Today we left at 7:15 to head to Cologne, Germany to go to the cathedral there. This cathedral was absolutely magnificent... it is more than 500 steps to the tops of the twin spires! I was totally surprised how small I felt in such a ginormous and fantastic structure. It was awe-inspiring, and quite humbling, and it dates back more than 750 years! It was perhaps the only building in Cologne that survived WWII relatively unscathed... the church removed its priceless stained glass that dated back to the Medieval times to preserve it during the relentless bombing campaigns. Miraculously, the rest of the building was unharmed at war's end! I bougth a cool post card documenting this... so if you're a nerd like me, just let me know and I'll let you see it!
After a brief lunch, we got back in the car to go to the castle Berg Eltz. This was a phenomenal castle, but I would have liked to get to go into more of the rooms! It dated back to the 15th century, so it was intriguing to catch a glimpse into the lives of very rich people of that time!
We completed our whirlwind tour through Western Germany with a stop in Aachen to view the Aachen Cathedral where the remains of Charlemagne are enshrined, as well as relics from Mary (her clothes,) Jesus (his loincloth from the cross,) and John the Baptist (decapitation cloth.... I know---gross.) The relics, unfortunately, were not on display. We missed them by one year. They are only on display every seven years, so I guess we will have to head back in 2014!
This will probably be our last blog until our return to the US as we will head to Paris tomorrow and will definitely lose our ability to post pictures, and will most likely not be able to post any new narrative since we would have to pay a bundle for use of a computer in an internet cafe. We'll see how things go.... Check back often as when we do get back, we will post new pics of our time in Paris as well as the day trip we will take to Omaha Beach and the US Cemetery and Military Museum at Normandy on Friday.
We hope you are enjoying the pics and our trip as much as we are! We can't wait to get home to the US... but we are enjoying this wonderful time with all the colorful people and experiences we have seen!
See you all soon!
The Side view of the Cathedral in Cologne
The Organ in the Catheral in Cologne. It was given in 1998 as a gift to the church on the 750th anniversary of the church. It is suspended from the ceiling so as to not compromise the structural integrity of the building by hanging it from the wall.
The front view of the Cathedral in Cologne. It was so big, I could not get the entire thing into view!
Beth and I infront of the Castle Berg Eltz
The Castle Berg Eltz
2 comments:
These pictures are so good. Everything seems so awesome!!! You are so fortunate to have this experience! I can't wait to see the other pics when you get home!! Have fun and be safe :)
wow!! what a great trip! i can't wait to see pics from the rest of the trip!
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