Walking the Streets of Cologne

November 3, 2007

Magnificant Mile?

Walking the Streets of Cologne

Once we were settled in to the hotel, we rested for a little while and then Steve took me on a guided tour of the city. I was so excited to see everything that the exhaustion and jetlag never really bothered me at first. We walked for a couple of hours and there was so much to see that it was almost too overwhelming. Steve had told me on the phone before I left that the shopping areas reminded him of Manhattan but I didn't believe him. Well, he was right. The shopping district in central Cologne is just like Times Square but without all of the cars and tall buildings. So you get the feeling of being in a big city but when you walk around, you feel like you're walking around on 8th Street in Holland. A very, very long 8th street!

Neumarkt

But here's the thing...there are no cars on the street because it's not actually a street. It's more of a cobblestone road than anything else. Since cars are not allowed, there is no traffic, there are no traffic lights, no busy streets to cross, and it is quiet. Aside from a few people on bikes, everyone else is walking and the street is packed with people. It almost looks funny seeing so many people walking around without cars nearby!

On both sides of the road there are hundreds of shops. And the people here LOVE to shop. The shops vary anywhere from clothing stores, to shoe stores, to perfume stores, etc. Stores that no longer exist in the U.S. but were once popular (United Colors of Benetton, ESPRIT, Swatch) are still mainstream here. In addition to the big stores, there are also tons of small shops that sell anything and everything...scarves, watches, jewelry. You name it, you can find it here. It is the biggest shopping mecca I have ever seen!

A Romantic Stroll

In addition to the numerous shops scattered everywhere, the courtyard is filled with little markets and snack stands. Small cafes set up outdoor heaters so people can sit outside and drink coffee in the winter. You can smell fresh baked bread coming from the bakeries on the corners. It's unlike anything I've ever experienced. Steve and I loved New York because of how romantic it was but I'm afraid it now fails in comparison to Cologne!

Once we walked around the shopping district for a couple of hours, Steve took me down some of the quieter streets near the Rhine. This is where a number of bars and pubs are located. These streets are also made of cobblestone and are even more romantic because the buildings that line the roads are the old houses you might expect see in WWII movies. You feel like are in the past and it's kind of a strange feeling. Any alleyway seems to bring you to a hidden restaurant or tavern and it's almost as if they are meant to be hidden for some reason.

A Quiet Sidestreet

As we explored some of these side streets, we came across a pizza place and decided to have a snack (I wasn't quite ready to try authentic German food just yet). But I did try German beer. It is an acquired taste I'll tell you that. The beer that is served in every bar and restaurant in Cologne is called Kolsh. It is a very yeasty tasting beer but is still rather light and it is cheap. You can either get .21L or .31L and they serve it in these tall beer glasses. My first impression...yuck! I suppose I'll either be drinking wine for six months, getting used to shitty beer, or paying 5EU for a coke everywhere we go (which is expensive considering Kolsh is 1.70EU - almost a third of the price). The price for water here is even more outrageous...in some places it is 5 or 6 EU or more. And it's funny, they refer to water here as either still water (tap water) or moving water (sparkling water). You can't just ask for water...you have to be specific...they'll ask you..."Do you want water that moves or water that doesn't?" Too funny!

Walking Along the Rhine

After pizza, we walked along the Rhine and it was absolutely amazing. The bridges crossing the river were busy with busses and trains crossing over it and it's the first time since we got here that I've really seen "traffic". Steve showed me where our apartment was going to be and though it seemed rather far away, given the amount of walking we've done already, I'm quite sure I can walk from here to there if I really want too. I guess we'll have to wait and see how ambitious I get once we get settled in. One thing I know for sure...you burn a lot of calories walking around this city. Every time we eat something, by the time we walk to the next destination...I'm hungry again!

Pages of a History Book

Colorful Buildings Adjacent to the Rhine

A Ferris Wheel Across the Way

Puppetier on the Street

Barge Floating Down the River

Outdoor Restaurant in Old Town