Here’s a look at Dusseldorf where Claire and Graham have lived these last 3 months. We spent a week here with them, walking all over town and eating lots of delicious German food. It’s so fun to feel Christmas in the air, and just enjoy it.
We met up for lunch with one of John’s missionary companions from 45 years ago!
On Sunday after church in Dusseldorf, we drove about an hour to Koln to visit the magnificent cathedral there and the 5 different Christmas markets in the area. It was bitterly cold today, but we really enjoyed what we saw.
This is the bridge over the Rhine that takes you to the cathedral. All along the bridge are millions of love locks attached to the bridge by lovers proclaiming their everlasting love!
The locks when on and on and on! There was not a single inch of free space. Someone once calculated there are 2 TONS of weight added to the bridge by all of these locks.
From Wikipedia:
The Koln Cathedral is Germany’s most visited landmark, attracting an average of 20,000 people a day. At 157 m (515 ft), the cathedral is the tallest twin-spired church in the world, the second tallest church in Europe after Ulm Minster, and the third tallest church of any kind in the world. It is the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe and has the second-tallest spires. The towers for its two huge spires give the cathedral the largest façade of any church in the world.
The cathedral suffered fourteen hits by aerial bombs during World War II. Badly damaged, it nevertheless remained standing in an otherwise completely flattened city. The twin spires were an easily recognizable navigational landmark for Allied aircraft bombing.
We spent the rest of that day enjoying the Christmas markets in Koln.
These are the ornaments that went home with us!
A group of Santas stopping for a beer!
Each of the 5 different Christmas markets had a different theme. This one is the Angel Market.
This has been such a delightful way to spend our holiday! We love being with Claire and Graham in this corner of the world!
