Good Deal Cologne

Guten morgen! (German for Good morning)

Today I’m sharing about the bustling town of Cologne (Köln), Germany. When I was deployed to the Middle East all of us pilots would salivate about the idea of getting a trip outside of the desert. One morning, after eating my two eggs over easy and peanut butter toast, we got word that it was our turn. Finally! Our “good deal” trip had arrived. We packed our bags and readied ourselves for a mission that would include an overnight stay with indoor plumbing, zero chow halls and absolutely NO sand.

If you’ve read any of my other posts you probably know that I’m partial to Germany. With it’s rolling hills, marvelous castles and love of all things Nutella, what isn’t to like? After a long day of flying through multiple combat zones we finally landed and boy was it better than we expected. When you’ve been in the sandbox for so long, you forget how vivd and beautiful colors can be. I know that sounds dramatic but I’m serious. For a while I could only see shades of tan. But I digress, we were elated to finally be free. We quickly sealed up the jet and set off for our hotel.

I can say, with zero hesitation, that was the second best shower of my life. The first was after survival school, but thats a long sob story you don’t want to hear. I relished in my shower, put on clothes that didn’t smell like stale chow hall and headed straight for the lobby to enjoy a tall glass of wine. This, my friends, was a sweet victory. We spent the rest of our day and evening enjoying every single second. As I’m writing this I can feel how thankful I was in those moments. It’s amazing how much of life we take for granted isn’t it? Anyway, we ate, we drank, we laughed and of course we toured the Cologne Cathedral. My pictures just don’t do it justice. It’s one of the most beautiful structures I’ve ever seen and so rich with history too.

cologne cathedral spires cologne cathedral

cologne crew
One very happy crew
cologne doner kebab
No trip to Germany is complete without a doner kebab

Our “good deal” trip lasted only three days but it felt like a week long hiatus. It’s safe to say we all had a hard time getting back into our daily beige routines. I chose to share this story at the beginning of the year because it reminds me to be thankful for every victory, small and large. To take each moment of joy and appreciate it. It’s so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life  that we forget to pause and be thankful. So, I challenge you to be more mindful of your everyday victories and find joy in the little things.

If you’ve made it this far, thank you. I love being able to share about my life’s adventures.

xo

-Emily

17 thoughts on “Good Deal Cologne

  1. Thank you for your service! Germany is on my bucket list.

    Xo, Gigi
    Fash-ology.com

    1. thetraveler says:

      You’re too kind Gigi, it’s my pleasure. You must go if you get the chance. It’s an amazing place!

    1. thetraveler says:

      Thanks for stopping by Camille! It was a trip I will always hold dear to my heart.

    1. thetraveler says:

      Hi Dani! Thanks for stopping by my little blog. Yes, if you ever get the chance you should go see it for yourself. It’s amazing!

  2. Makes me want to travel to Germany. My father is from there.

    1. thetraveler says:

      Hi Sharon! Yes, it’s incredible! Thanks for stopping by 🙂

  3. That looks like so much fun! We use to live right outside Munich when my dad was sent there! I’ve been itching to return. 💙

    1. thetraveler says:

      Oh I’m so jealous! I would love to spend a couple months there so I can go explore all around.

  4. What a gorgeous place! I would love to travel to Germany one day!

    1. thetraveler says:

      Hi Emily! It was truly breathtaking. You must go if you get the opportunity. Thanks for stopping by!

  5. Great post Sis. Thanks for reminding me to be thankful. I am especially thankful for my wonderful family ❤

    1. thetraveler says:

      Thanks Momma. 🙂

      Love you!

  6. Looks like a wonderful place! Great post. Always wanted to visit Cologne 🙂

    Kim x

    thecaramelchronicles.com

  7. Nicolas Blume says:

    Nice to see that you like my home town!
    I just stumbled upon your instagram account, great pictures!

    Greets from Cologne,
    Nicolas

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