Live from Cologne report by Jeffery Grimes, San Francisco
I finally slept more than eight hours through the night last night. Victory! It generally takes me three nights to adjust to this time zone. And last night was my third night here, so right on schedule. I took my first run since arriving yesterday. A short 5-miler past the cathedral and along the Rhine River (very cool!). This afternoon I have a 10K race; my first competition at the Games. It is cloudy, off-and-on drizzle, and a bit cool here today - perfect running weather. I hope it is like this on Saturday for the marathon (which doesn't start until 8:45). I bought train tickets for a day trip to Amsterdam. I will go tomorrow. Apparently, they are holding Pride there all week. It is a four-hour train ride (with the 'schnellzug' - fast train). Of all the cities in Europe, I've never been to Amsterdam (I've been to Helsinki and Krakow for Chris' sake, but never Amsterdam). Tomorrow I will fix this.
My 30-day alcohol fast for the marathon is holding, but now only with resolute vigilance. True confession: being here surrounded with arguably the world's best beer, has been tempting. Mercifully they have some decent alcohol-free beer, which I've been ordering to sate my craving. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to my first 'real' beer after the marathon! In connection with the Games, they've set up beer gardens in two squares (platz) of the city. Walking by and seeing everyone enjoying beer in the open summer air makes me feel like I'm being punished. Oh! Soon enough. Instead I've soothed myself with another German indulgence - Kaffee und Küchen (coffee & cake), which is taken everyday around 4 p.m.
Cologne is a 2,000 year old city. Originally founded by the Romans as a northern colony on the Rhine, it developed into an important point of trade and European migration. Its name was Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensum and was shortened to its present Köln (loosely, 'colony') after the Romans left. There is evidence of the Roman habitation everywhere; sections of the city wall, gates, towers, etc. I spent some time in the cathedral yesterday, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A guide book said, "Cologne is the Cathedral," and I have to agree. It dominates the city. It was built from 1248 to 1880 (think if it - a nearly 650-year construction project) and was largely spared destruction during WWII. Indeed, I think the allies were given specific instructions not to bomb it. The rest of the city, however, did not share the same fate and was nearly completely flattened. So much so that after the war there was even plans to abandon it. The rebuilt city is not particularly beautiful. Instead its charm is in its inhabitants. They are friendly (much more so than the Berliners for example), worldly and warm.
The most valuable treasure in the cathedral are the bones of the Magi, (aka the Three Wise Men) encased in a magnificent gold shrine, considered a masterpiece of medieval goldsmith. They were taken as war booty from Milan by the medieval Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa and brought to Cologne. (There is a Barbarossa Platz in Cologne. Now I know why). During the Middle Ages relics like this (you just KNOW they are fake) were considered invaluable as the masses made pilgrimages of adulation (and undoubtably left behind their money).I bought tickets to the figure skating show (called 'Fabulous on Ice' - of course it is!) and the synchronized swimming show (called 'Pink Flamingos'). I also bought tickets to the bodybuilding show, which is tonight after my 10K race. How could I miss that!
Off to my race.
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