Don't Eat The Hamburgers
Hamburg – 3rd May
Hamburg was just a stopping point for us to pick up a rental car as they are quite expensive in Scandinavia. We are staying in a green suburb with lots of parks for walking pooping pooches; the peeing pooches just pissed on the restaurant floor as we discovered last night.
Our accommodation is part of a much larger house and is preparing us well for all the things I have read about Sweden, that is; separate duvets, lots of candles, indoor slippers and great hospitality in the form of a lemon drizzle cake. My favourite quirky feature is the sugar caddy – after a long day travelling you don’t always see what is actually in front of you.
During our 2016 trip to Germany we didn’t make it to Hamburg so today we went to explore the city centre via the Hop on Hop off Double Decker bus. Mastering how to get into the centre by the local buses was easy, working out how to pay was harder, never mind, free is good.
Our German lunch today was a Bratwurst sausage, curry sauce and pommes (chips), oh and a ton of mayonnaise and paprika. We couldn’t have a hamburger because we are not cannibals, in Hamburg the people are referred to as Hamburgers.
The Hop on Hop Off bus with English translation, was informative, funny and convenient way to see the large central area. We hopped off at the Town Hall, St Peters Church and the Dockyards and had a good look around, strolling amongst all the musicians in town for the brass band competition.
Some interesting facts: Hamburg is a really old river port, has lots of green space which equates to 36 trees per resident dog, it once brewed over 500 types of beer by fire but the breweries burnt down, and the botanical garden was originally established from imported bird poo.
Today’s ABBA tribute reflects our view of Hamburg. Although the city has a population of 1.9 million and an industrial port in the heart of the city it has managed to maintain a vibrant and alluring atmosphere that attracts people to the city centre. The working port is hidden by views of green spaces, well preserved historic buildings and a lively cultural area on the water’s edge.
Somewhere in the middle of the never ending noise
There is a constant steady rhythm of a heart that beats
And a million voices blend into a single voice
And you can hear it in the glamour of the crowded streets
ABBA ‘I am the City’ (1981)
Catching the bus home was a little tricky; bus driver #1 finished work at 4.30pm so just abandoned us, driver #2 kicked us off and went back to base, and driver 3 came along finally after 30 minutes, can’t complain it was still free because nobody wanted to sell us a ticket.