Cologne

What a contrast to the first day, Cologne is a first rate city, although not without its quirks. To get here we drove for about six hours through constant mist, past a bad accident on the motorway. Rather surreal. Eventually reached the campsite, to find the wash block still under construction, with atypical German efficiency only one of the showers was working, with just cold water.

Never mind about that, what about the famous Neustrasse shopping district? Closed. And the magnificent Dom cathedral? Open, magnificent, but we were ejected by the bouncer priests due to a service taking place. They must specially train for this duty, being remarkably hard looking for priests.

The highlight of Cologne came in a most unexpected place though, the cafe opposite the Dom. This cafe made me a fantastic coffee, easily 9/10. But the highlight was not the coffee. No, it was the toilets! These were no ordinary toilets. These were toilets of excellence! Each cubicle door was clear glass, which was quite worrying until one used the lock on the door, whereupon the glass instantly frosted over. This was the German engineering I knew! Marble, glass and technology in perfect harmony, working to awe slack-jawed tourists!

These toilets were so fascinating that two ladies in our group went to video them. I, however, retained my British decorum, which is why you see instead a picture of the contrast between the masterful Dom, and its catastrophic neighbour, the Dom Platz. Also a photo of a hard-boiled Easter egg gift from a restaurant in which we dined. At least the Germans haven't lost their sense of humour.