl with bread. Most people dressed up in costumes for the whole 5 days of the festival, and at the two evening balls that we attended, everyone was in the most elaborate of costumes. Most popular were Victorian ball gowns and uniforms cat and clown suits and single sex pairs dressed as fairies. The music for dancing was excellent and at one time there was a 20 piece jazz band. Many of the young people were dancing as pairs and the standard of dancing was very high. Our party
went on many organised side tours and I was surprised to see so many historical
buildings going back way before Roman times, certainly 5000 years. First published in VISA issue 37 (summer 2000) |