Hotel In Cologne

Pearl Jam stays true to its Seattle roots

Eddie Vedder onstage at the Centre for Performing Arts in Vancouver, B.C., in April 2008, the first night of his first solo tour to support his soundtrack for the film "Into the Wild." "There was some kind of mettle that would be tested there," he says of going out on his own. "I felt like I was well-supported by the audience, and there was some merit to this different form of communication and playing songs that otherwise would not get played."

Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready (far right) and Chris Adams (far left) listen to McCready's wife, Ashley O'Connor, speak at the Showbox in 2011 during their annual fundraiser for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America. O'Connor persuaded McCready to go public with his Crohn's in 2002, and since then, they have become deeply involved with the foundation. Adams, who also has Crohn's, became involved because of McCready's advocacy, and the two have become close friends.

"This is Eddie."

As in Vedder. As in the lead singer of the Seattle powerhouse Pearl Jam. As in the guy whose band had sold three multiplatinum records in the past five years.

It wasn't a complete shock to have him in the store. Vedder, who has a house tucked along the water in West Seattle, was at Easy Street pretty regularly. But jump up behind the counter? "You sure you know what you're doing?" Vaughn asked.

"Don't worry," Vedder told him. "This cash register is the same as the one I ran at the gas station."

Same story, but Vedder remembers standing in line with a heavy armful of about 50 vinyl records, watching the cashier take phone calls and deal with the people in line.

"He wasn't about to check anybody out, and I knew his spiel, so I got up there," Vedder recalls.

He remembers a phone call from someone saying he had a friend in line, a guy in a wheelchair he needed to talk to. Vedder went out and found the man, stopped traffic to get him around the crowd to the front of the line, and held the phone to his ear while he spoke to his friend.

"The next woman in line came in and says, 'I saw what you just did,' and I'm thinking she would say something nice," Vedder remembers. "But she says, 'What makes him different from any of the rest of us? I'm going to tell your manager.'

"I said, 'Please do, I'll tell you my name.' And I told her she would probably never see me working there again."

That's true. But Easy Street is still one of the few places where Vedder can be like any other music fan rooting through the bins.

Finding Hotels in Cologne cigarcologne.com-cigar cologne

Cologne lies on both sides of the Rhine River and is known for having Europe's oldest University, the Cologne Cathedral, and for being the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of Cologne. Germany's fourth-largest city is considered Rhineland's major cultural center; home to a thriving arts scene and hundreds of galleries and museums displaying exhibits ranging from ancient Roman archaeological sites to contemporary sculptures and graphics. The city is also recognized within Germany for being an important media center, housing several radio and television stations including WDR, RTL, and VOX. Among other things, Cologne is also known for the Cologne Trade Fair, the Cologne Carnival, the Cologne Gay Pride, the Cologne Comedy festival, and its annual reggae summer jams.

If you're a newcomer to Cologne, here are some places you might want to go:

The Kolner Dom is located near the main exit from the central stations. The south tower has 509 steps to climb, but is well worth the effort to see the view from the top. The south tower also contains the 24-ton Peter Bell, which is the largest working bell in the world.

The Wallraf-Richartz Museum features a collection of fine art dating back to the medieval period, all the way up to the early 20th century. The artworks are shown in a chronological order, where the oldest is displayed in the first floor. The museum features works of renowned artists such as Rembrandt, Rubens, Canaletto, Murillo, and impressionist pieces by Monet, Van Gogh and Renoir.

The Ludwig Museum is famous for its displays of postmodern art which is highlighted along with displays of all the other genres produced in the 20th century. The museum features displays of American pop art, including works by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, as well as a large collection of Picasso's works.

Exploring Cologne on a budget that's friendly to your wallet is easier if you find the Hotels in Koln that fit your budget. If you want to book affordable Cologne Hotels , simply visit otel.com and browse its listings. Otel.com offers an extensive listing and offers deals and promos on over 90 Hotels in Cologne that's guaranteed to fit your budget without compromising on comfort. Enjoy your holiday in Cologne and make your stay a memorable one. Be sure to book that hotel in Cologne to have a relaxing night.

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