Sunday morning we went to the Trodel Market (we think that translates to, or at least is, what we call a flea market) which was happening in the car park next door to the camping site. Lots of second hand china, toys, brass-ware.. a few clothes (some new) and general junk shop/antique shop wares. The only thing which caused us to stop was the crepe van which also sold coffee. Hilary had a hot crepe with sugar which we watched the lady expertly make, Di and I had hot coffee with cream. Not bad. We walked back to the van and then drove to the city of Julich (about 5 minutes’ drive through wheat fields and one particularly tempting paddock of bright green spinach). Julich is an old walled city, with a citadel which is also very old (1200’s from memory), but a modern looking town centre. It was Sunday and the town was shut!!!! A few foody places were open, and a few people strolling around, but none of the shops were open, so we just wandered and window shopped, looked at buildings (some very old, but so well kept and painted they could have been new) and statues. We did stop at a café for coffee and cake, and bought some bread and a stusel….. (another 20 letters too) which was a bit like a light, round, large but only about 2cm high scone, with a sugary crumble on top…. We all enjoyed it later in the day, once the layered vanilla sponge and strawberry layered cream gateau had been processed. Prices were very reasonable, 2.99 euro for a coffee and piece of gateau, 1.50 for 10 small bread rolls, and a large bread pretzel was 1.10 I think, all in all it was less than 10 euro for a huge pile of food and 2 coffees (with cream).
The afternoon was spent in the truck doing “our book” a travel diary with glossy pictures Di and Hilary are compiling as a memento of our trip. It is way behind schedule however, so we may need to make a concerted effort to get on with it. We are doing so much during the day however that there never seems to be enough time awake to do and then write up/book work and relax. What a problem.
I was quite keen to get going to Cologne late that afternoon as we didn’t have power at this site (did I tell you? It was available but it was a standard German plug (European 2 circle prongs) rather than the usual camping plug which has three prongs set in a triangle, and though we have adapters for any plug configuration to the 2 prong type the campervan connecting flex has a deep recess so it is waterproof. What we could do is boil the jug, charge the computer/camera/phone directly from the power bollard, but that meant parking right beside the bollard (which is what we did), and it didn’t solve the problem of the fridge warming up slowly. Di however, much more sensible (on this occasion I hasten to add), reasoned me out of my compulsive behaviour saying we didn’t really know where in Cologne (Klon) we were going to and it might just cause tension and stress by trying to move on that night. So we stayed in the park at Julich that night, and moved on early the next morning.
We left Julich at about 8, had breakfast a bit down the road, then found the motorway to Koln (Cologne). We still didn’t have an accurate map(no one can understand how we manage without a GPS, but people have for many generations, but a map with detail does help). Our map of Belgium ran off the page about 15 kms before Cologne so that made knowing which off ramp to take a bit of a hazard and a lot of guess work as there were two if not three with Koln in their list of destinations, each with another few German words attached. We have determined Zentrum means “centre” “Ausfahrt” we aren’t sure about but it has something to do with exiting we think (Di did look for it a number of times on the map before she realised all the slip roads pointed to this mysterious city of “Ausfahrt”!!
Klon
We left Julich at about 8, had breakfast a bit down the road, then found the motorway to Koln (Cologne). We still didn’t have an accurate map(no one can understand how we manage without a GPS, but people have for many generations, but a map with detail does help). Our map of Belgium ran off the page about 15 kms before Cologne so that made following the route we planned difficult but by following the signs that appeared enroute we managed a different route which got us to Koln via motorways rather than the smaller roads we intended. Not knowing the language, combined with lack of map makes things a little hit and miss at times. We have determined Zentrum means “centre” “Ausfahrt” we aren’t sure about but it has something to do with exiting we think (Di did look for it a number of times on the map before she realised all the slip roads pointed to this mysterious city of “Ausfahrt”!! It took just under an hour for the drive; we didn’t know exactly what to do when we were confronted by a number of options for off-ramps, but the one I chose (at random) turned out to be a good one. Just off the slip-road was a sign with a picture of a caravan and a tent on it, so we went in that direction on a seemly ever narrowing road beside a forest. The signs were few and far between so we weren’t totally convinced we had taken the correct path, but each time we were contemplating turning back, another one would appear beckoning us on. We eventually found what we were after, a well-equipped campsite with cooking facilities (very rare), washing machines, an internet café, play areas, an English speaking man at reception……. Perched right on the edge of the Rhine. Hilary can play on the beach (golden sand) and we can all watch the barges, ships, boats on the river. The cooking facilities are very important to us at the moment because our latest challenge (we are learning a lot about life, ourselves, and camper-vanning on this expedition) is that our gas tanks (that run the stove and hot water) are empty. Shouldn’t be an issue, just get them filled. Well, it appears that they don’t do refills here, just empty bottles for full, which again shouldn’t cause angst, but we have French tanks, which of course, can only be changed in France. We tried in Belgium, and we tried in Germany but no go. What we will have to do is buy another tank (there is one which is pretty much universal (over Europe anyway) apparently, but where to store it I haven’t worked out yet. We are only a few days from France, so can make do in the meantime, but once we spend a prolonged period away from France we will need to have an alternative as the two 33kg tanks only lasted about 8 weeks.
