Dusseldorf

I had some free time today, so a friend and I took a train to Dusseldorf. An express train will get you there in about 25 minutes which is perfect when all you want to do is a day trip. We were warned by our fellow Colonians before we left that people from Dusseldorf tend to be cold and arrogant. Apparently, there is a friendly rivalry between the citizens of Cologne and the citizens of Dusseldorf.

If you ask a Colonian to explain it, they will say that first, the people of Cologne are more outgoing and playful, whereas the people of Dusseldorf are reserved and cold. Second, they will remind you that their city is much larger then Dusseldorf, and that Cologne NOT Dusseldorf should be the capital of the federal state. I believe Cologne used to be the capital, but was destroyed too bad during the war and thus the government was moved to Dusseldorf. Don't hold me to that though.

Fair and balanced reporting aside, we didn't get into it with any Dusseldorfians to put the stereotypes to the test. We did notice though that Dusseldorf is much smaller, and more modern then Cologne. The architecture is more 21 century, and the business centers are easy to point out, much like the states. I think Dusseldorf is a main hub for business, and there is a lot of money there, which could help explain the "snob" label. Cologne is more of a young person's town which adds to the "lively" and "hip" conceptions.

We didn't have a plan of attack, so we started with the tourist office, which is always a good idea when you are traveling. They usually have good information on what to do, and maps to help lead the way. We spent our afternoon wandering through the city center and along the Rhine. I felt the city was quite beautiful, and like Cologne, very clean.

The smaller scale of the city allows for a more majestic view of the river, and we scaled (took an elevator) to the top of the media tower which stands high above the city next to the Rhine. Some of you may know, but I am not terribly fond of heights. Therefore, I stood a good five feet from the window when looking down onto the city. The view was spectacular though , and it gave me the opportunity to snap a few photos and scope out the lay of the land.

After wondering through the city for a bit we worked up an appetite, so we stopped at a traditional German restaurant and had some Wiener Schnitzel and a glass of the local beer, Alt. This is another point of contempt with Colonians. In Cologne, you drink primarily Kolsch Bier, which they will tell you is far superior to Dusseldorf's Alt bier. Personally, I like both. Kolsch is what we would consider light beer in the states, and Alt a dark. Both cities serve their beer in 0.2L glasses which if you are not familiar with litres is tiny! They say that it ensures the beer is fresh the entire time you consume it. I say it just makes me stand in line more often to get a drink. It's perfect though when all you want is a small drink with your meal.

Overall, Cologne is the type of city you would want to live in as a young adult, and Dusseldorf maybe as an older adult. I like both cities, but both are new to me, and I appreciate anything that is different from my norm. As far as this trip goes, I appreciate more and more everyday where I ended up. Cologne is a very fun place to be as a student, and it offers you a lot culturally. It's the big city without having to be in London, Paris, or Rome.