Cologne is a really wonderful city, we have thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of it, truly like a good men's cologne.
We arrived on Thursday afternoon after the creepy castle and duly rested ourselves after a sleepless night in the castle.
The NH Hotel in Mediapark (used to be Jolly) is really nice and not too far from main attractions in the city and surrounded by a nice park.
After a rest, we went to a nice restaurant under the Cologne HbF (main train station) called Albert Wartesaal. Really nice service and good food. And the waitress was friendly and pretty too. Wifey could not pry her eyes away from all the handsome German guys either.
After dinner, we walked a little and went up to Hard Rock Cafe and as per modus operandi SOP, we bought some T-Shirts.
After this, we were rather tired and took a taxi back which did not cost us an arm and a leg like it does in The Netherlands.
The next day, we got up early enough to have a nice breakfast at the hotel and then walked to the big cathedral called The Dom. Of course on the way, we stopped at a smaller cathedral. And after the magnificent cathedrals, we went to Ludwig museum.
After Ludwig Museum, we took a tourist train around the city passing by the Rhine River and the Chocolate Museum.
After the bumpy ride, we then walked to yet another old cathedral and then off to the shopping street. I actually bought purple colored jeans.
We had some decent meals and then got back to the hotel for some rest.
At around 10pm, we went to Kokett, which is a classy exotic bar. It was very interesting, I personally have not been to a classy strip joint but this was a class of its own.
After spending about 2 hours in this club, we went to a Depeche Mode party at the train station area again and were out partying till about 3am before buying some pizza's and making out way back to our hotel.
The next day, surprisingly we get up early enough to still have breakfast. However, this is the day we decide to take it easy in the day and pack our bags. I have got slightly more than 3 months worth of memories and memorabilia that I need to pack up before our trip back home in a couple of days.
In the evening, we went to the best Italian restaurant I have been to outside of Italy called Etrusca. The ambiance, the service and the food is to die for. Papa Carlo is the chef who hails from Sardinia and Mama Filippa from Sicily who greets and serves the diners. Of course there is Bambino Gianluca who also serves and greets the guest with other well trained and friendly waitresses.
The restaurant ambiance is like a nice Tuscan home and the food is just the right flavour and quantity.
We had quite a bit to drink, starting with Proseco (Italian sparkling white), followed by white wine, then a Macchiato and then a nice Sardinian Grappa. Lucky we are not driving, not that I would want to anyways.
It is close to 2 am as I complete this entry and I need to be up early for breakfast, to check out and leave for Amsterdam tomorrow morning. The trip to Amsterdam will likely take about 4 hours for me, just because I drive a little slower than most people on these roads - still getting used to driving on the wrong side of the road.
Cologne had been great and a nice ending to our wonderful vacation this year. In a couple of days, I will be back to my beach pad in Miri with my boy and wifey in tow in the warm sunny days. A few more days of leave before I am back to work the following week.
I have made friends, had a great work and personal experience in the last few months and am ever grateful for this.
Arreverdeci, Good bye for now Europe, thanks for the hospitality.
Take care and be well.
1 comment:
Indeed Cologne was fresh and fun ...
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