Köln

Köln is really cool and amazingly easy to navigate. I'm staying at a little hotel that is about 200 yards from the Dom so I am in the heart of everything even the incessant ringing bells from the Cathedral! The hotel is more of a room with a cot and a sink and the world's tiniest TV! Toilets and showers are down the hall but luckily I think I'm the only girl on my floor. There's way more shopping here than I could ever want to do. Yesterday I climbed the 509 steps of the Dom (Cathedral) and just walked around the city forever. Today I rented a bike and biked along the Rhine until I was out of the city and could enjoy the German countryside. I also went to the chocolate musuem today and that was a lot of fun and educational and I got to watch some being made and was able to sample fresh chocolate. I sadly have to say that I had Starbucks today and broke my little point and shoot digital camera while I was there so I had to buy a new one, not a cheap purchase in Europe! Anyway I'm enjoying some great German beer and I will be going out dancing with one of my German friend's (in Seattle) friend that she connected me with. Off to Munich tomorrow!

So last night I went to a dance into May party, apparently May 1st is similar to Labor Day and everyone has the Day off. It is also Witches Day and Father's Day! Anyway the party I went to was a 30 and up party only it was way, way up past thirty but I still had a good time people watching and dancing to old school Michael Jackson. People were up making noise all night in the streets and the church bells started ringing at 7 so it was a short night but I enjoyed every minute!