Cologne - for the final time?

Another short post before I depart in the morning for, a four-night stopover in Cologne. As in previous years I'll be helping to staff my company’s trade stand at the International Dental Show (IDS). This event takes place every two years, or at least it did until COVID-19 came on the scene. 2019 was the last show we attended - the 2021 event, of course being cancelled. Looking back, I have been to five previous shows, the first one being back in 2007, which was less than a year after I joined the company.

Being semi-retired, I wasn't expecting to be attending this year’s event, but due to my experience of product testing, acquired following 17 years in charge of the quality control department, I was informed that my product and technical knowledge would be invaluable when speaking to customers on the trade stand. I shall therefore be travelling out to Cologne, by Eurostar, on Monday morning. This year’s journey will be slightly longer, and more complicated than previously, seeing as the two international, Kentish stations at Ebbsfleet and Ashford have still not reopened, following the end of the pandemic, and lifting of travel restrictions.

In previous years, a 30-minute drive from the factory to Ebbsfleet, enabled us to join a Brussels bound train, and head off to Belgium via the Channel Tunnel and northern France. A change of train at Brussels, then allowed us to travel on into Germany either with a Deutsche Bahn ICE train, or a Thalys service. (I actually prefer the latter!) This time around, our journey will start at London St Pancras International. No plausible reasons have been put forward as to why the two Kent stations remain closed, although Eurostar are pointing the finger at increased check-in times at stations, due to Brexit. No doubt the trolls will be back in force on this one, but controlling one’s borders works both ways, and affects UK residents just as much as EU citizens.  

Travel issues aside we will be residing at the same pleasant, and well-appointed family-owned hotel, just 10 minutes’ walk from Cologne's main station. We have stayed there for every IDS since 2009, and I'm sure that both management and long-serving staff members know our faces, if not our names, off by heart. It’s not all glamour though, as being present on the exhibition stand can lead to a lengthy and drawn-out day, as the event opens from 9 am to 6 pm, and speaking from experience it’s that final hour that’s the killer! My colleagues from the sales department will be busy having meetings with both current customers, and potential new ones, although with an order book already full to the brim, it may prove difficult trying to accommodate additional business.

The evening's provide time for relaxing, and spending time with colleagues, away from the normal work environment. You often see a different side of people in such situations! We do have two dinner's planned with members from our Japanese parent company, although the first of these should be less formal. It should give a chance for us all to reconnect with one another, as we have seen very few of our Japanese colleagues, since the end of 2019.

Two nights later, in something of a tradition, we will met again, in a more formal setting, when our parent company host a lavish dinner, at the Regency Hyatt hotel overlooking the river Rhine. On the way across to the dinner, I’m working on a plan for a sneaky visit to the Gaststätte Lommerzheim, a down-to earth Kölsch bar, that is something of a Cologne institution. It’s a question of fine timings, as to whether I pull this off, but watch this space! Wednesday, at the moment, is the only free evening where nothing is planned, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed we can visit a traditional Cologne pub or beer hall and get stuck into a few of the local Kölsch beers. It probably won’t be the one mentioned above, as it’s rather basic, by all accounts.

Despite the at times rather hectic schedule, IDS provides an opportunity to see a different part of the world, experience different cultures as well as different people. This will be my 8^th time in Cologne and my 6^th business visit, and whilst I feel like I know my way around the city, there is always something new to see, or some quirky little, unseen corner to explore. I doubt that I will have time to post anything, so I’m not bothering to take a laptop with me, but I will have a notebook to hand. However, as long as I get the chance to experience the odd down-to-earth, Cologne boozer, then I shall be a happy bunny. I will also endeavour to stock up on a few bottled beers, as I’ve plenty of space in my suitcase!