Cologne, Germany (Part 4)

Of course today, my last day, I fell in love with Cologne.  One of my roommates woke me up this morning and I (half-begrudgingly) embarked on a walking tour of Cologne.

Cologne is a beautiful, modern city with much to offer.  Among other things it is a hub for art, culture, museums, and the homosexual community. Fun Facts from my tour:

• A famous artist who studied in Cologne years ago started a movement where he would draw bananas outside art galleries with good art.  He later travelled the world doing the same thing.  If you ever see a bannana outside an art gallery, chances are, the art is quite good.
• The park that I ventured to on my first full day in Cologne, was built on top of the debris from WWII bombings.  Cologne was completely wiped out during the second world war with over 227 bombing attacks from the Allies.  In just 30 years, they completely rebuilt the city and returned it’s population to 1 Million (as it was before the war).  Because of this, the city is very neoromanist and modern.
• It has vestiges of art throughout the city, including a gold Ford Focus with wings.
• Cologne is also the first city to place “Tripping Stones”, brass stones that commemorate the Jewish people taken from their homes during the Holocaust. Each brass stone has their name, birth date, death date, date taken and concentration camp (if known).  It is placed on the sidewalk at the address from which they were taken/lived.
• There are locks lining the walls of the bridge that crosses the Rhine, locks symbolic of many couples’ love.
• The Eau De Cologne, or No4711 smell is one of the most popular in the world. It originated from Cologne.  So when you read where I am, and think of perfume… there’s good reason.

I left the tour midway as I fought a chill.  The coffee shop we had passed early was calling my name. I made my way to Homage (also known as the coffee cathedral) and had one of the best cups of coffee I have ever had.  I’m finding that I dearly love Brazilian coffee.

I then walked to Bastian, the best bakery in Cologne.  By the way, Germany is known for having the best bread in the world.

Tomorrow I plan to have breakfast at Bastian before embarking the train to Berlin. From Bastian to the Neumarkt Christmas Market (my favorite, and the best  – just ask my tour guide) and from Neumarkt off to other adventures.

This evening I went to famous restaurant and enjoyed their traditional cuisine and drink as a last nod to this city.
I called it an early night and am back at Cologne Downtown Hostel.  When I first arrived I did not find this place as welcoming as I would have hoped.  The people are very friendly, but the facilities just felt uncomfortable for some reason.  Four days later, I feel like I’m coming home.  Many of my friends left today, but I will still feel a slight tinge of sadness as I checkout tomorrow.  Cologne has a comfortable familiarity now that I’ll probably never shake.

I’ve been in Germany now for a few days and am picking up bits and pieces as I go.  The only German I came knowing, Meine Beine Haben Schmertz (“my legs hurt”), has come in handy after long days of looping the city streets.

For those things best kept of the record – I’m beginning a private list of people/characters I’ve met along the way.  I imagine that together they will make a very fun story.