One more blog post from Köln before I return to these fair shores and harp on about village pubs in Oxfordshire.
Mainly because I couldn't fit all my pictures into the previous post. So indulge me whilst I explore the shopping centre, visit a true classic of a pub, and end up in the Palladium for a bit of live music.
Mainly because I couldn't fit all my pictures into the previous post. So indulge me whilst I explore the shopping centre, visit a true classic of a pub, and end up in the Palladium for a bit of live music.
There are lots of interesting stores along the pestrianised Hohestrasse, which I strolled along in the morning - a Lego store, a cheese shop, expensive Belgian chips on offer, and somewhere that meets all your statue needs, large and small...
The delivery charge won't be cheap, but Mrs PropUpthe Bar is gonna be emotional when that bronze nude turns up on the doorstep in time for Christmas. Quite what emotions, I'm not sure.
Leaving the innerstadt, I made the essential trek across the Hohenzollernbrücke, the iron railway bridge spanning the Rhine, unnecessarily bedecked with padlocks.
Leaving the innerstadt, I made the essential trek across the Hohenzollernbrücke, the iron railway bridge spanning the Rhine, unnecessarily bedecked with padlocks.
The views along the river bank and back towards the dom are fantastic. The tower in the KölnTriangle on the other side (a building site last time I was here) offers the chance to view the city from its observation deck for 5 euros - and you get to ride the elevator to it rather than tackling those 500+ steps of the cathedral south tower for a view.
The main thing that had brought me to this side of the river at 11am was the opening time of a pub that has a bit of cult status.
Lommi's is such a good-looker that there should really be some strict restrictions about parking directly in front of it and foiling pub photographers.
The main thing that had brought me to this side of the river at 11am was the opening time of a pub that has a bit of cult status.
Lommi's is such a good-looker that there should really be some strict restrictions about parking directly in front of it and foiling pub photographers.
Gaststätte Lommerzheim (Siegesstraße 18, 50679 Köln)
Like so many great pubs and bars, this is named after its legendary long-serving former owner. After his parents had been serving drinks on the site since 1945, Hans Lommerzheim took over and officially opened 'Lommi's' in 1959. It consisted one 50sq meter wood panelled and brown wallpapered room with a handful of tables and seats at the bar.
It then remained completely unchanged for the next 45 years.
After Lommi's death in 2005 Päffgen brought the pub from his widow and spent a considerable time refurbishing it before opening again in 2009. Thankfully, modernity hasn't really encroached on Lommi's...
There's a sizeable menu chalked onto the blackboards - bring your translator - of what are apparantly very hearty portions of traditional cuisine.
This chap strolled in to pick up his takeaway order, finding the time for a couple of swift beers whilst waiting and looking every bit like he did this on a daily basis.
I got through a fair few of those kölschs, keeping up with the neighbouring table, knocking back my beer in preparation for the next pass-by of the waiter when your empty glass becomes a full one in the blink of an eye.
€2.20 a glass - cash only. I paid my bill and headed back to the riverside to continue my amble down the east bank of the Rhine, I wanted to have a closer look at the space-age buildings I could see looming over the river in the distance.
Like so many great pubs and bars, this is named after its legendary long-serving former owner. After his parents had been serving drinks on the site since 1945, Hans Lommerzheim took over and officially opened 'Lommi's' in 1959. It consisted one 50sq meter wood panelled and brown wallpapered room with a handful of tables and seats at the bar.
It then remained completely unchanged for the next 45 years.
After Lommi's death in 2005 Päffgen brought the pub from his widow and spent a considerable time refurbishing it before opening again in 2009. Thankfully, modernity hasn't really encroached on Lommi's...
I visited on a Monday lunchtime, getting there just after 11am when they open for lunch.
As such, I was customer number 3, with another dozen folk arriving afterwards, but reports suggest there's often a queue formed waiting for the door to be unbolted on busier days of the week.
I'd barely sat myself down when the first glass of Päffgen kölsch arrived at the table.
No drinks list. No checking what you'd like.
After all, what else would you be rocking up here at 11 in the morning for, if you didn't want a kölsch.
As such, I was customer number 3, with another dozen folk arriving afterwards, but reports suggest there's often a queue formed waiting for the door to be unbolted on busier days of the week.
I'd barely sat myself down when the first glass of Päffgen kölsch arrived at the table.
No drinks list. No checking what you'd like.
After all, what else would you be rocking up here at 11 in the morning for, if you didn't want a kölsch.
This chap strolled in to pick up his takeaway order, finding the time for a couple of swift beers whilst waiting and looking every bit like he did this on a daily basis.
