Cologne, Germany

 Tuesday, November 5, 2024

After finally getting a good night's sleep, I woke feeling rested and adventurous.  The golden sun and blue sky promised another beautiful day for learning and exploring.

After breakfast I approached Andras, the activity director, and asked if there would be a map available somewhere.  He told me that before the company "went green" they used to give out a cool map of the whole cruise.  When I asked where I might be able to buy a copy, he pulled one out and said that he'd give it me if I promised never to mention it, as he'd get into trouble. I promised.  It is a fun map, but not at all to scale or in correct proportions.  All that to say, when I got up this morning we were in northern Germany, near Dusseldorf, moving up the Lower Rhine.

Just before we went to lunch, we were gathered in the upper lounge, where Andras gave a daily "port talk", telling us all about optional tours for the coming days.  As these tours require a minimum number of participants to run, he had to "sell" them to try to get enough people.  During the summer they would have sold out but this is a slow time of year.

As soon as lunch was over, I headed down to the pool.  This time there were quite a few people in the chairs, but I still had the water to myself.  Afterwards I showered and did a bit of laundry.  

At 2:00, I was in the que by the door, ready for a walk around the city of Cologne.  Or as the German's spell it, Koln (with two dots over the O).  Each of us had a walkie-talkie device with an earpiece, set to the channel of one of the three local guides.  Setting out for town we walked along the river a long way first, passing many other cruise ships that had secured docking closer to the city.  

This bridge is for train and pedestrians only.  There are six tracks, and it carries thousands of trains per day.  It was very loud walking below it so I can't imagine walking across it.

While still walking along the river we got our first glimpse of the Cologne Cathedral.  The lighting was a challenge, but we found out further in our tour that it's hard to find a good place to get a photo from anyway.

I've been listening to "The Hiding Place", so being in Germany now gives me pause.  As we cut through from the river to the city, we passed through this memorial to the Jews who were deported.  The water has been turned off for winter, but it is actually a splash pool in the summer. 

The larger cement shapes are supposed to represent the Jewish homes in the city (not the ghettos).  I didn't really figure it out as they aren't shaped like buildings.  But it is a memorial, and the idea is that that was a terrible time in German history, that cannot be changed, but that they can only move forward.  Making a play place for children is looking to the future.

In the past I've usually opted out of group tours because you are provided with endless verbal information, but it's all forgotten as soon as you leave.  On this trip, however, if I tried to go on my own, there wouldn't be enough written information in English.  Also, many places wouldn't even have placards of info in any language.  I'm not going to try to figure everything out, but just post whatever I recall. 

Old shops in front of Great Saint Martin's Church.  The left one has 1685 to designate the year it was built.

Elaborate hoisting beam at the peak of the yellow one.

Constructed on this site in the Romanesque style between 1150 and 1250, Great Saint Martin's Catholic Church history goes back to the 960s.  Like many other buildings, it did suffer some damage in the Second World War, and was restored in recent years.

Cologne's town hall, constructed 1135 - 1152 is Germany's oldest.  The tower was added from 1407 to 1414.

Beneath the clock on the tower is an unusual figure named Platzjabbeck.  With his odd staring eyes, he sticks out his tongue when the clock chimes the hour.  It is said to hark back to some rivalry between town officials.

Every tour guide has a plethora of tales to tell.  Some are likely founded in truth, others have been stretched through the years to be more legends and folk tales.  In the market square was another dry fountain erected in 1884 to honor Jan von Werth.  A renown cavalry captain, he fearlessly led his troops through battles during the thirty-year war.   The story we were told was that the woman seated on the side of the statue was in love with him when he was but a peasant, but wanted to marry someone more worthy of her.  Then he became a captain and married someone else.  So now she is still pining for him with regret.  Locals were fond of putting a beer bottle in her hand.  City officials remove it, but it always reappears. 

  

Interesting windows on a building from 1319.  Geraniums were blooming in planters throughout the city.  We were told that in the early years with such poor sanitation, geraniums were planted to help repel insects and control odors.

During an excavation in the city, a portion of Roman road was discovered.  Due to its location, they removed it stone by stone, and rebuilt it at a more accessible location.  Our guide pointed out that they may have placed the stones too far apart, but they are the actual stones.

As the story goes, back in the late 1700s houses were individually numbered throughout the city of Cologne.  House 4711 was occupied by a man who originally had created an elixir to cure all sorts of internal problems.  He dubbed it Eau de Cologne and began to market it.  However, people found it more harmful than helpful.  He suggested that one could also benefit from splashing it on the neck and face.  That was better received.  Thus, the original Cologne was born, and was named after the house number.  

