Spring Break--Day 5

So, are you sick of this yet? I hope not. I hope I'm not going on, and on, and on, and making you crazy. That's not the intent of these posts. I'm not trying to brag, boast, or make you all sick to death of me. I am just amazed that I am so blessed to be here, getting to see sights that I never thought I'd see, taking my children places that I never thought we'd go. Who knew? I'm just a girl from Ohio. Just wanted you to know that.

That is all.

16 April, 2010--Day 5

Oh yeah. This is the day I've been waiting for all week. I know it sounds dumb, but I am so psyched about going to the Lindt Chocolate Museum, I can hardly think straight.

I have a thing for chocolate. Those of you who know me, know that this is an understatement. I have an emotional/psychological/deep-seated relationship with chocolate. We go way back. Waaaaaay back.

So today, we headed to Cologne, or Koln, to the Germans out there. And first on our list: the Lindt Chocolate Museum. Actually, first on our list was finding a place to park, but that's an ugly story for another time. Really ugly. But, onward.

We're here!!

It's a pretty neat place, built right over the Rhine, so when you look out the windows, you see the river flowing past. Coolness. Oh, and the museum is also part factory, with samples. You see where I'm going with this, right?

We started out by learning a bit about the history of chocolate and cocoa, as well as about the trade and economics of the industry.

Then we were ready to see more about the actual manufacture of chocolate products, and we were not disappointed.
Yes, my friends, that is a chocolate fountain, where those nice young ladies are dipping wafer cookies in that lovely substance and handing it out to everyone who sticks out a hand. Look at the sheer joy on that face. That's my girl!
Dallin had fun touching everything he could get his hands on, including this machine that was made to wrap the triangular Toblerone bars. See the little triangle shapes on the outside of the wheel? Then he was fascinated with the robotic arm that suctioned up a whole group of chocolates all at one time to move them on to be wrapped by another machine. It was hard to pry him away from that one. Get it? Suction? Pry? oh well. I thought it was funny when I went back and reread it.
Josh is watching tray after tray of little chocolates during their cooling cycle. It's a good thing there's a plastic wall between him and those molds. And it's a really good thing that they hand those chocolates out as samples when you first walk into the museum!
Here Logan is checking out the hollow-candy making machine. It was whirling in every direction equally to keep the chocolate even over the entire mold. I'd never thought about the precision necessary to make a good hollow product before.


I don't think Josh is a big fan of dark chocolate. I'm sure someone will finish that one off for him...

We had a good time, and I think we even learned a thing or two. It was an interesting experience, and after we hit the gift shop, we knew it was time to move on and grab some real food for lunch. I guess there is such a concept as too much of a good thing. I need a salad!

Well, it wasn't quite a real lunch, but I did manage to get a salad. Adam, of course, found another bratwurst stand, while the rest of us munched on the relative safety of KFC. Hey, when you're traveling with young children, there are certain risks you just can't take!

Then it was off to Cologne Cathedral. Please check out that link to see some amazing photos, and to read the history of the building. I was shocked at how it was used/misused during WWII; it was hit 70 times by aerial bombs, but did not collapse. The spires stood tall, and served basically as an a navigational landmark for Allied bombers as they pushed deeper into Germany. Not too sure how I feel about that.

I wish I could do the building justice with my lacking photographs. Our jaws dropped when we saw it, and we hadn't even gone in yet.
It was massive, and so ornate.

The stained glass was glorious.



Though this very modern replacement window was not necessarily a hit with us. The original was lost in WWII, and had been clear glass until this window took its place in 2007.
We decided to go on the Tower Tour, which took us up 533 steps--most of them on a narrow spiral staircase that was used for both ascending and descending. Yipes! DH's back wasn't feeling too great, so he stayed with Dallin down below while I ventured up with the rest.

It was amazing at the top, though I certainly took my time getting there!



It was so cool, and fortunately, Dallin had fallen asleep while we were wandering around up above the clouds. We also got to hear these guys playing outside:


It was a wonderful day, and we were so thankful to have the opportunity to take our children to yet another amazing place. One of my favorite photos of the day was taken while we were climbing up the tower:

Tomorrow, we start for home.