There is a large number of things that I have loved about Germany for a very long time. They mostly centre around food (Spaghettieis for the win!), music (Blümchen, Die Ärzte and Fettes Brot to select from a variety of genres) and the varying landscapes that characterise so many different corners of the country, from the alpine mountains in the south, the industrial cities of the north, and the various yellows, greens and blues that form the Rhineland in between. Then of course, there’s all of those gorgeous colourful timber-framed buildings that you can see all over the country, often evoking imagery of something out of Hansel and Gretel (minus the witch, hopefully, but also minus the Battenberg windows, sadly).

This year, I was delighted to have the chance to get back out to Germany with a friend. I had seen some extremely cheap flights to Cologne in the Summer, and snapped them up whilst I could. It was a very busy and extremely entertaining weekend, not least from the fact we had arrived during ‘Karneval’ weekend. This was something which had been unbeknown to us but not to the entire rest of the German population, who all seemed to descend upon the city every 11th day in November, our first full day there. This centuries old tradition was originally celebrated as a way to scare away winter spirits, and nowadays translates into revelers from all over the country packing every square inch of the streets of Cologne in fancy dress and enjoying several biers and glühweins whilst singing songs together extremely loudly. After the initial shock to the system, we felt extremely pleased to have been able to experience it, but were admittedly extremely grateful when the crowds started to clear and we could move about more easily.

However, my favourite part of the weekend was a boat ride along the Rhine that we had booked for the Sunday afternoon. To me, the experience brought together all the things I love about Germany in one river-roving vessel. During this 1.5 hour journey towards the southern borough of Rodenkirchen and back, a gentleman played classic German pop covers and traditional songs on a keyboard whilst groups of friends and families jigged about on the dancefloor, cheering on all those who came to join them. Extremely polite waiting staff took drinks orders and talked us through the different varieties of schnapps on offer, before bringing back a Kölsch and a shot glass of dark, syruppy matter which would clear the airways for the next decade.

Next to us, an elderly lady appeared so delighted with the size of the sausage brought out to her that she held it up in the air in disbelief, waving it about whilst her daughter grinned on. Up on deck, a young man named Ben enjoyed practising his English on us, although I was keen to try to speak the best German I could remember from school whilst conversing back at him. Ben explained that his family had traveled to Cologne from Berlin, especially for Karneval. We spoke about his life in Berlin, and how he supported F.C Union Berlin and specifically not F.C Hertha Berlin. Ben volunteered to take a picture of my friend and I, before heading back down to his family, a group made up of several generations.

Alongside the friendly company, amazing hospitality, classic tunes and good local beer, what I also loved was the river itself. This huge expanse of water was a true gift to the senses, and conjured up much in the way of imagination. At 1,225 kilometers long, from Switzerland to the North Sea, our little boat ride barely scratched the surface of the entirety of what the river has to behold, and that’s not even accounting for the vast history, which includes being a vital conduit for trade during the Roman era.

No sooner had I arrived back in the UK, I was looking up how much it might cost to travel a longer distance along the Rhine, and the general upshot was that I’d need to sell my home and probably a limb to be able to do so. So, with that dream out the proverbial porthole, I’m instead just basking in the memory of a very magical 1.5 hours in November.

Song of the Day: The Dining Rooms – Wild Love

The Dining Rooms is an Italian band who combine ambient and electronic music together in a fusion they refer to as ‘downbeat’. This isn’t the sort of song I’d put on whilst getting ready to head out, but it’s perfect for a long drive on dark and rainy evening. Very atmospheric and appropriate for this time of year.