ICE Train to Köln (Cologne)

This is Elder and Sister Miller and myself debarking from the train in Cologne, Germany. We took our preparation day to take the train to see the Cathedral in Cologne Germany. The ride was very smooth, but never came close to approaching the advertised speed of 300 Kilometers an hour, which is 186 miles an hour. It was more like 100 mph. Too many stops to get up speed. Still we had reserved seats and it was sure different than the train ride I took from Berlin to the Swiss Temple in 1963. Through East Germany we thought the train would derail. We could look out the window to see how wavy the rails were. We thought the Communists had been drunk when they laid down the rails. This time we never heard the clickety clack as you went over the rail connections, just a smooth straight ride. They are welded and ground smooth. Without the rails system and street cars Germany would come to a complete standstill. For about $4,000 dollars per person a year one can have unlimited rides all over Europe. If you want a sleeping car you pay an additional $30.