Carnival season begins in Germany

Nov 11, 2007, 11:13 GMT

   Dusseldorf - People dressed as clowns sang and danced in the streets on Sunday as the carnival season got off to a blustery start in Germany.

In cities along the Rhine river, tens of thousands braved gusty winds to turn out in fancy dress as the merriment began at 11.11 am (1011 GMT) on the dot.

Princes, peasants and dancers entertained thousands of spectators who had come to see the spectacle in Dusseldorf, Cologne and Mainz.

With temperatures hovering around 10 centigrade, carnival enthusiasts linked arms to keep warm in front of the Cologne cathedral.

In Mainz, ceremonies began with the reading of the tradional 'Jester's Constitution.'

Carnival started a day earlier in Koblenz because parts of the city centre had to be sealed off on Sunday while a World War II bomb was defused.

The highlight of the carnival season is Rose Monday when colourful floats wind their way through cities and participants fling candies at spectators lining the route.

Rose Monday falls on February 4 next year. The so-called street carnival begins on the Thursday before and is marked by displays of fancy dress, dancing and bouts of heavy drinking.