Köln

Germany's fourth-largest city

Alles gute zum Geburtstag Massi!!!

Your favorite,We got you some Pugs

stoltz,Massi with Lennard.

Ultimate Slacklining!

Rhede Junges reunion

Massi,looking sharp in his new birthday hat!

Jeanette!!!!
So excited to reunite with our dear friend who was studying in San Diego,now back in Köln.

Another rainy day...

Land der Ideen

Community library,built on a trust system. No library card required.
Borrow a book,bring it back. You could even drop off books but
recently they stopped taking books because of the overflow. I love this idea of "pop-up" libraries around parks.

Massi = best tour guide!!!

German Sports & Olympics Museum

The museum documents the history of the Olympic Games and the success of German Olympians.

Chocolate Museum

go on a journey through the 3,000 year history of chocolate –
from "the food of the Gods" for the Aztecs to a modern industrial product.

Enjoying our chocolate and cocoa

Local Characters, Anecdotes and Specialities

DER KALLENDRESSER
The Kallendresser,made by German sculptor Ewald Mataré.
Kallendresser are statues that have tradition back to medieval times, they are bared bottom figurines doing their business in the house gutter (the word Kall translates into gutter). There are several theories about the origin of such figures, from simply being the rooftop dweller relieving himself in the quickest yet crudest manner to a dispute between business owners or even some sort of political statement.

Look up to glimpse at the little bare bottom and smile.

Tünnes und SchälAre two legendary figures from the city of Köln.They never actually existed,but were invented by Johann Christoph Winter (1772-1862),

the owner of the Hänneschen puppet theatre.

The good-natured but dim Tünnes is constantly being taken in for a ride by the cunning and crafty Schäl.

SchälHis character is represented sly, cunning, and even sneaky.

Tünnes Rural-hearty, type with a peaceful mind and a certain shrewdness shown.

It is said to be "good Luck" to rub both of their noses.

The opposite characters are supposed to say something about the Kölsch spirit and are examples for the lessons in life, no positive examples, though.

more characters

It's a German Gnome Flag

Kölner Dom

LOve locks

For several years now, love locks have been considered one of Cologne’s most charming traditions. As proof of their love, couples fix padlocks to the railings on the Hohenzollern Bridge; to ensure everlasting love, they then throw the key into the Rhein river below.

Experts estimate that the padlocks weigh over two tones.
And more padlocks appear on a daily basis

More community gardens.
some well maintained and others...in need of extra loving

Danke Massi fur alles!

Köln at night with Jeanette before we say goodbye

Missing home...

"Tatort" famous Crime series in Germany that even has it's own public viewing every Sunday night.
Filmed in Münster at the book store as shown in the last post.