Guten Tag Sweet Friends!
Yesterday (or day 2 of my Cologne orientation) was spent exploring more of the city, local stores and trains/subways, plus a quick visit to The Dom!
I LOVE the public transport systems here – trains are everywhere and they are fast and efficient. Cross country trains, regional trains, inter-city trains are all on the DB network with easy to understand maps and schedules. They even have an app that I have downloaded to assist in getting from one part of the city to another. Awesome! Doc is teaching me which trains come straight to the flat and are most useful in my day to day excursions to the grocery store and local markets. Yesterday our local train (metro or underground) stopped in a tunnel unexpectedly and we remained stopped for about 10 minutes. Announcements were forthcoming but of course all in German so I have no idea what the problem was but locals seemed non-pulsed so we kept our seats and assumed it was a short-lived problem.
Luckily, most everyone here speaks English so asking someone would not be an issue. Unfortunately, like most Americans, I only speak English. It is amazing to me how many languages Europeans speak – German, French, English, Portuguese – and can switch back and forth effortlessly. I met a gentleman in a McDonald’s restaurant where we stopped to use the WC (restroom). He was the WC attendant taking Euro’s to use the facilities, probably not a sought-after or high-paying job. He was from Ethiopia, but he spoke very good English as well as French, German and a little Russian. Jeez! I feel like such a backwards, ignorant hick over here!! Well, that’s nothing new and I’ve kinda gotten used to it by now 🙂
We picked out a small dresser for my room that should be delivered next week; hit the farmer’s market for juice veggies and returned home with two huge bags of fresh produce, all grown locally and organically. Yippee!!! I washed everything and made a large container of juice. Ahhhhhh, yummy!!
After our lunch break, we grabbed another train and headed towards one of the larger plazas very close to the cathedral or as it’s called locally, The Dom. It was very busy with tons of locals and tourists, tons of shopping and plenty of cafes. There is no shortage of cafe’s here. Like most of Europe, German cafe’s are an essential part of everyday life and I can understand why. It is so relaxing to stop, sit outside with an espresso or kaffe and watch the people go by. Outdoor heaters and blankets on the chairs are standard issue here so the chill is not a problem. I love it!
We stopped at a huge kitchen store where we investigated a new juicer. I found one like the Omega Vert I had in Hawaii so we will likely make that essential purchase later this week. I want to look online and see if we might find one that can be delivered. I’m very particular about my juice as you know so having the right juicer is essential!
We continued walking and eventually made it to The Dom. I have to say that it is one of the most massive and imposing cathedrals I have seen. It is dark and foreboding, weathered and blackened over time. It is one of the very few structures in Cologne that was not destroyed by WWII bombs. Most of the city was completely destroyed by the bombing and has been rebuilt, a lot of it was historically restored and a lot is new and modern looking. It’s a lovely combination. But the cathedral, Germany’s largest and one of the largest in Europe, is amazingly and lovingly restored. Work is most always ongoing as such a massive structure is probably always in need of some repair. We did not venture inside as this is another, much longer excursion in itself, so the pix are from outside only. I am so looking forward to seeing inside and exploring the smallest of rooms and learning their history.
Everyday is a new learning experience and the smallest things are fascinating to me. Today, we are planning an excursion to a small community just south of the city and a few more stops for essentials. Tonight we have dinner plans with some friends (new to me of course) at a local restaurant. Looking forward to meeting new people and enjoying a night out!
Auf Wiedersehen for now!!
Massive and imposing, Germany’s largest cathedral is magnificent. You can see more pix by clicking on Photos link above and selecting Cologne.