After we had done a walk and poke around the campsite we had some early lunch and then headed out by foot, to the bus, and then tram into the centre of Koln. We had to walk about 500 metres to the north along the Rhine, it feels like south for some reason, the only way we can tell is by the flow of the river. We know it flows from Switzerland in the South to the North Sea, so if we are looking against the current it is South. Then there is a bus which takes you the next kilometre or so to the station of Rodenkirchen which is on a direct tram/train line to the centre of Klon. The tram service is very efficient (we are in Germany after all) similar set up to the London Underground, with the trains electric and over-ground until they get closer into the centre of town whereupon they dive underground. Klon is a much smaller city than London however, not quite a million residents and so it covers a much smaller land area, and the underground system is less extensive. The people on the train/tram are Justas unlikely to make eye contact or speak to a fellow passenger however as their British counterparts.
That first afternoon we came up from under the ground at Dom-Hbf station which is right next to the Cologne cathedral, an immense and ornate building. Amazing figures all along the arches, and lacey steeples and turret things. We went inside and visited the treasury which was full of (as the name would suggest) wonderful treasures, silver and gilded bejewelled staffs (staves), chalices, necklaces, and other religious paraphernalia. Also beautifully worked clergy (especially Bishops’s) clothing, with silver fabric???? And gold embroidery thread. There were also a few Roman artefacts/ treasures which had been uncovered from below the church during various re-workings. We next went and visited inside the Cathedral itself, very colourful, huge stained glass windows, really high prettily arched chamber/main body, 3 large sets of organ pipes… quite grand really.
From here we went outside and around the corner of the Cathedral to the spire entrance whereupon we commenced the 533 step climb to the top of the spire, for tremendous views of Cologne. The only draw-back was that there is relatively fine chicken wire around the viewing areas and therefore getting photos without a bit of wire in them is a challenge (which I failed at times).
We had picked up a brochure/pamphlet at the camp-ground which had, amongst other useful things, some walking tours you could follow to introduce oneself to the city. After stopping at the Tourist Information Centre near the Cathedral (Dom), where we picked up a couple of maps of the Rhine Valley, and a few souvenir type things, we set off following the Walking Tour 1. It took us past various museums, with accompanying explanations about what was in each, history of the area and what to look out for. It went down to the pathway beside the Rhine, along that path for a while past bright, freshly painted houses and cafes and bars, and then back away from the river to little narrow streets with old shops and interesting buildings and cafes/bars/. We stopped and made a few purchases at a “Nutcracker” shop which sold wood crafted/carved/worked items including nutcrackers, Christmas scenes and traditional dolls/pieces. We made our way back via some busy shops including a Lego shop which we had to prise Hilary out of. We went and watched a group of 4 talented men who were playing classical music (Pachelbel, Handel….) on violin, trombone and two piano accordions, I know it sounds dreadful, a bit like an oompah band, but they sounded wonderful, especially as they had set themselves up in a part of a covered mall which obviously had great acoustics. We watched them for 20minutes or so before retracing our steps to a square with lots of food and drink establishments. We decided to have some dinner out as it was getting later and we still had an hour of walking/bus/tram/walk before we would be back at the camping site.
We stopped at a café/restaurant where Hilary ordered schnitzel, Di – Bratwurst, and me a broccoli/ham and cheese bake. Mine was wonderful, far too much of course and so I over indulged, with predictable circumstances. We walked back to the train station and caught the tram back to Rodenkirchen. The buses back towards the campsite had finished running for the night, so we walked the last km or so along-side the Rhine back to our camper.
