Mainz Carnival

Mainz Carnival.
The locals call it “The Fifth Season”. The festivities start on Wednesday February 19, though the official announcements state February 20 as the beginning of the Carnival. There are plenty of events which continue through the weekend and overflow into next week! There are food and drinks stands all over the center of town, people walk, run and dance dressed up, their faces painted, wearing wigs of crazy colors, bright hats, animal costumes, military uniforms of the former centuries and lots of other stuff. Monday February 24 is called Rosen Monntag, it is the day when Grandmothers paint their faces, don hats and wigs, and do whatever they like on the central square in front of the Cathedral. Celebrations can be heard everywhere, but the nights are quiet. There are lots of police and various security services in all the public places. On Tuesday the Carnival continues gradually floating into the final night; on Wednesday there is an official closing of the festivities, with the symbolic “burial” of the Carnival until the next year.
What I did not expect on Monday was the fact that everything is closed. Shops including food stores, pharmacies, many cafes and restaurants. Since I needed some food I went into the main train station in which there are several options, besides the bakeries and various McCafes.
A REWE Express store is a recent addition; one can find most essentials like some cheese, ham, dairy products. There is also a decent hot foods counter. Ah, that’s where I got an unpleasant surprise, and I want to warn all my fellow travelers. My German is not too good but I can say most simple phrases correctly, and I know by experience that I am understood. I asked the woman who was conducting a brisk trade at the counter to give me four chicken legs and a slice of meat. She very quickly packed everything into paper bags, told the male cashier ( who was wearing a nice exotic wig) “Vier Schenkel”, FOUR legs, he charged me accordingly. It never even occurred to me to open up the bag and check. Only at home I discovered that she put only three portions, not four, into the bag. Imagine the feeling, when you are expecting four people for lunch, and you managed to buy more or less everything you need, only to see that you have less food than you thought. The natural irritation at being cheated, especially on such a festive day. I would like to tell all those shop clerks who cheat: tourists are not super rich, they are hard working people! You the cheater are responsible for spoiling my mood, for creating problems for me, for giving us visitors the wrong picture of this lovely town and this amazing carnival! If I wanted to give you a tip of €2 for a total purchase of €7.60, I would have done so. What you are doing is stealing.
I am very glad I had this nice walk, and saw all those beautiful citizens of this town who light-heartedly celebrate their own traditions. Even the somber statue of Gutenberg, the inventor of book printing who was born and died in this place, is crowned with that festive bright hat. And I appreciate this wonderful custom of devoting the day to Grandmothers.