| About Cologne (K�ln, Koeln, liebe K�lle) |
| Miscellaneous |
| The three Magi |
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| The tower on the left is St. Martin, the cathedral in the background is the Dom, where the three Magi are buried |
| The three magi, Balthazar,Caspar, and Melchior, are buried here in the Cologne cathedral (the Dom) How could you not admire a religion with such relics? Here's some background history about the Magi |
| Getting Married in Germany |
| German Law is very strict when it comes to the purity of its beer or the marrying of its maidens. The US consulate has a full page list of documents required. But that did not prepare me for the extraordinary interview that I had to undergo. Among other things, they want to know why my birth certificate and passport have different birth dates (off by one day). In total, the German state ceremony required three months of legal proceedings in order to determine my suitability. Sabine and I decided to short circuit this process by getting married in New York City, the Municipal Building. Time required: 24 hours. |
| Cologne is a former Roman colony (hence the name) on the west bank of the Rhine river. It is a small city of one million, though with a very active cultural life, it is also the media and insurance capital of Germany. |
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| The local beer is called K�lsch, which is also the term for the locals and their dialect. Do not attempt to order other beers, as this would be considered a slight. K�lsch can legally only be brewed within twenty miles of this burg. Beer is ordered by telling the K�bes (Kow-bis, a K�lsch waiter): "Ein K�lsch, bitte!" He works on a comission basis by reselling the K�lsch to you, and so he will give you a fresh glass before you ask for it. The only way to stop is to cover your glass with a coaster or passing out. --------> Tips are around 5-8% |
| K�lsch (K�l?) - the lager |
| K�lsch (K�l?) - the dialect - Dat es K�lle, wie et l�v |
| Although all native Germans learn Hochdeustch in school, most regions have their particular dialect which can be as different from German as Creole is from American Standard English. Cologne's urban (as opposed to urbane) dialect is called K�lsch, just like the beer. My own opinion is that K�lsch is simply German with Dutch vowels, but who am I to say? If you want to see what it's like, try reading Asterix op K�lsch. There is also an Akademie f�r uns k�lsche Sproch |
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| And no, I have not said anything about the chocolate museum, Henrich B�ll, Konrad Adendauer, the Gestapo museum, Cologne 4711, and many other interesting bits of trivia about this city. |