Eau de... Cologne!

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As anyone in the know will tell you, no trip abroad is complete without a pit-stop in Koeln :-) .... so that's exactly where we started off our travels. What amazes me about each trip back here over the past 20 years is that despite the continual dynamics of the city itself and the relationships origanally formed here, there is a fundamental familiarity that persists to draw me back. The face of the city is continually changing, as reflected by the overwhelming number of construction sites and familiar store-fronts making way for new Thai and Indian restaurants. And yet, though Koeln is often derided for its grit, as epitomized by its most famous landmark, there is a beauty that shines through and an excitement in the air for what the future holds. For no matter what changes are in store, the fundamentals of the city's past are ever-present.

Paralleling happenings in the city, what truly surprised me is that relationships established eons ago in my childhood persist and grow despite where life has taken all of us over the years. And, best of all is being able to share the love I hold for Koeln and the people who make it a special place to visit with fellow M.

All in all, a wonderful trip re-acquainting with the familiar before we set off into the unknown...

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