Cologne Germany

In the morning, we landed in Cologne, Germany. Germany is an interesting country. A bit smaller than the state of Montana, it has a population of 82.2 million people, and it is an economic powerhouse. Germany is one of the top five economic powers in the world, and Cologne is the forth largest city in Germany and a significant reason for that economic success. Located on the Rhine river, Cologne has been a transportation center for the shipment of goods (a source of much of its economic power).

It's current population is around 1 million residents. Prior to WWII it's population was 800,000 shrinking to 40,000 after the war. With the allied bombing, over 90% of the center of Cologne was destroyed by war's end, but it has essentially been rebuilt since that time.

The most incredible structure in Cologne is the Cathedral. This building (picture nearby) was begun in the 13th century, but was not completed until 1880 (union job). There were numerous delays, the longest from 1560 to 1842 when Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia laid the ground stone to finish the building.

Incredibly, this structure was not destroyed during the allied bombing in WWII. Numerous explanations are available, but the most convincing seems that the American's did not want to damage it because of a "deal" with the Germans not to bomb St. Paul's Cathedral in London.  (Our guide told us that he had talked with American Veterans from WWII, and they confirmed this story.) Almost as plausible is the thought that the two spires were good land marks for the pilots, and they did not want to lose them. As one might guess their is also a theological explanation which I won't go into.   On our trip we saw photographs of the rubble in  this city and around the Cathedral after the war, and either way, the Cathedral's survival was certainly a miracle.

This city is well known for German beer, and for lunch, I stuffed myself with wienerschnitzel (fried pork), potatoes, and German beer. It was excellent, but quite filling--ruined my "diet" again.

Probably the most interesting thing for me  about this city--I am interested in strange things-- is that everywhere you look there are people and families enjoying life together. Children playing, young people in love, middle aged folks sitting and talking about the events of the day and the month, and shoppers. Isn't it true that we all want to do these things--have a good time and "connect" with each other. It is difficult to believe that merely 70 years ago our United States was bombing and killing all this human joy. Don't get me wrong, I know these are  complicated issues, but none of us like it. Do we? How can we continuously get ourselves into situations where we justify these kinds of depraved activities. Apparently, it is not the people that do this, it is the governments. I know that sounds idealistic, but if no one makes these kinds of statements, we are doomed to continual violation of our fundamental and, as I believe, innate instincts as people: "love one another," isn't that better?