A Gray and Green Day in Cologne

We had been planning to do some shopping today but it was a holiday (Pentecost) and the stores were uniformly closed. 

The skies stayed gray but as long as they weren't actually raining on us we walked about. We stumbled on the Antoninerkirche, and because we could hear the organ music rolling out into the street we went in. A very small, spare church, now Protestant, rebuilt after war damage in the most elegant grays.

And in one corner, this remarkable, bone-chilling sculpture called "The Levitation". It's just there hanging over a slab of marble engraved with the dates of the two world wars. And overwhelming organ music while we looked.

Next we went to the Composer's grandmother's neighborhood. He and his mother spent several summers staying with her in her apartment. This park is nearby; he used to play here. It's got sizeable green hills in it made from bombing rubble. 

And almost last, a very cozy dinner in a wood-panelled restaurant. Lots of diners eating sausage, of course! Bella had this plate of sauerbraten and potato dumplings (applesauce not shown),

and I ordered goulash, a specialty here. We marvelled at the menu offering 3/4 of a meter of bratwurst for dinner! It's got to be in links or that's a really long plate . . . 

And very last, a stop at the ice cream store (our third in two days). It does seem like a tour of European ice cream sometimes when you're traveling with the Composer. Tonight the sour cherry was the big winner.

Tomorrow we have ninety minutes to shop in before we run for the train. We have a battle plan drawn up and we implement breakfast at 700 sharp.