FUN-travel: Bremen to Cologne, Germany
August 7, 2014 by Susan Clarke
DOM
Day 32 – Friday, August 1 – Bremen to Cologne, Germany – full sun – high 70’s
What I LIKE
- 7:00 – wake up – good night sleep
- 8:00 – get up for good hot coffee
- 9:30 – breakfast – great variety & selections – sandwich to go
- 10:00 – ready & load car
- 10:30 – rental car has navigation
- – Chris figures it out
- – Garmin works after being turned off
- 10:55 – have 2 navigation systems & Ipod works! incredible
- 12:00 – find 1 more cigarette lighter!
- 12:45 – gas & toilet stop
- 12:55 – hilarious! time spent trying to figure out gas door
- 1:30 – traffic moves better – all about merging 4 lanes to 3 then 2
- 3:00 – arrive Hilton Cologne – right near city center & Dom (gigantic cathedral)
- Wifi works @ Hilton! – free in lobby
- – & it’s Ibahn like the Marriott Berlin – go figure
- More unbelievable weather!
- 5:00 – walk to Dom – city center filled w/lots of outdoor cafés
- 5:30 – happy hour – Lederer for beer (1 liter) & French fries = $12 Euro – what a deal!
- 6:30 – walk to Rhine river for stroll along banks
- 2 nice German ladies ask to sit at table – strike up conversation
FUN-food – Funkhaus – on plaza just up from Lederer – salmon on basil mashed potato w/tomato & zucchini – spinach, goat cheese (more like a brie), fig, bell pepper, tomato, endive – Gougenheim 2010 Malbec, Mendoza = $61 Euro
- 8:30 – stroll back thru Dom plaza
- – lots of people out & about – cathedral lit up
What I DON’T LIKE
- 10:30 – GPS frozen – Satellites not found
- 11:55 – GPS not charging
- – cigarette lighter on dash doesn’t work
- – need 1 for GPS & 1 for Ipod
- 12:45 – can’t figure out how to open gas cap door
- – can’t read manual in German
- – ask man w/an Opel car like ours – doesn’t know either
- – finally get another man who can read
- – all doors have to be unlocked for it to work
- – have to pay .70 Euro for toilet – get .50 back to spend in overpriced store
- 1:10 – traffic comes to complete standstill
- 2:45 – both navigation showing different exits – go figure!
- Wifi costs $20 Euro for 24 hrs in room
FUN-fact – The only reason to stay at Hiltons is for creature comforts. You know what you’ll get. A nice big room & bed with an English speaking staff. We prefer boutique hotels but there’s a lot to be said for knowing you’ll have AC when there’s a heat wave going on.