30 Aug 2015. <DE> Köln —
Into
Köln. We took the tram in Luxemburgerstraße, which took us right in to the Hauptbahnhof, right beside the cathedral, plunging underground to become the U-Bahn on the way.
We came out into the station, and the first thing Suzie wanted to do was to find the bread shop we had found last time, which had the freshest, nicest
Laugenbrezeln, large German pretzels. She had fallen in love with them last time, and was very pleased when we found that the shop was still turning out fresh, hot pretzels throughout the day. Breakfast solved!
Then we went over to the
Kölner Dom (the cathedral). There was a mass in progress, so we had a quick look in and then went out, to come back later.
We went into the
Museum Ludwig, behind the cathedral. This place has one of the best modern art collections! Not all of it is on display, but what was, was an absolute treat. Photography was allowed, so here are a few selections...
Albert Oehlen (Germany).
Fleisch (Flesh) 1995 (detail)
Albert Oehlen (Germany).
Fleisch (Flesh) 1995
Edward Kienholz (USA).
The Portable War Memorial 1968
Yves Klein (France).
Relief éponge bleu: RE 19 (Blue sponge relief: RE 19) 1958
Gerhard Richter (Germany).
Ema, Akt auf eine Treppe
(Emma — nude on a staircase) 1966
(Is this perhaps a reference or homage
to Marcel Duchamp's 1912
Nude descending a staircase?)
Pablo Picasso (Spain).
Mousquetaire à l'épée
(Musketeer with a sword) 1972
Pablo Picasso (Spain).
Femme au peignoir vert
(Woman in a green dressing gown) 1922
Pablo Picasso (Spain).
Le déjeuner sur l'herbe
(The Luncheon on the Grass) 1961
(An obvious reference to Manet's 1863
Le déjeuner sur l'herbe)
Fernand Léger (France)
Le partie de campagne (The picnic) 1954
Jackson Pollock (USA).
Unformed figure 1953
Max Ernst (Germany).
La vierge corrigeant l'enfant Jésus devant trois temoins:
André Breton, Paul Éluard et le peintre
(The Virgin chastising the infant Jesus before three witnesses) 1926
Max Ernst (Germany).
Au rendez-vous des amis (The Friends' rendezvous) 1922
Salvator Dalí (Spain).
La gare de Perpignan (The station of Perpignan) 1965
Bernard Schultze (Germany).
Die Geschichte der Goldfasan
(The story of the Golden Pheasant) 1985
George Grosz (Germany).
Junge Spanieren (Young Spanish girl) 1927
Otto Dix (Germany).
Bildnis Doktor Hans Koch (Portrait of Dr Hans Koch) 1921
Piet Mondrian (Germany).
Tableau I 1921
Philippe Halsman (Latvia - USA. Photographer).
Dali's Skull of Nudes c.1950
Warren Ham (Australia).
Wall network 2015 ... oops!
These buskers were doing a wonderful de-orchestrated
version of the themes from
Star Wars
We then went back into the cathedral. This is one of the most impressive Gothic buildings around, The tall towers were not erected until the 19th century, but the building itself was started in 1248, with construction stalling in 1473, restarted in the 19th century and completion to the original plan not being achieved until 1880.
Highlights in the cathedral have to be the magnificent 19th century stained glass windows, the superb mosaic floors, the Shrine of the Three Kings, the large 10th century Crucifix of Bishop Gero, and the Shrine of the Jewelled Madonna (the statue of the Madonna covered with votive offerings).
After a wonderful day, mainly in these two locations, we were tired enough to make our way back to the van for the night.
Distance driven — today, nil; to date, 27,241 miles ( 43,842 km )
