Köln : Hugging the Rhine

Hello Everybody,

Köln, Germany

Let me see…what can I say about Köln…oh yeah, awesome!

Köln is the cultural center of the Rhineland and I would also add, because of the Köln University, the hippiest and artiest city of Germany, thus far anyway.

Köln originally founded by the Romans in 50 AD, was once called Colonia and has seen its share of history. Middle Age disputes with the Holy Roman Church, then the French, well Napoleon wanted a piece of the action, sitting on a prime trading route one can see why it would be a great city to own.  Then WWI and with much of it destroyed during WW2,(See picture below, borrowed from an internet source) Köln suffered 95% destruction and lost many cultural artifacts.  Unlike Nuremberg, which rebuild brick by brick a replica of what once was, Köln chose a new path to rebuild with an (at the time), modern 1950s look.

 

L and I had a great time in Köln and I would recommend anyone visiting Germany to plan time to visit this mighty city by the river.

There’s just something about cities that sprout up near rivers, the night life, the people and that mix of culture one gets from people flocking to river cities.

 

Kölner Dom

Our first stop was the Dom of Köln which was quite impressive. The cathedral is one of the world's largest Gothic churches in Northern Europe and for four short years from 1880 to 1884 was the tallest structure in the world. 

The inside is also quite beautiful, if you like the inside of Gothic churches.

 

 

 

 

The Köln train station and also a hang out for the locals.

The back of the cathedral.

I guess back when the church was built sticking one’s tongue out scared away demons

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The Rhine

Portland?

So along the fence of this bridge - couples demonstrate their love  by placing a lock to signify their forever bond.

Does anyone see something in the picture below.

And I guess young kids don’t climb trees in Köln, but city walls.

Walking through the old part of Köln.

Below is some of that 1950s I was talking about. It is everywhere if you start looking for it.

Here we are at the children’s festival – oh yeah I forgot, L and I went to Köln because I had a small gig at a  Köln’s Children Festival. The young girl in the picture below was really intrigued by how my foot made the bassdrum work. She was quite cute – she’d run to the front of the drum and peek through the vent hole and then back around to the side and then back to the front…this went on for a while. 

The night life was great. L and I stayed by the University and boy was it jumping. Bar after bar after restaurant and we thought it must be just in this area . Not to be - twice we went walking in the evening and found these great pockets of people and restaurant bars.  It made us miss Portland.

Our last night enjoying their local brew called, Kölsch, which unlike regular German beer, which is cold fermented, Kölsch is warm fermented.  So when in Köln order a Kölsch…small, fresh and sooo good, plus easy to drink, so be warned.

Bye Bye Köln

Until next time.

Hugs

M&L or L&M

It’s September Already GEEZ!

Hello Everybody,

I hope all is well with all of you and that you’ve had an enjoyable summer.  I believe this weekend will be our summer’s last fight and then it’s on to cooler weather and so on and so on until…W-I-N-T-E-R.

There’s isn’t much to report - well maybe there is – I heard Mr. Lucass is re-releasing all six of his War of the Stars in the Galaxy ridiculously faraway, back in time…you get what I’m trying to say.  I don’t want to get flamed by fans of his movies – thus my encrypted jots - sort of,  any 8 to 40 year old male knows what I’m talking about.  Moving on…

I just wanted to say, I heard Lucass changed some scenes in the new release, something about a dark clad figure saying ‘no’ at the climatic end of movie six, where the evil dude overlord is frying his only son.

Well…I think that was a bad move and the more I think about it – a really bad move, Lucass just sucked all the implied emotion out of the scene.  I’m starting to believe what many critics are starting to say - about how  Mr. Lucass just stumbled upon greatness…if that’s the case – I’d like to place an order for stumbled upon – wait – no I don’t.  I don’t think I’d be able to deal with all the critics…anyway.

I’m just saying, someone needs to edit Jorge, he’s gone to the edge and his CGI guys just let him jump off.  As though Jorge one day said, “look, what’s that, do you all see it, it’s a Cyclops on a winged unicorn holding Excalibur fighting Alexander the Great dressed up like Khan from the other star movie on a frozen planet in his R2 – D2 underoos …can you see it?.”  And CGI guys said, "’oh Jorge, you.’ 

I may never buy all six of the rere-released movies because “new edits” are starting to change my perception, as for that imagination and wonderment I had when I was 4 – well, he’s try to rob me of it all and that is not cool, plus my pant pockets have holes in them…okay enough – moving on. 

About a week ago I went on a hike in what the Germans like to call their Swiss Alps. It was quite beautiful.  I hiked with our friend who is starting his battle with an even stronger darker force.  I’d talk about it more, but I’ll give him his privacy.  I will say it makes me think about our parents and family…I miss you all….okay enough of the mush.

The hike was great – about a 3 and a half hour hike or so and then back home.

Like I said earlier, the weather is ah changin’ and thus I made a short video to say goodbye to summer. Hope you all enjoy, it’s nothing fancy.

 

Hugs all around,

-M&L