Day 6 19/8/19

Good morning Cologne

Interesting facts about Cologne ( or Koln in German) 

Cologne is Germany’s fourth largest city, the Roman’s founded it in 50 AD.

The cathedral was built especially for the relics of the three kings (Magi).

There are over 3000 pubs, wine bars and brauhauses in Cologne which is the largest number per population in the whole republic.

During WWII Cologne was bombed 262 seperate times first time on the 12 th May 1940 and the last one on the 2 nd March 1945.

30000 homes were destroyed only 300 were preserved but only about 1500 tonnes of bombs were dropped on the city . Only 500 civilians were killed because many inhabitants had left the city before the war during the war.

During all these bombings the Cathedral continued to stand. The only explain was that the planes used it as a navigational site and they also removed all the windows of the church and any blasts went straight thru.  Many of the art works etc were hidden in basements of the pubs and brauhauses for safe keeping.

Freedom of choice 

Walking tour around Cologne taking in cathedrals and brewery. 2. Bike tour along the Rhine to Bonn. 3. Stay on the boat and learn German whilst cruising to Bonn.

We chose the walking tour which informative as usual telling us of the history of the buildings in Cologne, also of the beautiful 

Cathedral which had taken 600 years to build and as our guide said her mother grandmother and great grandmother had never seen the church without scaffolding on it.  

We also learnt the history of 4711 Eau de Cologne which was developed in Cologne by the Farina family they developed a perfume called  Farina which still available.  Napoleon used 11 bottles of this a day.  I think he must have bathed in it he also had a special flask made so he could carry it in his boot. 

The guide also explained that they do not celebrate Oktoberfest in Cologne and they do not serve their beer in steins.  So we went to a Brewery so we could see how it was served. She explained that the custom is that you start drinking and as soon as you finish you glass you will be served another by a passing waiter who will mark on your coaster he has given you another glass.  If you have had enough you simply put you coaster on top of glass.

We were also treated to the local eats,  beef tartare, meatballs, liverworst, black sausage and Gouda cheese.  Great way to spend a morning we then took the bus back to Bonn to rejoin our ship for it to sail  to Andernach.

Tonight we will be treated to a dinner at Namedy Castle which is the home of Princess Heide von Hohenzollern. We were welcomed   to the castle by princess heide with canapés and champagne, then we got to look around the beautiful gardens surrounding the castle before sitting down to dinner in the hall of  Mirrors.