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Altstadt, Inn river, Inn, Innstadt, Passau, Bayern, Bavaria, Germany, fotoeins.com

Passau: the town of Three Rivers (Dreiflüssestadt)

Next to the Austrian border in the southeastern corner of Germany lies the Bavarian town of Passau. At the city’s so-called ‘Ortspitze’, three rivers converge: the black Ilz from the north, the green Inn from the south, and the blue Danube from the west. The unique setting provides the city with the nickname or moniker “Bavarian Venice.” Facing east and up and over the hills in the distance is Austria.

With a few short hours of late-autumn and winter daylight, I chase the remaining light on foot through a bitter windchill. The following pictures show it’s worth the effort and the sacrifice of comfort: “always for the shot(s).”

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Hennes, 1. FC Köln, Köln, Cologne, North Rhine Westphalia, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, Deutschland, fotoeins.com

My Cologne: 1. FC Köln, Stadium, Anthem

Above/featured: “Hennes”, mascot for 1. FC Köln (GO4KÖLN, Breitestr. 36). Photo, 16 Jun 2023 (X70).

“Gute Laune, Laute Stimme”: the “EffZeh” (F-C) experience has me hooked.

I’m among men and women, young and old, swimming in a sea of red and white, and surrounded by full-volume chanting. Not only is it a big deal to procure a “Stehplatz” (standing spot) for under €20, but to be present in the stadium’s standing-only terraces is a big thrill. The terraces are present in German football stadia but banned in England (for historical reasons). I’m convinced I’m going to memorize their famous fan anthem as quickly as possible.

Founded on 13 February 1948, the football (soccer) team 1. FC Köln plays out of the Müngersdorfer Stadion, known also as the sponsored Rhein-Energie-Stadion (Rhine Energy Stadium) in Cologne. The stadium’s maximum capacity is about fifty-thousand, and the football side regularly sells out their home matches. The team’s mascot is a billy goat (Geissbock) for its steadfast stubborn perseverance; the team’s nickname is The Billy Goats. I’m also convinced there’s another “Kölle” verbal pun. “Geist-bock” is a compound noun consisting of “Geist” for (team-, fan-) spirit, and “Bock” for the people’s stubborn steadfast support. Various generations of “Hennes”, the mascot goat, have appeared on the sideline for home matches, and the mascot is prominent in the team badge’s and familiar red-and-white home kit (jersey).

The English version of the Bundesliga website highlights the team, reminding us they were the first ever champions of the newly established Bundesliga for the 1963-1964 season.

Bundesliga, 1. FC Köln, Rhein-Energie-Stadion, Köln, Cologne, North Rhine Westfalen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, Deutschland

Basic club info from Bundesliga (2018-2019), with updated FB link.

1. FC Köln, Bahnhof Ehrenfeld, Cologne, Köln, Germany, fotoeins.com

“1. FC Köln” mural at Ehrenfeld station – 14 Jan 2013 (450D).

Zesamme Simmer Stark, FC Kölle, 1. FC Köln, Effzeh, Hilton Cologne, Köln, Cologne, North Rhine Westphalia, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, Deutschland, fotoeins.com

“Zesamme Simmer Stark”: Hilton Cologne. Photo, 26 May 2016 (6D1).

1. FC Köln, Köln Hauptbahnhof, Köln Hbf, Köln, Cologne, North Rhine Westphalia, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, Deutschland, fotoeins.com

1. FC Köln fanshop “Stadion”, at Köln Hbf (Cologne central station). Photo, 13 May 2022 (X70).

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Mi CDMX: unos momentos en las calles

Mexico City: people and streets of interest

The following is a cross-section through the massive metropolis that is Mexico City. The city proper has population around 9 million, but the greater urban area has in excess of 20 million. An afternoon walk provides a tiny visual slice of all that makes up the city in her streets: her people and where they live, work, eat, play/pray, and love.

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Erfurt: 12 stations through the Old Town

Above/featured: Krämerbrücke in shadow, at first light.

Located along the Gera river near the centre of Germany, Erfurt is an historical hub of east-west trade, a stop on the historical road “Via Regia” dating back to the Middle Ages, and is considered a spiritual home for Martin Luther. He left behind plenty of traces throughout the city which is now the capital city for the German state of Thuringia (Landeshauptstadt Thüringens). For its preserved medieval Old Town, half-timbered houses, and churches, Erfurt has the nickname “Thuringian Rome.”

Each of the following locations in addition to the Erfurt’s Hauptbahnhof (Central Station) is indicated with an icon in the map below. All 12 places below can be reached with tram routes 3, 4, or 6 in a common stretch with stops at Anger, Fischmarkt / Rathaus (Fish Market / City Hall), and Domplatz (Cathedral Square).

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Kölner Dom, Hohenzollernbrücke, Köln, Cologne, Germany, fotoeins.com

Cologne’s two grand landmarks

Give them any excuse, the people in Köln (Cologne) love to party at any time. It’s a wonder but no surprise this is where I find some of the happiest people in the country. As the calendar flips to a new year, the time heralds the annual shenanigans of the Kölner Karneval. For residents and visitors, two of the best-known landmarks in the city are the Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral) and the Hohenzollernbrücke (Hohenzollern Bridge).

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