NORTHERN COLOGNE

Noteable Metro Stations

Christophstrasse/Mediapark – Lines 12, 15

Ebertplatz – Lines 5, 16, 18

Reichenspergerplatz – Lines 5, 18

Mediapark

Christophstrasse/Mediapark – Lines 12, 15

Cologne's Mediapark is, for the most part, a business district. It is, however, host to some impressive modern architecture, water-features, and a multi-screen cinema. Having worked in the towering KölnTurm, I can also testify that it boasts some great views of the city. The large square in the centre of the Mediapark is also often host to various events, so it is worth keeping an eye on what is going on in the area. In short, for a business district, it is not without a certain amount of charm.

Ebertplatz

Ebertplatz – Lines 5, 16, 18

Although near to Cologne's Mediapark, Ebertplatz is actually not accessible by metro from Christophstrasse/Mediapark. It is a short walk away though (about 10 minutes) and, if well-planned, a walk to Ebertplatz can incorporate a stroll by an ancient city wall and fortress. If you are handy with a map then you will also find Ebertplatz perfectly accessible by foot from the DOM and Hauptbahnhof.

The area around Ebertplatz, itself, is very attractive and filled with agreeable cafes where one can enjoy a glass of kölsch, or KiBa (short for Kirsh-Banane – a colourful and delicious mixture of cherry and banana juice). I would frequently come here, both day and night, with a book or sketchpad to unwind after a pleasant evening out nearby or a stressful day.

Ignis Villa

Reichenspergerplatz – Lines 5, 18

Ignis Villa is located at No. 6 Elsa-Brändström-Strasse, and is a small, discreet location that hosts jazz concerts, has several resident percussive dogs, and serves home-made cake. But what is exceptional about it ? IT IS OPEN ON A SUNDAY !

Cologne, just like almost every other European city, closes on a Sunday. No shops are open, and even cafes or bakeries can be hard to come by. Ignis Villa provides a rare refuge. From 5pm until 6pm you can enjoy a relaxing end to the weekend here, one that strays a little away from the norm and doesn't cost the earth (entrance is free). The cake they serve also proves handy if you have woken up on a Sunday morning, with the shops already shut, to discover that you have no food in the house.

INDEX

THE RHINE

DOM & ALTSTADT

NORTHEN COLOGNE

RUDOLFPLATZ
LINDENTHAL
EHRENFELD
SÜLZ
ZÜLPICHER PLATZ
SOUTHERN COLOGNE
CITY CENTRE
CITY-WIDE EVENTS

DOM & ALTSTADT (Cathedral and Old Town)

Noteable Metro Stations

Dom/Hbf – Lines 5, 16, 18

Heumarkt – Lines 1, 7, 9

Cologne cathedral is entirely deserving of its symbolic status. Not just because it is an impressive building, but also because it is the first thing that you will see upon arriving in Cologne. As soon as you leave the main train station (Hauptbahnhof), it stand before you, especially imposing as it is at the head of a large expanse of stepped concrete.

Entry to the cathedral is free, but if you wish to take on the 500+ steps up the tower then it will set you back a few euros. It is well worth the money, though. Not only are the views at the top spectacular, but you will really feel like you have earnt the inevitable slap up meal and glass of Kölsch on your descent. You see, the steps are not just numerous, they are also extremely narrow – too narrow to comfortably accomodation both ascending and descending sweaty tourists, as they must. There are also very few places were one can stop and catch one's breath. It is certainly a work-out, and a reasonably-priced one, at that. If you can't afford a gym membership...

The Kölner Dom is particularly impressive at night. The way that it is lit makes the enormous structure seem more like a ghostly apparition than an actual building that took 6 decades to construct and stands at over 500ft ; once, briefly, the tallest cathedral in the world. I once forceably dragged a group of friends across town, who had been enjoying an evening out, just to see the ethereal spectre in all its glory. They were not disappointed, and later thanked me for my insistance.

Conveniently, and attractively, the Cathedral is situated within 5 minutes' walk of the Altstadt. So if you enjoy attractive architecture then this is definitely an area to explore. Both also back on THE RHINE, so there are plenty of wonderful city-scapes to be enjoyed.

