During my stay in Holland I took a trip to the German city of Cologne. The travel time was a little over 2 hours and for the relatively short travel, the difference between the two countries. Though being two modern and cosmopolitan countries, the two still hold their own distinct identities. Each having their own way of life and being proud of their differences in food, culture, language, music and even beer.
On driving into Cologne from any direction, the first thing that anyone will see is the Cologne Cathedral, or "Kölner Dom" as it is known in German. Its quite a sight for any tourist and what really stands out is the sheer size of the structure. Not just the towers which stand at over 157 meters, but the width and bredth of the thing also.
Upon finding the hotel, which is by far the best hotel I have ever stayed in, it was time to explore. A stones throw from the hotel was the Hohenzollernbrück bridge, which we had to cross to reach the city centre. What really struck me in particular about this bridge was it's resemblance to the Tyne bridge in Newcastle. The main difference being that it is a hell of a lot bigger! Its about 3 Tyne bridges long, and 3 Tyne bridges wide. Now thats pretty big!!!!
A must in Cologne is to take one of the numerous tour boats which travel along the Rhine. This is a great way to see the city and find out things which you probably would never have known from the tour guide. It is a very pleasant experience to see most of the sights from a different angle. When on the boat, it sinks in that there is so much in Cologne to see and everything is so close to each other. Cologne is definitely a place that has more than just a famous fragrance (Eau de Cologne, which took its name from the city.)
Once in the city centre, I found that Cologne has most things that you would expect from a large European city, designer stores, cafes, bars, restaurants and a few art galleries. The old part of town is what was the most interesting though. From the outside, the old town doesnt look so big, but once you are in there, following the narrow cobbled streets it doesnt take long to realise that there is plenty to see and do here and the atmosphere was extremely pleasant and upbeat. There were a couple of decent sized market squares which were quite lively, even in the middle of the day, which looked like the place to go for a party once the sun goes to sleep.
From here, it was decided that a thing which had to be done was climbing the steps of the cathedral. Something which seems a good idea until you are about a quater of the way up. The narrow spiral staircase was busy from the bottom to the top and it seems to take a lifetime to reach the top. Every now and then, on the way up, it is possible to catch a glimpse of outside through one of the thin windows and really see how quickly you are climbing. Once you reach the top and manage to get past all of the tired and out of breath people the view is quite spectacular and you forget the journey you just took to get there. On a clear day you can see for miles and miles around the city and looking down at the people who look like ants down below is something which will be impossible to forget. You also have to think about the effort which went into designing and building something as huge and dramatic as this building (It was started in 1248 and wasnt completed until 1880.) In the night sky, with the spotlights shining up onto this cathedral, it looks like something from a horror movie, almost unreal. Still today, it is the second highest gothic structure in the world. Although I didnt see it myself, the cathedral holds the shrine which is thought to contain the bones of the three wise men. Im sure this would be quite a sight and probably quite a moving experience for people who are religious.
The bars I visited in Cologne I found to be of a good standard. All had a friendly atmosphere around them and none seemed to ever be quiet. Before visiting Cologne, I was warned by some German friends (and even someone who lives in Cologne) not to drink the Cologne beer, as its the worst in Germany, but I found nothing wrong with it. I think its something to try for yourself!
The natives of Cologne all seemed to be very friendly and helpful and this helped to create the friendly, feelgood feeling that is apparent all around the city.
Back across the bridge to the hotel, where we were treated more like royalty then just normal people in Cologne for a weekend. The facilities were second to none and there was nothing better than relaxing in the hotel jacuzzi after the exitement of a new city.
Two nights after arriving it was time to leave and I couldnt help but notice how fast the time had went by since I arrived. The thought in my head when I left was that I will definitely visit this place again and no doubt will discover one or two things I didnt find before.
On driving into Cologne from any direction, the first thing that anyone will see is the Cologne Cathedral, or "Kölner Dom" as it is known in German. Its quite a sight for any tourist and what really stands out is the sheer size of the structure. Not just the towers which stand at over 157 meters, but the width and bredth of the thing also.
Upon finding the hotel, which is by far the best hotel I have ever stayed in, it was time to explore. A stones throw from the hotel was the Hohenzollernbrück bridge, which we had to cross to reach the city centre. What really struck me in particular about this bridge was it's resemblance to the Tyne bridge in Newcastle. The main difference being that it is a hell of a lot bigger! Its about 3 Tyne bridges long, and 3 Tyne bridges wide. Now thats pretty big!!!!
A must in Cologne is to take one of the numerous tour boats which travel along the Rhine. This is a great way to see the city and find out things which you probably would never have known from the tour guide. It is a very pleasant experience to see most of the sights from a different angle. When on the boat, it sinks in that there is so much in Cologne to see and everything is so close to each other. Cologne is definitely a place that has more than just a famous fragrance (Eau de Cologne, which took its name from the city.)
Once in the city centre, I found that Cologne has most things that you would expect from a large European city, designer stores, cafes, bars, restaurants and a few art galleries. The old part of town is what was the most interesting though. From the outside, the old town doesnt look so big, but once you are in there, following the narrow cobbled streets it doesnt take long to realise that there is plenty to see and do here and the atmosphere was extremely pleasant and upbeat. There were a couple of decent sized market squares which were quite lively, even in the middle of the day, which looked like the place to go for a party once the sun goes to sleep.
From here, it was decided that a thing which had to be done was climbing the steps of the cathedral. Something which seems a good idea until you are about a quater of the way up. The narrow spiral staircase was busy from the bottom to the top and it seems to take a lifetime to reach the top. Every now and then, on the way up, it is possible to catch a glimpse of outside through one of the thin windows and really see how quickly you are climbing. Once you reach the top and manage to get past all of the tired and out of breath people the view is quite spectacular and you forget the journey you just took to get there. On a clear day you can see for miles and miles around the city and looking down at the people who look like ants down below is something which will be impossible to forget. You also have to think about the effort which went into designing and building something as huge and dramatic as this building (It was started in 1248 and wasnt completed until 1880.) In the night sky, with the spotlights shining up onto this cathedral, it looks like something from a horror movie, almost unreal. Still today, it is the second highest gothic structure in the world. Although I didnt see it myself, the cathedral holds the shrine which is thought to contain the bones of the three wise men. Im sure this would be quite a sight and probably quite a moving experience for people who are religious.
The bars I visited in Cologne I found to be of a good standard. All had a friendly atmosphere around them and none seemed to ever be quiet. Before visiting Cologne, I was warned by some German friends (and even someone who lives in Cologne) not to drink the Cologne beer, as its the worst in Germany, but I found nothing wrong with it. I think its something to try for yourself!
The natives of Cologne all seemed to be very friendly and helpful and this helped to create the friendly, feelgood feeling that is apparent all around the city.
Back across the bridge to the hotel, where we were treated more like royalty then just normal people in Cologne for a weekend. The facilities were second to none and there was nothing better than relaxing in the hotel jacuzzi after the exitement of a new city.
Two nights after arriving it was time to leave and I couldnt help but notice how fast the time had went by since I arrived. The thought in my head when I left was that I will definitely visit this place again and no doubt will discover one or two things I didnt find before.
