Frau Arrowsmith (MFL, German Teacher)
At 4 am on Friday 29th November, 27 excited German students from Year 7 set off for the Cologne Christmas Markets. The weather was delightfully crisp and frosty throughout our stay, combining with the Christmas lights to give the whole experience a sparkly feel.
On arriving in the city centre, the girls had a quick tour of the magnificent cathedral before a delicious lunch in a typical German restaurant. In the afternoon, they enjoyed a virtual reality tram ride through Cologne in 1905, and then moved swiftly on to the much-anticipated visit to the Lindt Schokoladenmuseum. Here they learned about how chocolate is made, and enjoyed samples of chocolate in the various stages of its production. The chocolate fountain proved as popular as ever!
The following day started with a river cruise on the Rhein, and then there was plenty of time for Christmas shopping in the Angel Market and the Heinzelmännchenmarkt. The girls were pleased to find the stall-holders responding positively when they tried out their German language skills. The day ended at the Farinahaus Fragrance Experience, where the girls found out all about the creation of the original ‘Eau de Cologne’ and tested their olfactory skills as they attempted to recognise a wide range of different perfume ingredients.
Aakriti Jain (Year 7) said: “My favourite part of the trip was the Lindt Museum because the chocolate was yummy and it was interesting to know how it was all made. I also liked the boat trip because it was fun to look outside and drink the hot chocolate. I had a great time and I enjoyed the Christmas Market a lot.”
Serenity Tatham (Year 7) added: “I really enjoyed the German trip, my favourite part was going to the chocolate museum because I could see how chocolate was made and how it was moulded. I also loved the boat ride because we could see all the different landmarks and different designs for buildings.”