Cologne Day 2
We had bought tickets for the hop-on hop-off Cologne bus the afternoon before, so had planned what we would do today according to that. We walked to Rodenkirchen again, and caught the number 16 tram into the centre of Cologne. We went straight to the bus stop outside the Cathedral and hopped on, by now it was 10.50 (it didn’t start its rounds until 1020 from this stop, and I misread the timetable thinking it went every ½ an hour. Unfortunately it is only Friday-Sunday that it goes that frequently, the rest of the time it’s only hourly. So we sat until 1130 (it was late, even though full and the driver was there??) anyway, we did most of the circuit just to get an idea of what was where, distances and what did really take our fancy on looking. We were a bit disappointed with the commentary compared to other bus trips of the same type we have taken over the years, and also the frequency meant that you had to stay for an hour at any place you stopped (minimum). The whole circuit takes an hour and a half, we did most of it but decided to stop at the zoo and botanical gardens at the northern end of the circuit as it was getting into late lunch-time, and we thought that would be a nice place for lunch. It was, we sat in the sun and ate our picnic, looking out over bright red flower beds, fountain, and statues, before strolling around the well-kept and brightly coloured flower beds, lawns and sculptures.
Flower beds/fountain photo
We caught the next bus (just after 2 by now back to just before our original stop to the 4711 store (eau du Cologne) where we tried on different scents and bathed our hands and wrists in a fountain which ran with 4711 perfume.
Photo of outside of shop
Photo of fountain
It was a very pleasant experience, reminded us (me and Di of our grandmothers and mothers) and we bought a little bottle as a memento for very little. We decided it would be quicker to walk from there to the Chocolate museum our next planned visit than to catch the hop-on hop-off bus even though it was a bit of a hike. We passed the other Fermes eau du Cologne shop and museum, Di in particular was keen to do the tour but there were no English tours available for a few days. They were very snobby here, not at all like the women at the 4711 shop, at pains to point out that their perfume was for the “rich people” rather than the “everybody else” that 4711 is aimed at. We don’t approve of that nonsense.
We walked a bit further down to the river to where the glassy rounded Museum S….. is situated. It was very well put together, with displays at the beginning about cocoa bean growing and harvesting, a bit about fair trade, quite a bit about ethical farming/trading….. Next came the best bit which was the Lindt Chocolate factory and display which smelled Heavenly with gallons of warm chocolate churning in vats, and the whole process of little Lindt chocolate tabs being made and packaged on display through Perspex windows. Also on display was a huge chocolate fountain which a young woman dipped wafers into, about 10 at a time, and handed out to the salivating public. It was supposed to be one each, but we were definitely not the only ones to go back for seconds.
We were going to go for an hour long cruise along the Rhine at this stage, but the sky was dark grey and little drops of rain were beginning to fall. The evening before at a similar time there had been a torrential downpour while we were searching for somewhere to eat, severely limiting our options as many of the restaurants only had out-door seating. Thankfully we headed back to the tram/underground, because it was absolutely teeming by then, reminiscent of the monsoons in Kuala Lumpur, and despite umbrellas our feet and lower legs got saturated.
