Cologne, Germany : The Famous Cathedral and a long lost friend, Joe.

Last Sunday, August 1, 2010, we went to Cologne, 
Germany, one of the short trips that we had been
planning on inspite of the hectic schedules at work. It could've been a 3 hour smooth drive until we got caught up in  a slight traffic caused by a burning car on the right lane of the autobahn. We continued driving as the lady in the Navigon,  annoying as she is,  keeps on adding more and more kilometers to travel, one after the other, making me more excited to get to our destination.

Finally, we arrived at the Dom and parked at the underground parking area. Went up the stairs and there i saw one of the most beautiful structures i've ever seen in my entire life,The Cologne Cathedral. Dedicated to the saints Peter and Mary, Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) is the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of Cologne. Cologne Cathedral is the greatest Gothic cathedral in Germany and has been Cologne's most famous landmark for centuries. Once the tallest building in the world, Cologne Cathedral still boasts the world's largest church façade.

 Inside, the most celebrated work of art in the cathedral is the Sarcophagus of the Magi, a large gilded sarcophagus dating to around 1200. The largest reliquary in the western world, the exterior is seven feet of gilded silver and jewels. Images of Old Testament prophets line the bottom and the 12 apostles decorate the top. Inside, the reliquary holds three golden-crowned skulls believed to belong to the Three Magi. Actually there's a lot to see inside  like The Gero Cross, The Presentation of Christ in the Elder Bible window and many more.  But due to a very limited time we had, and still trying to go to the next spot which closes in the next 4 hours, i just decided to light two candles and prayed. I took a single picture and bounce off.


As we walk along the streets, busy lookin at the people playing different musical intruments, gazing at the pretty purses outside the Louis Vuitton window, taking some more pictures, buying some souvenirs, we passed  by a weird looking statue with  faces all over his body.  I was staring at the statue when it suddenly moved and snatched my cap off my head. Though it scared me to encounter a moving statue for the first time, taking the opportunity to take a picture with this statue who called himself  Joe never slipped off my mind.  So my Bebee immediately took 2Euro from his pocket, put it in a jar in front of Joe and we posed like we've known each other for the longest.

We walked and reached the intriguing Padlocks of Love on the Hohenzollern Bridge. It's a scenery of thousands, maybe millions of padlocks with painted and engraved names on of the couples who visited  Cologne.  It's been a growing trend since late summer in 2008, when the first love locks started to appear.  Deutche Bahn was apparently keen to have them removed but bowed down after a public out- cry, so the custom is currently allowed to continue.  So when u decide to  visit Cologne with  your love one, remember to bring a padlock with your names engraved  or picture printed on it because i was looking for a store or a kiosk that sells padlocks but i didn't find one.  This is another reason for me to  come back.

 

 And for our last destination, The Chocolate Museum.  Enjoy an expedition through 3,000 years of chocolate history.  From cocoa cultivation to the finished chocolate, from its origin in America to its use in industrial products, you can experience all of these aspects of one of the world's most favorite food for only 7.50 euro entrance fee. And oh, we bought some chocolates too from the store located at the ground floor of the museum.

 T'was a great day although the original plan of staying at the Hyatt Hotel to explore Cologne even more didn't happen.  Honestly speaking, i haven't had enough of it.  Besides, what is a 3-hour drive if your just sitting in the passenger's seat just like me?  ...A thought came out of silence on our way home, " So, where are we goin next time,  Bebee? Paris? " Then silence.