Now it is too hot...

We are currently in Köln, Maria's hometown. We arrived last night and were greeted by her warm, loving family and lots of food. It was our first home cooked meal since we have been gone...much needed and appreciated. We enjoyed the dinner of lots of meat (literally there were three different types to try), bread, cous cous, salad, and Köln beer. The conversation switched back and forth from German to English with many laughs and explanations. Dinner lasted about four hours and we went to bed feeling full and happy.

THis morning we repeated the food event with breakfast, lasting an hour plus. We wish we had breakfast like this all the time. Yum Yum!!! After breakfast we went to city center, Hauptbahnhof (the train station). We saw the most famous cathedral in the city...it was not destroyed in WWII and is one of the oldest churches in Germany. Then we walked across a famous bridge...where people put locks along the fence representing special occasions. There were so many!!! And thanks to Maria and her parents we added our own to the collection. Then as tradition states we threw the keys into the Rhine River. So cool!

It was getting quite warm by now...actually way too hot according to Katie and Cassie. We went up to one of the only tall buildings in Köln to get a great 360 degree view. Afterwards we enjoying a cool drink with Maria‘s mom and watched people walk by the Rhine River.

The next goal was to find a place to watch Germany vs. England soccer match. We went to a biergarten in a park. It was extremely packed with German fans, but by the middle of the first half we had two chairs to share between the five of us...and we managed to fit four of us on those two chairs. Go us!!! It was an intense game and Germany came out victorious, 4 to 1 win! On our walk to dinner it looked like Köln had morphed into a drunk parade times a thousand on every street and street corner. We have never seen so many flags, heard so many honking cars, or just plain happy people celebrating in the streets. It was truly fascinating and slightly ridiculous to see, but the enthusiasm was contagious.

We had dinner at a different biergarten, walked around Köln, and then came home to Maria‘s house. We are excited for tomorrow‘s adventures. Nothing on the schedule...just going to go with the flow. Ahhhhhh...