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| From what we could tell, there are two main sites to see when visiting Cologne - the cathedral and the chocolate factory/museum. Naturally we went to the museum first. |
| Cologne, Germany September 14th, 2004 |
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| The whole chocolate production process was fascinating. At the far left you can see white chocolate streaks being added to bon-bons. We saw liquid chocolate being poured into molds, jiggled, solidified, and packaged in a matter of minutes. We also visited the simulated troical rain forest set up in the center of the building. We saw banana and cocoa trees growing (with fruit) alongside tropical flowers. This all happened on a small island on the river! The history of chocolate goes back to the Incas and the Mayans! Its 'medicinal' powers are well known! |
| No tour is complete without a sample from the milk chocolate fountain! If that doesn't satisfy, there are plenty of options at the factory store. Drool...it's okay. Next, it was off to the cathedral, the largest gothic church in northern Europe. Construction began in 1248 and lasted 600 years! It was built on the site of a 4th century Roman temple, known as the oldest cathedral. It has the largest church facade in the world and was the tallest building in the world when it was completed (until the Washington monument was built). - wikipedia.org |
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| It was amazing that this structure was not damaged by war! The interior is stunning with its high ceilings and magnificent stained glass windows, thanks to the flying buttresses. We entered and had our breath taken away. No picture can quite capture the soaring splendour of this structure. |
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| We saw how two-color hollow chocolates are made. The small sections are hand-painted first and allowed to cool. Then the main color is poured in the mold and set in a rotating machine to make the wall thickness even. |
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| Cologne |