Tourist in Cologne, Pt. II

That night we got together and cooked dinner and played a card game.  For dinner we had marinated and baked pork chops and sausage, a giant vegetable salad, and mashed potatoes.  It was the best meal I have had in Germany.

Dinner on the patio

Green backyard.

The house we ate at was very cool and very different from my student apartment in the city.  In this neighborhood, the houses were duplex-style multi-home buildings; each home had a section of backyard separated by hedge.  The house was very modern.  Compared to an American home, it felt somewhat cold (no photos or clutter!).  But, at the same time, it was very clean, organized, and efficient.  I guess it just depends on what you're in to!

Dom at night.

After dinner, we passed by the Dom on the way home.  There was an event (called Nightfever)  that allowed people to access the inside of the cathedral at night.  Inside, we followed a path of candles that led to a vigil in front of the Shrine of The Three Kings (normally closed off) in the apse of the Cathedral.  We spent some time there reflecting and listening to the pianist and singer.  They played a couple songs that we sing in the US as well, which I found nice.  Outside of the apse, there were priests and volunteers sitting at pairs of chairs offering to talk to anyone who needed counseling or just someone to talk to.

Typical Friday Crowd Socializing on the Western Steps of the Dom

Sunday morning, we went to a flea-market (Flohmarkt).  I was able to get a new wallet (sized for European bills) with a much needed coin purse built in.

Standard Flea Market Crowd, including representation from mullets and Canadian Tuxedos

Was kostet das?

We came very close to buying this stuffed fox (15 Euro). It would of led to very good pranks; Sadly, Fox-in-laundry-pile will have to wait.

I hope everyone reading this forgives me for excessive parenthesis use, incorrect semicolons/colons, and other grammar stumbles.  This is why I went the "math route" in college.