Jeff is still sick. Kaya is still a terrible walker. So, Breezy and I took a stroll this morning, just the two of us. Like old times.

Here are some snapshots from this beautiful spring day in Cologne/Koeln/Köln.

It all begins with a nice view of the city, just begging us to get our booties outside.

Our first tour stop of the day was the Kolner Dom, the famous Cologne cathedral, which is the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe. Seeing this never gets old to me.  And I see it from our hotel room window everyday.

Some details  on the church: Construction of this behemoth began in 1248, and it was left incomplete in 1428. Work recommenced in 1880 to “finish” construction per the original plan. Our new friend, “German Nick” told us on our tour two Sundays ago that the church is never actually finished for fear that Armageddon will come. So, the locals are always finding new renovation projects. WWII definitely helped with that. Fortunately, during the war, some wise soul was smart enough to remove the stained glass to prevent shattering from all the vibrations, and the beautiful windows were re-installed during a more peaceful time.

The Dom is perhaps best well-known for housing the relics of the Three Kings (or Three Wise Men), which were stolen from Italy many hundreds of years ago. Creepy, but cool.

Here’s another shot.

Breezy and I then waddled along to the riverfront, where we enjoyed some people-watching and springy sights.

Then over to the Hohenzollernbrücke railway bridge, which is adorned with love locks — a symbol of romance and eternal love. This is my favorite shot … these people must have been really in love, and clearly understood that when it comes to padlocks (and ever being able to identify your love lock again), size surely does matter.

I also got a kick out of this strange fence ornament. This fella has padlocks for earrings. I’ve met some people with lobes like these.

I really do love the colors and this description from a much better writer than myself:

“They stretch from one side of the river to the other, as far as the eye can focus, a metallic rainbow of colour in a variety of shapes, encrusted with gems and emblazoned with terms of endearment. Bicycle chains, horseshoes, strings of padlocks, handcuffs the splash of colour contrasting with the sombre materials of the bridge. Fixed there by married couples, single-sex couples, young or old couples, as diverse as the padlocks themselves, an ‘eternal’ testament to their commitment to one another.” — Mallory on Travel

I’ve only seen this once before — love locks on the Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence, Italy. I’ll have to dig up some pictures at another time. Apparently, it’s quite European to express your love in this way. For what reason, I know not.

Breezy and I then attempted to cross the bridge over to the slightly “seedier” side of Cologne — at least according to locals. The vibrations were just too much for this sensitive pooch, so we stayed west and snapped a few more pictures.

And then we were greeted with a dose of reality. I’m always surprised seeing garbage in this city, which sits within such an environmentally conscious country.

Breezy and I then made our way back to the hotel room and nursed sick Jeffy with green tea and a sandwich. Beezer is now happily napping, and this is my windowsill view for blogging.

Next up, some bier and German lessons.