March 2026. Cologne.
Our lads had headed down to the banks of the Rhine on our last afternoon in Cologne, and while joining them for a Kolsch at Martinswinkel (stop it) seemed appealing, those familiar outside seats at Pfaffen looking on to the main square won out.
But the boys were still down in the old fish market 20 minutes later,
opting for the terrace as the sun finally appeared.
The beers seemed to be coming from Rhein-Hotel St.Martin (***, nice political photos),
though not in those plastic Kolsch carriers which probably have a fancy name.
The glasses of Früh were being brought out individually, and payment taken by card, which probably means foreign tourists rather than locals drink here.
Whatever, my first/only Früh of the trip (missed the Braurei by the Dom) was gorgeously chewy,
and when the Kobe dropped a glass and no-one went “Wahey” I almost felt proud to be British.
retiredmartin 