Headed down to Bonn today, just half an hour south of Cologne by metro. It's a lovely old city and much more laid back than Cologne. It was of course the federal capital until reunification and the south of the city is full of the trappings of government, now no longer used in the way they were intended. Its very peaceful walking down by the river watching the incredibly long cruise boats chug up and down the Rhine.

Bonn was the birthplace of Ludwig van Beethoven, and his house is now a museum containing many relics from is life. His last piano is there along with the console from the organ in the church where he played when he was eleven. It is quite amazing to think those are the same keys his little figures played with over 200 years ago. The saddest exhibits are the gigantic ear trumpets he had made to counter his increasing deafness.

Up early to get to St Pancras for the Eurostar. Train really is the way to travel. No long check in queues, no long trek out to the airport, no hassle of getting into the city once you land. Just door to door in 5 hours.

Cologne is an ancient city set on the banks of the River Rhine. Headed up to the Cathedral, just up the road from the hotel. It is a massive monument, towering over the city below. For four years it was the tallest building in the World, until the Washington Monument trumped it, and you certainly get an outstanding view of the city from the top of the tower. It's worth the log slog up the stairs. The Cathedral took 632 years to finish, but there is no truth that the same architects are behind the BBC West 1 project.

In the afternoon looked round the chocolate museum. Not that is what I call a museum, free samples as well.