The first time for us to be in Europe during the holidays. (Trey was in Paris during the Christmas season a few years ago) It was truly magical! The markets, the decorations everywhere, the people were so festive!! It was cold, but so worth being in Germany at Christmastime.
We took a train from Amsterdam Centraal to Cologne. (Cologne Hauptbahnhof) It was about a 3 hour train ride, but so comfortable. Trains are one of my favorite ways to travel within Europe. It is so smooth, fast and economical. I hope someday, America can make train travel affordable for families as well! Traveling by train allows you to see so much of the country that you would otherwise miss on a plane.
We spent four full days in Cologne. Trey and I have been to Cologne three times now and it is by far one of our favorite cities. We got a SIM card for my phone (a must for international travel) and were on our way to our BNB. We stayed close to the Media Park area. It was a nice, quiet residential, yet commercial area, if that makes sense. J It gave us a good idea of what life is like as a Cologne resident. We loved walking to the grocery store so we could have STILL water and other drinks at the apartment. We were very close to the metro. (About two blocks walk) We went to a store called Saturn. It was sort of like a Best Buy on steroids. Max was able to buy a couple of Lego sets that you cannot buy in America.
The Christmas markets were just as amazing as you may have seen in pictures or read about in magazines. The smells, the sounds, everything about them…. I loved. The boys were so impressed that they were asking us when we could move there!
We took the boys to the Koln Dom Cathedral. This place is amazing. It withstood the bombings of WWII even though most of the city around it was destroyed. The pipe organ, the stained glass, all of it is so beautiful. I have had the honor of being there during a service and it sends chills up your spine. The courtyard in front of the church is a must see as well. Walking along the Rhein is something you must do. It is so much fun to see the beautiful buildings along the river and the outdoor restaurants where you can sit and have a cold or hot drink. The beautiful cobble stone streets are simply perfect!
We visited one our favorite beer halls several times. J Päffgen Brauhaus is our favorite! If you are ever in the area, try it. It is a very old beer hall and it is not touristy at all. They keep the kolsch (beer from Cologne) coming until you ask them to stop. Their food is phenomenal! We also took them to Bei Oma Kleinmann. This is also a restaurant far from the tourist spots. This place prides themselves on the size of their schnitzel. J (I am sure there is a joke that should be in here somewhere) It is the size of one’s arm. Very good food as well as kolsch. The ambiance is similar to Päffgen.
We thoroughly enjoyed our time, yet again, in Cologne. We look forward to our next trip! Off to the train station again. This time, to catch our train to our last destination, Paris.
Love,
K
The White building is our BNB.
Park across the street from our apartment.
Castle across the street from our apartment.
Kolsch.
Pork chop with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes.
Goulash.
Saturn. This was so much fun for the boys.
Glühwein (Hot wine) Not good. :)
Street performer in front of the Dom.
We missed Lucille so much. Max found a pug!
The courtyard of our apartment.
Bei Oma Kleinmann
The big schnitzel. hehe. :)
Rudolfplatz Christmas market
heiße Schokolade (hot chocolate)
Subway selfie
Neumarkt Christmas market.
Buildings along the Rhein.
Cobblestone streets!
I love these quiet secluded streets.
Päffgen, again. :)
This was apple juice. Really.
A cool building on the way to my favorite thrift store that I had to visit.
Max, my train buddy.
Legos on the train. I know you didn't see that coming.
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