Other Nearby Attractions

Museum Ludwig

Dom/Hbf – Linie 5, 16, 18

A modern art museum with some pleasingly wierd exhibitions (well, what else would you expect from a museum of modern art), and an even better gift shop. Expect to spend the best part of an hour leafing through books filled with nonsensicle doodles, quietly laughing to yourself at the afficionados surrounding you who claim to 'get it'.

Römisch-Germanisches Museum

Dom/Hbf – Linie 5, 16, 18

A surprisingly interesting history museum, with another great gift shop. Tell me where else in the world I could hope to purchase hard-back editions of 'Asterix and Obelix', translated into Kölsch – the local obsolete dialete that only ever surfaces after a few pints during Karneval season.

'Gaffel Am Dom' Brewery

Dom/Hbf – Linie 5, 16, 18

Famous as Cologne is for it's local alcholic beverage, kölsch, expect to bump into quite a few of these breweries. The Gaffel brewery is convenient due to its location (forming a quasi-triangle between the cathedral and the Hauptbahnhof), but it does get very busy. Another noteable brewery can be found in the VOLKSGARTEN

Flanagans

Heumarkt – Lines 1, 7, 9

Situated on 'Alter Markt', this vibrant Irish pub/club is very popular with students and can become crowded quite quickly. Still, the music is diverse and loud, and Guinness is readily available for those who have already tired of kölsch.


Peter's Brauhaus
Dom/Hbf – Linie 5, 16, 18
Heumarkt – Lines 1, 7, 9

You will see gushing recommendations for Peter's Brauhaus adorning the pages of any travel guide to Cologne.  In my opinion, however, you are better off avoiding it.  It is true that they do serve good, traditional German food, but because of this they are also constantly very busy and you won't get the service that you want for the price that you pay.  There are plenty of other places in the city that can offer traditional food: more intimate venues, so best try elsewhere first.  Peter's Brauhaus are also liable to keep your change in the assumption that you are a reasonable person and this is how much you wish to tip. This can seem a bit of an arrogant attitude to some, especially when the service is so slap-dash – you will frequently have to catch a waiter's attention and call them over for service and they are either not willing/do not have the time to be polite. You will leave feeling like an irritating tourist who's just been conned and/or laughed at in the kitchens.

INDEX

THE RHEIN

DOM & ALTSTADT
NORTHERN COLOGNE

RUDOLFPLATZ
LINDENTHAL
EHRENFELD
SÜLZ
ZÜLPICHER PLATZ
SOUTHERN COLOGNE
CITY CENTRE
CITY-WIDE EVENTS

THE RHINE (Der Rhein)

Notable Metro Stations

Dom/Hbf – Lines 5, 16, 18

Zoo/Flora – Line 18
Heumarkt – Lines 1, 7, 9

Severinstrasse – Lines 3, 4

No guide to Cologne would be complete without a few paragraphs on the river that runs through it, and through much of the country, from North to South. It runs by many other cities, such as Frankfurt, and much of the country's wine is made of grapes harvested from its banks.

An obvious tourist attraction, as it is, there are plenty of things to do along the Rhine:

First of all, the Rhine is a wonderfully picturesque location, and perfect for walks and picnics. If you're a picnic lover, the most notable location, other than several grassy spots overlooking the Rhine itself, would be Tanzbrunnen Park. Whilst nearer the Köln Messe/Deutz station, it is actually easier to access on foot. And the walk itself is enjoyable enough to be worthwhile. From Dom/Hbf, cross over the railway bridge and admire the engraved padlocks that have been left as love momentos. Then you can simply follow the path along the river that runs to the left. The park is enormous so, although popular, you won't have any difficulties finding a quiet spot. It is also a popular concert venue during the summer months.

On your journey back towards the Cathedral, it is also worth stopping off at the Oasis Restaurant on Kennedy Ufer (just before the railway bridge) for a well-deserved ice-cream and, if well timed, a glorious sunset behind the Altstadt.

If beer gardens are more your thing, you will be pleased to note that the Altstadt, centre of the city's finest, oldest architecture, also backs onto the Rhine (Heumarkt) so there are multiple idyllic locations for a cold drink on a sunny day. A cold glass of kölsch, the local tipple, can also be enjoyed on one of the many regular boat trips down the Rhein. These can be taken on various types of vessel, with or without tour guide, as per your preference.

