Cologne

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I stayed for four nights in Cologne, within walking distance of the huge cathedral. The two towers of the cathedral are 157 m high - it was the highest building in the world for four years in the 1880s. You can go to the top by climbing a seemingly neverending narrow spiral staircase. You really do get a sense of the height of the building this way, rather than by elevator. The views from the top were pretty good. The outside of the cathedral is very detailed and intricate and the inside was different than other big churches I've been in. It feels ancient (which makes sense since construction on the thing started in 1248). It supposedly holds the earthly remains of the three magi in an impressive looking gold box.

Cologne has lots of old churches and some old Roman ruins. The city has a laid back feel to it, at least compared with Berlin. There are some good bars along the main street, and the Kolsh beer, which is only brewed in and around Cologne, is really nice. The only museum I went to was the Ludwig museum, which has modern art. There was some good stuff by Warhol and Roy Liechtenstein. They also had quite a bit of Pablo Picasso, who was one strange individual.

I took it easy, though, in Cologne. I spent the better part of a day in a beautiful park along the Rhine with a view of the central part of the city (where the Cathedral is) where I read Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys, which came out about a week and a half ago.

The next stop is Amsterdam, where I'll have to sort out the remaining paperwork that goes along with the working holiday visa. After that, who knows? Actually, there probably won't be all that much movement for the next little bit, while I try to find some work for the next few weeks.

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