Quick weekend Getaways: Pitstop @ Köln

Last week we went for a quick visit to Köln in Germany. We hired a car at Schipol airport in Amsterdam and drove down, checked into a hotel and started our adventures. First up, the Cathedral, a mamoth gothic building which will have you thinking of Ann Radcliffe and company. Or Harry Potter at least. The building suffered multiple aerial bombings during the Second World War but survived to tell the tale of this bloody period.

Next up, we hit the streets. I went a bit bonkers when I saw a Kiko store. I had seen GetGawjus rave about the Kiko blushes so I picked one, mine is in Quirky Pink. Two eyeshadows followed in no. 123 and 456. We then went in search for the oldest cologne shop in Köln, No.4711.



Köln is actually famous for being the city where, you guessed it, cologne was first bottled and sold in the early eighteen century. Years later the eau de Cologne was christened as No.4711 and is still sold from a store bearing the same name. The interiors are a tourist delight: a hot pink and blue confection with cologne flowing out of a brass tap. Sheer decadence.

As the whole of Germany remains closed on Sundays, we had to cram our street shopping in a few hours which was good for my wallet. Shopping done, we headed out for a night of eating and drinking and landed up at this place.

This restaurant specializes in Haxe (Pork knuckles, don't get put off by the name, this is seriously awesome stuff) and German beer. As Pork fanatics, we went the whole hog. I had to open my pant buttons afterwards. Phew.

Some Rhine gazing followed the heavy dinner and then we sat down for some Weissbeer at a riverside café.

As nightfell, I started feeling cold and called the beer fest to an end. And the three travellers trudged back to the hotel. 

The Great Gatsby @ Harrods

For the last two months every freaking magazine I picked up had something about The Great Gatsby. The movie, not the book. The book I love, the movie I haven't seen till date. I have my reservations about Baz Luhrman but I want to see the Prada dresses, there you go. Shallow much. Anyways, so when I was in London I had gone to Harrods. Harrods is my thing. I love going there, the absolutely OTT ostentatious presentation, the perfectly made up faces, the window displays. I think I once picked up a £8 wine bottle and waffed away most of the evening checking out gentlemen's pipes until one of those tuxedo type employee told me very politely to clear out as they were going to have a wine event. Which was whatever for me, coz I wasn't moving out till they chilled my cheap vino. 

Anyways, last month they decked out their drinks section in the Gatsby style but it was so crowded that I couldn't get any decent pics. Actually it never fails to amaze me how crowded Harrods is, its like a tourist spot, know what I mean. But anyway, I love it, crowded or not. Back to The Great Gatsby, cue photos of the window displays. 

Black Gatsby flags around the establishment

Wanted a feather wrap after see in this one

Love the geometric/art deco backdrop of TGG

My favourite display of all,  recreation of 1920s Americana/jazz age

Flapper girls, this window was so gorgeous in real life, shame my camera didn't pick it up

Coming back to the movie, has anyone seen it? As far as the book is concerned, I had read it when I was 14 years old. I am sure a lot of the references flew over the top of my head. If I reread it now, my inferences are sure to be different. But one of the recent Fitzgerald books that I did read was a collection of short stories and it included what I consider one of his best stories, Bernice Bobs Her Hair.  

I read it and thought ok this is what they mean when they say Fitzi is the voice of an era. And when I was reading it, this song kept on playing in my mind. Makes no sense I know, but the song-book co-relation works in funny ways, don't you think?