In late February or early March the tristesse of winter is broken by the Carneval celebrations. Centre of festivities in Germany is the Rhineland, where the parades of Cologne, Duesseldorf or Mainz are world famous.

This gallery is about Carneval in my small Rhineland town, where there are less huge and expensive floats but where the people are at least as friendly and enthusiastic. During the few "crazy days", which are the climax of festivities, the place is full of old hags, princesses, princes, clowns, angels, devils and even some Chinese visitors, who absolutely love it.