The Charm of Cologne

Well, I made it to Cologne - yes, the birthplace of cologne. As part of my tourist duty I had to stop and smell the original cologne, and it was not a nice smell. It reminded me of elderly men, which I suppose makes sense because it was invented when our grandpas were cool. Cologne (the city) is also known for it's enormous imposing Gothic cathedral, the biggest of Germany. While I wouldn't call it pretty on the outside, it is definitely memorable. It's so big that I'll have to piece together three photos to create an image of the entire facade. Behind the altar of this church is a gold box (I'm sure it has a more regal name than "box") that holds the remains of The Three Kings. I'm not sure I'd believe it if it wasn't a church that says so.

the cologne store

the cathedral

the box

Köln has an interestingly diverse feel to it because of its Roman and Belgian influence. It used to be a Roman colony hundred of years ago, so there are multiple museums that showcase Roman ruins. In the middle of Germany. It's also very close to Belgium so there are waffles and Belgian words abound. I explored the adorable Belgian Quarter for an evening and it was full of trinket shops and boutiques. The closest comparison that I can make is to Greenwich Village in NY. 

Cologne is also a change for me in that it is very urban. As the fourth largest city in Germany, it has lots of hustle and bustle to it, quite unlike Heidelberg and the many other easy-going cities that we visited. I found myself caught up in the fast pace and my typical "I have to see EVERYTHING" attitude that I was whizzing past little shops that I would've liked to see. The main issue was that I was hungry, which is never a good thing if you know me. Luckily I found what I was looking for - a cocoa vanilla pudding torte from what was voted Cologne's best bakery. It was to die for. And finally I could take a deep breath and enjoy myself. A little chocolate is all it takes to make things right in my world. 

I found my hostel to be quite relaxing too. Each room was ornately decorated according to a unique theme. I was staying in the ballet room, which was decorated to make me believe I was back in the old Viennese opera house (but paid for it this time). It was the most gorgeous dorm room I've ever seen, and one of the girls I was staying with was equally impressed. I say one of the girls because I only spoke with one, out of six. I've met a lot of people on this trip and (close your eyes, Dad) most of them have been guys. It drives me crazy how private and reserved girls can be. I think they always worry about being judged and fitted into the imaginary totem pole of female social status. Guys, on the other hand, give it a shot and easily move on if the conversation doesn't go superbly. At least girls are nice to share a bedroom with because they go to bed early. 

my hostel room

Don't worry, I had fun even without those girls. I spent the day eating and wandering, not that you would expect anything else. I went to a museum that had nothing to do with Germany, or even Europe. It was a brand new museum devoted to exploring ancient third-world cultures. As I walked in, the guy who took my ticket exclaimed, "You're American?! Why aren't you watching your president being sworn in??" I told him, with a smile, that I was busy learning about other cultures. This museum was interesting because not only did it have exhibits on every culture that I've never been introduced to, it also had political undertones to it. Cologne is known as being one a very liberal city of Germany, maybe the most of all of them. As I walked through they're exhibit on why Africans have always been the target of prejudice, I couldn't help but think that the wording that they used would never be found in the US. I won't say I disagreed with it, but I think a lot of Americans would. I'm wondering why and how it exists in a German museum but not at home. Let me know if you can answer my question. Anyway, I spent the afternoon walking through religions, dress, ceremonies, and homes from all over the world (except Europe, of course). I think the president would excuse me for not watching his ceremony. 

Doors used in various cultures, with stories depicted on them

 Well, I've only mentioned food once in this blog (even though it was the most important meal - midday dessert) so it's about that time. What I would think of as traditional German food becomes less and less prominent as I move north. Beer gardens are only a Bavarian concept, which is in south Germany. Big cities combined with the student population results in lots of different foods. That means I'm free to eat whatever I want! For lunch I had a savory crepe from a highly recommended restaurant, which was delish.  Dinner I ate at a restaurant that specialized in burgers, which are becoming more common as I move closer to Hamburg. They had a massive veggie burger section of their menu (I love when I can't decide between all the options) and my veg burger was probably the best I've had in my life. It was an olive-tomato burger, topped with gorgonzola, tomato, arugula and some fancy sauce. Sooo good. I forgot to mention the veggie restaurant that I visited in Heidelberg, which was fantastic. Imagine, no wurst on the menu, but still plenty of kraut (cabbage) and cheese. One of the bakes was actually just sauerkraut covered in cheese. I'm learning about all sorts of new veggies, which is new and different for me since I'm kind of a veg expert - just ask Alysa ;) I had parsnips, fennel bulb, and a Brussels sprout salad. None of them I knew until I Google-translated when I got back to the hostel, haha. Germany has surprised me with the quantity and quality of veggie options, as did many of the other cities we visited. What's more surprising is the number of men in these veggie restaurants, either by themselves or with other guys. Men in the US generally tell me that they couldn't LIVE without meat. I also had to try some Kölsch beer while I was in town, since they are so dang proud of it. I have to say it was kind of a let down, mainly because the flavor reminded me more of American beer than anything I've had in Europe. I'll stick to my southern German, Czech or Hungarian beer.

I finished my night in Cologne with a visit to the Rhine River, which I've always wanted to see since my report on Germany in the fourth grade. It was beautiful all lit up, with snow covering the banks. 

the Rhine

Hamburg comes next, the Amsterdam/Venice of Germany! 

Küsse,

Melissa