One Life is Not Enough

Why do people disguise themselves?

Breaking news from the Aachen Carnival in 2015:

(I recall) A young man dressed as a tiger jumps on passing cars and smashes other cars around. After a long fight with six policemen, he managed to escape and was later found by helicopter.

I have to admit that I really had fun reading this news in the local newspaper - the story of the young man dressed as a tiger.

On the other hand, I remember wondering then why one has to wait until the carnival, which is only once a year, to disguise oneself and do things disguised.

I remember saying then: poor Western Europeans, they only have one day a year to break out, running away from stress, everyday life, life in general. People in Bulgaria have another means of escape and disguise and at the same time a very effective means. One that they can use every day of the year. And they know it. And they use it.

It's called rakija, a high-alcohol beverage that acts like a carnival mask, wearing which makes you become a different person.

Of course, that's what I said, a person who never wore even a Venetian mask covering only my eyes.

I have always been on the other side of the disguise process - an observer in the audience and a photographer, but not a participant. That's why I have no idea what it means for a person's psyche to put a carnival mask on his face and wear a carnival costume.

I guess it means a lot. That it helps a lot for the mental health and recovery of the person, makes him feel good and gives him new horizons in life.

At least for a few hours. For one day.

By putting on a mask and wearing a carnival costume, you have the opportunity to be someone else for a few hours or a day.

To live someone else's life, to do things that someone else would do in his life, but you don't do them in your own.

To have someone else's face.

Not to be recognized by other people.

From friends and relatives.

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To have something you could never have in your own life.

At least until the end of the day, when you take off the mask, take off your costume and return to reality. Like a magic wand. The same way you ran away from it at the beginning of the day.

Because one life is not enough.

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I hope you had fun with these random shots of people from the audience at the Xanthi Carnival in Greece. Because they are the real characters, the most interesting participants in this show, without actually participating in it.

Those who had the courage to dress up and go to the carnival alone, apart from the groups of participants dressed in the same costumes.

I admire them.

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Copyright: @soulsdetour

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	Soul's Detour is a project started by me years ago when I had a blog about historical and not so popular tourist destinations in Eastern Belgium, West Germany and Luxembourg. Nowadays, this blog no longer exists, but I'm still here - passionate about architecture, art and mysteries and eager to share my discoveries and point of view with you.