Cologne, Germany

March 30th – April 1st, 2025

Traveled to Cologne solo and had the chance to witness what I think to be the world’s greatest architectural marvels, the Cologne Cathedral. Camera simply cannot capture the magnitude of the Dome. Normally, without much of a religious background, I tend to just glance through churches briefly. But this time, I found myself genuinely drawn in. I sat quietly through a Mass, taking in the solemn atmosphere, completely awed by the cathedral’s grandeur and sacred presence. For a moment, it felt like time stood still.

Aside from the iconic cathedral, Cologne also happens to be the birthplace of Rimowa—so naturally, I had to stop by the store to see if a little “souvenir” was in order. I immediately fell in love with the 107L rectangular check-in suitcase. Sadly, they were out of the gray color I had my heart set on. So I did what any reasonable person would do: I consoled myself with a similar one from Tumi. At least it matches the rest of my Tumi travel essentials…

With Germany’s ridiculously low alcohol tax, it only made sense to wind down at a bar after demolishing the largest dinner portion I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, that’s also where I crossed paths with a not-so-great guy. Ah well, chalk it up to experience. Solo travel comes with its lessons, and I’m still learning the ropes one awkward encounter at a time.