Koln (aka Cologne), Germany

Our destination today was Koln--which Americans usually refer to as Cologne, Germany. But since we are feeling very German (and because it is also shorter to type) we're going to use its European spelling for this blog.

After seven days on our cruise, it was time to repack our suitcases and get off our very comfortable ship. While Mark was feeling better every day, Denisa seemed to be feeling worse. It was a shame to have a flu that took away our appetites while on a cruise ship with its abundance of food! The last morning on the ship we would forego the delicious four-course breakfast menu and instead ate cream of wheat and oatmeal. On this European cruise we didn't have to go through customs as we departed the ship. With our two little rolling bags we left the ship in the first self-assisted departure group. It was a mile-walk to the bus stop to catch bus #11 for the ride to Klein, Germany's train station. Then we had four minutes to catch the hourly train. We might not have felt well, but we can be fast when we have to be. We made it on the train to Hamburg's Damtor station, where we switched to a very crowded train for the ride south. We were fortunate to find a seat for the four-hour ride, as Denisa was eating acetaminophen and cough medicine like it was candy.

When we got off the second train, we made the five-minute walk to the new Urban Loft Hotel and checked in. We probably should have gone directly to bed for the rest of the day. But we were visiting a famous European city that we have never seen before. So we left our luggage, and immediately started a tour of Koln's highlights. Most of them were in the historic old town area called Altstadt, on the west bank of the Rhine River. As we entered this section we were greeted by protesters and Palestinian flags in front of the Koln Cathedral.

While we planned to see the interior of this famous church, our first priority was the belfry. We paid admission for the privilege to climb the narrow and winding 533 steps. Notice that the steps were wider on the outside of the curve, but quite narrow on the inside. When meeting someone coming down, one of you had to traverse the narrow side of those steps. While this would be a daunting task on any day, it was especially difficult on a flu day.

After an invigorating climb up about half those steps, we came to an opening where we could see the bells in this bell tower.

The most famous is "Fat Peter." Until 2016 this was the largest bell on a straight yoke in the world.

After a breather to check out Fat Peter, we climbed on. The next section included steps enclosed in a metal cage.

When we got to the next landing, some people chose to go no further. The unprotected spiral stairs were daunting for anyone afraid of heights.

We were walking on clouds at this height as we peeked through the cathedral's ornamental openings.

The observation deck at the very top provided the best views at the top of Koln's famous cathedral.

It also provided the best views of the Rhine River that snakes it way through Koln.

The observation deck was a narrow walkway that completely encircled the bell tower.

We took too many pictures from the top, but we assumed this was another once-in-a-lifetime trek on this epic trip.

While going down was somewhat easier, we wouldn't say that it was easy. Again, meeting tourists going the opposite direction was tricky.

While climbing the bell tower required a ticket, visiting the inside of the Koln Cathedral did not.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, an average of 20,000 visitors come to see the Koln Cathedral's exquisite stained-glass windows every day.

In the middle of the summer tourist season we were way above average in attendance numbers.

But the Cathedral is so huge it is hard for it to feel crowded even in the height of tourist season.

Back outside, we were enjoying the beautiful blue sky weather with the twin cathedral spires behind us.

The good news was that our appetites seemed to be returning. Lunch at the best-reviewed shop selling doners was also on Denisa's check list. These turkish sandwiches include shaved meat, vegetables, and tzatziki sauce.

We wandered around Koln's Old Town to find the Heinzelmannchenbrunnen fountain. That is not an easy word to type or pronounce.

This ornate 19th-century fountain features the legendary house gnomes of Koln.

Wherever we wandered in Koln, we could always see the top of the Cathedral. The plaza surrounding it was a good place to meet or people-watch, or take a picture of the over-sized soccer ball celebrating the Eurocup games that Germany was proud to host for 2024.

While the cathedral was the most famous, we also found the Great St. Martin Church in Koln.

We were in Koln on a Saturday, and discovered this was the weekend-bridal-party town. 

We found a couple dozen groups attired in veils and sashes and matching attire celebrating upcoming weddings.

We also found German ice cream. After a week on a ship with little of Mark's favorite frozen treat, he was happy to wander with a cone in his hand once again.

Our next wandering took us to the Hohenzollern Bridge that crosses the Rhine River. In fact, this is the most heavily used railway bridge in Germany. Over 1,200 trains will cross the Rhine River here each day.

But the reason we wanted to walk the pedestrian side of the bridge was to see the record number of padlocks that hang here. Couples use a lock to immortalize their love on this famous landmark.

This practice has added 15 tons of weight to this bridge that is now commonly called the Love Lock Bridge. They estimate that more than 50,000 locks are hanging here, with 50,000 keys thrown into the Rhine River.

After our cruise, we literally hit the ground running, anxious to experience as much of Europe as possible this summer. We walked 7 miles this day. 

Even on a day when we didn't feel the best, Koln (aka Cologne), Germany, provided a beautiful place to wander.