what else can you expect?
by richiecdisc
Cologne is an admittedly beautiful city but what I find most enthralling is its bustling and sometimes timeless pub scene. What else can you expect from a city with 12 independent breweries and a beer that by appellation is not brewed anywhere else, Kölsch! My first trip to Cologne was a beery pilgrimage. I was in Germany visiting a friend and had framed what was mostly a domestic visit with an entry in Munich and an exit via Cologne/Düsseldorf. I had been to the former but it had been over ten years since my last visit and I had learned a lot about German beer in the interim. I enjoyed it immensely but truly looked forward to end of the trip to not only try the various varieties of Kölsch and Alt biers but also to sample the two cities beer cultures. I can drink great beer in lots of places but what I particularly enjoy about it in Germany is finding truly authentic and traditional places in which to do it. It is in these instances that I feel transported in time and that makes all the beer hunting particularly satisfying.
That virgin trip to Germany’s Rhineland was full of such discoveries. Düsseldorf in particular was endowed with beery gems and admittedly was the favorite of the two. Cologne on the other hand had an immense variety of beers but the pubs were a bit more upscale though certainly not lacking in atmosphere. With a good buddy in tow, I visited too many pubs to count and tried an equally crazy number of Kölsch’s. It was a resounding success and I vowed to return one day for further investigation. (continued below in Fondest Memory)
Germans say that people from...
by miromi
Germans say that people from Köln are the friendliest around in Germany, and smile a lot and accost total strangers on the street and have the best sex in Germany (there is supposed to be some kind of survey published in the Spiegel that my friend kept referring to). There's also supposed to be a lot of cool music and hip hop and art here, which I all missed out on becuase I was in a deeply depressive state. for some reason all the teenagers looked an awfully lot like American teenagers to me than in other parts of Deutschland.
The nightlife street
by sabsi about Zülpicher Straße
If you look for a place to hang out where the locals hang out at night head to Zülpicher Strasse. There's lots of pubs here you can choose from. The fun street of Cologne! Depends on the location really. But scruffy is ok for most of them actually....
Expensive cafe in Cologne city centre
by SWFC_Fan about Cafe Piano
Cafe Piano is a high priced touristy cafe in the heart of Cologne city centre. It is located on Minoritenstrasse, just off the busy shopping street of Hohe Strasse. It is about 5-10 minutes walk from the famous Cathedral.
The cafe has a large interior with comfy looking sofas and an outdoor seating area with tables shaded by umbrellas. I sat outside one lunchtime during my visit to Cologne in July 2006, beneath an umbrella while a steady drizzle fell.
Most items on the menu were relatively highly priced and clearly aimed at high spending tourists.
The food on the menu included:
Sandwiches: both toasted and ordinary. A ham and cheese sandwich will set you back 5.90 Euros (I told you it was expensive!!)
Soups: a handful of flavours to choose from.
Spaghetti: with tomato sauce (8.90 Euros), with bacon (8.90 Euros) or with shrimps (12.90 Euros).
Meat dishes: including steaks, schnitzel and bratwurst.
Desserts: including apple strudel, various tortes with cream, waffles and ice cream. Again, prices were high, but I did hear the guy on the next table to mine getting very excited about the size of his waffle.
The cafe offers a selection of beers, wines, spirits, soft drinks and hot beverages (including a selection of alcoholic coffees).
The service was friendly and efficient. I made my order from a German language menu, but the waitress did ask if I wanted an English language menu. I opted for:
Spaghetti mit tomatensauce - Cost: 7.90 Euros
A plate of long spaghetti topped with a thick tomato and herb sauce. The food was nice, but I can't help but think that 7.90 Euros is very expensive for a plate of spaghetti with a sauce that clearly came from a packet or a tin. There was nothing to accompany the spaghetti.
Konig Pilsener (300ml) - Cost: 2.90 Euros
I actually wanted to try the much heralded local Kolsch beer. However, despite the menu including "kolner brauart" under its selection of beers, it was not available at the time of my visit. In the event, this pilsener was the best beer that I had during my stay in Cologne.
Good food in a good location.....but at tourist prices!!
The Dom
by richiecdisc
Cologne's cathedral is justifiably famous. Many such structures disappoint on first view due to their somewhat smaller than imagined stature. Not so the massive 157 meter towers that rise from the Gothic Dom. Its building was no less an undertaking, spanning nearly 600 years from 1248 to 1842. Odd as it may seem, despite heavy bombing the seeming easy target escaped with nary a scratch. To truly appreciate it, get to the other side of the Rhine where you can take the massive structure in.
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Entrance, Hohenzollern Bridge, Cologne
A closer look
Wrong boots & socks - again.
Hohenzollernbruecke
