Day 4 - Cologne (Koln)

Gutenmorgan Freunds!

As the saying goes, a little rest does everyone good....this morning, everyone slept later and just hung around the house all morning. The rest allowed the kids to regroup and the adults to recharge!

At noon, we left out for the day's adventure to Cologne. But first, we had to put diesel in the car (everything is diesel over here). This was an adventure within itself! It started first with going to the Air Field and getting an approved for a gas card for the rental car and then going to the Main Base to pick up the gas card and then to the gas station to actually get the gas....it took us 2 hours! That's ridiculous, but the way the process works.....

Once we were finally on the road to Cologne, the drive was absolutely beautiful! Rolling hills, farms and lots of windmills. We were headed North-West, so the temperature was dropping some, too. It was nice and cool.

Cologne is quite the city! It is the 4th largest city in Germany and has more than 30 museums, the most popular is the Roman-German Museum. But, most importantly, Cologne is the home of the Cologne Cathedral. I cannot express the massiveness of this cathedral. It was built in 500B.C. and not completed until 1800's. During WWII, it was unharmed when the rest of the city was devastated from bombings. Amazing. Everything inside this cathedral is symbolic, which is true to Catholisim. However, the coolest thing about this cathedral is that is houses the Relics of the 3 Wise Men.

After a full afternoon of the Cathedral, we ate at Farmer's, the most wonderful AUSTRALIAN Restaurant. It was one of the best steak's I've ever had. The sauces for the steaks were simple: herb butter. Never thought about putting butter on my steak, but it was very tasty!

This morning, we are getting another late start, but today will surely shape up to be quite nice! We are hopefully going to the Gutenberg Museum (first translated Bible on paper). Then onward to downtown for a little shopping and then to a grocery store! I want to take a market visit to see what innovation and products are on the shelf! Hopefully, I will learn something good and be able to implement in my role as a WM Category Advisor.

I do hope that you and yours are faring the hurricane well. I saw where is downgraded to a Cat I, which is a great blessing!

Tschus!
SS