Totally OT, I suppose, but I have friends in Cologne and always (if very infrequently, these days) enjoy visiting them.

I haven't been in a decade, and I hear things keep changing, but in Cologne I've always felt I could just relax. "Livable", I guess.

Hanging out on the "wrong bank" of the Rhein and having the sheep graze by you is just a bonus. ;-)

Perhaps a bit more on topic, I occasionally note one or another tech / programming shop that has its offices in Cologne. Not infrequently, they look pretty good / sharp.