The Dom

Some people have wondered why there are no pictures here of Köln's most famous landmark, the beloved Kölner Dom. Perhaps seeing it everyday, it begins to recede into the background. But the real reason there is no documentation has more to do with the crowds that swarm to it.
First we have the large groups of young men, wearing matching custom-made t-shirts which usually have the date printed on them, who drink beer, sing loud songs, and mob old ladys (encircling them and singing to them). This last weekend we even saw groups of girls in matching shirts, but at least didn't hear them sing. So anyone who comes to visit us, we already have your Saturday outfit planned........

The second reason, and perhaps more benign, is the large tour groups which ultimately congregate by the cathedral. Something I suppose one should expect, but do you really want to be on a tour led by a clown? (Perhaps it isn't clear in the picture, but the history, religious significance,and aesthetic qualities of this 750-year-old cathedral are being explained to this crowd by a man dressed as a clown.)

And finally, one last reason we don't hit up the local landmarks too often is that every time we're away from home for more than an hour, we come home to this: