Day 2 in Germany we thought we would visit Cologne. We didn't make it to the chocolate museum last time there so we figured that was a good start.
We hopped on the rural train in Jülich and headed to Düren. From Düren we hoped on another train headed for Cologne. About 5 minutes into the ride the train stopped at a station and an announcement was made. In German of course. It has been 10 years since I have used my 2 years college-level German so I was no help. There was a couple across from us that said there was a 'accident' on the tracks. Probably a suicide...
We waited. 15-20 minutes pass and they make another announcement in German. The nice couple explain that the train will go no further and that we need to get taxis. Funny, since we are pretty sure there are no taxis within an hour of here. Everyone leaves the train and stands at the bus stop that is there. No luck there though, it is Sunday and the buses only run Monday-Friday.
We wait another 30 minutes or so and just as we were getting a little worried, we ran into a Northeastern (somewhere in Mass.). He is here doing his Ph.D. in some sort of physics at the lab Alan is visiting. We chatted with him about what was happening and he knew as much as we did, maybe. :)
After another 10 minutes or so, another announcement from the train. We don't know what but everyone starts running for the train again! Yeah! Alan and I are relieved that we don't have to figure out how to get a taxi in the middle of nowhere with no phone. The train was off in about 15 minutes. While we waited, 4 police cars showed up to search a forested section opposite the train stop. Very strange.
We finally make it to Cologne and the city is busy. Turns out that we are there and so it the Cologne Marathon. Runners all over! Some very serious and others, well, in diapers. We also notice that there are people racing on modified roller blades. They have really tiny boots and giant wheels. They were zooming past the opposite direction and side of the road from the racers. It was great!
Our first stop was to see the inside of the Cologne Dom. Last time here, we climbed the stairs to the top of the towers but we didn't get in the church. There was some sort of choir rehersal going on and it was closed to visitors. Well, the inside is as amazing as the outside. So much detail and so lavish. This has to be our most favorite church visited yet.
Next stop, lunch and right in front of the chocolate museum. To be safe, we stick with the sausage and fries. The mayo and ketchup is a little weird but still good.
And finally, the Lindt Chocolate Museum!!! This place has quite an interesting exhibit. They have history, current info on the chocolate trade, and a lovely exhibit of old drinking vessels. The fun part is watching what they do with cocoa beans. They have a roaster, a grinder, a mixer and then the machine that molds the chocolate and then wraps it. Very cool. In the same area, a chocolate fountain with golden cocoa beans. And SAMPLES! There was a nice lady with wafers that she just sat there and dipped in chocolate and passed them out. Tasty.
They also had a small sun room that was set to have tropical conditions so they could show the conditions in which cocoa beans were grown. The water had lilies that were the most amazing purple color. They also had an extensive collection of molds of all different sizes. There was even a machine turning the molds with chocolate in them so you could see how it worked. Next, there was a truffle maker.
The exhibit of drinking vessels also had signs that gave a brief history of the geographical spread of chocolate before 1519. It said that at one point, 10 cocoa beans could buy a rabbit and 100 cocoa beans could buy a male slave. It was a very valuable method of payment. Now it is so accesible that in Switzerland, it is estimated that per person they consume 11 kg of chocolate a year. The exhibit also contained quite a few antique dispensers. They were all very detailed and some were even in the shape of animals.
After the museum, we decided to cross a bridge to go to the top of a tall building. A walking tour we found online suggested this and it was totally worth it. It was free and the elevator was green. When you get to the top (28 or 29 floors) you walk on the top of the building. There is glass all around and there are pictures on the glass that match significant buildings and structures. It was a great view of the city. And when we left the building, the exit was right at the end of the marathon. There were runners everywhere with their silver warming sheets. And, some of them were celebrating their runs with large beers. Yes, beer.
We walked along the Rhine on a nice path to another bridge so we could cross back over so we could go to the Roman-German Museum and walk through Alter Markt (old market/town). The bridge was covered in locks. Locks with names and dates, sayings, some just blank. Not just a few locks, probably thousands, across the entire span. It was beautiful. Here is one of my favorites.
The Roman-German Museum has an extensive collection of mosaics, floors and everything actually set up. There was a special exhibit on jewelry and all sorts of other bits. There was even a pair of glass shoes. They also had a section of the arch that used to stand at the entrance to town.
We walked briefly through the old market but it was still busy with runners, at 6 pm. We grabbed dinner at a local pub and then headed back. A very fun and exciting outing!
We waited. 15-20 minutes pass and they make another announcement in German. The nice couple explain that the train will go no further and that we need to get taxis. Funny, since we are pretty sure there are no taxis within an hour of here. Everyone leaves the train and stands at the bus stop that is there. No luck there though, it is Sunday and the buses only run Monday-Friday.
We wait another 30 minutes or so and just as we were getting a little worried, we ran into a Northeastern (somewhere in Mass.). He is here doing his Ph.D. in some sort of physics at the lab Alan is visiting. We chatted with him about what was happening and he knew as much as we did, maybe. :)
After another 10 minutes or so, another announcement from the train. We don't know what but everyone starts running for the train again! Yeah! Alan and I are relieved that we don't have to figure out how to get a taxi in the middle of nowhere with no phone. The train was off in about 15 minutes. While we waited, 4 police cars showed up to search a forested section opposite the train stop. Very strange.
We finally make it to Cologne and the city is busy. Turns out that we are there and so it the Cologne Marathon. Runners all over! Some very serious and others, well, in diapers. We also notice that there are people racing on modified roller blades. They have really tiny boots and giant wheels. They were zooming past the opposite direction and side of the road from the racers. It was great!
Our first stop was to see the inside of the Cologne Dom. Last time here, we climbed the stairs to the top of the towers but we didn't get in the church. There was some sort of choir rehersal going on and it was closed to visitors. Well, the inside is as amazing as the outside. So much detail and so lavish. This has to be our most favorite church visited yet.
Next stop, lunch and right in front of the chocolate museum. To be safe, we stick with the sausage and fries. The mayo and ketchup is a little weird but still good.
After the museum, we decided to cross a bridge to go to the top of a tall building. A walking tour we found online suggested this and it was totally worth it. It was free and the elevator was green. When you get to the top (28 or 29 floors) you walk on the top of the building. There is glass all around and there are pictures on the glass that match significant buildings and structures. It was a great view of the city. And when we left the building, the exit was right at the end of the marathon. There were runners everywhere with their silver warming sheets. And, some of them were celebrating their runs with large beers. Yes, beer.
1 comment:
Absolutely beautiful church! Glad you were able to go inside. And, wow, the Lindt chocolate factory! I love Lindt chocolate! Thanks for the photos and update!
Post a Comment