Submarine Hamburg

We started the day with the opposite of going sub-marine – we climbed a tower. The St Michael’s church tower affords a great view of central Hamburg, but, oh my god, the cold wind was an experience in and of itself.

Skye and Lea peeled off after the tower and went opp-shopping for vintage clothes in cool parts of Hamburg. Minerva, Jennifer and I went and walked through the tunnel under the river which Hamburgers are deeply proud of. It’s a nifty tunnel especially as it has a large goods lift at either end allowing bikes to use it too.

Then Jennifer peeled off and went to ride a share-bike around central Hamburg.

Minerva and I visited an old Soviet-era submarine now permanently moored in the Harbour. It was interesting but mostly drove home to me how horrendous life as a sub-mariner must have been in a world of small spaces and hard surfaces constantly aware there’s only a thin skin of metal between you and instant death.

In the afternoon Jennifer and I went to the top of the Philharmonic hall for another view. Then we all regrouped to play cards in the hotel bar before heading out for a Turkish meal. Hamburg has been a good way of breaking our trip and has interesting aspects, but it’s too much of a functioning city to be really captivating unless you are deeply into the nightlife which Skye and Lea intend to sample later tonight.