We're in Cologne station and have had a lovely day but are getting a bit passed it now as it is nearly nine o'clock and our train isn't due until about 10.20pm! The journey from Paris was swift and smooth and the sun shone all the way. On arrival we hit the newsagent and stocked up on papers and magazines for the onward journey. Then we dumped the cases in left luggage and after huge cups of tea and coffee went off the explore the cathedral, also huge! Second largest after St Peters in Rome I read previously on its website. After admiring the enormous spaces and stained glass windows we visited the tourist office opposite where we bought a city map and asked the girl behind the desk where we should walk. She indicated the old town and the bank of the Rhine as a good place to saunter in the sunshine...so we did. The old town is cobbled and colourful and I saw some lovely wooden Christmas figures in a shop window that I hope to return to! The river was busy with barges and it was very pleasant to sit and watch the go by but as the sun headed west we began to feel the chill in the air and think about our evening meal. Back at the station we wandered around the many food outlets and opted for a schnitzel place. When in Germany and all that! The glasses of rose were huge and the food when it arrived was gargantuan. We did our best but both left half of what had arrived. My abiding memory of Cologne will be big helpings of whatever it is!