Today was another long travel day. We took the four hour train trip to Koln and arrived just after 2.00pm, quite tired. Fortunately, the hotel was at the station, and the Dom was across the plaza, so we didn’t have to walk very far. After checking in, we set about exploring. First stop, after walking around the Dom, was the Museum Ludwig, which had a number of Picassos and Lichtensteins that Jana and I were keen to see.
We hadn’t eaten since breakfast, so we found a restaurant in the shadows of the Dom, Osteria am Dom, to have an early dinner. It had burgers and other similar meals, so we were able to vary from the usual schnitzel. After dinner, we walked across the platz to the Dom to have a look. What an impressive structure! It is enormous, and intricately decorated in the classic Gothic style.
Unlike in Italy, entry into the churches in Germany is free. There was a matins service going on at the time, but we still had a look at how beautiful the inside is decorated. the stained glass, in particular, is stunning.
We then walked away from the cathedral and down Hohestrasse, one of Koln’s best known shopping streets. It was quite enjoyable.
We did a little shopping and more exploring, before heading back to our hotel. Koln was surprisingly good.