Cologne (Koln), Germany

Well here we are in Germany, the western part, just outside the Netherlands.   After booking Brian and Susanne into a hotel in Cologne, so that they could catch a train the next day, in order to visit friends, we drove to a stellplatz.     The stellplatz is on the edge of the Rhine River, and about twenty minutes bike ride from Cologne centre.   

A stellplatz is an area, usually close to the centre of cities and towns, where motor homes can park for a few nights.    Sometimes they are free, but mostly there is a small fee which covers the water and electricity.   In this stellplatz there is a small fee to pay, but you still have to pay for electricity and water.     The equivalent in France is an aire, and usually they are free, but do not have electricity and a coin is needed to operate the water tap.    There is always an area to empty the toilet cassette and waste water.

We did not know much about Cologne, except that it was in the middle of an industrial area of Germany.      Consequently we avoided coming here and went to more scenic places.   So we were surprised to see the abundance of greenery around and a very pleasant city. Sadly Cologne was flattened during World War II so of course the buildings are less than 67 years old.    Although they are plain in style, they have been tastefully designed, not like some post war buildings we have seen on our travels.  We also found out that most of Cologne's history was destroyed during the bombing, which was very sad.    Cologne is also in a mustard producing area.  And we love mustard.   Of course Eau de Cologne 4711, meaning water of Cologne, originated here in 1709.  

Walter standing in readiness for a bike ride into the centre of Cologne.    We found the cyclists a trifle mad here, and all over the place.   No keeping to your side of the path, as in Holland.

The Dom, together with other churches, was relatively untouched by bombing during WWII.   It is an enormous cathedral, built in the Gothic style and very similar to the cathedral in Milan.   And what is remarkable too, is that the effigies and statues are unblemished, i.e. not defaced or damaged during the Reformation.   

The inside of the church is magnificent, very plain but very grand.

The square outside the Dom is very busy, mainly due to the railway station beside it.  A great place to sit, on

the church steps, and watch the world go by. 

We had a look around the shops but refrained from spending money.    Remarkable!     I could not help taking a photograph of the Louis Vuitton display, using arrows.   The colours are glorious.

Lunch was very special, made more so by the bill at the end.   We spotted spargel (white asparagus) on the menu and just had to have it, together with boiled potatoes, snitzel and Hollandaise sauce.  We did not check the price.   We waited a long time for it, and were not disappointed with the delicious meal.   But it cost 18 Euros each, quite expensive for lunch.  The beer was also delicious.   I have learned the word for ‘shandy’.   It is ‘radler’.    This is a new word to add to my limited German vocabulary.    And a necessary word too.

Then it was off to the Roman-German Museum, which was filled with Roman tiles, artefacts, building materials, and statues which were mostly found when digging foundations for new buildings in Cologne.    One Roman tiled floor was found when digging a bomb shelter in 1941.     There was also a 3D visual presentation of the town during 200AD.  The Roman Empire spread far and wide, and then collapsed of course.

Finally we got back on our bikes, and rode home along the Rhine.   And luckily we got back just as the rain started, which then did not stop all night.