Monty Carlo: Cologne to Europoorte Ferry & Hull

On arrival in Cologne, I was parked in the hotel basement. Most public car parks, such as in supermarkets generally mean you are close to other cars with the possibility of some irresponsible individual opening their car door onto your bodywork. Not so if you park in three or four spaces of the fifty on each level in this car park. I needn't have bothered. The nearest car to me was seven spaces away, and didn't move whilst I was there.

A proper scratch-free parking space. LUUVVERLY.

Access into the city requires a green badge (or a 40 euro fine), but mine was paid for online and received in three days from Berlin. Better than Royal Snail!!!!

My Green Badge - how long before Uk starts robbing us?????????

This is the Dom Cathedral. In WW2 this magnificent building survived the bombing. It is still black to remind all of the horror of war. A considerable part of Cologne was not so lucky, BUT..... the silver lining was that rebuilding provided a much better city layout.

Right hand half

Left hand half

Top

Looking up

This is the Hohenzollern Bridge, viewed from the Hauptbahnhof, carrying six railway tracks across the Rhine. During the day there is more chance of seeing trains crossing the bridge than not seeing any trains. During WW2 the bridge was blown up by the Germans as the allied troops approached Cologne. (Google "Hohenzollern Bridge", go to IMAGES and see the black and white photo's).

Hohenzollern Bridge, the main six track railway bridge over the Rhine

It is also now famous for its "Love Locks". Padlocks (many engraved with names), are attached to the bridge by couples to confirm their undying love for each other. Once locked, the relationship is forever.
It is an amazing sight. The building in the background is Triangular and has a viewing area on the roof.

Love Locks on Hohenzollern Bridge

Some large, some smaller.......

After the bridge, the railway station. Most large cities in Germany have a large expanse of glass at either end of the station canopy with some form of advertising.

Railway Station end-canopy advertising

Anyway, back on the road, out of Cologne, onto the A57, A52, and A61 to Venlo, over the border into the Netherlands, A67 toEindhoven, A58 to Breda, A16 to Dordrecht and A15 to Europoorte. Took a leisurely four hours with time to spare at the Ferry terminal.
Stopped for forty winks or was that......