Back in February time, I had booked a return flight to Hamburg but, for one reason or another, I wasn’t able to go. About a month or so ago Ryanair were having a sale and Hamburg was on sale so I decided to book it for June.
I decided I wasn’t going to tell anyone about this trip and just go quietly and come back quietly as if I had never been anywhere.
The time came for the trip to start. I finished work at 06:00 on Monday and I had a few hours of sleep afterwards. It was good this way as I didn’t have to stay awake for any longer than I had to.
I went and met Ken at Starbucks (I still hadn’t told him of this trip – much to his chagrin).
I came back home, picked up my bag and headed to the train station.
I was sitting on the platform and it was really busy. Another train came into the platform and a person in a wheelchair needed to get on but another person was just standing there not moving. They were shouted at by another passenger for not moving. I thought it was going to kick off right there but it didn’t thankfully.
I got on the train and found my seat (it was busy and I was ready to kick people out of the seat I had reserved) and sat down just waiting for the train to leave.
A couple of other people got on but they couldn’t get their reserved seats because a passenger was in them with their luggage and refused to move. I hate people like that. There is no need for it. They just point blank refused to move and called them liars when they said they had reserved the seat.
There was a couple on the table opposite this person and they were not English. This passenger seemed friendly with them at first but then she started to be weird. They started to make weird noises and then were on the phone and were moaning about these passengers “speaking foreign”. Then once the call was done they started moaning to them about not speaking foreign and not being able to read English. That was it for me. I told them to watch what they were saying and to stop being so rude. They told me to mind my own business and continued to be rude. Other passengers were chiming in to tell them to shut up.
I asked the person selling foodstuffs on the train to get the guard to come and speak to this passenger. The guard came and spoke to the passenger and we all explained what the issue was. The guard told the passenger that they shouldn’t be in the seats. They didn’t care. I told the guard he didn’t seem to be addressing the issue of xenophobia and the guard told me they took umbrage with me saying that. I don’t care – address the issue of the behaviour of this passenger then! Thankfully the passenger got off at Ely and the journey to the airport was much more peaceful.
I got to the airport and had about 2.5 hours before the flight. I got my food and drinks and headed to the far gates (hoping not to be caught out this time) and my flight wasn’t listed there. I stayed here long enough to charge my phone. I decided to head back to the departure lounge and then get on the train to the gates I like to sit at but my flight wasn’t listed there either. I had to get someone to tell me which gate it was and it turns out it was the gates downstairs. I had them take me downstairs. I then just stood there waiting for the plane to come in. It was so hot though. Everyone was dying in the heat. They started to board and you usually have to wait in a stairwell – people were complaining about how hot it was but the gate agent just kept saying it wasn’t their fault and there was nothing they could do.
I was so glad when the doors opened and we were allowed out onto the apron. The breeze was lovely. I got on the flight and promptly sat down and had the fan blasting on my head. It was cold and lovely.
The flight to Hamburg was about 62 minutes. It was an uneventful flight thankfully. I got through immigration fairly quick and then went to get some tickets for the train but the ticket machine was refusing to accept my card or Apple Pay. I went to another machine and was able to get a ticket. When I got to the platform and got to the front of the train the driver closed the doors and just went. I was so angry. I just wanted to get to the hostel and lie down. Thankfully I only had to wait another 10 minutes for the next one.
I got to Berliner Tor and headed out towards the hostel. I found a Kaufland that was open and stopped to get some water and some Haribo and then I headed to the hostel.
I had checked in online on the S-Bahn and went to reception to just get a towel. They were trying to check me in but I was telling them it was already done and they weren’t understanding. They gave me the key card and I went to the room and there was someone in the bed but they didn’t care and said they were staying there.
I went back to reception and they asked if I could just move the bed slightly and lie in it. I told them I wasn’t staying in a bed right next to someone I didn’t know. Morons. They assigned me another room and I headed up. Thankfully there was a free bottom bunk. I made the bed (this brand doesn’t make the bed for you) and then lay down. I was so glad to be off my feet and lying in bed relaxing. I couldn’t really relax though as it was super hot in the room and no AC.
I plugged my watch and phone in and started to go to sleep. I heard other people come in and one of them decided to unplug my stuff. I plugged it back in and they moaned about that. I told them to stop moaning and I will plug it in there as the USB ports at the bed didn’t work. They left it alone thankfully. I then went back to sleep (well, as much as I could in the heat of the room).
I got up at about 08:30 today fully intending to leave as soon as I had showered so I could have a walk around before meeting the walking tour guide. It didn’t pan out that way though. I was super tired from the lack of sleep due to the heat.
I put my stuff in the shower but then needed the toilet. Once I was done I came out and one of the people in the room decided to jump in the shower. I didn’t trust them. I had my stuff in there. They told me I had to wait. What an arsehole!
I showered and then headed out to the U-Bahn station to get the train to the City Hall to walk around before meeting the guide. I stopped at the Kaufland and got some water and croissants and then went to the kiosk to get a cold Sprite.
I went to the station and got the train to Rathaus and as I was walking out I got a view of the City Hall. Someone was there already taking pictures and they said I could take a pic. I insisted they did but they said they were from Hamburg so saw this all the time.
I went out and stopped to eat my croissant and had a walk to a church before coming back to meet the tour guide. I also had a look inside the City Hall and into the courtyard. It is a very ornate building and one that is worth spending a few minutes at.
