¤ Cologne Trip - Part. II ¤
After a long detour, let's continue our adventure in Cologne :
When we arrived at Chocolate Museum, we had the pleasant surprise to discover - not far from there - a small Medieval Market. But as it was raining, we didn't lingered there.
Admission is 7,50 EUR - 5 EUR if you are student - and they give a chocolate to you when you buy your ticket (^_^)b
Museum is divided up into 4 big parts : Cocoa farming, Cocoa production, History of Cocoa and Advertisements.
In the first rooms, you'll become unbeatable about Cocoa farming : where is Cocoa from ? How they cultivate it ? How they harvest it ?
You'll also be able to visit a small greenhouse and observe Cocoa trees in their natural habitat there.
You'll be able to know chocolate annual consumption of your country, as well as its ranking with others ^^
So, France consumes 4,50 Kg of chocolate per person per year, according to a study in 2007. It places far behind Australia and USA.
In the next room, you'll put your sense of smell to the test by discovering the different spices can make up chocolate such as cinnamon or vanilla.
You'll learn also how chocolate is made up and see different cosmetics chocolate-based (Lush ♥)
The main room is THE room full of surprises. Indeed, in the centre of Chocolate Museum, Lindt set up a real small factory here in order to share with us the different stages of the chocolate production. So you'll see how they made chocolate bars and figurines.
French Mascot ♥
Not to mention about the three metre high fountain which hot liquid chocolate jets spurt out that you'll be able to taste with a wafer. Yummy ♥
The room of production crossed, the museum will plunge you into the History of Cocoa by immersing in the heart of the Central America, on a tour of Maya and Aztec civilization. The Maya and Aztec people used cocoa as well as means of payment as medicines. They knew also the drink, but it was different from this one we know nowadays because it was prepared with chilli or pepper.
With colonization, cocoa is exported in Europe. In 18th century, it become the symbol of Wealth. Aristocrats enjoyed drinking this exotic drink into delicate porcelains - made by Meissen in Germany and Sèvres in France, the first two porcelain manufacturers in Europe in this time.
In the end, The Museum of Chocolate pays homage to greatest Chocolate trademark by recounting their development as the years go by, as well as everything that Chocolate Industry was able to generate.
Here, the different face of Kinder Chocolate boxes
Lindt giant rabbit
Nutella special edition
Milka's cow
Kit-Kat Break
Lindt box evolution
Milka's posters
After the visit - Or before, as you wish - you'll be able to enjoy with Museum Tea Room and its delicious cake, before going to buy some chocolates in the shop.
Mozart ♥
As the afternoon had started well when we went out of museum, we had decided to go lunch then to go for a wander round Christmas Market by train before finishing with Christmas Market.
We tasted some culinary specialities like Bretzels and what looks like potatoes pancakes with apple compote. That was delicious (*_*) I even tasted a drink cherry-based I think... I don't understand German language but there was a word which reminded me something, so I wanted to try and that was so delicious too (*_*)
After that, we wandered in a street near the market and did some last-minute shopping before squatting in McDonald's by waiting for the departure hour.
Eau de Cologne sign
Here, a cake we tasted with aziraphale29 before our departure. We are totally suicidal with food (≧▽ ≦)ゞ
It looked so good, and it was good ^^
There's no denying it, one day to Cologne... That's was really too short (T_T)
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Chocolate Museum by night ^^
My English is really pathetic (>_<) Please forgive me for this and correct my mistakes if you wish it ^^;
Anyone knows how make spaces between LJ-cut ? (T_T)