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 DB Fahrkarte Machine by diocletianvs
What is in front of you is the DB Fahrkarte Machine - a device that speaks several languages and accepts everything from coins to credit cards.
Before your ticket is issued you have to answer the few questions the machine will ask you:
- Please choose the departure station
- Please choose the station you would like to arrive to
- Are you sure?
- What kind of train you'd like to take?
- Are you sure you wouldn't like to take the more expensive train?
- But the more expensive train is nice, white, clean and fast. Are you really sure you don't want to take it?
- Ok, we'll get you the ticket for the ugly red cheap train if you answer the following questions.
- What is your eyes colour?
- Oh, that would look nice with the colour of seats in our ICE trains. Press next.
- What is your shoe size?
- Oh, you'll have troubles fitting in second class compartment. Just a note! Press next.
- Last question. Pressen-Sie OK, Bitte.
- FromThisPointOn IwillSpeakOnlyGerman AlthoughYouSelectedEnglish AsYour LanguageOfCommunication. Pressen-Sie OK, Bitte
- Press Print to print your daily horoscope or Next to get your ticket.
After you press Next the Fahrkarte Machine will print you your possible itinerary in next couple of hours and also add the Lottery ticket.
I'm not sure if it's legal to ride the train only with the lottery ticket but that's the best Sabsi could get from the Fahrkarte Machine although she selected German and had Euro coins ready. I guess the machine didn't like her hair colour ;) Leave a Comment
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 brewery by croisbeauty
Another piece of good advice or better say warning, never bottom up your glass in case you wont drink more of beer! The weiters are strolling around with hands full of beers and as soon as they see your glass half empty they'll place another glass of beer right in front of you without asking. So, if you don't want to drink more beer, just hatch cover your glass.
Morover, never argue with Colognese weiters, they are very rude! Leave a Comment
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Cologne is leading Germany's statistics for petty crimes like pickpocketing and handbag robbing. Be careful in large crowds and waiting lines. Keep your valuables close to yourself and don't leave them in your car. A special problem for Cologne are the so-called "Klaukinder" -- "klauen" means to nick sthg. -- "Nick Kids" -- juvenile delinquents younger than 14 years being used by their parents or organized criminals for stealing. Leave a Comment
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 The street next to the
cathedral where I was pickp by breezydallas, 1 more photos
When I looked inside, my whole wallet was gone! I had been pick pocketed! I never even knew it or felt it! AGGGHHH!!! They are good at what they do, don't be fooled!
I have heard from the police that they can take a man's wallet from his pocket (even with tight pants) and the man will never feel it is happening! Oh My!
TIP: You might also want to keep a copy of phone numbers & account numbers of any cards you have in your wallet so you can cancel them right away if this happens to you! Keep the information in your suitcase or hotel safe, of course! *smile*
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Germans are a dangerous people, you know that! After recently having experienced some tough competition in the country-invading business, we are now resorting to more subtle ways of harrassing mankind: The Deutsche Bahn ticket vending machine!
Let me tell you how this menace works:
The other day, when I was taking the ICE from Cologne Airport to Heidelberg, I had pre-ordered my tickets and reservations through telephone... they give you a reservation number and you can go to the ticket machine, type in that number, pay by credit card and finally get your tickets... WELL. that is the theory. I did as I was told... clicked myself
through various menus without fully understanding what I was doing and finally was asked "print out all documents?" -- BINGO! I happily pushed "yes" and out came 4 paper slips. I hastily put them into my wallet and boarded the train that had already rolled into the station while I was battling with the machine.
When the conductor came round, I handed the slips to him. His face turned grim and he asked me: "Where is your ticket, sir?"-- "Excuse me?" -- "Where is your ticket?!!! Your ticket! Comprende??? These are just timetable printouts plus a credit card receipt. If you don't have a ticket, you need to buy one from me!"
And on went the argument... he threatening to make me pay the penalty fee for
not wanting to pay, me pointing out that at least the credit card receipt was proof I paid -- and that ticket machine was hardly selling anything else than.... tickets!
