Ode* to Cologne

 What you didn't see from my Amsterdam photos:

the famous Cologne catherdral

me in front of Roman ruins

To highlight Cologne as a city in itself, although this is out of chronological order and, thus, most likely irritating to certain die hard sticklers out there on the world wide web, I have decided to create a separate post of the pictures I took in Germany.


Because we were only there overnight, there's not a whole lot to see. We could have easily spent more time in the Cologne/Bonn area. Certainly, there was lots to see, plenty of Kölner Kölsch to drink, and enough "funny German accents" to hear (according to Jake; let it be said that I don't agree) to make a longer Auftenthalt in the Rhineland.


As it was, we had a pretty tight schedule: night train from Vienna,
wandering around to get pictures of the Dom, a trip to the Römisch-Germanisches Museum (Roman-Germanic Museum - yes, founded in 50 BC! According to the Romans, that is...the area had been inhabited earlier as well, but if you're not part of the empire, that doesn't count...)

We also made it to Bonn to see the Beethoven museum, which was nicely productive for Jake, who is an oboist and working on a project on the Viennese oboe (distinctive from other oboes in that it is mainly - only? - used by the Vienna Philharmonic). Jake is quite the burgeoning expert on such things, so questions should be directed toward him. I couldn't tell you the first things about oboes.


However plebeian my attempts to appreciate classical music, I do. The Beethoven-Haus in Bonn, being his birthplace (he lived most of his adult life and died in Vienna), houses lots of family archives, furniture, portraits, musical instruments, etc. If you're in the Bonn area, it's worth a visit. If you're not, they have a FABULOUS website (follow the link) which is worth checking out as well!

First, here are some photos from the Römisch-Germanisches Museum. I sort of over-indulged in taking photos here...being an archaeology nerd. 


<-- this is the mosaic floor uncovered during WWII (via the construction of a bunker...) It's good to know war is good for something.





























I  don't know why, but the shoes always get me -->
I find it amazing to see 2000-year-old shoes on display! Imagine your Nikes lasting that long!

I believe this was labeled "Women's Things" i.e. perfume bottles and a mirror

That's right: "Gladiators"!

belt buckles

wheels

reconstructed carriage based on the lion's head axel

tombstones

And yet more floor/wall mosaic:

Capricorn: the emperor Agustus' symbol 

After the museum, Jake and I took a walk along the Rhine:

 For some reason, there were all of these locks along the bridge. They appeared to be love lockets...photos to follow...

For example, below, are some of the "love lockets" we saw:









































<-- Jake was not impressed with the one made out of an old beer keg!

view of the city from the brigde

To finish, we have photos of Bonn. Namely, the outside of the Beethoven-Haus...









And of downtown Bonn:


and the EU Commission (which we thought we could tour for some reason...we can't...perhaps when Bonn was the capital of West Germany - and the EU Commission had existed - this might have been possible :P)



As it stands, the EU Commission -->

is just a little old office building!

see? 

And, of course there was a place called "Steppenwolf" so I had to take a picture!! (I recently read the Hesse novel...possible review to come...)




One more thing:

Mom: they do have T.J. (K.) Maxx in Europe!

*This is neither and ode nor an advertisement for eau de Cologne I just liked the pun :)