Through Beyoncé, All Things Are Possible

It's been awhile since I've kept this blog updated. Sue me.

Last I left off I was returning from a weekend trip to München and a mountain hike through Tegernsee. A couple weeks later I ventured back to Köln for a celebration that takes place every year where everyone dresses up in costume and goes out in the streets drinking and celebrating the city and it's history.

Known to everyone in Germany as KÖLNER KARNEVAL!

It was such a wild and wonderful time, and over half of the other participants made their way from all over Deutschland so a lot of us got to meet up, hang out, and partaaayyyyy.

Karneval Kandids.  From Left to Right: Andrew, Andrew, Erin, Me, Bri.

I wanted to invest in a costume as it is supposedly required, but this trip was impromptu and it was FREEZING. So I just sought it better to steal KC's wig.

my costume, rocking the #TeamNatural fro

large crowd filled with festive Germans... thats the Köln emblem tattooed on my forehead..

Angela Merkel aka Buzz Lightyear and Germany doing a parody of NSA with "Yes We Scan" were the main headliners during the parade, but here's a collage (stolen from Nancy's blog)

One thing about festivals in Germany is that when you go out to bars and clubs during that time, the only music they tend to play is traditional German "folk" music local to the city itself. Which..... what? gross. I came to DANCE AND MOVE. Of course I'm not a local, so I wasn't expecting to be standing against the wall looking like...

Overall it was an awesome time you can see a clip from a band playing the Main train station here. the parades that followed that Sunday/Monday were incredible. And LISTEN... the people marching threw candy, boxes of chocolate, sponges (I grabbed a few), packets of tissue, popcorn, and more candy. I can't even lie I straight up elbowed someone's Oma (Grandma) multiple times to get the good stuff. 

Only two weeks after an amazing weekend in Köln. I was RIGHT back in Köln for the one and only... Beyonce. I originally bought my ticket in December and it was only 90€ for Innenraumplatz! (Innenraumplatz is the general admission standing area i.e. close to the stage). A ticket like this in the U.S. would cost me hundreds of dollars so I took advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity to see her perform her HITS!

Welcome Sign for Mrs. Carter. :)

Nancy and I standing in line waiting 2.5 hrs for the doors to open

So many people here to see Bey! The Beyhive was camped out along the sides of the buildings with their sleeping bags. I could NEVER.

the anticipation....

The hairflip.

I'm certain this was right before she walked passed me and nearly graced me with a touch of her hand.... LOVE THAT WOMAN!

For some of my friends who asked how close to the stage I was to her... catch a glimpse at one of the vids I made -> here.

random candids with cute strangers.

ALL the Single Ladies!

Truly a once in a lifetime experience that I know for sure would not have happened if I had not taken the leap of faith and made the decision to come to Germany. I've had a few rough patches here and there, but the good has heavily outweighed the bad and everything seems to slowly but surely work in my favor.

 I intend on enjoying every minute of it.

This was well over 2 months ago and my ears still ring from those 'Drunk In Love' high notes. Faint memories of that ***Flawless weekend in Frankfurt, how over the years people that once played important roles in my life could treat me like shit, but still have the crazy notion that they were"Irreplaceable". Just goes to show that sometimes, in the end you just have "Me, Myself, and I".

Bis nächstes mal!