Melissa Abroad 2022: Best of Germany in 13 Days
Cologne
One Day in Cologne:
Stau, Brezeln, und Berliners
Have you ever been in a Stau
(German traffic jam)?
Well...our group surely experienced a Stau for the books as we made our way to Cologne!
Dirk, our driver, was ever the professional in navigating the construction and road blocks. Matti, our guide, shared with us some stories about German traffic jams :D
It was a long drive, and we were running a bit behind schedule.
Because he's so awesome, Dirk took a detour to make sure we'd arrive in Cologne in time for our walking tour.
Stau sign along the A1,
on our way to Cologne.
Quick Lunch!
We made it to Cologne!
Since we were a bit late, we didn't have time to stop for lunch. Matti surprised us with a quick snack--pretzels! Yum!
It was raining, so we enjoyed our snack under the awning for Louis Vuitton (lol)!
I just love these moments where we experienced something unique and special to
our tour!
Our walking tour of Cologne took us along the Rhine River and over to the Historic Town Hall
with the wedding room (where we saw a number
of couples getting married).
We finished our tour at the infamous 4711 Eau de Cologne perfume shop.
Our group enjoying our impromptu lunch
(courtesy of our guide): Brezeln!
Me outside of the Cologne Cathedral.
Food Recommendation!
(Sugar-coated donut with jelly filling)
A tour mate and I picked up some
of these to share with the rest of the group.
A nice little snack as we
rode to our next destination.
Above: Click the donut to learn more about Berliners!
Deutsches Rudewendengun!
"Komm schon, spring über deinen Schatten!"
Literally: Come on, jump over your shadow!
German meaning: Get out of your comfort zone!
Tünnes und Schäl!
We met Tünnes und Schäl!
Two characters in the Henneschen Theater (1800s).
Tünnes - Bulbous nose (rub his nose for good luck!), represents Cologne.
Schäl - Skinny, tall, and a bit sly.
Together, they are a comedic duo...joking, arguing, and philosophizing...Cologne style!
I had the funniest conversation with them--
they were quite a hoot! (haha!)
Photo Album!
Hover or click the pictures to view descriptions and see them larger.
Don't forget my favorite links at the bottom!
My Favorite Cologne Things!
Kölner Dom - Cathedral St. Peter at Cologne. It took over 600 years to build and is believed to house the relics of the Three Kings/Three Wise Men (gold, frankincense, and myrrh). There was a special ceremony the day we were there for ordaining priests, so we did not get to view the interior of the cathedral. I'll have to save that for my next visit!
Merzenich Backerei - The bakery with the best pretzels in Cologne, and the best Berliners!
Tünnes und Schäl - The legendary characters of Cologne.
Brauhaus Tünnes & Schäl - Small restaurant serving traditional Cologne dishes with the Tünnes & Schäl figures outside.
4711 Cologne - The infamous cologne from Cologne. The original 4711 shop where you can buy the traditional fragrance in its many forms. Makes a great gift to bring back home!
Gaffel am Dom - Brewhouse near the Cathedral serving the traditional Kölsch beer. Our guide took us here for a quick drink before hitting the road again.
Kölsch Beer - A style of beer originating in Cologne.
Roman-German Museum - We didn't have much time in Cologne, but this museum looked right up my alley! I'll definitely need to explore this next time!