Köln / Cologne next week. What to do?

[Hyphen Nation]

Greetings Crew. I know there are a few folks on here from Germany.

I am going to be in Germany for GamesCom next week. Spending most of the week in Cologne. Besides beer and visit the cathedral, anything else I should be sure to do?

Bonus points: I may be spending a day in Amsterdam, any must do's there?

Thanks!

-D

[Chankgeez]

You should PM phantasmagorovich.

[Hyphen Nation]

K, will do. Thanks!

[goroth]

Jam with phanta.
Drink kölsch. Or drink altbier and loudly proclaim its superiority.
Visit the massive cathedral thing.

[phantasmagorovich]

Jam with phanta.
Drink kölsch. Or drink altbier and loudly proclaim its superiority.
Visit the massive cathedral thing.

Do that and regret it.

[Hyphen Nation]

hahahahahahahahah….excellent! It's work travel, but if I could get some jam/kölsch/altbier time in, that would rule.

How much of a disadvantage am I going to be at communication wise? I have some rusty high school french and some insignificant spanish language skills, but that is about it…dumb american education.

[phantasmagorovich]

hahahahahahahahah….excellent! It's work travel, but if I could get some jam/kölsch/altbier time in, that would rule.

How much of a disadvantage am I going to be at communication wise? I have some rusty high school french and some insignificant spanish language skills, but that is about it…dumb american education.

People usually speak english. Mostly with an appaling accent and some might be too self-conscious to actually speak much, but 90% will understand you. Noone will understand the language of the romanic scum!

PM replied to!
Not included the idea of jamming. But that is obviously also a possibility.

[tuj]

when I did Europe after college... Included is Amsterdam and Koln.

http://www.renkucorp.com/jf/euro/trip.html

[Tristan]

If you go to Amsterdam we can hang out together maybe.
I know some cool beer bars there like the Arendsnest and Beer Temple.
It depends on what you like.
Music stores are shit in The Netherlands.
Maybe there's some okay record stores to visit.
Food is usually decent at best, I know a great African Place there called Eetcafe Ibis though (strange name but the food is awesome if you can handle some spice).

Or visit Haarlem, that's where I live, near the beach and dunes of Bloemendaal.
We also have an even better beer bar than the ones in Amsterdam called Het Uiltje.
And there's a great Thai place to eat called Green Papaya.
Overall it's much more relaxed than Amsterdam and as such it's easier to enjoy the architecture as well.
And one of the few cool music stores in The Netherlands called The Sound Lab run by a friend of mine in a living room.

For Cologne, if you like modern / contemporary art, I encourage you to visit Museum Ludwig, it's of the best museums I ever visited.
If it's good weather grab a beer at a kiosk and hang out in the park.
There's a great African place in Cologne, I think it was something with Shaka Zulu but I'm not completely sure anymore about that name.

[univalve]

If you meet with Tris and Phantasmagorovich you have the best program. Two of the nicest euro ilfers.

[Hyphen Nation]

If you go to Amsterdam we can hang out together maybe.
I know some cool beer bars there like the Arendsnest and Beer Temple.
It depends on what you like.
Music stores are shit in The Netherlands.
Maybe there's some okay record stores to visit.
Food is usually decent at best, I know a great African Place there called Eetcafe Ibis though (strange name but the food is awesome if you can handle some spice).

Or visit Haarlem, that's where I live, near the beach and dunes of Bloemendaal.
We also have an even better beer bar than the ones in Amsterdam called Het Uiltje.
And there's a great Thai place to eat called Green Papaya.
Overall it's much more relaxed than Amsterdam and as such it's easier to enjoy the architecture as well.
And one of the few cool music stores in The Netherlands called The Sound Lab run by a friend of mine in a living room.

For Cologne, if you like modern / contemporary art, I encourage you to visit Museum Ludwig, it's of the best museums I ever visited.
If it's good weather grab a beer at a kiosk and hang out in the park.
There's a great African place in Cologne, I think it was something with Shaka Zulu but I'm not completely sure anymore about that name.

Awesome. The Amterdam leg of the trip was supposed to be longer and keeps getting cut back. Now it's one day, as this is a work trip and they want me in Cologne longer. Once I know my timing I'll send a pm.

If you meet with Tris and Phantasmagorovich you have the best program. Two of the nicest euro ilfers.

Stoked on the fact that ILF proves to be a global force. The Brotherhood of Fuzz is strong.

[Tristan]

Can only add a big thumbs up and a brohug to that.

[Chankgeez]

If you meet with Tris and Phantasmagorovich you have the best program. Two of the nicest euro ilfers.

[blakestree]

Besides beer and visit the cathedral, anything else I should be sure to do?

Hahaha. I was gonna say kölsch, Kölner Dom, then more kölsch.



BTW, what is everyone's favorite kölsch? My wife is from Sinzig and her favorite is Früh.

[phantasmagorovich]

Besides beer and visit the cathedral, anything else I should be sure to do?

Hahaha. I was gonna say kölsch, Kölner Dom, then more kölsch.



BTW, what is everyone's favorite kölsch? My wife is from Sinzig and her favorite is Früh.

It's definitely Päffgen or, if you have to resort to bottled Kölsch then it's Mühlen.