Back in Annecy, I soon found the Venetian Carnival of the Alps was about to begin. Originally I was going to be staying a shorter amount of time in Annecy, so I was really pleased when I learned I would be there for it. Although I am sure it was nothing compared to the real Venetian Carnival, having not experienced that one I thoroughly enjoyed it. Started only a few years ago (well alright, 1996, how is that twenty years ago!) it quickly gained popularity and is now one of the biggest festivals in Annecy.
People were dressed in all sorts of amazing costumes which were great fun to admire. I especially like the top right photo, as her dramatic pose is slightly ruined by the intensely curious child behind her.
I was pleased that the festival coincided with another visit from Joe, my friend from archaeological dig, as wandering these types of things is always more fun with a friend. Having last seen him at Christmas for a short visit (and our own epic early Christmas, complete with roast chicken and a ridiculously large amount of Boursin cheese) it was great to catch up again, especially as I knew it was probably the last time we would be able to before he headed back to America. Determined to make the best of the short trip, we managed to combine awesome food, wandering the festival and a good old fashioned Lord of the Ring's Marathon (you can see why we are friends).
One of the things I really liked about the festival was the lack of noise, unlike most things in this nature there was no loud music or marching bands, only these masked people, wandering in serene silence. It was almost eerie, their slow exaggerated hand gestures emphasized by their silence, but I liked it for its singularity.
These guys even had their little dog dressed up! And when they would meet others in masks, they would simply dip their heads in regal acknowledgment and drift on.
Although I unfortunately did not manage a very good picture of these two, they were probably my favourite due to their cool steampunk style. The amount of detail that went into their costumes was breathtaking. The other nice thing is as they simply wander the city and canals, its a free event that you can explore at will. So if you happen to be in Annecy for these two days in February, it's definitely worth checking out! But be prepared for crowds. So. many. crowds.
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