It was just a perfect summer day and I went walking around the city.The sky was cloudless and blindingly blue. Temperature was hovering somewhere just shy 30*C and light breeze was fluttering my hem. My plan was to make a short round-trip in downtown area and then go to the harbor.
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| Sievekingplatz |
I guess it's since I'm from Finland, but I just looooove being near the water. No matter what kind. Strangely enough, I don't usually realize that I'm missing the element until I'm back to the proximity. I never tire of watching the glittering of sunshine on the waves. This was one of the reasons why I truly enjoyed my stroll in Hamburg. I could just take my time observing the movement of the water and all the little boats scurrying around in the harbor. All this while sipping my ice-latte, courtesy of Starbucks.
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| Kleine Wall Anlagen |
Starbucks, my savior
A propo Starbucks. This is another thing that I absoluuuutely adore. Me being one of those lactose-intolerance handicapped, Starbucks just miraculously always pulls through for me. No matter where, I get my latte, just as I like it. Normally I try to avoid multinational corporations and chains, but my coffee is something I don't wanna live without. So I'm willing to bend my rules here. In Finland it is so easy, because all the restaurants and cafes usually have a low-lactose option available. In Europe, as civilized it may seem, you can just forget this chance or just go for it with regular version and fart forevermore. But Starbucks, thanks to their policy, have everywhere an option for me -with real milk that is, not some hideous soy-goo. Yay, yay, yippiayjee!
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| Near Gänsemarkt |
So my first gameplan was to spot a Starbucks and get my daily dose of caffeine. I found actually three possibilities and darted into the closest one. Taking my latte with my I strolled donw to Junfernstieg and spend very comfortable half an hour by the water there in remarkably Mediterrannean atmosphere. It was hard to imagine that the Baltic sea is actually not so far away while observing the palm trees swaying in the summer breeze.
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| Jungfernstieg, -yes, still in Hamburg |
Harbor and docks
I continued my walk passing the Rathaus in old town and heading towards the docks in the harbor. Downtown area didn't thrill me so much, since it just seemed to be packed with expensive designer labels and shopping malls. I did see the famous Hansa Viertel, but wasn't intriqued to go in. Rather stay outside on pretty days like this.
Below some snapshots from the harbor area.
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| Binnenhafen |
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| Binnenhafen |
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| Binnenhafen |
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| Station of the harbor police, next to the Niederbaumbrücke |
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| City sporthafen |
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| Funny round building near Landungsbrücken |
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| St. Pauli - Landungsbrücken |
Reeperbahn
As it was just along my way back to Schulterblatt, where I wanted grab some luch before heading out to the airport, I decided to have a peek to the word-famous Reeperbahn. At daytime there was really nothing to see, as I knew it would be. Just quite normal people going about their business on the street that promoted some titty-bars, cheap hotels and porn-kinos. But now I can at least say I've seen it. Just another curiosity, more hookers can be seen on any time of a day on Sihlquai or Langstrasse in Zürich. And the actual window-shopping doesn't even exist on Reeperbahn. If that's what one is interested in and is male, then the destination is a short stretch of Herbstrasse, which is closed with gates on both ends stating that no minors or women are admitted.
Treasures of the sea
When ever I'm by the water, I try to grab some fish or seafood to eat. This is probably also due to the fact of me being Finnish. Since fish was always so widely avalable, I still seem to go for it when ever there is a chance. In Switzerland the possibilities are unfortunately usually very slim; fish is painstakingly expensive and far far far from home -meaning not fresh enough to my liking. And being in Thailand for duration, didn't cure my yearning for fresh fish, somehow =)
On Schulterblatt I found this Spanish-portuguese restaurant La Sepia, which promised fish specialities. The lunch hour specials were very reasonably priced and selection very large. I chose some mixed fish from the grill and enjoyed my lunch wholeheartedly. I can recommend this restaurant highly, but make sure you'll go there during the luch hours (11-17) and you can fill you belly with less than 10€. I got salad, main course and beverage for 7,70;-. In the evenings it's lots more expensive albeit just as tasty.
Funny observations
I was laughing out aloud when I saw some of the city trash bins. The stickers glued on them are just so hilarious!
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| "I devour also hamburgers" |
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| "I have dirty dreams" |
One last thing to laugh about before leaving Hamburg. The check-in automat on the airport decided to give me a nickname:
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| Minnapiri+ ? =) |
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