Zoo Cologe - Elephant House

The new elephant house, as seen from the open-air part of the enclosure.

This image concludes the new elephant park mini series in the photo log.

Zoo Cologne - Elephant Backstage

Behind the scenes.

Zoo Cologne - Elephant Hall 2

Without the artificial rocks here and there, the hall would be an almost sacral building.

Zoo Cologne - Elephant Hall 1

Mighty pillars supporting the roof make this a really Great Hall.

Zoo Cologne - Elephant Bars

The resident didn’t move in yet and some other creatures cavort.

Zoo Cologne - Elephant Entrance

Speak friend and enter.

During the weekend July 17th/18th a fair was going on in the new elephant park, so we had a chance to visit the enclosure and roam around like the elephants will in September.

Two hours later, the conclusion fireworks display illuminated the central city.

This image of the Kölner Lichter fireworks is an overlay of two separate exposures.

Cologne - Sunset before the Fireworks

Against all odds and a terrible weather forecast, the evening turned out really great with a beautiful sunset.

The silhouette in the foreground is the cloister church of the convent Karmel Maria vom Frieden. I very much enjoyed the view while waiting for the night and the fireworks of the Kölner Lichter.

Eifel - Laacher Lake - Before Sunrise

An early autumn morning at the Laacher Lake, a few minutes before sunrise.

This is one of the moments, for which getting up early is really worth the effort. The wonderful light in the sky was there just for some minutes.

Eifel - Laacher Lake - After Sunrise

Just half an hour later, thick fog came in from the east and covered the landscape.

The Laacher Lake is a water filled chimney of an (not totally) extinct volcano, see (sorry, I didn’t find suitable English ones) this German information page and this one about the history.