Mülheim an der Ruhr, Essen, and Cologne Germany

This is a fascinating area of Germany.  Formerly a coal and steel making area, the 1800's brought an influx of multinational people to work in the mines and adjacent industries.  The allure of affordable housing was a huge draw at that time.  The river Ruhr feeds into the Rhine and the area was full of good hunting and fishing as well as providing a moderate climate for people to grow their own food.  The coal dust put an end to some of that.  Richard's cousin's mother remembered how putting the wash outside on a line left your laundry dirty before it dried.  So they had interior rooms where they would hang clothing to dry.  Richard's cousin's grandfather had also migrated to Ruhr in the late 1800's to work in the mines.

There are many people here from Asian countries, India, Turkey and elsewhere, and the large amount of ethnic restaurants and diverse houses of worship reflect the multi ethnicity in the area.  There's a great video that it is not one or two small cities but over 50, all forming part of a large metropolis of 5 million people in 53 separate cities.  Each with a coat of arms and many with a favorite Soccer club.
http://www.metropole.ruhr/en/

 Because of the plentiful coal, there were also energy intensive industries like steel making in the area.  One of Richard's Halbach ancestors married a Krupps back in the early 1900's.   Krupps is one name for that steel making industry, and many other items, and in recent years, they have merged with Thyssen, forming a major corporation called ThyssenKrupp, headquartered in the area.  You may know the name from elevators and escalators, made from steel, of course.  Speaking of escalators, they have this amazing escalator that works in both directions, you see a green line, it's free to go in your direction, if red, someone is coming toward you and you must wait.  An ingenious way to save energy, and leave it to the Germans to create another good "system".

Another major firm headquartered here is Aldi.  Some who have traveled may know it as a great grocery store, delivering high quality food and lower prices.  There were originally two brothers, and they divided it into north and south.  The Sud portion is what is familiar to me, and that also operates stateside in some states, like New York.  The other brother ran a great little store called Trader Joe's.  He bought in the sixties and grew it to what it is today in the US.  Same good "system" for both stores.

We were able to visit several great sites, including two fabulous museums from reclaimed industrial and coal buildings, and the Cologne Cathedral, home of the sarcophagii of the three wise men.  A Ruhr River cruise was a great ending to our stay with relatives.  We're back from the Aldi's grocery now in Dusseldorf for the next week, looking for another terrific German restaurant to eat in later tonight:)