Day 3: Cologne, Germany

Cologne, Germany

I have no proof that Ben actually said this.

To get the thin transparency effect of liquid in a glass, I used a sharpened chopstick dipped in the sumi to draw this.   It certainly lightens up the painting and suggests liquid and glass. I used the same technique for the jelly doughnut (below)

 to keep a light, fluffy feel to the bread.

 It was a hot day so, of course, we had to try out the local beer.  Interesting how the glasses or mugs they serve the beer in is different everywhere you go. 

 Here, tall and rather thin glasses.  Kölsh beer.

Our tour guides were wonderful everywhere.  We learned that JFK had given a speech in Cologne as well as Berlin.  His famous speech in Berlin became the butt of many jokes as "Ich bin ein Berliner" can also mean "I am a jelly doughnut". Pictured below (with the sign enlarged) are Berliners.  The Goth convention was in town so lots of folk dressed in black with safety pins, chains and other assorted metal wandering around town.

It was impossible to consider really painting the ridiculously complicated Cologne Cathedral, the main attraction of Cologne and again, a UNESCO World Heritage site.  But this lovely saying from the Little Prince inspired to me to think about the cathedral as rising up from the rocks.  Then, when I saw photos of the cathedral standing tall among the rubble of the World War II bombings, I knew I had gotten it right.

 Like many of the churches and cathedrals, the Cologne Cathedral is dark and unappealing in color, mostly from pollution, they say. But quite awe-inspiring in the spirit and will of the people who built such a magnificent structure. There is just no way to get a decent photo of it except from above. And, like almost every cathedral we saw, it is constantly under renovation.

Cologne was one of the most heavily bombed cities in Europe during World War II.  But the cathedral stood tall with minor damages.  The Allies used it as a landmark. Amazing photos! (I obviously did not take these photos!) . You can click these photos to see detail. The dark elongated building to the left of the cathedral was the train station.

We chanced upon some local group reenacting history.

Carnival is celebrated her in a big way!

 Everywhere, the cigarette buttes.

 Pretty darn disgusting.

 French Fries are a favorite fast food eaten with...mayonnaise!!

And served in a paper cone.

 

 German food doesn't get more authentic than this!!

The river view is rather modern on this portion of the Rhine

There was some kind of street festival going on along the river which 

made it very tiring to walk back to the boat, 
especially since the boat was docked so far away in this place.

Every meal was a delight  (I am showing off some delicate dessert).  Free unlimited wine and beer with every meal.  However, nobody on the boat got drunk. I would have to say it's a rather more educated and sophisticated clientele.  People seem to take these river cruises to relax, and learn about the places they are going.  Definitely not a party boat.

Who knew that Noah's ark was sitting pretty on the Rhine.  Kind of liked the effect of taking the photo through a rainy window. To learn more, click here