The morning was spent cruising along the Rhine, but most of the scenery was flat and somewhat arid.
Before lunch we arrived in Cologne, our stop for the day.
Our tour started right after lunch and we had an amazing guide.
We started at Cologne Cathedral, which was started in 1248 and was not finished until 1880.
Work stopped around 1520 due to money. Only part of the spires and the church at the right were done at that time.
When Germany united to become one country in 1871, the church was completed as a symbol of unification. Interestingly, it was completed with designs from the 13th century.
The twin spires are 515 ft. high and, until 1884, the church was the tallest building on earth.
It is the most visited landmark in Germany and hosts 20,000 visitors a year.
The interior has some of the tallest naves I've ever seen at 142 ft. high.
Next to the church is a Roman-German museum. When they were digging the foundation for the museum they discovered the remains of an elite Roman home with one of the floors still perfectly in tact.
Our tour took us to the riverfront where we saw a sculpture made from pieces of buildings bombed during WW II.
Then we walked to the location of the old fish market in the Allstadt quarter with several buildings repainted to appear as in bygone days.
Nearby was the Romanesque church of St. Martins dating to the 12th century.
Then we had free time. Ed and I went to the beautiful outdoor Cafe Reichard across from the cathedral and had Kolsch beer, which was really good.
Afterwards Ed took the first bus back to the ship and I visited the Chocolate or Schokoladen Museum, built on an old fortification along the river.
It was huge with a very comprehensive history of chocolate from discovery to present day marketing. It was definitely the best one I've ever been to. There were lots of interactive exhibits for children, a factory setting where they made chocolate, and a chocolate fountain with cookie dipping.
Here is replica of old chocolate shop.
One could have a personalized a candy bar made with a choice of 4 ingredients in 35 minutes. I could easily have spent an afternoon here but was glad I spent an hour. So delightful. And only 10 euros.
The accompanying chocolate shop was overwhelming. Even had chocolate combined with Jack Daniels.
Then I caught the 6:00 bus back to the boat. After a delicious dinner we went to the lounge where a duo named "Poppyfield" performed dance music. Lovely evening.
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