The absolute best perk about being stationed in Germany is all the opportunity for travel. Since the Hubby and I arrived in 2011, we’ve seen Paris, Crete, Amsterdam, Berlin, Bern, Strasbourg, and have attended various festivals all around our area of Ramstein. This weekend, we decided to take a drive to Koln, also known as Cologne. This city is known for the gorgeous Cologne Cathedral, which is the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe. Most of all, the artwork and sculpture inside the cathedral is absolutely breathtaking. It’s amazing to think that much of the art comes from the 13th and 14th centuries!

Outside of the Cathedral.
Sweaterdress, H&M.

Dazzling at night!

What I find to be another big plus about Europe is the number of high end shops! In just about every city, you can find flagship stores of designers such as…Louis Vuitton and Hermes, as shown here in Cologne!

The home of the most fabulous bags!

Cologne has many museums (and several are close to the cathedral!), notably the Museum Ludwig, home to several works by Picasso, Warhol, and Pollock. I grew up loving art, and there’s nothing like seeing a masterpiece up close. We also checked out Roman ruins, sculpture, and fantastic jewelry at the Romisch-Germanisches Museum. I drooled over these earrings!

Our travel ended with a visit to the Chocolate Museum. Lindt Chocolates operates the museum next to their factory, and during the visit we learned about the history of chocolate, the various uses of it, and most importantly, watching it being made! Of course, we couldn’t leave without visiting the gift shop! No Willy Wonka or Oompa Loompas, but it was pretty cool.

AHHH!!!! Yummy!

I am so glad I got to visit this city. It’s rich in culture and activity, and I hope to come back later in the spring to visit the Zoo and take a brewery tasting tour!

Staying cozy on a chilly day.