I have decided not to write a post about the travel day from Belgrade as it was a single flight on Air Serbia. Flying time is just over two hours and it was beautiful at sunset to see the landscape change from arid and brown to dark rich green. I am visiting this city for a very special reason, my youngest daughter is here and it is her I have come for. Here are my first impressions of Hamburg Germany on this short and very sweet trip.
Weather
Currently overcast, mid-teens at best, and chance of showers, this is the weather for the duration of my visit, it seems to be the norm. Not my cup of tea but it sure brings my brain back to the west coast of Canada. Before my arrival my daughter asked if I had any rain gear so I knew ahead of time, what I was in for. I have heard that Hamburg is the greenest city in Germany, this is perhaps why. 😂
Bricks
I have never seen so many buildings made of brick in my entire life! From the old industrial buildings that dominate the canals and shipyards, to the current day buildings, bricks are the building material of choice. And the precision with which they are used is astounding! I am used to seeing brickwork in historical architecture, old and worn, crooked, broken, crumbling, decaying, and most definitely uneven. Here in Hamburg edges are crisp, lines are blindingly straight, its almost jarring visibly sometimes. 😂
Expensive!
Holy Hanna, the cost of accommodation especially is shocking and this is precisely why Germany and many other western European countries are off my list to visit. I simply cannot afford to live there for even a short while. This Airbnb I have booked is a small studio, not close to the city centre. It has a double bed and a little café table and chairs in the kitchen area. That’s it, and the cost is $1,033 CAD for one week! To extrapolate that, it’s like paying a monthly rent in Canada of $4,000. Way way way over my budget but it is what it is, I’m not gonna pass up the chance to see my girl.
Efficient
My first encounter with this was at the airport upon arrival at the immigration counter. First there was no line! Shocking in itself. Second the female officer was so friendly, asked me a single question and I was stamped and on my way within a minute. Next experience is the train from the airport. Its right there! You barely walk out of the exit doors and the entrance to the metro/train takes less than one minute to arrive at the platform. Ticket machines are in several languages, easy to use and within 10 minutes, you are seated on a train heading for the city.
I cannot express in words how excited I am to be here in Hamburg. I’ll take as much time with my girl as I can get outside of her classes and social life. The city is waiting for us to hit the streets and with no plans, we are free to explore, eat, chat and be together. What a fun and amazing week its going to be.
