{"id":4037,"date":"2013-01-05T09:06:03","date_gmt":"2013-01-05T09:06:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thesojournseries.com\/bavaria\/?p=4037"},"modified":"2017-05-10T19:17:44","modified_gmt":"2017-05-10T19:17:44","slug":"the-chocolate-museum-six-hours-in-cologne","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thesojournseries.com\/bavaria\/the-chocolate-museum-six-hours-in-cologne\/","title":{"rendered":"The Chocolate Museum (Six Hours in Cologne)…"},"content":{"rendered":"

On the drive back to the UK for Christmas and New Year (the first in three years – more on that later!), we stopped off in Cologne (or K\u00f6ln as it’s better known over here) to break up the journey.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 Cases dumped at the family friendly Novatel <\/a>on the edge of town (The Small people were won over by the cool watches they were given on arrival), we set out to explore.<\/p>\n

Not having been to Cologne before, I know very little about it apart from that it’s situated on the banks of the Rhine, and being famous for its Christmas Markets<\/a>, but having perhaps over-indulged in the Munich Markets, they weren’t initially the big draw for us –\u00a0 this<\/strong> had been spotted from the car on the way into town: –<\/p>\n

\"chocolate<\/a><\/p>\n

Well, it would have been rude not to really wouldn’t it?<\/p>\n

I think the Small People were expecting Oompa loompas and the like, and to be honest, I wasn’t overly hopeful as to the contents, but as it was bound to have a good shop selling all things Lindt, we ventured inside…\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And I have to say, I was very pleasantly surprised by the whole of the Schokoladen Museum<\/a>…\u00a0\u00a0 You are even given free chocolate when you buy your tickets (24 Euro for a family ticket), which is always a good start.\u00a0\u00a0 Then your chocolate education commences – where it comes from, which countries eat the most etc.\u00a0 all interesting and interactive for the Small People – they especially loved the miniature rain forest, complete with real cocoa pods…<\/p>\n

Once you’ve finished with this part, your nose then hurries you along to the factory, where the machines take you through the whole process, from molten chocolate to finished truffle… \u00a0\u00a0 The piece de resistance lies here too –\u00a0 forget the grubby chocolate fountain you might have come across at an office party, and behold the God of Chocolate Fountains…<\/p>\n

\"IMG_8107\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Unfortunately (but understandably) you aren’t allowed to help yourselves…<\/p>\n

We then continued upwards past chocolate workshops, and the design your own chocolate area, towards the chocolate figures in the setting process, which triggered lots of discussions as to how long it would take you to eat a man on a giant camel, and perhaps why you would actually want one in the first place, apart from it being chocolate of course…\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 At this point, I thought we had seen all there was to see, but no, the Museum continues, with exhibits of chocolate through different cultures and ages.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_8126\"<\/a><\/p>\n

And then on through an advertisers dream of all things Chocolate, including the biggest Lindt Chocolate Bunny I have ever seen in my life, and an interactive Milka Cow game. \u00a0 There’s even a little cinema where you can sit and watch international chocolate adverts which was more entertaining than it sounds, believe me! \u00a0\u00a0 Small Boy especially loved these historical chocolate vending machines and wondered why they weren’t around anymore, and so do I actually!<\/p>\n

\"IMG_8139\"<\/a><\/p>\n

With our knowledge of all things chocolate well and truly sated, we called it a day (there is indeed a huge shop, and the most amazing looking cafe here if you haven’t had enough of chocolate at this point, but both were packed to the rafters, and anyway the Gluhwein was calling…).<\/p>\n

And because it would also have been rude not to wander into the old town and have a look at Cologne’s Christmas Markets, we did exactly that.\u00a0\u00a0 I have to say, they are probably the most picturesque I have come across so far, and the setting under the cathedral is truly stunning.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Bellies stuffed full of regional treats, and eierpunch (kind of hot egg-nog) and hot chocolate, we made our way back to the hotel where we were all asleep by 9pm.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_8153\"<\/a><\/p>\n

And incredibly bright and early the next morning, and with Chris Rhea’s “Driving Home for Christmas” as resident ear-worm for the day, we continued on our journey, homeward bound…<\/p>\n

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