Twice this year we’ve had the pleasure of hearing talks by John Sykes about his project, walking along the coasts of England, but this was completely different. John, a resident of Cologne, also does guided tours in Cologne. What better way to get more information about our city, in this special case, our cathedral! Although we’ve had several tours inside the cathedral, and tours around the city, this one was unique: around the outside of the cathedral. How often have you walked past this amazing building and been awed by its presence? But John was able to point out details and show us photos of the area before the Domplatte was even built. Amid the hustle and bustle of the area he found 3 quiet spots where he could elaborate on the details of the portals. Also the question of cleaning the Dom was brought up. It cannot be completely cleaned because its stone would be damaged. But John showed us one spot, the portal facing the train station, where tiny areas have been lasered.

The tour was customized to our needs: not too long, a little more than an hour, and not too much walking but very fascinating. We were a small group, 11 ladies, so we could ask questions and go into detail about various aspects. At the end he recommended the cathedral website: www.koelner-dom.de for more information. We’re of course looking forward to his further reports about his hikes in England.