Today we had a walk around the town. Its big and sprawling and you can walk miles. Did i mention it is Germany’s 2nd largest city.
Why Hamburg for Christmas, some of you may be wondering. Well it had nothing to do with me. Sheila’s sister, partner, cousin live in Australia and they were touring Europe. It just so happened that their plans had them in Hamburg for Christmas and so the plan was devised that Sheila, Dorothy and I would meet up and the rest is history.
I had no preconceived ideas about Hamburg having never been before. I cannot speak German which bothered me slightly and i had no idea what we would find to do etc etc.
I had no need to worry. It’s a fantastic place to go for Christmas and everyone we met and tried to speak to were so friendly and patient with our lack of language. Knowing only the very basics, hello, goodbye, thank you, please and of course how to order a beer, we managed ok. Most Germans speak very good English like the rest of Europe.
We had already walked most of the Christmas markets so decided we would head for dockland which still had many old warehouses. Many had been converted into offices or tourist attractions.
The building below caught my eye for some reason.
Shame that the doors were locked as this building has the oldest Paternoster lift in Germany still in working order.
There is lots to see along the Elbe river, obviously lots of shipping, ferries, floating restaurants, tall ships, paddle steamers, Fish and Chip shops, the Elbe tunnel and many wonderful pieces of architecture.
Here are a few of the sights.
Hamburg Town Hall
Another lovely day. Time is going so quickly. Tomorrow we are getting a train to Lubeck.
I've been to Hamburg only once and that was ages ago (in the 80's). Your stories do make me wanna go there again.
ReplyDeleteOnce you are in Lübeck try some Niederegger: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niederegger
Hi Maria, Unfortunately i have now been to Lubeck. Post release tomorrow hopefully, if i can sort the pictures out. I did see the Niederegger but didn't try it. It was a very cold day so the Gluhwein with rum and amaretto was what was needed.
ReplyDeleteI would definitely go back to Hamburg.
Slomanhaus - love it!
ReplyDeleteYeah. That's what I thought.
DeleteAt the risk of an overly long comment here is what John le Carré has to say about Hamburg in The Secret Pilgrim:
ReplyDeleteHamburg had always been a good place to be English, now it was an even better place to spy. After the lakeside gentility of Zurich, Hamburg crackled with energy and sparkled with sea air. The old Hanseatic ties to Poland, northern Russia and the Baltic states were very much alive. We had commerce, we had banking - well so did Zurich. But we had shipping too, and immigrants and adventurers. We had brashness and vulgarity galore. We were the German capital of whoredome and the press. And on our doorstep we had the secretive lowlands of Schleswig Holstein, with their horizontal rainstorms, red farms, green fields and cloudstacked skies. Every man has his price. To this day , my soul can be bought for a jar of Lübeck beer, a pickled herring and a glass of schnapps after a trudge along the dykes
Happy New Year Conrad. Thanks for that comment. I suggest it is a pretty accurate description. I haven't read the book but I will download it soon. I have a couple to read first.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, Sir - distant rellies...
ReplyDeleteVery distant, as that branch were exceedingly well off and we never hear from them...
:-)
Thats a shame Alan. They must be indeed very rich then..
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