Day 2
Yesterday, like today was completely overcast and dreary
actually to be exact like every day since I left Bruges. There seems to be a
massive cloud cover over Northern Europe. Oh well, still a beautiful
continent and Hamburg is a beautiful city.
I did the hop-on-hop-off tour bus yesterday and first, like
most times I do one of these tours, I stayed for the full hour and half and
then chose my spots to get off and on. Hamburg, from my first impression on
Saturday night and Sunday, seemed rather dirty, a bustle of activity and is like
most other cities with the exception of that gorgeous area outside the center
where St. Elizabeth’s was and where there are street after street of fabulous homes.
Well I was right in some ways but there are several more
gorgeous areas only blocks from where I’m staying specifically along the small
and large lakes, Binnenalster ("Inner Alster") and Außenalster
("Outer Alster") both of which were originally formed by damming up
the River Alster to create them. There are a few small in lets as well and this
is the first route the tour bus takes winding up at the Inner Aslter (or main
shopping city center area where the architecturally stunning City Hall is) and
then around a more nondescript residential area that eventually leads to the
water front on the River Elbe which is the second largest port in Europe and
the 10th largest in the world.
It’s a massive port as you can imagine and they still repair
and build large ships here and the port jobs are a substantial part of the work
force for this city. There is so much
construction going on near the older part of the port with its uniform redbrick
buildings that were once factories I imagine and are now everything from
museums to apartments to trendy warehouses for companies like Levi’s. There is
a large concert/commercial buildings development going up with an incredibly
modern glass design on top of a brick base. I’ve never seen anything quite like
it with strange asymmetrical glass bubbles dotting the façade.
Hamburg has along with the many buildings from the 18th century, a large verity of contemporary architecture and one building in particular caught my eye, it’s referred to as the dancing building because of the way one of the towers bends at an awkward angle giving the on looker the sense of movement.
I got out at the City Hall which is located in a pretty densely populated plaza surrounded by lots of retail buildings which are divided by several canals and bridges connecting the different sides. Today there was something going on that amazingly required that a police helicopter land in the plaza. We on the bus didn't see it land but as we pulled up to the city hall plaza we saw the helicopter sitting there with it's blue lights flashing and then as we rounded the corner to the other side of the plaza it started to take off which you can see in the pictures here. Amazing to watch with so many people standing so close to it.
I walked around finding myself
needing a restroom so I stopped off at the main department store on the Inner
Alster and ended up having lunch there on the 4th floor where they
have a fabulous cafeteria with large windows overlooking the lake.
I walked from there to St. Nicholas which was a church at
one time but is now, in what remains of the building after having been bombed
during World War II, a museum. It’s a beautiful but haunting place as you walk
among the buildings secured and sturdy, yet broken and hallowed interior and remaining
stone walls. “In 1987 the Rettet die Nikolaikirche e.V. foundation began to
restore the existing fabric of the building and erected a so-called "place
of encounters" (a room for events and exhibitions) in the crypt. The
organization attempts to salvage pieces of rubble that were removed in 1951,
such as pieces from the destroyed nave pulled from the River Elbe in November
2000. A reconstruction of the church, as it was done with the Church of Our
Lady in Dresden, is not intended. However, a 51-bell carillon was installed in
1993 as a memorial.” I’m so glad I came upon it as it wasn’t even mentioned on
the tour, not that I remember anyway, and it’s a moving memorial to those lots
in war and the inspiring Erden Engel sculpture “Angel on Earth” with hands of
differing sizes moving up from the base towards the angle who is reaching high
to Heaven. I was so moved being there standing and looking up from her to the
churches bell tower which at that moment began to chime out loudly that it was
4:00pm. I find myself, as I walk through all the European towns and cities like
Hamburg, thinking of the wars that have ravaged these countries and destroyed
most important the precious lives who were simply living day to day, existing
to work, play and love, but also the art and architecture of centuries past,
and the creations of peoples long past on who had given birth to beautiful
sculptures, inspiring paintings and buildings that should have survived the
test of time had it not been for endless bombs.
While here in Hamburg especially, I was reminded when
speaking to my mother, that so many Jewish people left the happy lives they
once knew on trains that departed the same stations we tourists now use to
visit, and admire the beauty that still remains here, and how they must have
had such fear and an overwhelming sense of doom. It’s heartbreaking when you
walk the streets and think of the brutal, horrific and devastating history and
the blood shed that spilled on these now busy and bustling modern streets
filled with people talking on cell phones and rushing into stores to take
advantage of the post-holiday sales.
