March 2001 - Nr. 3
Beaux Beaux loves the girls!
Everyone
knows that Toronto, Canada, is not the carnival centre of the world. For
that title certainly belongs to other great cities like Cologne and Mainz,
and New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro. It must be mentioned that the province
of Quebec puts on a wonderful Winter Carnival, as does our capital city of
Ottawa. Toronto has its winterlude festivity, but even though they might
lean on the same roots as carnival, they express themselves totally
different.
There
just is not the same kind of decadence and pomp. It is truly Canadian and
very outdoorsy. We also do not have the problem with masses of people
getting out of hand and looting. But what we do have around Toronto,
actually Southern Ontario, is a strong contingent of German based true
carnival with old traditions. This paper carries regular reports of these
activities, which are meant to fight the overly seriousness of our lives,
make light hearted fools of all of us, without loosing our good sense.
In
Cologne the big Rose Monday parade draws hundreds of thousands of people to
the city. In Germany such an event is as big as the Rose Bowl Parade in
California on New Years Day. Tame Toronto just has a moderate ball in one of
our German clubs and here and there smaller events are taking place in our
personally preferred venues. 
Somehow
we have not managed to interest our other Canadian friends in supporting
this fun activity of driving out the bad spirits of winter. Thus it appears
that the hard-core carnivalists have lost heart and abdicated the Rose
Monday throne to be occupied by members of the locally well-known band
Harmonie Brass. As a big band with big sound and an even bigger repertoire
they can play at any venue any place and entertain any crowd with any kind
of music. And they have proven it and played at local Oktoberfests and the
famed Disney World and everything in-between here and abroad.
This
year they invited us again to participate and we went and took Beaux Beaux
the Clown with us, leaving the two other "children" (you saw them
on the cover of the
September issue 2000) at home. Being a clown Beaux Beaux really is
appreciated, especially by the ladies, but not exclusively. In fact, Beaux
Beaux loves everyone and the affection is definitely returned, as you can
see in our photographs.
Beaux
Beaux participated right from the start. At the "Einmarsch" he
sported a huge Tiger shawl while holding on to his "Mom’s" hand
on one side and another clown on the other side.
Mom
sported a Leopard like long coat and together they looked like a warped
version of Siegfried and Roy. But we did like the idea of the "Save the
Tiger" theme!
Like
this carefree idea was the entire evening. Not too many costumes came out
that night but people had a lot of fun dancing and visiting with friends.
Beaux Beaux moved from table to table and embraced the ladies and kissed
their hands and arms and anything they would let him kiss, visited with
couples, especially to see if they would look good with children; and some
of them wanted to adopt him right away.
But
we are not willing to part with him. Among these several hundred people
there was only one couple that appeared to be irritated by the idea of a
visit with Beaux Beaux. They were very serious grown ups, and we feel very
sorry for them, for they lost the good spirit of play. The rest of us would
have none of that and pleased ourselves with Polonaise Blankenese and
Polka and all the old songs of Mardi Gras as well as some old fast rhythms,
which could wake up the dead.
When
the Harmonie Brass lets loose there is not one person in the room that does
not want to dance. The enthusiasm builds and builds like a carrier wave and
sweeps everyone along with it.
Of
course this evening had to be organized and, as usual, it was Gabi Schick
who did all that. She greeted the people at the door, gave them their
tickets and directions to their table. She had gotten the door prizes and
the costume prizes and generally is always the good will ambassador in our
community on behalf of the band. She is an extraordinary lady who runs her
own business organizing corporate events and travel arrangements within the
convention trade. Just very recently she celebrated that special birthday
that marks the high tide of a woman’s power, when we do not look back any
more to see what we missed, but where we can look back to see what we have
already accomplished. This is the time when we do not need as many pats on
the back any more, (we do still like it) but the time where we can pat
ourselves on the back for all the well done things we accomplished. We now
really understand the who, what, where and when like never before.
Congratulations Gabi, for a life well done so far and please, carry on! We
need you and will help you whenever and wherever we can! And by the way:
Beaux Beaux has confided in me that he was particularly smitten with you!
Well, Beaux Beaux did not win a costume prize, but others did and walked away happy.
Considering
that this was a normal workday with another morning and work for most people
in the offing, the evening was a resounding success! The big hall in the
Danube Swabian Club was full and no one wanted to leave early. Around
midnight people were still dancing the night away.
Maybe
next year the real carnivalists get smart and come out to the only big Rose
Monday celebration in Toronto. Beaux Beaux is eagerly waiting to meet them,
and so am I!
In the meantime we await spring. Canada Blooms is the show to see in the South Building of the Metro Convention Centre as usual. You see the posters all over town. Other than Allan Gardens it is the only venue in town where we can dream of spring and actually believe that it will arrive!
Until next time
Sybille Forster-Rentmeister
Comments to: sfr@echoworld.com
