Today’s journey started in Koblenz at 6:45 AM and we arrived in Cologne slightly before noon. Cologne is a major cultural center with one of the oldest Universities in Germany. The population of Cologne is just over 1 million and was originally settled by the Romans in 50 BC. The highlight of the afternoon in Cologne was their Cathedral, which was the tallest building in Europe until the Eiffel tower in Paris was constructed.
Randy & Kathy took a tour to sample Cologne culinary delights and the rest of the group took a Cologne City Walk and all of us ended up at the Cathederal. After the visit to the cathedral most of the group met up at a local eatery to have a plate of Reibekuchen (potato fritters), Kolsch (a Cologne beer) and other German beverages and food. The last stop was at a Cologne store to shop for fragrances that are known for their production in Cologne.
The boat then left for the last leg of the trip to Amsterdam at 6:30 in the evening. The evening events were a FAREWELL COCKTAI in the lounge with introductions to the crew of the boat and the CAPTAIN’S FAREWELL GALA DINNER. Our group attended the dinner dressed in casual attire and it was interesting to see the other travelers dressed in mostly casual attire with only a few dressed in more formal wear.