Snow! The from the balcony of my apartment on Saturday morning

It got heavier. This looking out of our building at the University (at lunchtime).

Our group, walking to lunch.

Coming back from lunch. (Can you tell that lunch is a big event here... actually it's really the main meal so it sort of is a big event!)

This Icy Chap was waiting in the shadows to mug me as I left the building the other evening, but I gave him the cold shoulder and got outta there!

Cologne. Buildings in the old town.

More building in the old town of Cologne.

The Cologne cathedral (or Koln Dom as it's known to its friends). You can climb to the top of one of those spires!

Trying to show the shear size of the cathedral. Hard to do without the right photographic equipment! Trust me though, it's big!

A view of the outside of the cathedral.

Detail on the outside of the cathedral.

This is the same size as the one on the top of each of the spires of the cathedral, so you can get a better idea of the size and height of the building!

Stain-glass window inside the cathedral.

Tower climb stats.

View from the top of the cathedral tower climb, looking across to the other spire.

A view over some of Cologne and the River Rhine, from the top of the cathedral.

I attended Michael's PhD defence while in Cologne. They have a tradition here where the workmates prepare a humorous graduation hat, themed to the person.

Michael and Andrea, whom I stayed with in Cologne.

Possibly the cheesiest bathroom... ever!

Maria and Markus, a couple of researchers from the group I am visiting in Dormund.

This is taken is Quedlinburg, which is a *really* old city in East German and very Anhk-Morpork-esque with small winding cobble-stoned streets. Also the doors here are very small!

A tradition German Christmas decoration. I actually saw a life size one of these outside in someone's garden yesterday.

On the left is Falk, the professor whose group I am currently visiting at the Plant Research institute in Quedlinburg. On the right is his wife Ruth. The other person is Patrick, Ruth's brother who is currently visiting from Australia. The Germans are really keen on board games, so I've got to experience a few really good (and different) board-games while here.