Cologne

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We docked at a small town just outside Cologne first thing this morning. After breakfast, we walked about a quarter mile in driving rain to three buses for a ride into the city. Cologne is Germany's fourth largest city. The rain abated just as we started a "Cologne Past and Present" tour led by a gregarious and knowledgeable guide named Shiva who was from the Philippines. There is a story there but we did not get more than just a glimpse of it in talking to her. Nevertheless, she was dynamite: fun, smart and enthusiastic.

The first thing about Cologne you learn is that except for the Cathedral, U.S. bombing raids during the last year of WWII leveled the town. Every structure was rebuilt from the rubble from 1945 to 1974. The great cathedral was damaged but the windows had been removed earlier in the war and the concussions did not compromise the walls or break the glass. After the war, the church was repaired and the stained glass reinstalled. It is impressive inside and out although the Germans, unlike the English with St. Paul's, do not seem interested in removing the 800 years of grime that have accumulated on the facade. They like their cathedral in black. The spire is the tallest in Europe (515 feet) but because of the building density surrounding it and orientation, it is very hard to photograph. I tried but as you can see from the lense distortion, it is difficult to get it all in the frame.

After dinner, most of the passengers headed for a motor sport museum focused on Formula One racing. We passed and ended swapping travel stories with a Canadian couple who live in a small town in Ontario. They are avid hikers and have roamed most of Eastern Canada on foot.

We are now underway again heading for the Rhine Gorge which we'll reach about 7 am tomorrow. There are some 38 castles to see as we pass through and a 6:00 am wake up. It's going to be cloudy but hopefully not raining.

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