| Featured City: COLOGNE | Welcome to Cologne! It is a dreamland in fairy tales and romantic poems; it is a city with in-depth culture and character. However, it is highly developed and well ahead of fashion, mounting as the largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia and the fourth largest in Germany after Berlin, Hamburg and Munich. This city mingles so many contrary qualities perfectly----old and young, open yet reserved, serious but never dull. It is proud of its extraordinary dual identity that deserves a careful exploration.
A German proverb says "Anyone who has not seen Cologne, has not seen Germany". Located beside the Rhine River, Cologne has every typical character of German style. It is blessed with an ancient flavor under the glory of Heine and Konrad, but is modern enough to tolerate such things as homosexuality. Every year, Cologne, together with Berlin will celebrate the Christopher Street Day, when homosexuals dress in bright colors for a parade. Cologne is also famous for its K?lsch beer. Here "K?lsch" is a dialect----no wonder local people always joke that "K?lsch is the only language that can be drunk.".
The most striking construction in Cologne is the Cologne Cathedral, or K?lner Dom in German. It was the world's tallest building until 1884, when the Washington Monument beat it. Anyway, it still counts the tallest Gothic construction in the world today. In 1996, the UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List, than later in 2004, it was put in the "World Heritage in Danger" list. It seems we'd better visit it in a hurry.
Sarcophagus of the Magi is thought to be the place where kept the remains of the Three Wise Men. In the New Testament, Magi referred to Kings coming from east to help Jewish people. During the day, the cathedral's gorgeous arches and erect spires contrast pleasingly with each other. At night, golden light sprays downside and curtains a glittering veil over its surface, bewildering the earth and the heaven. Romisch-Germanisches Museum, Museum Fur Ostasiatische Kunst and K?ln Messe are also nearby, being professional in Roman culture, Oriental culture and world-class fairs respectively.
Ok, now that we've experienced the historical Cologne, let's switch to its modern side. It won't be hard to notice the swarming advertisements of the "Cologne 4711 Perfume" everywhere in the business street. It's the earliest Eau de Cologne in the world, and 4711 also has very important meanings. It is said that 4711 was the address number left by Napoleon when he was fighting in Europe, and many French soldiers send it as gifts to their wives and lovers. So don't forget to buy some to mark your Cologne trip. If you are still worry about your promise of "taking something made in Cologne back"? Hobe Street near Cologne Cathedral will help you.
You can have a rest on the spot----lots of hotels are situated just around the Cologne Cathedral. Take Dom Hotel for example. It has every amenity of a five-star hotel except the price. For one night, you only need an incredible budget of 160 Euros, which is near impossible in such a golden area. If your trust is on chain hotels only, Hilton Hotel Cologne is at request. Their signboard service as sunbath will be as perfect as it is in any other cites. Oh, you've spent most of your money on souvenirs just now in Hobe? Novotel West Hotel and Ibis Cologne Barbarossaplatz Hotel have calculated it for you. Their fee starts from 48 Euros, but their service worth more than that.
|
|
