Thursday, September 22, 2011

Köln : Hugging the Rhine

Hello Everybody,

Köln, Germany

800px-Cologne_-_Panoramic_Image_of_the_old_town_at_dusk

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.

751px-Koeln_1945

 

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.

koln 3 pan

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

IMG_8498

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. 

koln 1 pan

IMG_8496

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

IMG_8427

IMG_8429

 

IMG_8431

 

IMG_8433

IMG_8435

 

IMG_8438

 

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

koln 5 pan

IMG_8444

The back of the cathedral.

IMG_8443

IMG_8451

IMG_8453

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

IMG_8455

.

IMG_8454

The Rhine

koln 2 pan

Portland?

IMG_8457

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

IMG_8459

IMG_8460

Does anyone see something in the picture below.

IMG_8473

IMG_8463IMG_8476

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

IMG_8483Koln 2

IMG_8485

Walking through the old part of Köln.

IMG_8491

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

IMG_8494

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. 

IMG_8517

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.

IMG_8521

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.

IMG_8531IMG_8538

Bye Bye Köln

IMG_8534

Until next time.

Hugs

M&L or L&M

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

do they have a christmas market!? love it- very cool city

Tracy

Anonymous said...

hope you crossed bridge to explore the other side - always something exciting on the other side