Not in 140: Cologne

The Gothic Cologne Cathedral drew the eye as we sailed into the city of Cologne. The skyline is a mix of modern and ancient structures, but once we were on shore we were keen to walk to the cathedral and explore it inside. Construction began in 1248, and was worked on in several stages over 7 centuries and was not completed until 1880. It reminded us of Notre Dame in Paris.

The scaffolding outside is apparently a permanent sight as the exterior requires ongoing upkeep and renovation. This magnificent building emerged intact from the bombings during the war.

Inside, the structure is awe inspiring and one of its claims to fame is that relics of the Three Wise Men were brought to the city in 1164 and are enshrined here.

NB: The image below has been uploaded in original format, so should open large enough to read if clicked on....

River Cruise

Day 3 Cologne, Germany

This was our first extended period of sailing during the day and we really enjoyed it. Being on a river meant no waves and no splashing so although our cabin was almost at water level we could open the sliding doors right up without ever getting wet. It was extremely peaceful in our cabin with the doors folded right open and the countryside gliding by.

We divided our time with sitting on the top deck where a 360 degree view was to be had.

The slow pace and opportunity to read, relax and sunbathe was welcome. The endless supply of food was a guilty pleasure. I located the fitness centre and realised that a reduced number of passengers combined with the demographic profile of most guests meant there would be a high chance of finding free machines to use to counteract the eating!

At afternoon tea time we made landfall in Germany. Our first experience of arriving in a country without having to pass through border controls and homeland security procedures and we loved it.

This was also the first city we had arrived at by water and we all were captivated by the sight of the Cathedral on the horizon. We were to see many more sights like this, but the towering gothic cathedral in Cologne is impressive and it is easy to see why it is Germany’s most visited monument.

We docked close to the chocolate museum and joined our tour group. While the guide was hugely knowledgeable we discovered the pace was sedentary and the tour did not include entering any of the buildings we passed.

After a while peeled off and went on a self guided tour of the cathedral, followed by a walk through the main shopping streets. Locating the place where 4711 Eau de Cologne began was a highlight.

We stopped at the Roman Pretorium, which in modern times is the Town Hall of Cologne. The sight of a bridal party caught my eye and it was hard to resist being nosey. What a setting for wedding photos! We only got to look at the buildings from the outside, but a search on the internet shows that it would be easy to spend hours exploring inside.

Those who went on the Jewish heritage tour came back saying it was sobering but they were very pleased they went.

After dinner the first of the local entertainers we were to experience came onboard; “Groove Band”. They did their groove thing and then departed at 10.30pm as we were about to set sail for Rudesheim.

Notes were supplied daily by Isabel, the Cruise Director, to keep us informed and on time. Click on the links below to open and read.