But then I remind myself we need to say a prayer for those who have passed on and for all that happened in past and hope and pray and wish that we’ve learned and grown and are better people who are working for and toward peace. I found on someone else’s travel blog this information about the memorial “This church was once the tallest building in Europe in the late 19th century for a period of two to three years. It's the ruins of a Lutheran church, damaged during raids on the city by Allied forces in World War II. Hamburg was bombed like crazy throughout the war, as it was a strategic port and manufacturing city for the German forces. But, for three days in 1943, it was bombed pretty much into oblivion. 42,000 people died, some of them who were in bomb shelters, because the bombing was so thick it created a fire tornado that sucked all the oxygen out of the city, including those underground spaces. There are virtually no "old" buildings left in Hamburg, because these were all destroyed during the war. This ruin stands as a memorial to those who died. There are other memorials throughout the city.”
I walked from the memorial to “St. Michaelis, colloquially
called Michel (German pronunciation: [ˈmɪçəl]), is one of Hamburg's five main
Protestant churches (Hauptkirchen) and the most famous church in the city. St.
Michaelis is a landmark of the city. It is dedicated to the archangel Michael.
A large bronze statue, standing above the portal of the church shows the
archangel conquering the devil.”
What struck me first when I walked in was how bright it was
with beautiful gleaming white walls with gold accents then I noticed how
spacious it is with balcony’s and a magnificent organ in the back which began
to play as I sat down. The alter is equally large with two large enclosed and
ornately decorated rooms on either side which I presume are for dignitaries or
royalty to sit.
“The 132-metre high Baroque spire totally covered with
copper is a prominent feature of Hamburg’s skyline and has always been a
landfall mark for ships sailing up the river Elbe. “The present church building
is the third one at this site. The first one was built from 1647 to 1669. It
became the church of the new town (Neustadt), which was created in 1625 inside
the new city walls, and which grew steadily since. In 1687, the Michel became
the fifth main church (Hauptkirche), and the new town (Neustadt) became a
parish. That church was destroyed on March 10, 1750, by a lightning strike. The
original church has been replicated and built in 9 different cities around the
world. In 1786, a new construction following the design of Johann Leonhard Prey
and Ernst Georg Sonnin (de) was completed. This is the church as we know it
today. It was reconstructed twice in the 20th century: after catching fire in
1906 during construction work and after the bombings of 1944 and 1945. Since
1983, renovation is ongoing: first the spire and then the roof. Offering 2,500
seats, the Michel is the largest church in Hamburg. The spire, which offers an
excellent view over the city and the harbour, can be climbed, but there also is
a lift.”
I waited for the tour bus to come and found myself mesmerized
by a continual stream of people going over to a yellow box not far from the
church entrance and next to a telephone booth. They would put money in and I
thought perhaps they were getting a public bus ticket or something until one of
the people took what they had gotten from the retrieval tray and licked it and
then squashed it onto an envelope and then put that item in the bright yellow post
box that I hadn’t noticed until just then and which sits a foot or so away. So
you can buy stamps on the street, day or night and conveniently next to the
post box, how perfect, right. But what made me really notice it was the unbelievable
number of people who purchased stamps at 4:45pm on this side street next to a
church. It was a steady stream for the 15 or so minutes I waited for the bus to
arrive. Maybe I just never realized how much mail we send out daily even though
most people use internet now and not snail mail. Or maybe I’m thinking of the
US postal offices that are operated by a skeleton crew now since the advent of
electronic correspondence. Funny the things that strike you when you’re just
waiting for a bus.
I got off at the train station and after picking up some
snacks for dinner I headed to the hotel and enjoyed a relaxing evening
listening to a book on tape from the NYPL.
Day 3
Another dreary day but I forced myself to get out for a long
walk. It wasn’t cold just spitting rain from time to time and overcast. I first
walked around another neighborhood near my hotel and found just a 5 minute walk
takes you to a wonderful area very reminiscent of the West Village in New York
with charming shops and some great restaurants and cafes. I had lunch at Casa
Nostra, a medium sized Italian restaurant with great lunch specials for under
6.00 euros. I had a small cup of veggie soup, a large bowl of spaghetti with
salmon and a small dish of rice pudding all for 5.90 euros and they even give
you a fresh roll with this sour cream dip that the Germans seem to prefer to
butter.
After lunch I walked a few blocks to the Outer Alster lake
and walked the entire circle in just over 2 hours stopping at a charming neighborhood,
also much like the Village, near the top for some water. I passed what the
people of Hamburg refer to as their “White House” which is on a small inlet
from the larger lake and is one of the residences of the Governor and we
learned on the tour yesterday that Princess Diana and Prince Charles stayed
here soon after they were married and the people of Hamburg like to think that
Prince William was conceived in the house. Well if it makes them happy to think
that, why not, I mean it’s possible.
I also saw a few rowers out on the lake which is incredible since it's January. I wonder if it's because the temperature is so mild or if they do this all year round no matter what or at least when the lake isn't frozen, if that even ever happens.
I picked up a sandwich and snack before returning to my
hotel around 4:30pm very tired and looking forward to relaxing. All this fresh
air is exhausting but must admit I do enjoy the humidity which must be around
98 percent if only the sun would shine, it would be perfect.
