Dom, Dom Dom Dom...

As I wrote last time, we had a bit of time to explore Köln before or after our stint in the Altenberg big house, depending on when our trains got into or left the city. So my plan was obviously to take a look at the cathedral with trusty travel companion Christine. You know--the cathedral that took four hundred years to build; the cathedral that the Allies didn't bomb because it was one of the best aerial landmarks in Europe; the cathedral that the Germans refer to simply as "der Dom" (dome) because it needs no further explanation. Luckily, when you walk out of the Hauptbahnhof, there it towers--the Kölner Dom:

It's too big to fit in one picture.

We took a look inside--massive--and then clearly decided to go to the top.

Breather at the bells.

Earplugs required.

Almost there...

509 steps later.

The top.

When we finally made it back to the solid, cemented ground, we found some more interesting sites in the area.

The dog was cuter than the whales--and real.

How much of their income is spent on gold paint?

Rolex--no fakes here.

I'm ready. Put me in, coach.

Later, Köln.