Chocolate and Kolsch

And, we're back!  Internet was a little tricky in Heidelberg, and Kevin keeps hogging the computer.  :-P  But before we get to Heidelberg, let's finish up Cologne.

We went to the Schokoladenmuseum, which details the history and process making chocolate.  Pretty interesting!  Kevin was fascinated with the mechanical side of it.  At the end of the chocolate-making, they give you a taste from their elaborate chocolate fountain - yum!  We also found a mustard "museum," which was more of just a shop with a bunch of different kinds of mustards - and they weren't even that good, really.

On our way to the Schokoladenmuseum, we finally found "Old Town" Cologne, finally! We had liked modern Cologne well enough, but we always love quaint, historic areas.

Not really a prime example of Old Town architecture as much as attitude. :-)

According to one travel book, the best place to have a Kolsch.

We went to Peter's Brauhaus upon a travel book's recommendation for a Tuesday special on potato pancakes.  However, the book did not tell us that the special didn't start until after 5PM, and we were there at 3PM!  So, we settled for marinated beef, venison stew, and, of course....kolsch.

We came upon the Aldstadt (Old Town) Christmas Market, which we thought had much more charm than the one below the Cathedral.  Kevin finally satiated his desire for potato pancakes, while I tried some currywurst, which was just bratwurst cut up in a spiffy cutting machine and doused in a curry ketchup.  I actually liked it even more than I thought I would!    It might make an appearance at our next Oktoberfest, but I'll probably have to cut it by hand.

Here are some pictures of the charming Aldstadt Christmas Market...

Puppy worn out from the Christmas Market!

There was even a brass choir!

Once we got back towards the Cathedral Market, Kevin wanted to take even more photos of the Cathedral at night, so I left him to that and perused the Cathedral Market a little more.  We had agreed to meet "under the arch at the other side of the market" (my memory).  At the appointed time, I waited under the brightly-lit arch right at the entrance to the Market, and after 5 or so minutes in the cold and wind began cursing Kevin and wondering how long it could possibly take to take more pictures of an object he had already taken at least 50 pictures of.  Turns out, he was waiting under an unlit Roman arch and former city entrance  in the Cathedral courtyard, about 50 yards away.  It's quite reflective of us, really - I assume it's the pretty, bright (and obvious) arch, but Kevin is thinking of the structural arch that is less obvious and more complicated to find.  :-)

I leave you with a festive photo in front of the much more obvious meeting point.