As Germany’s 4^th largest city behind Berlin, Hamburg & Munich I knew relatively little about this city.  Köln was a city that intrigued me because of the amazing photos of the city after WWII.  The city was destroyed beyond belief and to see it with over 1 million people today with a vibrant dense urban core is incredible.  Construction of the Cathedral started in 1248 and took over 600 years to be completed and while it took several direct hits during WWII, the steeples never collapsed.   I had the opportunity to go up to the top of the right steeple which consisted of 509 steps provided a hellva workout.  The foot traffic for a Sunday in Germany was surprising and the pedestrian walking/shopping areas were perfect for people watching and photography.  After two weeks on a trip I am usually itching to go home, I could truly see myself living in Germany.  You can view the Köln gallery here.