Living out of Hamburg

 

We've been having a great time just stopping for a while. I have been focusing on writing my report and resource for teachers. I have nice desk and a window past which very little happens; although you cannot help but notice the sound of the constant stream of traffic. We've been informed that we are living on one of Hamburg's exit points; and it sounds like it.

                        We've been fortunate enough to have an excellent guide, Anja, who has left a very large folder of information with maps and guidance on how to get around. On our first day we were greeted with this as well as baskets of food, chocolates galore, a fridge full of treats and two bicycles we have full use of whenever we want to bike to Holm or Wedel (or nearest towns). We were orientated to Wedel and Hamburg last Sunday with a guided tour courtesy of Dirk, Anja's brother.  The highlights of this tour included a trip under the River Elbe to see the ports and visit the first (there are now three) tunnel built under the river.


We also got to appreciate for the very first time some of Hamburg's architecture and it's canals. Apparently Hamburg has more bridges than Venice.

The yet-to-be-completed home of Hamburg Philharmonic

- now four years in the making. 

Watch this red brick on the older bulding..This is part of the surviving town pre WWII.

On Friday last week I took a day off, and worked on Saturday instead. We negotiate the transport system into Hamburg, froze on our walk through the Botanic Gardens and settled for a look through the Hamburg Museum to take in more of its history. We got fascinated by the ship models there and also by the fact that in in the mid 19th Century 10% of the town was destroyed by a massive fire.

Admiring the ship models.
 
Just noticed the water squirting out of S's arm! ...but the gardens (despite the cold) were well worth a walk through.