Böögg

Today was local holiday in Zürich. All the offices and shops in Zürich closed at noon and city was just like weekend or full with more energy than normal weekend. So many foods and drinks bar are standing along the street and smell sausages and cheese in everywhere! It's the festival actually to say "good bye" to long winter in Zürich (not this year thought) by burning big snow man built in center of the city. In early afternoon, the festival started by big horn of parade. Local men dressed like a knight strolled the street followed by pretty girls dressed as Heidi. Then comes group of people carrying cow bells (must be heavy!) "ding ding ding" and then group of people with drums "dong dong dong". Then comes camels, dancers,, there was even a group of bakeries throwing fresh breads to people. (I couldn't get one!) City's view looks normal but when you see carefully, all the churches has flag on the top and that's the sign of festival! Parade roam around the city and continue until the field where the snowman waits. Here, there are tons of people which never seen in Zürich before. I wonder where are these people all come from in such a small city. People are eager to see finale of the festival. I thought it is a whole big snowman itself, but actually it's a huge mountain of straw and pretty snowman is standing on the top. With the sign of big horn, fire is lighted on the mountain. People in here said, faster the snowman burns, better the summer will be. I was quite didn't understand how the snowman will be burned. Straw of the mountain was burnt quite fast and I thought that was the end. But actually, snowman on the top must be burnt completely until nothing! 5 or 6 minutes with a sounds of banger, fire has lighted to snowman. White snowman turned completely burned and become black. My smile has disappeared. It's not yet finished. Fire went further until destroying the snowman everything. People shout and scream with joy "go! go!". Finally, with a huge sound of firecracker, "Bang! Bang! Bang!" followed by the voice "Yes! Yes! Yes!" the snowman was gone and nothing has left. I was told "that was head". The snowman was not a two balls of snow. It has head, eyes nose and mouse with separate arms and legs. Is it only me who think about ancient ages when people are burn and die at the stake? Is because I'm the kind of person who can't crash easter chocolate bunny? I think it's just a difference of culture. Probably more Japanese people agree or at least understand what I mean. Same festival cannot be taken place in Japan, being said too shocking for children or whatever. Anyway, I straight went home but if I join the people who make barbecue with the fire afterward, I would totally forgot this small culture shock and fully enjoy early summer night.