Nice Weekend II

Since our new American friend (we'll call him Steve) was still visiting, he agreed to accompany us to Cologne and then to Aachen - both in Germany.

We visited the Kolner Dom.

Amazing and huge.

The most famous relic at the Kolner Dom is this sarcophagus that holds the remains of the Magi - aka Three Wise Men - gold, frankincense, and myrrh - those wise men.

Then we visited the Aachen Cathedral.

You may remember from my previous post on our visit to Aachen that that little gold box in the back holds the remains of Charlemagne - aka Charles the Great - King of the Franks - Emperor of the Romans - that Charlemagne. Overshadowing his shrine is the Shrine of St. Mary which contains Aachen's four great relics: Mary's cloak, Christ's swaddling clothes, Christ's loincloth, and the beheading cloth of St. John the Baptist. Every seven years they are taken out and put on display. You can catch the next one in 2014.

When we got home, we tried a few of our favorite and famous Belgian beers, then decided to get something for dinner. As luck would have it we had locked our front door with the keys on the outside. That may not seem like a problem, but it also opens with a key from the inside so when there is a key occupying the space, another key won't go in. Anyway, the only way to open it is for someone to pull the key out from the outside. But we were all inside.

We live on a busy street and I was hoping someone would walk by, we could knock on the door and ask them to let us out. This key debacle isn't the first and we've actually had this good fortune before, but this time no one happened by. I decide to text the neighbors to see if they can come and let us out. Ironically, as I scroll down my cellphone for their number, I realize the very last text I sent to them is almost identical to this one - "is it possible for you to come over and let us out of our house?". Our door locks are a challenge. Naturally Jim figured out how to rig a coat hanger and somehow got the key out.

The restaurant was no longer serving by the time we made our way down there. We got some takeout, but probably shouldn't have. I had already eaten plenty that day at this Brauhaus in Cologne.

I am reminded of a guy I once worked for in Magnolia, Arkansas. He was a few pounds overweight and he said he felt like a tick. I know just how he felt.