A day in Cologne

What an absolutely lovely day walking around Cologne even though it was raining off and on. 

After a good nights sleep of 17 hours (which I have never done before) we headed out to explore this beautiful city. 

We found a secure parade to leave the car in which afforded us the luxury of leaving the dogs safe and comfortable while we explored the Cathedral. It ended up being a three hour excursion but worth every minute. 

So many beautiful things to see inside. Thousands of people walking around and it was so peaceful. On everyone of my works trips I have had the privilege of stepping in some of the most wonderful churches and cathedrals in Europe.  Each year I have lit a candle in these churches to remember my boys and I take a picture of where they were placed. 

I took way too many pictures inside the cathedral to post. The beauty of the stained glass and the ornate floors keep you occupied for hours. We even took a tour of the treasury where some amazingopulent  artifacts can be found. 

Once we left the cathedral we returned to the car to fetch the dogs.  The rain had stopped and they were happy to stretch their legs and see the city. 

One of our stops was 4711 the original creator of eau de Cologne. Of course you have to buy Cologne in Cologne. It was a quick stop but equally cool non the less 

We managed to walk around until nightfall so we could see the cathedral after dark and its beauty under light. 

We had enough and all shops were closing so we decided to head back to our hotel and grab dinner on the way. We went back to the same place we are last night and ended up watching a soccer game with the locals and enjoying a beverage. The team they were cheering for won and the atmosphere was pretty electric. 

Time for bed.