Germany was a load of fun. Köln (or Cologne) is a laid back city with loads of young, colourful people. A refreshing change after soaking up the sun in the South of France with a predominantly over 50s crowd.

German nosh - Fantastic!

We went to Köln to visit our Wellington friends Nina and Rob, and attend their wedding. As a bonus we were able to stay in Nina and Rob’s flat which meant we got to live like real locals, using the trams to get around, eating from local markets and drinking Kölsch. Kölsch is a beer that is only allowed to be brewed in Köln, it tastes fine, and the interesting thing is how it is served: the special waiter (Köbes) carries around a tray of a dozen little glasses (nick-named test-tubes) and keeps replacing your empty glass until you put a coaster on top of it to say you’ve had enough. It’s served everywhere and a good social ativity for tourists and locals to share at any time of the day.

The cosy ascent is not reccomended for oversized individuals.

Climbing to the top of the Dom was a highlight of the Dom in the city centre was a highlight. My vertigo is getting tested time and time again on this holiday, but nonetheless I made it to the top of the 500-and-something rickety steps to look out over the Rhine and the 360-degree landscape view.

A Dominating view

I got my animal fix at Köln Zoo where I was surprised to see Okapi for the second time in less than a year. An orangutan creating artwork on the window using “available materials” had us intrigued for ages. It’s amazing what can be done with a bamboo leaf, lips and faeces.

Nina, Rob, Ben, louise, penguins.

The wedding guests looked sharp!

Nina and Rob’s wedding was a hoot, in an ancient building we sampled the best selection of German cakes, let off red balloons and danced in an old cellar till the early hours drinking Kölsch. Congratulations Nina and Rob on a great day. Topped it off, with our first exhilerating taxi ride home on the Auto Bahn.

 Walking back down the hill past this guys house.

As new honorary Kennedy family members, Louise and I were able to join in the post wedding activities to see some more sights. One day we went for a big boat ride up the river to go for a Cog Train ride to the top of a hill. We explored relics and heard the local legend told by a puppet dragon who came out of his cave when a euro was put in. Walking back down to the village through the forest was a real treat. We wound our way down through the tall beech trees, catching glimpses of elaborate castles and donkeys.  

The Locals.

We thoroughly enjoyed our German holiday, and look forward to returning someday, not only to Köln, but also to the great Berlin that we heard so much about, and perhaps Munich in October.

Dom