Cologne and Craig

One of the many altars in the Dom.

I FINALLY found a Dunkin Donuts in Europe.  I have never been so happy to have my hazelnut coffee!  A pound came home to London with me.

I visited Craig in Cologne this weekend, and it was a great time.  Seeing Craig is always an easy time because we pick up right where we left off--as good friends do.  Cologne itself is a beautiful city, though the 1960s-70s buildings were not very interesting architecturally.  But I guess that is what happens when you rebuild a city that was all but decimated in the war.  Fortunately, the Dom Cathedral survived, and what a piece of work that was.  I compare it to the Cathedral or Learning or Heinz Chapel on steroids.  Standing in front of the cathedral was a lesson in feeling small and plain.  Inside was no less spectacular, including the golden shrine that supposedly contains the remains of the three wise men (hence the three crowns that are the city's official logo).  I am not sure how you prove that, but I left my scientist hat in London for the weekend.

Herr Griffin would have been disappointed in my memory for German, but not in my appreciation for good German ale.  Tasty pastries were everywhere, as they are throughout Europe; it remains a wonder that I have lost weight while here!

It is difficult to believe that I will return to Pittsburgh in just a few weeks.  I have had a great time and a once-in-a-lifetime experience; however, I also feel it is time.  I am ready to have my life back, and many of the students are having similar feelings.  There are many things that I have to do in the short time remaining, so hopefully my blog will be better updated in the coming weeks.  ;)

The outside of the Dom.