Köln (Cologne), by Herr Spence

Köln is a great city. As soon as we left the Hauptbahnhof, we were standing at the steps of the cathedral in the hustle and bustle of a very large city. Our tour guide was a both tall and humorous, a winning combination. He gave us a chronological tour of the city, starting at one of the gates to an old Roman fortification there in Colonia. From there we wound our way through narrow streets, viewed an ancient Roman sewer, and learned about the invention of cologne (which helped mask the odor of the stinking rich in the Middle Ages). There in the heart of the city archaeologists are still actively unearthing parts of an old Jewish district from the Middle Ages. We saw the old courthouse, the old fire-watch tower, and the old fish market.

The Cobbler's Wife and the Little People

Apparently, Germans didn't always have a reputation for being so industrious and hard working. For hundreds of years, the cathedral sat in various states of construction. The tradition in Cologne was to sit around all day and do no work. All the work was done at night by the little people. One night the cobbler's wife put some peas on the stairs to trip up the little people so she could see them. Unfortunately, the little people got hurt when they tripped on the peas. The cobbler's wife shone her lamp down and saw them, but nothing was the same after that. The little people were so upset that they never did any work for the townsfolk again. On a positive note, though, the cathedral was finished in less than sixty years after this incident. 

What's so special about this cathedral anyway? I'm glad you asked. The mortal remains of the three wise men are enshrined in the main part of the cathedral. If you're looking to make a pilgrimage, Cologne is the place to go. The stained glass windows depict various interpretations of the three wise men story through different ages in history. One piece shows them as lowly travelers, another as wealthy kings, and a modern piece is...well, lots of squares that look random, but they actually have a pattern. The exterior pictures show the cathedral in a pretty grimy state. The natural color of the stone is a dazzling white, but the proximity to the train station has turned most of the cathedral's exterior black. 

Archaeological dig of the old Jewish district

 No trip to Cologne is complete without a trip up the cathedral tower. It was long and exhausting, but certainly worth it. Frau Brandt told us to meet somewhere at some time, but I guess I wasn't paying enough attention. While the group was patiently waiting for the train that would take them back to Korschenbroich, I basked in the 95 degree weather soaking my feet in the public fountain. It was very relaxing until I got a call informing me that I had one minute to get to the platform. The rest of the group made it back home safe and sound.