Berliners

Stack of berliners.

Berliner + latte macchiato = tasty breakfast

New lock in Cologne

Everytime I have been back to Cologne, there have been more locks on the Hohenzollern Bridge. I wanted to add one this year and remembered it just as I was leaving for the airport so Aaron put our initials on a lock with his dremmel tool.

It's not the fanciest lock on the bridge but I like that Aaron did it himself.

The keys got tossed in the river.

See how full it's getting?

Some panels are packed full.

Love locks

The last time I was in Cologne, I noticed there were a few locks attached to the fence along the railway on the Hohenzollern bridge. At that time, two years ago there were less than 50 locks there I would say. This time there were hundreds.

I couldn't believe how many locks had been added in two years.

You could spend all day looking at the various locks.

There are so many different kinds of locks. Some are engraved, some written on with a Sharpie.

Most are the names of the couple and what I guess is the day they were married.

Some added embellishments.

Love this big heart lock. Next time I go, I will be sure to have a lock to take with me.

Cologne, Germany

This was a huge ad at the luggage carousel in Cologne, Germany. That's how you know you have arrived in Cologne. They are very serious about their Kölsch.

Bikes

I loved seeing all the bikes in Cologne.

These are bikes that you can rent... www.callabike.de

I even made a little video and posted it over on pluggedin.kodak.com

Now I am back on my city bike kick. I want one so that I can tool around town with flowers and a loaf of bread in the basket.

Cologne at night

Cologne at night

Walk around Cologne

A walk around Cologne

Food in Cologne

Some of the food I have had in Cologne...

Pomme frites with mayonaise, ketchup and fried onions (like the kind you put on green bean casseroles)

Soft pretzel... a must.

A berliner and chococcino.

Someone told me on Facebook to try a doner kebap and I ran into one so I tried it! Yum!

How cute are these weckmann pastries?

Cologne Cathedral Climb

I got a lot of great recommendations for Cologne and the one thing everyone mentioned was the Cologne Cathedral.

Domo and Piglet liked it.

I thought the outside was amazing. The inside was breathtaking.

You can climb to the top of the cathedral tower. 509 steps... I can handle that.

Ooo-wee.

At this point I felt a little woozy.

But I made it. So did Domo and Piglet.

I posted a video of my climb to 1000words.kodak.com

Interesting things in Cologne

Interesting things I have seen in Cologne.

Guards are posted around this courtyard at certain times of the day to keep people from walking on it because it could be heard in the music hall below.

Rock climbers practiced on the wall of the Hohenzollern Bridge by my hotel.

The light switches and the toilet flush button in my hotel are all huge.

I love the little cars in Cologne. Look how this Smart Car sqeezed into a tiny parking space.

Aaron should be getting his Smart Car soon. Maybe it will come with a clown on it. Hah-hah!

I couldn't figure out why there were locks attached to the fence along the bridge walkway. This one is going to bug me.

UPDATE: I have been informed that these are Love Padlocks! Love padlocks are a custom by which sweethearts affix padlocks to a fence or similar public fixture to symbolise their love.