We came to the Düsseldorf area at the end of July, 2001. This area is quite industrial and is probably not the hot-spot for tourism, but we found lots to do and see. This area is known as the North Rhine-Westphalia region and is home to a quarter of the German population. 

We stayed with friends in Nuess, just south of Düsseldorf. While we were there, the city of Nuess was having its annual celebration which included banners hanging across the streets and a marching band which came through town several times a day throughout the weekend. On Sunday morning they were out at 7am playing the flutes and drums. By 10am the full band was at it. At right is the band coming along the street, the drums and flutes in the lead with the brass section behind. After the brass section was a group of men in suits, one of them the “king.” They were going to get the “queen,” but we never did see her. One time through the town, the local kids were getting in the act, enjoying being at the head of the parade. The little one with the sunglasses was really into the beat, strutting his stuff. This was definitely a guy thing!

We took a ride with our host Andreas to visit a local mining museum. If you are at all interested in mining, this is the place to go! There is a mine below the museum with tunnels housing all types of mining equipment for boring, removal and transport of the raw materials. The kids get to make their own miners’ hats, complete with flashlight, as well as coal-black rubbed on their faces. They seemed to enjoy running around the mine tunnels, but bored quickly of the pre-recorded explanations. At right is a snap of Andreas being ““bored” by a high-powered drill.

Above the mine, the museum itself is quite extensive, explaining everything about the process as well as the living and working conditions of the miners worldwide. They had some support structures (some metal, some wood) which had collapsed under the weight of the rock - it was frightening to see the effects of the intense force. They also had the rescue capsules used in narrow mines; we couldn’t imagine getting in one of these small “bullets,” much less being drug through the mine shaft in one. A mine was not a place for one with claustrophobia! 

Above the museum, there was a mining tower (left), rising several stories above the ground, providing a great view of the surrounding area (right). As you can see, we are in the flatlands.

We went into Düsseldorf for dinner Friday night and walked around the small, old-city shopping area, as well as the newer, modern, upscale shopping district where we ate. In the old part of the city is a long block of bars - supposedly the longest bar in Europe! It was a very warm evening, and by the time we walked through after dinner, it was wall-to-wall people! Everyone was in the street and you couldn’t tell one bar from another. It was also quite loud with everyone trying to be heard over the other voices. If you are young and like to party, this is the place for you!

We spent a day visiting Cologne, one of the major cities in the area, situated on the Rhine. Because of its location at a major crossroads in Europe, it was an important city even in Roman times. It has retained its importance throughout the centuries. It was almost completely destroyed in WWII, but was quickly rebuilt and many of the old churches and monuments have been restored.

The most central and impressive of Dusseldorf’s attractions is the Dom. It is huge, with spires rising to 157 meters. It was begun in 1248 but stopped in 1560, then restarted in 1842 and finally completed in 1880. Amazingly, it survived the bombing of WWII intact. 

The Dom is so tall that it is was impossible for us to get a picture of the entire structure in one shot. At left is the composite of the 3 pictures needed to capture its full height. The result has a bit of a fisheye curve at the top. They were in the process of cleaning the Dom when we were there, hence the scaffolding at left near the top. This scaffolding is actually hanging from the spire above it and simply resting against the vertical structure. It is not being supported by anything below.

Inside, it is equally as magnificent. The picture at the right captures the loftiness created by the gothic arches. The tall windows let in an amazing amount of light. We chose not to climb the 509 steps of the south tower, but understand that there are some fantastic views from the top. These steeples were the highest structures in Europe until the Eiffel tower was built.

There is a lovely shopping area near the Dom, but because we were there on Sunday, no stores were open. We keep wondering how long that will last. There were a few people walking along here, but we found most folks out by the river. The walkway is shaded with huge trees, a welcome respite on this very warm day. The walk was jammed with families, couples, and friends enjoying the warm afternoon. Meanwhile on the Rhine, barges, tour boats and pleasure boats made their way along.

A 15 minute walk from the Dom along this walkway brings you to the Chocolate Museum. How could we resist? They did a great job explaining the cultivation, collection, processing and final creation of chocolate. Verna found the display of chocolate types to be interesting as it explains the differences among the various types we enjoy today. These standards are from the Association of German Chocolate Manufacturers and may be different in other countries, but they are probably very similar world wide. It is now very clear why we prefer semi-sweet and bitter chocolate to milk chocolate - look at how much more chocolate you get!

Now, if you want to test the reputed aphrodisiac qualities of chocolate, give this recipe a try:

We haven’t tried it yet, as we’ll have to wait until this winter when we have a kitchen. If it works for you, let us know! 

If you find typographical errors or have any other problems when looking at the site please contact the Webmaster describing the problem and the page involved.