Spring impressions

A soothing wind fondled my face and woke me gently. I must have dozed away. Slowly, I opened my eyes and squinted in the bright sun. When I turned around, I saw that the aged couple on the neighbouring bench had gone. How soothing and calming it had been just to watch them. How tender he petted her wrinkled face while she looked affectionately at him. They knew each other from their childhood and were married now for 5o years they had told me. One could feel the love and trust that bonded them. The years spent in love together let vanish discomfort, mistrust, doubt or suspicion among them. Amazing, how much they still cared for one another. Time seemed to have passed without leaving a flaw to still feel the same intense love and affection for each other as more than half a century ago.

A sweet and light fragrance reached me from the lilies of the valley. It was dazzling to sit among so many gay and blooming flowers. The various birds were chirping in a medley and the temperatures were pleasant after a long, dreary and cold winter. I took a deep breath and let my lungs fill with the warm, sweet smelling air which was brimful of life. The sun was shining as bright as it could putting everyone into humour. I looked around and everywhere people were now out in colourful dresses and a smiling face. It seemed that with doffing the dark and heavy winter jackets, people had also put away their louring facial features. A smile seemed to come off easier than during icy temperatures when the face was safely wrapped in huge winter scarfs.

A swan couple waddled pleasurably along the lakeshore. When I looked out to the lake, I could see a middle-aged courting couple in a boat. He looked smart and mature with his silverish hair. He looked deep into her eyes and said something softly. Whatever it had been, it brought a smile to her face and let her blush. My eyes swept back to the lakeshore. The two swans sunbathing on the lush green meadows lovingly wrapped their necks around each other.

A typical beginning of Spring. Though every year it appeared to be the same, with the sun shining bright, the temperature going up, people surging again to bustling sidewalk cafes and beer gardens, the birds returning from their winter camps, the flowers blooming in all possible colours and shapes, still every year it felt so special to welcome back the spring. The spring fever bewitched the wintery hearts again. Wherever I looked I could see happy couples, holding hands and caressing each other softly.

A jolly, young family walked slowly passed me pushing a stroller with a toddler in it. Its about four-year old sister was running jauntily ahead pushing her doll’s pram before her. She quickly turned around to check her parents were catching up with her. She looked gorgeous in her pink dress, her red jawls and both her short pigtails which stood off lively. Her parents looked at her in full bliss. My eyes rambled down the path where a young man was standing. He seemed to be daydreaming. For a moment our eyes met and I felt a sudden warmth building up from inside. From the corner of my eye, I saw someone sneaking up from his back. All of a sudden that person jumped up his back. Though shocked in the first second, quickly a bright smile filled his face when he turned his head around. The young lady jumped off again and smiled almost brighter than the sun looking at him. She was beautiful and happy. I could see a sparkle of joy in her eyes. After a heartly hug, he gave her a soft kiss on her cheek. They put their arms around each other and walked away towards the near café which played cheery summer hits.

A soft wind blew my hair into my face reminding me its time to go. Somehow I wished, every day would be like this, with this pleasant sunshine, smiling faces all around, soft and flowery fragrances, mild temperatures and a gentle breeze. I sprawled slowly and packed leisurely my book away, when something hard hit me from top. It had been a hazle nut which bounced off my head and fell next to me onto the bench. Before I could wonder where it came from, a squirrel jumped off the tree behind me and landed smooth on all four by me. He looked buffled watching his escaped nut. Hello my little friend, I said. He wagged his fluffy tail and stood up as if he had understood me. Then looked again at his nut which he must have brought out of his winter hideout. I looked around to my shade-giving tree, there were no other squirrels. Hey, so how come you are alone, mate? He didn’t seem to care much about this question with his eyes fixed on his precious nut. Slowly he prowled towards his treisure which lay between us, always checking out my position in-between. Grabbing his nut he once more looked at me. For one second I thought he winked at me. Then he jumped off the bench and rushed towards a bush where another squirrel was already anxiously sticking her head out.

Hmm, yeah, of course he had his soulmate, just like Adam had his Eve, Romeo his Juliette, Jack his Jill and simply every prince his princess.
But how many springs would still need to pass for my soulmate to come?

I thought there is a Soulmate for everyone

Cologne

“What’s so special about Cologne?” I was asked. Well, and having lived my entire life in ‘Kölle’ I wondered from which planet this alien was from not to know my lovely city! So then, for all you other aliens, who don’t know the beauty of Colonia with its famous Cathedral of Cologne, the Eau de Cologne, the Cologne Carnival..., here comes my intro cum laudation…

Some facts to start with, Cologne has a population of about 1 million people and is today the biggest city in the West of Germany, and the fourth largest city of Germany after Berlin in the East, Hamburg in the North and Munich in the South. It is the third largest German industrial region, the most important economical and industrial center of Northrhine-Westphalia and the largest city along the Rhine river. Hmm, that’s what it is today, but lets start actually chronologically with the history.