We got onto the tram and headed back to the campsite. I was sitting on a seat across the aisle from the others, I looked across at the man opposite them and was a bit worried to see his skin colour matched his very grey stubble and hair, and that he was sitting clutching his chest with his head back and eyes closed, rather large tummy protruding above his belt. I watched closely, noticing he didn’t fall off his perch, but that he continued to look uncomfortable. I asked the young Tanzanian woman beside me if she could ask him if he was OK for me, to which she replied, “How he is is none of my business”. I must have looked surprised because she continued to explain her response, saying that people here (Germany) don’t respond well to questions (even like that), and that it wasn’t safe to get involved. If he collapsed there were plenty of people around with cellphones who could call for help. I said that was a pretty sad state of affairs, that people felt like that, and weren’t willing to help out a stranger, she agreed but didn’t seem open to changing. I suspect she has had a pretty hard time here since emigrating 10 years earlier, and I can’t imagine being black is helpful either. She did continue with information about her own situation and the fact that she couldn’t get ahead in Germany because they don’t recognize her (or others) professional qualifications. She implied that she was doing cleaning because that was the only work she could get here, and that if she wanted to work in her professional field (I don’t know what it was) she would have to start back at the beginning. Meanwhile the grey man wasn’t getting any greyer or blue, and he was still upright in his seat. The young woman hopped off at that stage, and lo and behold if Mr Grey didn’t rise to his feet, stagger over , look at me square in the eye, sit down beside me, and start rabbiting on in German. I apologized for my lack of understanding and ability to only speak English to which he stated in very fine English (and in the loud tone of unconcerned elderly), “I had to move, there was no room on the seat, that other man is so fat”. I looked across at the poor “fat man” being criticised and saw he was a little overweight perhaps, but nothing compared to Mr Grey with his large stomach, bull neck and now he was closer, rather unpleasant odour. OK I thought, I can handle this, I don’t mind a bit of interaction on the train, unlike most people in Europe who travel by public transport. At this point a man with piercing blue eyes, not unlike Hannibal Lecters? In Silence of the Lamb (Anthony Hopkins), got on, sat opposite me, and bent down. As he did so he said, “Do you mind if I touch your shoe?” Now I was thinking, “Oh Lordy, have I got a sticker on my forehead saying, “all nutters welcome for a chat”. I realised he wanted a magazine which was by my foot, and said, “no, go head” to which he explained that he didn’t really want the magazine, but that was his line to check out people’s English. My earlier thoughts bubbled to the surface. For the next 20minutes or so he talked at me, about the child migration of the 1960’s, a movie that is out called “Sunshine and Oranges” about children being sent from England to Australia for a better life. He said he was one of the children who was to be sent, but at the last minute it didn’t happen due to what I’m not sure, maybe they realised he had “issues”. He said he was from Scotland, that his relatives were French from the Bordeux Chateau??? And had migrated to Scotland in the 1200’s. He also said that the English had broken both his hands (and showed me what looked like surgical scars on his palms) before the migration was to happen, so that he couldn’t learn to read or write, to stop him telling his story (I’m not sure how?). He said in England he had a diagnosis of autism, spasticity and an IQ of 65. Now I’m sure in England he had a diagnosis of something, but I doubt his IQ was the issue. I have no idea whether any of what he said had any substance but it has made me keen to see the movie, (and wary of talking to people on the trams in Cologne!!!)
Thankfully our stop came up and we disembarked, me rather rapidly, not making eye contact with anyone else.
July 21st and 22nd Rodenkirchen (southern Cologne)
We have spent the last two days here at the campground, relaxing, compiling our memento book, and buying groceries (in the town, not the campground). Hilary has played on the golden beach of the Rhine immediately behind our campervan (through the fence). It has been nice to just relax and catch our breath. The weather hasn’t been fantastic, it starts off with blue sky in the early morning, but cloud comes in just after breakfast, and the occasional spit of rain. It is warm enough though (well not quite enough), early 20s mostly, though last evening was a bit cooler.
Yesterday we went out in the camper (first time for days) just a couple of kms to get groceries from the local supermarket and also to go to a camping shop for some toilet chemicals, a power adapter and hopefully a gas/charcoal barbeque. The place we were directed to was actually a Hymer dealer with all sorts of modern, very flash and I’m sure expensive Hymers parked in the lot. We had a look in a few, they were positively palatial and made our old girl look very old fashioned and basic even though we think/thought she was pretty good. I think the one I had a really good look around must have been longer than ours, it certainly seemed a lot more spacious. It still had a bed over the driving area which folded down, same style as ours. The best difference was that there was a permanent second bed, almost in a bedroom at the back of the van, raised slightly ( a step up) so that there was heaps of storage underneath accessed from outside. That added storage would be handy, but of course, as work expands to fit the time available, junk also expands to fit the space available, so maybe the smaller storage area has its advantages. The thing about the second bed being permanently there, is that means the seating is also permanently there so you don’t have to make up the bed each night and disassemble it again for breakfast. The other thing I would like is to be able to lie down during the day, not while I’m driving obviously, but sometimes after a long day of sightseeing it would be nice to stretch out, and when we get to Spain, siestas will be the flavour of the day. Anyway, we haven’t got a spare $200,000 available for fripperies.
We came back to the campsite and did our books, and watched the barges and leisure boats/cruise boats plying the river, a constant flow of traffic. The barges are fascinating, all sorts of loads, coal, containers, cars, some seem to be empty, up and down from the Netherlands in the north, to somewhere in the south. They only seem to be flying Dutch and German flags none from Switzerland, maybe they use trains or trucks?
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