2010 Trip: Hamburg Day 1

3rd June 2010

Today, Elaine and her friend Pia, took me on a whirlwind tour of the sites in Hamburg! We started fairly early with a visit to a nearby nature reserve, Brunsberg, where we walked up the highest hill in the area - an arduous 5 minute wander. Pretty forest and not-quite-flowering purple brush, interspersed with the sight of birds of prey and caterpillars. We looked out over rural Germany until it disappeared into the morning haze.

After this we drove and then took a train into the centre of Hamburg itself. Our first stop was the reinvigorated port district, Hafen City, on the northern bank of the Elbe. Here canals run below and roads above, modern apartments from the I-could-live-there to the that-failed abut and spill out over the roads and canals. A raised promenade along the water front, with the crowds, led us past interesting sculptures and provided us with view out over the busy waterway. Pontoons built out onto the river provide restaurants, touts selling river tours, and a bustle of foot and water traffic.

Of particular interest is the half finished building for the local philharmonic orchestra. This building, a wedge shape that pushes out into the river, has blown its budget several times and it might not even ever get finished. However, the artist renditions of the final building looks amazing! Check it out here.

After this, we caught the subway to another part of town, St Pauli, this area is one of the alternative sides of town, featuring a large black community and new-age eastern faith shops, tattoo parlours and piercings. It is also the part of town where all the big visiting festivals are held. Unfortunately, the big fields stood empty.

After this, we headed down town. Shopping malls, individuals sitting on the walls around the Binnenalster (one of the small lakes in the middle of the city), the Rathaus, gummy candy shops, a police rally where they sold Polizeibrot (Police bread - maybe an advertising gimmick, but an awesome one).

From here we wandered towards the hauptbahnhof (main station), and along the museum mile - we stopped to lie on top of a monument shaped like a half built pyramid.

After this, we caught the subway (group day subway tickets are cheap!) to the Planten un Blomen, the local botanic gardens. We lounged on the grass beside a pretty stream, right near a local prison, as one does. By this time it was pretty late, so we made the multi-stop journey home.