The perfume continues to be marketed under that name and is actually quite nice smelling.  Afterwards, when studying a city map I'd picked up at the info store, I found that this is not the actual location.  As you can see above the name in bold turquoise, this street is Wallrafplatz.  The original is shown on the map as Glockengasse, where there is now a museum.  Still, this store, near the Cologne Cathedral was interesting, and probably easier to get in and out of.  

Metal advertising signs filled one window.

Last year for Christmas I ordered some German made knives for my families for Christmas.  For weeks afterwards I heard reports of fingers bleeding as they grew accustomed to very sharp knives.  Just next to the 4711 store I found the store that carries them.  I wanted to browse but as there was a guard just inside the door, I figured they may not want to bother with someone just looking.  

Throughout the city, and supposedly throughout Europe, are these small brass plaques called Stolpersteine, or in English, "Stumbling Stones".  Each bears the name, birthdate, and date and place of death of a Jewish person who fell victim to the Nazi regime. 

Our tour officially ended in front of the Cologne Cathedral.  We were told that entombed within are the bodies of the three wisemen who came to visit Jesus.  I'm a bit skeptical. In front of the cathedral is the beginnings of the "Christmas Market".  This is a very popular thing throughout Europe.  Little pop up shops that open for tourists throughout Europe are well received once they are open, but during the set up weeks they kind of spoil the view of everything.  

Before we parted for our free time, I asked someone to take my picture in front of a replica of the top finials on the cathedral, for size perspective.  They are more than 30 feet high.

We had been having such lovely weather so far, but today was quite cold so I decided to go to a café to warm up.  But first, to find a bathroom.  I found both at Cafe Reichard.  

The toilets downstairs in this very fancy building were staffed by an elegantly dressed lady.  For the price of .80 euro, you could go in.  I walked down the stalls, shocked to see that the doors were completely clear.  Finally, I decided, "when in Rome..." and went in one.  

To my great relief, the second I turned the lock, the glass became solid white.  Then on to the fancy wash area.  Sometimes it's the little things.  I was probably as excited about this bathroom as about the cathedral.

Upstairs I was faced with a beautiful array of treats.

I chose one that looked like an apple tart, then was shown to a tiny table in a very crowded room.  I enjoyed the miniscule cup of decaf in the elegant surroundings, but the tart was very dry and contained no apple.  It was all crust with a walnut filling.

When I received the bill of 13.30 euro, I pulled out my card, only to be told it was cash only.  I kind of panicked as I'd only brought enough euro for toilets.  I emptied my wallet and found I had enough, with a few cents to spare.  Whew.  I don't know that I could have charmed my way out of that one. 

The stunning, and world famous gothic-style Cologne Cathedral towers over the city at 515 feet tall.  The spires, with their open fretwork have a lacy appearance despite their immense size.

Construction on the cathedral began in the year 1248, but it lacked funds so the progress was halted in about 1560.  It wasn't until 1840 that they were finally able to resume the construction, and it was completed in 1880.  So it took more than 600 years.

Stepping inside the dark, hushed interior of this still-in-use place of worship, it would be impossible to not feel some degree of awe, if only for the sheer size.

It is grand, lavishly embellished, and filled with beautiful stained glass windows.  But for me personally, I didn't feel a holy hush, or an enveloping glory, like I've felt in some small churches that I've visited.  It was more a museum of man's accomplishment, than a dwelling place of the Most High God.

There were, of course, statues everywhere on posts, in niches and so on.  In the narthex was this display depicting the sorrowful time following the crucifixion of Christ.

Leaving the cathedral, and knowing I didn't even have enough money left for a toilet, my first order of business was an ATM.  Near there is a street of high end shopping.  One store had a guard posted inside.  I went and inquired of him where I could find one.  I made an effort to follow his directions, but in the dark I gave up.  I went instead into the crazy-busy train station. Seeing a bank on their map, I found an ATM outside the door of it.  Unfortunately, I ended up with a 50 euro bill, so I had to wait in line and have the teller grumpily exchange for smaller bills.  

Now it was fully dark and I was a long way from the ship.  I used my phone to find the river, and walked back as fast as I could.  Thankfully, they do have us check in and out of the ship so they would never leave a passenger behind, but I wasn't taking chances.  It seemed to take forever just to reach the bridge we'd walked under.

 

I was thrilled to finally spot the waiting Emerald.  Then looking back towards the city as I boarded, I saw a crescent moon hanging suspended between the towers and the ship.

Clouds gathered in the glow of the city, promising a change of weather in the coming days.