I Just Had to Find ... THE SPOT!

One of my first, you know, FAVORITE images, from my time spent in Germany! Oh yeah ...

I first made it down to Koln (Cologne), West Germany (at that time), back in like, 1985, I believe it was.

No! I KNOW it was, duh?

Yeah, our first trip once we got settled into our new life overseas ... Yeah, I was married back then, to a women in the U.S. Army, you know, who I met in college a couple of years earlier ...

Been awhile ...

Anywho. Yeah, we got to Germany on my 30th birthday, but yeah, as soon as we knew what was going on (well, you know, a little ...), yeah, off we went!

On one of those "Armed Forces" trips that were all the rage back then ... Until we figured out what was going on, that is! Yeah, then we bought a car ... But, I just thought of this, yeah, a NEW car, like right off the boat, ahh, from JAPAN!

Yeah, really. What was it?

A Nissan something ... No! A Datsun ... Yeah, pretty sure it was the "original" name of, you know, what we call NISSAN now-a-days!

yeah! A Datsun B-210. It just came to me!

Yeah, really ...

While living in Northern Germany ...

Go figure.

But we were living right on the "Port City", you know, to the North Sea, so yeah, maybe that had something to do with it!

It was crazy, but yeah, so am I.

I digress ...

Koln, West Germany, 1985.

Yeah, I know, we called it "Cologne", but yeah, as Americans, ahh, we didn't really know what that was all about ... Like I said, hey! We just got over there!

We learned ... Yeah, the city is famous for its, you know, "cologne" stuff", I guess!

But yeah, I'll never forget that "first time" ... It was late, and very DARK, when we pulled up right "underneath" those "twin towers", and yeah, we all got out to check it out, The CHURCH! The very "famous" church that survived the Allied bombing raids somehow, during "The War" ... You know, the "Second One" ...

And yes! There were still "scars" that I could see ...

Oh! It was "Magical"!

The darkness, and those church lights ... Covered with clouds, moving in and out of my frame ... Oh yeah, I REMEMBER it well.

Like PERFECT!

That said, maybe not so much for a "PHOTOGRAPH" at that time, but yeah, the MEMORY is still quite strong! In fact, funny, but yeah, that "Moment" just seems to get better and better the longer it has been ...

Funny how that works ...

Like I said, "MAGICAL".

PERIOD.

Trust me, it only exists in my mind!

And yeah, you can only imagine how that works!

What a MOMENT!

But, yeah, then I went back, like SEVERAL times over the years, both while living over there those first three years, then yeah ... The several VIKING RIVER CRUISE trips I took through the city (Viking "Parked", like, right below it overnight, like the one in the photograph, you know, while on tour!), oh yeah, like I said, one of my FAVORITE places in Germany, if not the world!

Really.

You know, if I was ever to make such a bold statement, that is! But yeah ... It's right up there, and we'll just leave it at that!

For now.

But yeah, trust me, since that "FIRST TIME", yeah, I made it a point to ALWAYS work on getting THE SHOT, like I said, one of my FAVORITES, every time I am in the city!

Always!

Even on the "regular" cruises with VIKING, or even the, you know, the "regular" German trips back in the day, that go past this church on their tours of the city ... Yeah.

In fact, I can remember something about being on a "regular" VIKING tour, and yeah, having to "RUN BACK" to the ship before we "pulled out" for the night ...

Don't worry! I made it!

After getting my "sunset shot", that is!

Hey! It's farther than you, or I, would ever think, believe me! Ha!

You know, with a tripod, and camera gear, don't forget! Did you ever see, or lift, the camera bag I used to lug all over the place?

Yeah.

And those old, metal, TILT-ALL tripods?

Yeah.

But again, it was all worth it!

Like, yeah, 1985 was "a few years ago" if I remember correctly ... As was whatever year it was when I took THIS image! Let me check ... Hold on!

Ha! And I "quote" ... "8/23/2009" ... How could I ever "forget" that trip!

You know, that one summer I spent driving around Europe while my friend from the Marines (like, from back in Japan, from 1976), and I "gave a tour of Europe, and North Africa, I might add, to his then, 16 year old son! Yeah, THAT 2009!

I remember it well ...

But yeah, I did say I liked this scene, right? Yeah, now YOU get out there, and see what image you can find, that, yeah, will "last forever"!

Don't worry ... THEY ALL DO!

But yeah, enjoy.

And keep on going back ...

I still do.