Cologne’s history dates back to 50 B.C. when Caesar conquered the whole Rhineland. In 50 A.D., Cologne was declared as city by Emperor Augustus upon the request of Empress Agrippina. Hence, Cologne was known as Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensum (CCAA), later Cologne became capital of Franconia. Cologne has a long-lasting history for trade and handcrafts, especially as it lies at the Rhine river. During the Middle Ages, Cologne was the largest German city and was ruled with an iron hand by various arch bishops who built many catholic churches during that time. Cologne had one of the largest and most impressing city walls of Germany, which was larger than the one, which protected Paris during those days. During the French Regime, many catholic churches and abbeys were burnt and the city heavily despoiled. In 1798, the French rulers closed down the University of Cologne which belonged to one of the eldest universities in Europe. During World War II (WWII), Cologne -being a major German city and army camp- was heavily bombed and destroyed by far over 75 %. By the end of the war, the population of Cologne was reduced by 95% as most people fled to more rural areas to escape the bombing. In the post-war period, many helpers from abroad joined hands to build up Cologne again to a city worth living. Architects called Cologne the "world's greatest heap of debris" during 1945. With amazing efforts and energy, the city and many churches (including 12 romanic churches) were rebuilt within a few decades.
Oh, I almost forgot another important historical note. The world-famous Neanderthal is just about 60 km away from Cologne. Neanderthal is the place where 'Homo sapiens neandertalensis' lived about 200,000 to 40,000 B.C., so one of the oldest set of people used to live in this area too.

"OK History teacher, but what are the famous facts about Cologne?"

Well, be patient my dear aliens! Three kings are said to have visited Jesus after birth bearing precious gifts like gold, myrrh and frankincense. In 1164, the mortal remains of these Holy Three Kings were brought to Cologne, which gained the city the status of ‘Holy’ Cologne. To offer the holy relics an apt resting place, in 1248, the cornerstone was laid for the most stunning and largest Lord’s house that was built till date: the Cathedral of Cologne. The Cathedral of Cologne is the most famous landmark and pride of the city. It is one of the best-known architectural monuments in Germany. The Cathedral of Cologne is a World Heritage Site and described by the UNESCO as an "exceptional work of human creative genius". The Cathedral is worldwide the third largest cathedral in the gothic style and with its enormous twin-spires it presents the largest facade of any church in the world. The Cologne Cathedral is the second highest church premise in Europe and the third highest in the world. The completion of Germany's largest cathedral was celebrated as a national event in 1880, 632 years after construction had begun. The celebration was attended by Emperor Wilhelm I. In the years 1880 to 1884, the Cathedral of Cologne was the highest building in the world! During the WWII, the Cathedral of Cologne was tried to be exempted from the heavy bombing, paying respect to an astonishing historical monument. Though the Cathedral had been affected and hit by bombs, they did not endanger the Cathedral seriously. Holding the shrine of the Three Kings, the Cathedral is still a pilgrimage church.

"Oh gosh, thats amazingly interesting! What's more about Cologne?"

Well, the world famous elixir "Eau de Cologne" was developed in 1709 in Cologne. Translated it means, the water of Cologne and has a very soft and light fragrance. As patenting and protection of trade marks was not that common in those days, many copied the scent. Therefore nowadays, perfumes with 70% alcohol and 2-5% scent oil are known as Eau de Cologne. But today, only perfumeries in Cologne are allowed to name their product "Original Eau de Cologne" and that is probably the most famous trademark known on international level. So, don’t tell me, you haven’t noticed the name Cologne ever before on your planet.

“Wow, true, that was worth knowing! What else?”

Economically, what to say. Cologne is the cradle of the Otto-engine! This is where also Karl Maybach and Gottlieb Daimler started their career (hmm, Daimler-Benz should ring a bell for car freak-aliens at least). Cologne is the headquarters of Ford in Europe where also companies like Citroen, Renault and Toyota can be found. Chemical industry is represented in Cologne by Shell, BP, Degussa and pharmaceutically by Bayer.
Internationally, Cologne is known for its exhibitions. More than 70 international trade fairs and over 2,000 conferences cover basically each sector: from Food to House, Garden and Leisure; Health, Lifestyle and Facilities; Communications, Art and Fashion; Furniture, Interior Design and Textiles; Technology, Lifestyle and Environment to IT and Digital Entertainment -they all can be found in Cologne. After Berlin, Cologne is one of the most important media locations in Germany hosting various national TV channels as RTL, NTV, Vox, WDR and more in the city. Many famous daily soaps and reality shows like the German version of 'Who wants to be a Millionaire?', 'German Idol' and so on are shot and broadcasted in and from Cologne.

