It's easy to get caught up with the "big shots": grand architecture and beautiful landscapes. But don't forget to mix in the little things too -- items such as the dinner presentation, interesting signs, and in this case, a style of beer service that I had never seen before.
I really like the straight cylinder glasses that beer is often served in here in Cologne, Germany. So when I spotted this waitperson navigating a crowd with 11 full glasses, I just had to ask for a shot (and then a beer, of course!). Maybe it was the intoxicating goodness of the delicious brew, but this turned out to be one of my favorite images of the night.
Hahaha. Great. The beer is called "Koelsch" and there are over 100 different varieties of that beer in Cologne. It's a very typical beer for the "Rheinland"-region and some of them taste really really good.
The waiter in your picture is carrying a "Kranz" of Koelsch which can be translated as 'crest', I think.
There's actually one place in the old town district where they sell you a meter of Koelsch. It's 10 glasses in a one meter long wooden tray. Go check it out ;)
In other parts of Germany, people sometimes make fun of the thin glasses by comparing them to test-tubes.
The beer is delicious. Living in London now, I really miss my home-town from time to time.
Anyway. Continue having fun @ Photokina, Derrick!
Tom