Finally a colleague of his came and had the idea to go to another ticket machine
at the next station and see if the missing ticket still was "in the system". And
indeed, it did come out! Phew!!!
In Lower Saxony, a man reportedly was billed EUR 2,7500,000 after typing in "Paris, Texas" as his destination. The bill included a fee of EUR 1,500.000 for "reservation of NASA spacecraft" and EUR 500,000 for "GOP party funds donation"... Be Afraid! Be VERY Afraid!!! Leave a Comment
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...for my opinion the most dangerous area in Cologne. In general the old town (Altstadt) is not safe in the evening. But there is no reason to stay there, the pubs and restaurants are real tourist traps with bad and expensive food. Except of the carnival season you will not meet people from Cologne there, but or tourists or rednecks from Colognes coutryside. Enjoy the architecture of Altstadt during daytime and move away when sun goes down. Leave a Comment
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 Mayhem and Madness but fun. by ricky52
If a German person wants to go from A to B, they will go in a straight line. If anything or anybody gets in their way, though luck.
This is the way they are, they even crash into each other. You will hardly hear a word of apology.
Please understand that they are NOT being rude, ignorant or even bad mannered.
We in Great Britain are just too polite.
So grin and bear it and learn to cope with it or it will spoil your enjoyment of your trip.
The German people are very friendly and helpful. Leave a Comment
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There are few public toilets in Cologne, and as with many European cities, it is acceptable to use the toilet of a bar or cafe, but you do have to pay! Even if you are using the bar or cafe, you still have to leave a tip for the attendent at the toilet, normally 30c. If you dont leave a tip, prepared to be shouted at !!! Leave a Comment
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When visiting downtown Cologne by car, it is a pretty good idea to park it on the other bank of the Rhine, for instance on the many parking spaces of the exhibition grounds. From there, you can walk across the Rhine using the Hohenzollern bridge which will get you right to the Cathedral. Especially people who cannot climb stairs, beware! The Hohenzollern bridge has two separate walkways, separated without any link by the railway tracks. Only the southern one (the one facing the Hyatt Hotel and the Museum Ludwig) can be used without steps. The northern one abruptly ends in a steep staircaise well before the Hauptbahnhof. Spare yourself the annoying experience of having to go back all the way, and thank the poor guy who just found out about this (me). Leave a Comment
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If you are going on the Thalys trains from Paris to Cologne, you will of course pass through Belgium. Watch out if you sit in the last carriage as it is common for thieves to sneak on board at a station, grab some luggage and then hop off again before the train leaves. This happened to a colleague of mine and then he was in Liège so maybe that's where it is most common. When he alerted the train guard, he was in any case told that this happens every week. The thieves know that there are many tired business travellers on Thalys... Leave a Comment
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- Gastehaus Koln
Pleilstrasse 43, entrance on Kettengasse, Cologne - Haus an den 7 Wegen
Grafenmuehlenweg 220, Cologne - Mercure Koeln Airport
Hauptstrasse 369, Cologne - Hotel Ilbertz
Mindener Strasse 6, Cologne - Hyatt Regency Cologne
Kennedy-Ufer 2A, Cologne - Hotel Berg
Brandenburger Strasse 6, Cologne - Hotel Domblick Garni
Domstrasse 28, Cologne - Radisson Blu Hotel, Cologne
Messe Kreisel 3, Cologne - Excelsior Hotel Ernst
Trankgasse 1 - 5 Domplatz, Cologne - Ramada Hotel Koln-Hurth
Theresienhoehe 99, Hurth, Cologne - Mercure Hotel Severinshof Koeln City
Severinstrasse 199, Cologne - Airport Hotel
Waldstrasse 216, Cologne - Leonet Hotel
33 Rubensstrasse, Cologne - Top Hotel Fair And More
Adam-Stegerwald-Strasse 9, Cologne - Star Am Dom
Ursula Strasse 4-8 or Marzellen Strasse 58-60, Cologne
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