Köln

Leaving Bruges, I stopped in Köln for overnight to break up the trip (and to leave enough time for me to check into my housing in Gießen, then get back on a train, heading south to The Knitter's Utopia). But more on that later...

Back to Köln -

This is St. Mariä Himmelfahrt Missione Cattolica Italiana which was between my hotel and the Cathedral in Köln. The doors were open, so I stopped in.





Next, the Cathedral (Dom). Building on the Dom began in 1248. During the wars of the religious reformation, pilgrimages (and with them funds for building) no longer came to the Dom. For 300 years the finished end of the nave was walled off to use as a church. The Prussians paid to have the church finished - using 700 workers it was completed in 1842-1880.

















Why pilgrimages to the Dom?

The Gero-Crucifix - which is the oldest surviving monumental crucifix from north of the Alps. It was carved in the 970's.



The Shrine of the Magi - in the 12th century, Köln acquired the bones of the Three Kings, now stored in this reliquary.



The third reason for pilgrimages (which I didn't get photo of as the evening service was being conducted) is the Madonna of Milan sculpture from 1290.

I see inspiration for lace patterns in these photos-







In the Roman-Germanic Museum behind the Dom, there is a large window - very handy for tourists who arrive after closing time. Peering through the window, one can see the museum's prized piece - the mosaic dining room floor of a rich Roman merchant in it's original position because the museum was built around it.

Detour To New Zealand

OK, before you get your panties in a twist...I didn't go to New Zealand.

Someday....

But New Zealand came to me via the US postal service shortly before I left home.

So a friend in New Zealand (hello, Allyn!) told her friend about this crazy knitting friend Allyn has back in the States. This friend told her friend - who happens to have her own farm and her own sheep and spins her own yarn (squee!). She is living the life I would like to live.

Of course, my dream life is the sanitized Hollywood version where the landscape is always bucolic, the sheep tend themselves (including shearing), and one can spin and ply 3000 yards of yarn in a few hours.

And, of course, there are at least 4 farmhands - one who looks like Paul Newman (circa Cat On A Hot Tin Roof), one like Harrison Ford (circa 1992), one like Colin Firth (circa anytime, baby), and one like Ciaran Hinds (circa Persuasion).

Hey, a girl can dream...

Anyway, back to yarn.

So Ms Raising My Own Sheep In New Zealand gives Allyn yarn to send to her crazy knitter friend in the US. How incredible is that?

Look at this stuff!


Allyn also slid a few extra goodies into the box. The book has gorgeous photos of New Zealand. As if the yarn wasn't a good enough reason to want to visit New Zealand.


Allyn, I left the card at home, so I don't have the names of those responsible for the yarn. Give a shout out in the comments.

I'll leave you with the guy's socks that I kinneared in the business lounge at the airport. (Click to see the stripes.)

Bruges Pictorial

Scenes near my B&B -










What amazes me is how old buildings are still in current use.
Click to enlarge and see the detail.

Anno




1676


A small church that also has a lace museum on the grounds.









Wednesdays are market days in the square by the bell tower.











A Bruges LYS.








This is a sweater - being knitted in the round on four of the longest double pointed needles I've ever seen. A local knitter brought her project into the store for some assistance and kindly let me take a photo of her needles. I was told that they are taught using these long needles and the ends are held under the arms.



And, of course, they have their own way of keeping the stitches on the needles.



In vino veritas knitting?

I See London, I see Belgium

My first stop was in London, going from Heathrow to St. Pancras station to take the Eurostar to Brussels, then a train to Bruges.

Lucy met me at the station and we had lunch and a good gab.



It was so lovely to see her again. I hope I wasn't too crazy - as by this point, I had been going on 30 hours of no deep, good sleep - not counting the couple of naps snatched on the plane.

All too soon, our time was up and it was time to get on to the train and start towards Bruges. After leaving home at noon on Saturday, I arrived in Bruges around 8 p.m. on Sunday.

Monday was a holiday - for Ascension - and I spent the day wandering around town.

The famous bell tower.


Everywhere you look, the architecture is interesting.






The small detailing in everyday buildings was astounding.


I had fun tasting local cuisine -

A cheap lunch in the shadow of the bell tower with the famous Belgian fries (you can tell I'm a tourist as I have ketchup and not mayonnaise on them).


and a waffle with strawberries.


I have to admit, I didn't try the other local delicacies like mussels and eel.

Next time - more architecture and I even found a yarn shop in Bruges.