Educationally, scientifically, and research-wise, Cologne holds one of the oldest universities in Europe which was recently also awarded the Cluster of Excellence. The University of Cologne was established in 1388 as the fourth university in the Holy Roman Empire. The University of Cologne is the largest university in Germany. Noble prize winners are Kurt Adler in 1959 for Chemistry, Heinrich Böll in 1972 for Literature and Peter Grünberg for Physics in 2007. Max-Planck-Institutes with four different scientific focuses have enhanced Cologne's position for scientific research. The headquarters of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) as well as the Fraunhofer Institute and many international graduate programmes increase the educational and scientific value of Cologne. Beside the historical University of Cologne, Cologne offers more than 15 other colleges and universities. Elite schools such as Ursulingymnasium and Liebfrauenschule can be found in Cologne just as well as all other known German school forms. Cologne has to offer about 150 primary schools. After the four-year primary school education, the children in Cologne have the choice of joining various secondary school forms and can pick one of the over 30 Hauptschulen, over 20 Realschulen, 10 Gesamtschulen , about 20 Berufkollegs, and over 30 Gymnasien. The most famous person of Cologne who has studied in a Cologne Gymnasium (best secondary school form) is Konrad Adenauer, the first Chancellor of Germany.

Culturally, Cologne possesses 2000 years of cultural tradition and many world-famous museums. Cologne’s population is mainly catholic followed by Evangelics and Muslims. Cologne possesses the eldest Jewish community north of the Alps and they had settled in Cologne before 321 A.D.. Before WWII, around 18,000 Jews were living in Cologne, 8,000 had been murdered during the Nazi-Regime. Almost 5,000 Jews are now again living in Cologne and have a big synagogue as well. Due to the high Muslim population in Cologne, a huge mosque is under construction, though many smaller complexes do exist. Two Hindu temples can also be found in Cologne. People from all around the world do live, work or study here. Cologne is known to be very tolerant and friendly towards all types of people. It is known as the stronghold for gays and lesbians and various gay parades. Cologne is a friendly party city with loads of clubs, discotheques, bars and lounges where not only youngsters and students but also many tourists can dance the night away. Furthermore, Cologne offers many theatres, symphony orchestra, choirs and music schools, leaving any music and art lover pleased. The Cologne University of Music is Europe's largest academy of music. Cologne is a beautiful city along the Rhine. Especially during the summer, it is nice to either stroll along the Rhine promenade, enjoy the musical events in the eves at the Tanzbrunnen or chill at the beach cafe with a marvellous view of the city and the Rhein. An enchanting event is the Kölner Lichter, which is one of Europe's largest fireworks synchronically to music and lasts for half an hour. The whole afternoon is worth spending along the Rhine promenade as many visitors are expected for this spectacle and various social programmes are hence offered. A real amusement not only for children are the rides in the cable car over the Rhine as well as in the small street-cars. Cologne has plenty of parks and gardens as well as a zoo with flora and fauna and is also known to be a very green city. For that, the former German Chancellor and Cologne's mayor Konrad Adenauer holds a major credit. Cologne has also many brew houses which offer the famous beer Kölsch along with good and solid meals. Beer brewery has a long-standing tradition in Cologne. Kölsch is the only beer that may not be brewed outside the Cologne region. Known sports stadiums are the Rheinenergie-stadium and the Köln Arena where several international sport tournaments are held. Cologne possesses also a cycling track, horse-race track, boat race course and plenty of other sports facilities. The German Sport University Cologne is the biggest sports university in the world with more than 6,000 students. Obviously, Cologne has many sports teams as well, like the football teams 1. FC Köln and SC Fortuna Köln, as well as the successful ice hockey team Kölner Haie, the American Football team Cologne Falcons and the basketball team Köln 99ers.

Now, last but not least the cultural highlight of Cologne: the Cologne Carnival! The fifth season starts on the 11/11 of each year at 11:11 am and lasts till Ash Wednesday. It’s the time to party excessively before the Lenten Season starts. The celebration’s peak days are reached on the Thursday Before Ash Wednesday and last for 6 days. This is the best time to visit Cologne. Carnival processions take place every day where enormous amounts of candies and flowers are showered onto the people. Cologne is transformed into exceptional circumstances during those days where schools are closed, streets in the city centre are blocked and many offices and shops have altered opening hours. People will be partying non-stop during those days and get soaked in alcohol. Burning symbolically the excessive vice of the Carnival days marks the end of the happy days in the night to Ash Wednesday. The most integral part of Cologne Carnival is the traditional folk music which is played in all clubs during those days. Cologne can be proud to have many famous music bands like the Höhner, Bläck Fööss, BAP and Brings who keep composing yearly new Carnival party songs. They play pop and rock and mostly sing in the Cologne slang called Kölsch. Hey, common, you still telling me you didn't know about Cologne?

“No, no, Cologne is the best city ever and we will definitely come and visit!”

Great, because Cologne is really a happening and vibrant city with loads of charm, tolerance, love and warmth which you won't find that easily in any of the other big German cities… Well, hmm, looking at all this, I would say in the end, that I am pretty proud to be born in Cologne!

Kölle Alaaf!