Wine tasting in Bad Durkheim, followed by a tasty appetizer and some delicious schnitzel.

A Spritz of Light in Cologne

Venture to Cologne and you find yourself engulfed in light.  More specifically, you find yourself in Cologne Cathedral, the sun’s rays beating down on your back through primastically colored stain glass windows.  Lift your hands into the light and they no longer are shades of skin, but are different hues of glowing reds, blues, and yellows.  They are reflections of the meticulously placed pieces of glass that form a geometric and almost psychedelic image. 

Continue through the cathedral, into the aisles of the nave, following the light as it caresses the cold stone ground.  Watch the light as it weaves its way through the columns and into the wooden pews.  Sit down, your back bone pressed straight up against the pew.  With no curve of the spine allowed, your eyes gaze forward into thousands of dimmed candles.  Sounds of coins dropping into collections bins and murmured prayers fill this spiritual air, but you do not pay much notice as you sit absorbed by the surrounding light.  The candles flicker and rays of colorful sunlight continue to dance playfully across the cathedral.  Light fills every crevice, even searches far into the abysses of the gothically styled ceilings.

The light begins to dim and you chase it to and past the doors.  You stand outside Cologne Catherdral, natural sunlight basking over your entire front side.  Continue to walk into the light of Cologne, peeking behind you to see the glorious façade of Cologne Cathedral, its form and detailed structure beaming brilliantly with light.