Less than 24 Hours in Cologne

A glimpse of Cologne from an old steel bridge

If you only have 24 hours in a beautiful city that you have never visited before, how will you make each hour worth it?

On Tuesday, October 14, 2014, we took the train for about four hours from Leipzig to Cologne, Germany. We arrived around 3:00 p.m. in our hotel, which was situated by the Rhine River that runs through this charming rust-belt city.

We didn’t even have enough time to change our clothes for our meeting at RTL, a private-owned television network in Germany. Fortunately, the television station was walking distance from our hotel.

RIAS fellows with Peter Kloeppel (middle), anchor at RTL television network

Before we had dinner that night, however, we learned that there was another train strike to occur the following day. Instead of staying in Cologne for another whole day, we all agreed to take the 11:00 a.m. train to Belgium, the last leg of our RIAS journey.

So, how did I manage to see Cologne for less than 24 hours?

Jim Rowbottom, Lisa Voyticki and I spent time together that evening. We walked across the steel bridge, past the thousands of love-locks that were affixed to the fence.

It was a perfect night.

Midnight, in front of the Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral)

The air was temperate. Many people strolled at the plaza; some biked along the river. We took hundreds of photos of the river, the bridge, and the skyline in the distance.

We walked to Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral). It was grand and majestic.

I was not surprised that the Cathedral — which was first constructed in 1248 — is Germany’s most visited landmark, drawing in more than 20,000 visitors a day.

We took photos again and again; perhaps a hundred more. Some of them were rudimentary “selfies.”

And when we realized that the shops were starting to close for the night, we rushed to the famed Original Eau de Cologne 4711 store, named after its location at Glockengasse No. 4711. I bought some souvenirs for my family and friends.

Thousands of love-locks are attached to the bridge fence

We checked out a few more stores, buying magnets and other knick-knacks. Before 7:00 p.m., the three of us took a cab to meet Lisa’s friend at Roonstraße synagogue — the largest religious and cultural center for the Jewish communities in Cologne.

After being burned down by the Nazis on November 9, 1938, the Roonstraße synagogue, according to its website, was rebuilt between 1957 and 1959.

It was my first ever visit to a synagogue.

By the time we started heading back to the Cathedral square, we were all hungry for Japanese food. Sushi, sashimi, edamame and udon were a major detour from German sausages, curry wurst and meatballs.

The City of Cologne by the Rhine River

While crossing the bridge back to our hotel, we ran into our group. They told us that they all went up to a tower that overlooks the city.

It was already past midnight, and I had to pack again my luggage. “Brussels,” I thought, “here I come.”