Day 1: We made it! Cologne or bust

While my sleep wasn't great, it was amazing to have the option to lay flat and try to sleep or recline and relax.  I did wake up feeling somewhat rested when breakfast was served!  

The fresh fruit was just what I needed!  Colin said he stayed up the entire flight but when I got up his eye mask was on and he was not moving so I know he slept a little bit.  The key to beating jetlag is to not nap when you arrive in Europe.  We arrived around 8:30am so it would be a long day but I was determined to make it happen since our trip is not long.  I wanted to enjoy everyday and not be totally wiped out.  I like to fly into Frankfurt airport because the train station is connected and makes it easy to get to our destination.  For the first time I purchased a German Rail Pass.  We had five days to use any German train.  It is important to know you must purchase this ahead of time and have sent your address outside of Germany as it is only valid for non-citizens.  Thankfully, I realized this a few weeks before our trip and it arrived in plenty of time.  I stopped at the DB Information desk to ask about how to validate the pass and was told I do it myself each day before we board the train . . . talk about honor system!  We made our way to the tracks and discovered our train was super late which is unusual for European trains.  So we waited and it finally arrived 43minutes late!  I have never had trains that late but it is what it is!  

Thankfully it was less than an hour to our first stop, Cologne, Germany.  The train was super fast clocking speeds of about 300 kilometers/hour which is about 185 miles/hour.  The other oddity was that no one came around to validate our rail pass but we were honest and logged the trip.  It was smooth and so hard to fight off falling asleep, but we managed to stay awake.  I love taking the train and watching the countryside zip right by.

We made the short walk from the train station to our hotel, Hyatt Regency Cologne.  I am usually a do not stay at American chain hotels while abroad, but I used points and we stayed for free!  Oh and I wanted air conditioning!  Twenty years ago in 2003 Europe had an extreme heat wave and tens of thousands of people died.  I vividly remember that summer as I was pregnant and spent most of my days at the schwimmbad (swimming pool) in Grafenwoehr.  Our house did not have air conditioning and the one fan I had just did not help much!  Anyway, the views were spectacular!  

Well hello there Rhine River and Cologne Cathedral!  We were able to check-in super early.  We dropped our bags, took a quick shower, and were out exploring.  The best way to beat jet lag when arriving in Europe is to stay awake as late as possible.  Our goal was 8pm and let me just tell you it was so hard!  We crossed the Hohenzollern Bridge which is known for the thousands of padlocks representing love.

We had no set plans other than to stay awake and it was only noon!  Our first stop was to the Cologne Cathedral Treasury . . .  

 

Then we exited and went inside the cathedral.  WOW, just so massive and the stained glass windows were my favorite.  

I did not know where to start when planning this trip.  Where should we go?  Where are places we would both enjoy?  What haven't we seen?  I did not plan a year out like normal but instead started getting serious in February.  Once I booked our flights, then I knew it was a go but where to go was the problem.  I asked Colin and he was no help.  Finally, I told him that he would pick three places and I would pick three places.  Not towns, but three actual museums, buildings, stores whatever he wanted it to be.  Cologne was my pick and it did not disappoint.  We then spent several hours walking around, sitting in the park eating fresh baked pretzels watching people, just anything we could do to stay awake . . . to a drug store, a toy store, a bakery, another park . . . we were hitting a major slump and my eyelids were so tired that they were hurting.  We were hungry and the place I had picked for dinner opened at 4pm.  It was at least a 20 minute walk so we headed to that part of town.  I am not going to lie it was a bit sketchy but it was also so nice to be away from the touristy areas.  I felt as if we were just in a local neighborhood with the residents going about their day to day business.  Brauhaus Em Kölsche Boor was just what I was hoping it would be.  A yummy salad and Kölsche.  My salad was delicious!

Kölsch . . . what is that?  Kölsch is a style of beer originating in Cologne, Germany.  Kölsch is warm fermented with top-fermenting yeast, then conditioned at cold temperatures like a lager; it is often referred to as a hybrid of ale and lager.  Kölsch beer is always served in small .2L glasses called a Stange.  Due to the smaller serving size, the idea is that the beer will remain cold by the time you are ready for the next one. Kölsch is served at a slightly colder than normal temperature. The glasses are made of thinner glass. Because of the thin tapered top of the glass, it is customary to cheers these beers from the bottom of the glass not the top. I had not idea but it was everywhere I looked when I was researching things to do; so we had to give it a try.  It is a big thing here and due to German regulations it has to be brewed within 30 miles of Cologne.  So, PROST!

 

And this is where I feel the need to justify allowing Colin to drink beer.  The legal drinking age for beer in Germany is 16; he is 19.  I am one hundred percent against anyone under 21 drinking in the United States . . . I have strong feelings about this; that is our law in the U.S.  However, we are in Germany and it is legal.  In fact it was one of his top three things to do while on this trip.  Anyway, we had a great time sitting outside enjoying the beautiful weather, talking, laughing, and keeping our eyes as open as possible.  Oh and beer is cheaper than soda or water!  We hung out for a few hours until it started to get dark and decided to get back to the hotel.  Good Night Cologne . . . you were everything I thought you would be!

steps:  15,800 

miles:   7.4