€2.20 a glass - cash only. I paid my bill and headed back to the riverside to continue my amble down the east bank of the Rhine, I wanted to have a closer look at the space-age buildings I could see looming over the river in the distance.
For a bit more traditional riverside architecture, the picture-postcard shot is back up near the centre...
Délirium Café Cologne (Salzgasse 2-4, 50667 Köln)
Yep - those Délirium folk have expanded beyond that alley in Brussels and now have this outpost in Köln, in the heart of the city on a pedestrianised street surrounded by pubs and food outlets. As they don't serve food, you can grab your pizza from across the road and bring in to the Délirium cafe to accompany your Tremens.
...accompanied by moody techno pop...Absurd 'Brain', Yvng Patras (who?), Baco Exu do Blues (who?)...
The music may not have been what I'd have picked, but this was a good-sized comfortable bar with a hefty list of 30 beers on offer displayed on digital screens above the bar.
Yep - those Délirium folk have expanded beyond that alley in Brussels and now have this outpost in Köln, in the heart of the city on a pedestrianised street surrounded by pubs and food outlets. As they don't serve food, you can grab your pizza from across the road and bring in to the Délirium cafe to accompany your Tremens.
Whilst playing table football and retro video games...
The music may not have been what I'd have picked, but this was a good-sized comfortable bar with a hefty list of 30 beers on offer displayed on digital screens above the bar.
This trip wasn't lengthy enough for me to be pining for a Deya 'Steady Rolling Man' or Sam Smith's 'Chocolate Stout'.
Lots of familiar brewing names on the taps with the best stuff being the Pohjana and Lervig.
I wanted something dark, so ordered the Dutch Two Chefs 'Stroopwafel Stout 6%. I feel like a stroopwafel stout should be double-digit strong and thick as treacle, so this light easy-drinking brew was maybe not as exciting as I hoped it would be.
I decided to look for something more local on the beer list, grabbing myself a Superfreund 'Rookie' IPA - a collaboration between the Schleswig-Holstein brewer and the Berlin Brewdog crew.
Lots of familiar brewing names on the taps with the best stuff being the Pohjana and Lervig.
I wanted something dark, so ordered the Dutch Two Chefs 'Stroopwafel Stout 6%. I feel like a stroopwafel stout should be double-digit strong and thick as treacle, so this light easy-drinking brew was maybe not as exciting as I hoped it would be.
I decided to look for something more local on the beer list, grabbing myself a Superfreund 'Rookie' IPA - a collaboration between the Schleswig-Holstein brewer and the Berlin Brewdog crew.
Quick bite to eat from VeganLand...
I had time to buy a vastly over-priced souvenir tour t-shirt, followed by some vastly over-priced beer (Gilden kolsch or Radeberger Pils dispensed into your €2 deposit plastic beaker).
Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls were the second support act.
Playing a set of favourites in front of an enthusiastic packed house, it was easy to forget that Frank wasn't the headline act and there was still another band to take the stage.
I know not everyone likes him (my friend Mr Baker took the time that very evening to text me from Portland and remind me he "didn't rate him"). But the band delviered a pretty perfect, finely-tuned 45-minute set, culminating in Turner throwing himself into the crowd during Four Simple Words.
Leaving the Dropkick Murphys to close the evening.
They delivered a 25-song set spanning their whole career: 3 tracks from their 1998 debut through to the first live airing of the just-about-to-be-released A Hero Among Many.
Plenty of old favourites too...that shouty one that everyone knows from The Departed movie, the trad folk-rock rendition of The Fields of Athenry, and a corking version of Rose Tattoo.
It was loud. It was raucous. It was great fun.
Waiting for the tram back from Mulheim to the city centre I reflected on a great short break - football, trad beer houses, new-fangled craft ale, a bit of sightseeing, and a bit of live music.
Hopefully it won't be too long before I'm back in Germany doing it all again.
Goodnight, Cologne.
I know not everyone likes him (my friend Mr Baker took the time that very evening to text me from Portland and remind me he "didn't rate him"). But the band delviered a pretty perfect, finely-tuned 45-minute set, culminating in Turner throwing himself into the crowd during Four Simple Words.
Leaving the Dropkick Murphys to close the evening.
Plenty of old favourites too...that shouty one that everyone knows from The Departed movie, the trad folk-rock rendition of The Fields of Athenry, and a corking version of Rose Tattoo.
It was loud. It was raucous. It was great fun.
Hopefully it won't be too long before I'm back in Germany doing it all again.
Goodnight, Cologne.
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