Cologne, Germany


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Europe » Germany » North Rhine-Westphalia » Cologne
February 7th 2005
Published: June 27th 2005
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Date: 07.02.2005
Destination: Cologne, Germany
Day: 1

Rosenmontag was celebrated this time of the year and with big Carnival. We went to one of the biggest in Germany, in Cologne. Basically the whole city was closed down for parades and parties. We went there from Duisburg and supposedly the journey will take just one hour but because the train was so packed, we reached there late. The most interesting part was that people were in festive mood all around, drinking, eating, wearing funny custome and weird-looking hats.


The moment we reached Cologne main bus station, the Carnival started. It was hard even to move around. People laughing, screaming.... We walked to the Cologne Cathedral just outside of the main station. This is really one of the crepiest great cathedral in the world, the dark structure and long sphires made it really special. We took some photos around but it was hard to get a decent place. As we walked further, we came across some really "unique" costumes. One wearing a whole glass of beer, another wearing the Incredible costume while a group of people wore resembling teletubbies. Really funny. Some of us bought hats just to mix in. As the main parade route was packed with people without even standing places, we wander further.


We reached a corner of the route but this place was not too packed as just behind it was a platform for people to sit. We stand here as the parade had started. Parade-cars was very lavishly decorated with a lot of participants wearing either very beautiful or extremely weird costumes. There were participants on horses, clowns, marching school bands, culture themed costumes and big monster faces. Everybody was having a great time. We just stand there waiting for candies and roses to be thrown from the parade-cars. It was so much that nobody care to pick it up from the floor.


Everybody was singing, which I really don't understand a single word. It should be some traditional German songs. Some of the unforgetable images of the parade were participants in wolf costumes with a lamb in its mouth, a group of wind mill people, those in traditional Holland and German costumes and certainly clowns band marching away.


A few hours later, we went to KFC to have something to eat. It was also so packed! After the meal, it was time to head home but we seemed lost as we were across the route of the parade and we need to be on the different side. We came to more juntions of the parade and there were some residents of the high rise buildings collecting candies with the help of umbrellas. After some tunnelling and simply exploring, we finally reached the main station. Bidding farewell to this carnival, we went back to Duisburg awaiting for another carnival somewhere next time...

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