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Cologne Travel Blogs

Background: As Europe's largest economy and most populous nation, Germany remains a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany in two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key Western economic and security organizations, the EC, which became the EU, and NATO, while the Communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact. The decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War allowed for German unification in 1990. Since then, Germany has expended considerable funds to bring Eastern productivity and wages up to Western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU countries introduced a common European exchange currency, the euro.

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By EmStar Tiffiths
December 31st 2008

Köln, one hell of a town.

Europe » Germany » North Rhine-Westphalia » Cologne

Bruke und der Dom
Before walking over the Rhein River to see the Köln Dom.

I find it funny that everyone one spells Köln like Cologne except from the German people. It's the same in Wales, the English went in there and started renaming and spelling things. Seriously guys, what gives? The first leg of Emily's German adventure took place in Köln with her awesome classmate, Nora. Nora's family was kind enough to put me up for about a week before I headed to Frankfurt for Christmas and New Years. The first thing that Nora did the day after I got off the plane was take me to the Köln Dom, the historic Cathedral in the [View Full Entry]

By deneefau
December 30th 2008

Episode Nine - 'Sex, Drugs & Rock 'n' Roll'

Europe » Germany » North Rhine-Westphalia » Cologne

More map issues
With those gloves on I had trouble getting the map open, let alone working out where we were.

Herzliche Grüße aus Köln! Which (hopefully) means, 'best wishes from Cologne'. We caught the train here from Amsterdam today in order to save about 200€, but more on that in a second. The last time that we had the pleasure of your company Sharon and I were sitting in an internet cafe in Amsterdam, scared to go out into the -4 degree evening. After eventually getting up the courage, we headed out to the street and after some deliberation decided to visit a local Indian restaurant. The food was quite delicious and it made us laugh thinking that two Australians were [View Full Entry]

By Lynn Lynn
December 8th 2008

COLOGNE, GERMANY

Europe » Germany » North Rhine-Westphalia » Cologne

COLOGNE
View from the Dom

MY CS HOST. Finn was his name -- it rhymed with Lynn, thus we were of course destined to get along. Finn's online humor was contagious and I was looking forward to meeting him. After an hour train ride south from Oberhausen and a hike up five exhausting flights of stairs we finally met. Finn got me acquainted with his pad - complete with a bar, however, not put to much use (what a shame). I settled in while Finn whipped up some pasta for lunch and we got acquainted over our swap of couchsurfing stories. Finn shared his travels through [View Full Entry]

By EmyAnne
November 23rd 2008

Saturday with Bryn and Zac

Europe » Germany » North Rhine-Westphalia » Cologne

Yesterday was awesome. I went to koln to meet up with two other exchange students living around Bonn it was really nice we walked around the city but got out of the touristy part of town and ended up where some small turkish shops are. We looked around at the gadgets for sell and alked around there. A street was full of wedding dress shops and prom dresses I so would have wished to have found that shop last year. But I didn't. We came to part of the Old roman wall which was build around the city then alked passed [View Full Entry]

By Matt in Deutschland
November 19th 2008

Tale of Two Parties. One Classy, One not so Much

Europe » Germany » North Rhine-Westphalia » Cologne

Uni Ball Group
This is the group from my program that went to Uni Ball.

I have finally started feeling like I am getting use to living in my new town of Remscheid. I have been going to school now for about a month and that schedule seem to be feeling more normal. What better way to celebrate adjusting to a schedule than going to a couple of fun parties. One Classy When I first started at the University of Wuppertal I had heard that every year they have a Uni Ball. A couple of people in my program were really excited about the idea but I wasn’t sold. The Uni Ball was the first weekend [View Full Entry]

By hmterraaus
November 8th 2008

Köln (Cologne) in 2 days

Europe » Germany » North Rhine-Westphalia » Cologne

KÃ¶lner dom

I'd never been this far into the West of Germany, so it was time while I waited to fly to Finland. I arranged a mitfahr to the Dom shadowed city and a couchsurf in Leverkussen. On the first day I was showed around for a while one of my hosts (a former tourguide) was on his way to work. We walked over the bridge (Hohenzollernbrücke) and I was hit by the wonderful sight of an interesting busy riverside city and its towering landmark, the Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral). I then wondered why I hadnt organised to visit it earlier in the [View Full Entry]

By EmyAnne
October 2nd 2008

Journee a Köln

Europe » Germany » North Rhine-Westphalia » Cologne

The church
That's the church which looked empty inside. I think

Salut mes Quebecois favorie. Bon sa va s'arretter la mon orthographe est mauvaise. This will probably be my last entery until I get back from my trip in Austria Skiing in the alps. Today I spent the day in Köln it was really nice I had so much fun. This morning I left at around 8:00 to catch the bus alone and I had arranged to meet with the guy I met on the bus my first trip there. I arrived at 9:30 about at the bus station it's beside the train station in Köln for those who might know. So [View Full Entry]

By vcas
August 21st 2008

"Why is freedom more important than love?"

Europe » Germany » North Rhine-Westphalia » Cologne

Inside the Dom Cathedral

'allo! (I've decided thats how Europeans pronounce it). So we are here in Cologne, and Erin and Stephen made it yesterday (no, they didn't get put into the 2 beds in my room, but they are just downstairs). Yesterday morning I went to the cathedral. Words cannot describe how amazing it is, so I don't even think I'll try. Its huge...to say the least! I didn't end up taking a tour because they had pamphlets that did a good job explaining (plus I took a year of art history over 2 years ago...that should be enough, right???). I took so many [View Full Entry]

By vcas
August 19th 2008

And then there were 3...

Europe » Germany » North Rhine-Westphalia » Cologne

Stephen
Next to an EU Commission office.

Well, I am officially in my last city on my 2 week Europe adventure. It has been a blast; tiring, but awesome! I said my final farewells to Bethany and Jan in Brussels, and now I'm chilling in Cologne where Erin and Stephen will meet up with me tomorrow. Our last day in Brussels was fun (yes, Jan actually made it!). We did indeed find th EU Parliament, after getting directions from a nice American business man in a Belgium deli. We ended up going on a free audio tour (very high tech), and it was pretty awesome to see...its like [View Full Entry]

By EmyAnne
August 16th 2008

Shopping in Koln and the Dom

Europe » Germany » North Rhine-Westphalia » Cologne

Köln
The Kölner Dom

This morning I met with M.Lampe my counselor for the first time. Havier's family my host mom and I plus is family where out for breakfeast at a lovely little restoraurant in town with fine pastries. The meal was nice I was happy to meet him so we couldarrange to get my things settled moneyweise. At 10:30 I caught up with Michelle and Her friend Nadia to take the bus to Koln. We got at the station just on time to catch the first bus their. The ride was not to bad going up. The girls were speaking english with me [View Full Entry]

Travel Blog » Europe » Germany » North Rhine-Westphalia » Cologne