But all of these are tips that you could get from any guide book worth its salt. My own personal tip, is to explore the east bank of the rhine, heading over the Railway bridge and following the banks/paths past the Deutzer and Severins bridges almost as far as Poll and then crossing over the next available railway bridge and walking back towards the cathedral on the other side. The vista is not so noteworthy, but you will see a new perspective of the city that is lost to most people.

Other Nearby Attractions

Chocolate Museum

Severinstrasse – Linie 3, 4

I have to admit that I didn't immediately see the appeal of the chocolate museum. What is there really to know about chocolate ? Upon visiting I was pleasantly surprised. Not only are there extensive exhibitions on cocoa plants, how chocolate is made and the politics of fair trade chocolate, and a gift shop filled with … chocolate, there are also extensive areas of the museum dedicated to memorabilia and historical marketing.

DO NOT MISS : the Chocolate Cinema – a room showing how television advertising for chocolate has changed over the decades ; from the chauvinistic approach, to the feminist. The adverts are played on loop and are often very amusing.

Kölner Zoo

Zoo/Flora – Linie 18

Basically, it is just a zoo – nothing wrong with that, zoos are fun. What makes this one worth a visit, however, is that fact that during the summer months special evenings are often set aside where the zoo, and the accompanying Seilbahn (cable car over the Rhine) are open until midnight. Granted, at this time many of the animals are already asleep, but special lighting is set up to afford a glance and those animals which are usually more timid or nocturnal. There zoo also use these evenings as an occasion to showcase global cuisine and entertainment. I myself was treated to native music and dancing from somewhere in South America. On a warm summers night this is quite a special treat.

INDEX

THE RHINE

DOM & ALTSTADT

NORTHERN COLOGNE

RUDOLFPLATZ
LINDENTHAL
EHRENFELD
SÜLZ
ZÜLPICHER PLATZ
SOUTHERN COLOGNE
CITY CENTRE
CITY-WIDE EVENTS

COLOGNE METRO - a travel guide

What's the best and only way to travel in Germany? The metro system, of course! And who better to point out all those wonderful spots overlooked in travel guides than a local.

KBV KÖLN WEBSITE

OK, so I'm certainly not a local now, and I can't really claim to ever have been one, either. But I did live there for almost in a year, and I think that in this time I accrued a certain amount of local knowledge that could be useful to anyone travelling to the region that wants to know those useful things that the travel guides leave out – namely, what to do and where to go on a low budget. And, having been an intern, surviving on a half student-loan and €400 per month wage, I'm not lying when I promise that this is a travel guide for those with a very low budget indeed!

The links below will examine various areas in Cologne that I came to grow and love during my short stay, along with details on how to reach them using the city's metro system.

This is something that I should have written down a long time ago, but have been prompted to recently by a friend who is looking to move to the area for a few months and wanted a few tips – RACHELLE, this is for you.

I hope you enjoy my travel-guide.  Please feel free to leave comments with further suggestions.

 THE RHINE
 

DOM & ALTSTADT

                            NORTHERN COLOGNE

RUDOLFPLATZ

LINDENTHAL

EHRENFELD *

SÜLZ *

ZÜLPICHER PLATZ *

SOUTHERN COLOGNE

CITY CENTRE

CITY-WIDE EVENTS

All images used in these posts are my own, unless stated (marked *).  So I simultaneously apologise for instances of poor image quality, and ask that you do not use these photos without my permission

Der One-Night Stand - vocab (Fr/De/En)

Wow!  How slutty are Anglophones that the Germans felt the need to steal our phrase for ‘one night stand’ as a snappy alternative to ‘sexuelles Abenteuer für eine Nacht’

Du meine Güte, wie wir Englischsprachigen schlampig sein müssen.  Wenn nicht, dann bräuchten die Deutschen unsere Wendung ‘One-Night-Stand’ nicht zu leihen

Peut-être que nous, les anglophones, soyons un peu trop coquines.  Il paraît qu’il ait fallu que les allemands nous y empruntent la phrase ‘one night stand’ (aventure sans lendemain).

ZIGGY PLAYED ... A STICK - vocabulary (French/English)

 

ZIG (masculine noun)

‘un zig’ or ‘zigue’ is an colloquial term that, depending on one’s disposition, can either mean ‘mate/buddy’ or ‘guy’ in the sense of ‘some idiot/generic unpleasant person’.  For any french speakers a more accurate description can be found here.