Walking Tour
I went to the entrance of the City Hall and met the guide. We waited for a few other people to turn up. The guide started out by saying that he was a nutritionist (I knew he was going to use this throughout the walking tour). The first 20 minutes of the tour was talking about the protected swans and their diet and how they were protected and had representatives in the local government. Boring.
The guide mentioned that Hamburg has more millionaires than anywhere else in Germany. They also said that Hamburg had more homeless too.
I tried to pay attention to the guide but they would often drop nutrition into the conversation so that bored me to tears. To be honest, I was just there for the good shots of the city.
The things I remember from the walking tour:
- Hamburg had a huge fire that destroyed a lot of the city
- The city hall was destroyed to try and create a (failed) firebreak
- Hamburg was heavily destroyed during the war
- In the early years of the city, people would be killed by blood eagle (it’s gruesome, look it up at your peril)
- The Philharmonic building should have cost €88m but instead cost €880m
The tour ended at St Michael’s Church. It is an awesome church and for €8 you can go up the lift to the viewing tower. It gives great views across the city and the docks. I love views like this. I was up here for about 35 minutes just admiring the views – and partly because of the breeze in 32-degree heat.
I left here and had a look around the inside of the church. It was pretty cool. They have an amazing organ here (see below)
I left here and then headed towards the area of the docks. The guide mentioned they have commuter ferries here and they said ferry 62 was a good one to take as it gave great views of the city.
On my way, I managed to find a shop selling some lovely cold drinks. They were needed. I was so thirsty.
Boat Trip
I got to the landing bridges and headed for ferry 62. The one that had just docked was full in seconds so I let them all get on and I waited right at the front for the one in 10 minutes. I got on and got a good seat at the front. The journey was 30 minutes each way. I stayed on the ferry for the 60-minute round-trip journey. The views were pretty cool. There are some big houses along the waterfront. As we were sailing, I saw an Airbus Beluga climbing. I quickly got a video of it. I have never seen one that close before. It was an awesome thing to see.
Once I got back to the landing bridge I decided that I would head to the U-Bahn station and just ride around in the AC trains for a couple of hours. I bought a day ticket so I might as well get some use out of it. I had an idea of where I wanted to go and I just did that. I then decided that once I was done I would head back to the docks to go see the Philharmonic building.
I was glad for the couple of hours of cold air on the trains. I got back to Baumwall station and headed towards the Philharmonic.
It was a nice walk with a gentle breeze from the docks. There were a lot of people heading there too. They have a viewing platform that you can access for free. You just need to get a ticket to get through the barriers. It has a pretty cool escalator but I didn’t manage a video of it on the way up. I decided I would get one on the way down. It is built on the top of an old warehouse so it gives good views across the docks and across the city. You can see one of the views below.
Below is the video I got of the escalator on the way down. It is a weird one – the way it curves. Pretty cool though.
I headed back to the station to get the train back to Berliner Tor so I could go get some food and pick up some Haribo from Kaufland. I also wanted to try and get an early-ish night as I have to leave early tomorrow for the airport.
Below are some pics from today
I woke up around 05:15 today and decided to just have a shower and then leave once I was done showering and had everything packed away. I didn’t really have anything to hang around for and I just wanted to get to the airport so I could relax until the flight.
I got all of my stuff together and decided to head out. As I was opening the door to leave I decided to leave a smelly fart in the room for the other smelly people in there. As I farted and walked out a group of 3 lads just started laughing. I looked at them, shrugged my shoulders and smiled. It happens. I don’t even care.
I went to the garage to get a croissant and a drink as the Kaufland wasn’t open and I didn’t know if anything else would be until I was at the airport. It turns out there were a couple of bakeries at the station that were open. Oh well.
I waited for the train – only about 6 minutes – and went on my merry way to the airport. It took about 25 minutes to get there.
I got to the airport and headed up to departures. I didn’t see a need to hang around and wait. The gate info was already there.
Prices at this airport are stupidly crazy. €4 for a bottle of Sprite. €3 for a croissant. I decided against it and walked towards immigration but then decided I did want something after all so got them and then headed back towards immigration.
I went to immigration and the officer there couldn’t find the entry stamp and asked when I got into Hamburg and if I got a stamp. I told them Monday and that I had. After a few minutes, they found it stamped it and sent me on my way.
I sat down for about an hour before we started boarding. Thankfully we used a jet bridge to get on the plane and we didn’t have to stand in stifling heat. I was happy for this flight as I had a window seat in an emergency exit row so had a little bit more legroom.
I got on and put the fan on my head to keep cool. It was nice. This flight was uneventful too.
Once we landed and were at the gate (a result since it was the closest to the immigration hall) I stood up and got into the aisle and got my bag. From getting off the plane and through immigration and to the toilet and to the train platform it was about 7 minutes. One of the fastest times ever. I was glad too as there was a train at 10:27 which meant (hopefully) I wouldn’t have to wait 2 hours for the next one.
I spoke to the guard and went to ask them a question and they said they knew what I was going to ask. I said go on. They said it was about not wanting to wait for the next train with an advanced purchase ticket. I said they were right and they said I could get on and sit in the non-reserved coach. I was so happy that I didn’t have to wait.
I messaged Ken asking if he was going to Starbucks for lunch and he said he was. I got to Peterborough at 11:49 and made my way. I went in and he said my head was so red. I told him it was from shopping. I told him and E to close their eyes as I had something for them.
They asked where I got it from and it was then I told him I just got back from Germany. Haha. He cursed me.
All in all, Hamburg was a good trip and worth another visit sometime soon.
Total steps: 16,471Total miles: 7.71
You can view all of my Hamburg pics here