Köln
VISIT The Dom Cathedral
DO try and visit late Nov/Dec to experience the Xmas markets
julio
We really didn't have an itinerary and were looking at the rail map to figure out our next destinations and schedule. Cologne was the next stop after Belgium so we thought...why not? it was my first trip to Germany and I was really impressed. I found that Germans were extremely polite, thoughtful, progressive and accommodating whether in conversation, driving or helping you find your way.
Cologne has been our introduction to the phenomenon known as the German Christmas market or Christkindlmarkt. Usually held in the town square, the market has food, drink and seasonal items from open-air stalls accompanied by traditional singing and dancing. In Koln most of the markets are centered around the massive Gothic DOM or cathedral and this place is big, I mean huge. Said to house the remains of the Magi, or three kings, the Dom is the cultural center of town and a sight to behold. The markets were such a blast! Live music of all kinds. A delicious cornucopia of German foods to try, ice skating, loads of decorations and Christmas cheer, we didn’t want to leave.
It did seem a little disconcerting that the city seemed to be on extremely high alert and law enforcement was everywhere and they seemed to checking ME out. I guess it may be time to shave the beard and go back to baby face because I was getting too much attention from the wrong people. I got interested and looked up some info and found that there is somewhat of a racial issue going on in Cologne due to a series of incidents perpetrated by groups of North African and Arab asylum seekers of some 350 sexual offenses that occurred in three hours on New Years Eve. This brought to light even further the issue of xenophobia and controversy over refugees entering Europe that we had become aware of in Greece and Spain. A great number of Europeans are pissed and Fascism and ultra-nationalism are on the rise throughout the region. With one of the most open, welcoming, generous and lenient policies for refugees Germany itself has received over 1.6 million asylum seekers since the Arab Spring began. The NYE indecent brings forward the issues of lack of disenfranchisement, cultural integration, and collective guilt all swirling together to make for a difficult and complex debate on immigration in Germany and Europe.
* an addendum to this post - On 19 December 2016 (one month after we left), a truck was deliberately driven into the Christmas market next to the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church at Breitscheidplatz in Berlin, leaving 12 people dead and 56 others injured. The attack was perpetrated by a failed Tunisian asylum seeker