Colloquial as it may be, literary references, in the above link, containing the word seem to be limited to late 19th century to mid 20th century, so it’s not going to be the hippest slang ever - using vocabulary like this may force finger-on-the-pulse, language-deforming ados (teenagers) in Paris to bring out their best ‘WTF?!!’ faces and call you a pédé (fag, queer) or other similar derogatory terms.  It might be best to just stick to the more common ‘mec’ (guy) and have a secret ‘ziggy’ giggle to oneself.  Correct me if I’m wrong.

For any non-British anglophones, the photo above is of puppets Zig and Zag that frequently appeared on Saturday morning television in the 90s.  No, I have NO idea at all which one is Zig and which is Zag, sorry.

And if you enjoy having fun with the old-fashioned and innuendo then you might want to try this one on for size:

MAZETTE

which, if you choose to believe Wiktionary, means ‘bad little horse’ and as an exclamation means ‘My Goodness!’ in the sense of ‘Isn’t that a big’un!’

Original Photo by lemontreefreak21

DISCUTER A BÂTONS ROMPUS

‘to talk about this and that’

Once again I love the imagery that this phrase throws up when one attempts to approach it in a literal sense:

- discuter - to discuss- un bâton - stick- rompu - broken

Unfortunately I’m not sure what significance the ‘à’ has in this idiom, but either way it’s amusing to think of people talking about broken sticks/talking until sticks break.

Another interesting variant of an idiom:

je m’en suis mordu les doigts - I could have kicked myself

although the literal translation means ‘I bit my own fingers’

Original Photo by WaterFallFairy

AVOIR DE L’OSEILLE

This phrase translates as ‘to be rolling in it’, ‘it’ being ‘money’.

L’oseille is slang for cash, or ‘dough’ - an appropriate English equivalent considering that the literal meaning of the word has nothing at all to do with its usage in this context.  In reality, l’oseille means ‘sorrel’, a herb sometimes used in cooking.  So, remaining faithful to the structure of the british idiom translated of the French ‘avoir de l’oseille’, one could be said to be rolling around in herbs, or the sorrel, to be more precise.

Another slang term relating to cash brings us back to our old friend the bâton or ‘stick’:

un bâton - ten thousand francs

So if one were to be terribly American along the tradtion of ‘Hey darlin’, you look like a million bucks’, one could be misconstrued as having said ‘Hey chérie, you like like a stick’

…But that’s supermodels for you!

HE MADE THEM DO IT! - Vocabulary (French/English)

Original Photo by Feeferlump

IL LEUR EN A FAIT BAVER


...Interesting to consider the impact of pronouns of the meaning of a phrase.  Without the ‘en’ in this phrase, a word that has no real meaning in isolation, the meaning would be changed from …

He gave them a hard time - Il leur en a fait baver

to….

He made them dribble - Il leur a fait baver.

…which, frankly, makes this phrase unforgettable!


Vocab:


baver - to dribble
en baver - to have a hard time


Also note, placing faire in front of a verb makes it passive as in the following examples:

Je range ma chambre  - I tidy my room
Mon père me fait ranger ma chambre une fois par semine - my dad makes me tidy my room once a week. 

Je me coupe des cheveux - I am cutting my hair
Je me fais couper des cheveux - I am getting my hair cut

As the English version of this often uses the verb ‘to make’ in the sense of ‘to force to do’, it isn’t as difficult to translate as first glances may suggest.

DIVINE COMEDY - SONGS OF LOVE - Liedtext

Dieses Lied habe ich gewählt, nicht nur weil ‘The Divine Comedy’ einer tollen Band sind, sondern auch, weil dieses Lied mit meinem letzen Artikel zusammenhängt - Das war die Melodie der Irischen Fersehserie ‘Father Ted’ (Diese Version des Lieds findet sich auch ganz unten im Artikel).  Die Gruppe stammt aus Nordirland und die Name selbst von Italienische Schriftsteller, Dantes, Epik.

Pale, pubescent beasts
    Blasse, geschlechtsreife Biester


Roam through the streets
   Stromern durch die Strassen


And coffee-shops
    Und Kaffeestube


Their prey gather in herds
    Ihre Beute sammeln sich in Herden


Of stiff knee-length skirts
    Von steife knielange Schürzen


And white ankle-socks
    Und auch weisse Söckchen


But while they search for a mate
    Doch während sie suchen um sich zu paaren


My type hibernate
    Leute wie ich überwintern


In bedrooms above
    In Schlafzimmer oben


Composing their songs of love
    Und komponieren ihre Liebeslieder.






