Fun Facts
- Düsseldorf has spawned two extremely famous, successful and influential bands. The reclusive Kraftwerk are based “somewhere” in the city, and the superb “Toten Hosen” (dead trousers) are still rocking the socks off huge German audiences.
- “Kölsch is the only language you can drink”. The local beer in Cologne is “Kölsch” and the locals are very proud of it. There are over 90 breweries in the Cologne area, each producing a slightly different variety of this clear, cool beer. The local dialect is also known as Kölsch – which is why it’s the only language you can drink.
- Look out for the naughty figure above No. 24 Altermarkt in Cologne; the “Kallendresser” (which means someone who poos in the gutter), is a little guy with spiky hair, a cheeky face and a bare bottom. Legend has it that a burglar asked for sanctuary in the near-by Benedictine Abbey, but the monks turned him over to the police. The locals erected this disrespectful figure to show their displeasure.
- According to legend the locals of Cologne used to receive special help from friendly elves who would turn up at night to bake bread, sew clothes, make cheese and generally lend a helping hand. When the tailors wife decided to spy on them one night the elves (or Heinzelmännschen) were so angry they never came back again – the locals still lament their loss today.
- Don’t ever order Kölsch in Düsseldorf – in the city down the river they drink “Alt” beer, which the Kölners say is made from barrels of Kölsche which have taken a few months to float down the river. It’s a dark, smoky brew, which has a bit of a “bacony” after-taste – but don’t let that put you off, once you’ve acquired the taste you’ll be a big fan….. really.
- Cologne's most famous export "eau de cologne" is actually Italian in origin. Gian Paolo Feminis created the perfume in 1709 from grape spirits, neroli oil, bergamot, lavender and rosemary. It became a cure-all for a variety of ailments, ranging from stomach-aches to bleeding gums.
- Bönnsch is the only locally brewed Bonn beer. You have to drink it from specially designed hand shaped glasses and can only buy it in one place - Brauhaus Bönnsch (Sterntorbrücke 4, Bonn). It’s light, fresh and tasty and makes a great souvenir to take back home.
- Just across the river from Bonn are the majestic Siebengebirge hills and the legendary Drachenfels Mountain. According to legend a dragon once lived at the top and terrorised the villages below until Siegfried killed it and bathed in its blood to make himself invincible. There’s still a dragon at the top of the hill – but nowadays it’s safely locked away inside a glass box.
- The Rhine folk have a bit of a thing about bottoms. When in Bonn look out for the little bare bottomed figure on the Rhine Bridge, he taunts Frankfurt who lost against Bonn to become the seat of government in 1949.
