Breda Carnival

The northerners can’t see what all the festive fuss is about, but in the southern provinces of Limburg and Brabant carnival rates as the highlight of the year. The carnival associations spend months building the magnificent floats that at times can barely squeeze through the narrow streets. Their aim is to stand out during the festive procession. When Prince Carnival is granted the keys to the city for a few days it’s party time. The dressing-up box is ransacked, masks are put on, and the cafes roll out the barrels. For three days there’s no time for life’s petty worries. But irrevocably those three days are followed by Lent, traditionally a period of moderation and meditation. And it’s not only the south that could do with that.