Young, uniform minds
    Junge, gleichartige Seele


In uniform lines
    In gleichartigen Linien


And uniform ties
    Und gleichartigen Schlipse


Run ‘round
    Rennen herum


With trousers on fire
    Mit flammenden Hosen


And signs of desire
    Und Kennzeichen des Begehrens


They cannot disguise
    Sie können sich nicht verbergen


While I try to find words
   Als ich versuche zu finden


As light as the birds
   Wörte so leicht wie die Vögel


That circle above
    Die oben umfliegen


To put in my songs of love
    Wörte für meine Liebeslieder






Fate doesn’t hang on a wrong or right choice
    Das Schicksal hängt nicht von falshe oder richtige Wahl


Fortune depends on the tone of your voice
    Das Glück hängt doch von den Tonfall Ihre Stimme


So sing while you have time
    Also Singen Sie solange die Zeit übrig bleibt


Let the sun shine down from above
    Lassen Sie scheinen die Sonne von oben nach unten


And fill you with songs of love
    Bis zu ausgefüllt, voller Liebeslieder






Fate doesn’t hang on a wrong or right choice
    Das Schicksal hängt nicht von falshe oder richtige Wahl


Fortune depends on the tone of your voice
    Das Glück hängt doch von den Tonfall Ihre Stimme


So let’s sing while we still can
    Also Singen wir noch solange die Zeit übrig bleibt


While the sun hangs high up above
    Während der Sonne ganz oben hoch hängt


Wonderful songs of love
    Wundervolle Liebeslieder


Beautiful songs of love
    Bewundernswerte Liebeslieder

... OF CABBAGES AND CATS - Vocabulary (French/English)*

 

original image by SmeeeRAWR

bête comme chou

this little phrase means ‘really easy‘  or ‘easy peasy’ in English.

A literal translation, however, suggests that the French are actually saying ‘stupid like a cabbage’, a collection of words that is not all that silly when you consider English phrases along the lines of having a pea for a brain.  something that is ‘bête comme chou’ is, therefore, so easy that even a stupid person could do it.

French website expressio states that this phrase dates back to the middle of the 19th century where ‘le chou’ didn’t just mean cabbage.  It could also mean head as well as bottom (the one you sit on).  At the time an intelligence that was considerably less than average what attributed to the posterior, rather than the cranium.  We are therefore lead to believe that if a person who is ‘bête comme chou’ (in the old sense of the phrase) can acheive something, then it must be very easy to do.

Faire chou blanc

To draw a blank.

The literal translation for this phrase reveals quite a cabbage-y theme for this particular set of vocabulary: ‘to make a white cabbage’

However expressio traces the phrase back to the 16th century, where a game of skittles played with no points scored was called a ‘coup blanc’, where ‘coup’ was pronounced ‘choup’ in the berrichon dialect….so maybe it doesn’t have all that much to do with cabbages after all…

original photo by richie07

Donner sa langue au chat

To give in.

Literally, ‘to give one’s tongue to the cat’.   In English, of course, cats and tongues would be more associated with the, mostly rhetorical, question ‘cat got your tongue?’ suggesting that the askee is speechless.

The origin of the French, however is from the 19th century, before which the phrase  ‘jeter sa langue aux chiens’ (to throw one’s tongue to the dogs) was used.  The phrase was changed because we throw to scraps to dogs, things that have no value, which seemed inappropriate to the meaning of the phrase.  What is more, cats were associated at the time with keeping secrets, being unable to divulge them.  At the very least the phrase comes about from a desire to soften the impact of ‘jeter sa langue au chien’, by replacing ‘jeter’ with ‘donner’ and replacing the dog with a less ferocious animal.

Avoir un chat dans la gorge

To have a frog in one’s throat.

The only word to have got altered in translation here is the name of the animal.  In France the saying is ‘to have a cat in one’s throat’.  The interchangeability of nouns in such a way is not specific to the French language.  I recently read in Mona Baker’s textbook on translation In Other Words that the it rains old ladies and sticks in Wales, where we get cats and dogs.

Il n’y a pas un chat

The place is deserted.

Tis literally translates as: ‘There is not a cat/There is not a single cat’.  Is anyone else starting to notice a proverbial cat obsession?