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Summary Many thousands of people dressed in colourful costumes took part in Germany's street parades on Carnival Monday in the merry-making strongholds of Cologne and Mainz.
About 100 decorated floats drove through the Rhineland metropole Cologne with thousands of onlookers and the so called foolish Jecken chanting songs and throwing sweets for the children to collect. Brilliant sunshine warmed the revellers and contributed to the good mood while they celebrated the Monday before Ash Wednesday on the Catholic calender, when the fifth season comes to an end and the fasting seasons begins ahead of Easter.
