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

.

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