May 2013  -  Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg

 A business trip, with several different cities to visit, finally got me to Hamburg. The  Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.

 We drove up from Berlin and after visiting my clients we took some time off to walk around and do a harbor tour.  Here are some sights and observations.

We stayed at the historic Fairmont/Four Seasons.  An old nice hotel with a lovely view of the lake Alster behind the harbor.

We had lunch overlooking the lake before we did anything.

View of the old city and the city hall from the Binnen Alster.   Smaller of the two artificial lakes in Hamburg.

A walk to the city hall and the old city.

         

A walk around the Binnenalster and Aussenalster - with many gorgeous views including a lovely building of the US consulate.

              

 

The Blankenese - one of the charming neighborhoods overlooking the Elbe river.

  

   

A tour of the harbor in a very pedestrian boat run by some interesting people, nevertheless was exciting and educational.  We learned about the number of bridges and canals Hamburg has [according to some sources it is over 2500!]; the history of the trade and the wealth created by merchants during the past centuries; the way warehouses were built [with openings on lower floors, to allow the ebb and flow come and go without damaging the building]; the locks and the reason they are in the harbor; the amount of trade that goes through the Hamburg docks; the speed giant ships are unloaded [5 cranes simultaneously unload the giant COSCO from China - so we get our junk faster!]; the building of the infamous Elbe Philarmonic Hall  [the budget of which has almost tripled since its inception and end is nowhere in sight] and so on........

 

 

           

  Lunch at the harbor and onto Lübeck

Back to Germany