Hamburg, August 5, 6, 2018

What a super, fantastic, amazing day. Thank you, Stanley Craig Weeks and thank you God. Today is August 6, 2018. I just turned 71. Who knew I would ever live this long, much less be vital and strong at this point! I am a LEO and I feel that strength through my veins and my bones. Granted, the years and my life show in my face and body but my spirit is young and ready to live many more days.

Hamburg is a wonderful city. We arrived here yesterday, August 5, around noon. We could not check in to our apartment until 3 pm so we dragged our luggage to a restaurant just outside the Altona subway station and had lunch. We have not had Mediterranean food in a long time and it was a delight! Shish-kabobs of ground lamb and a plate of lamb ribs --- in Germany??? I know, it does not add up but the food and the setting was really good.

Our apartment is small but adequate. Did I mention all of Europe is experiencing a heat wave . . . a heat tsunami!!! Lucky us, on our first night here in Hamburg, this trip, the day's temp was cool . . . about 85 degrees and then at night it chilled to 65. That's ok. But the forecast is for 88 degrees then 94 degrees. There is no air conditioning!

We slept like ancient logs.

Morning time is exercise time; we did a fast walk for a couple of hours. We just started walking and couldn't stop. Our apartment is located only minutes from what I will call the river walk. It's a combination bike path and pedestrian walk along the Elbe River from Altona to Old Town Hamburg.

Don't get me started! Why can't we have something so wonderful???

We engaged with the path and walked our full 10,000 steps before it occurred to us we need to do the return trip. But we got our bearings and saw so much. First, we just walked for exercise and on our way back to the apartment, we initiated a mission to buy a fan. It's very hot here. We went to IKEA. No, no fan's in IKEA, but we learned they are call "ventilators" here. Ok, so now we know what to ask for.

We walked next to the market street, thinking that hardware stores might have a ventilator and surely this type of store would be on the far end of the market and certainly not in the center. We found one. This store had more junk and plastic stuff than can be imagined. We walked the aisles, up and down. Then . . . there he was, the Turkish shopkeeper, assembling an electric plastic fan! Holy cow! I was pulling out my credit card already!!! We bought one. It cost 25 Euros and came in a beat up, roughed up many times box. I did not care. It's my birthday and it's hotter than Hades and I need a ventilator!!! I'm happy! Twenty-five Euros equals about $30. We will definitely try to take it apart and get it into our luggage for Copenhagen. It's possible that this unbelievable heat wave may still be in force when we get there as well.

Hamburg is beautiful! Who knew? What does one think of when Hamburg comes to mind? I knew it was an important European port but I pictured old stodgy buildings, blackened with soot. Oh no!!! This is an ancient city but built and consistently updated by forward-thinking leaders indeed.

Old cities have so much to offer! I think Hamburg was founded back as early as 800AD. It is built on the Elbe River which makes a nice setting and its architecture has a strong French Napoleon-era influence with white stone buildings with carved accents but yet it also has distinctly early Germany styles and Dutch ingredients. There are no sky scrapers. The tallest buildings are about 10 stories tall but we counted 9 tall and picturesque church spires across the city that stand much higher. It's a very pretty landscape.

The buildings vary from contemporary to traditional. The city is clean, well-kept and its subway system is fantastic. It is easy to figure out and it will take you anywhere!!! And this place is big. It has well over 1.8 million inhabitants. On the north side of the river Elbe are city areas like Altona, where our apartment is located, St. Pauli and Old Hamburg. The south side of the River Elbe is the important industrial and shipping areas.

The areas along the Elbe were once a pretty dreary place because of the shipping industry but today it is a vibrant place full of fancy fish markets and even fancier restaurants and exclusive condo/apartment living. Life in this section of town must be pretty good.

After accidentally finding the River Elbe, perhaps one of the city's best must-do's, we made walking through the Alter Elbtunnel our next accomplishment. This tunnel was built in 1907-191 is the shortest distance between St. Pauli on the north side and Steinwerder on the south side. Cars actually use the tunnel but it is so narrow that cars can go only in one direction in the morning hours and in the other direction in the afternoon hours. Pedestrians and cyclists can use it anytime. It is 77 feet under the surface of the Elbe and 1339 feet across. We met a German family on holiday with a big Great Pyrenees who traveled with them from Munich. Of course we talked to them and talked to their dog. We took pictures of each other and ended up walking the tunnel with them.

Next we grabbed a subway to the Planten un Bloomin. Can you guess what that might be? Naturally it is a destination Stan and I usually seek out--the Botanical Gardens of Hamburg and the park is wonderful. By the time of day that we reached the gardens, the temp had climbed very high but the frequent shade of the gardens provided great relief and beautiful flowers and fountains. We treated ourselves to ice cream and walked shaded and floral paths to the Japanese garden, the rose garden and finally the lake with its tall fountains. People were enjoying this rare heat wave by sunning on the grounds and swimming in the beach areas of the lake. Seeing people out and about makes my heart light! I love it.

You know, as a simple observation, some say country life is the best. Yes, I agree, it is rich indeed but city folk have it going on too. Typically they are confined to small places and they work a lot. But their lives are simplified by having shopping and service facilities close-by and when they do get a free moment, they enjoy the outdoors. They relish in their parks; they picnic; they lounge unashamedly in their parks with delicious engaging books or a lover; they ride bikes with great utility to get around and then they ride again for utter fun and abandon. As soon as kids can walk they are put on scooters or balance-bikes. By age three, these kids can ride a two-wheeler to get where they are going - no more sissy-stroller for them!

But hey! Today is my birthday! Happy birthday to me! We had dinner at a local restaurant, the Elbfisch. The reviews were great and our experience there with al fresco dining was wonderful. We had calamari, fish and mixed seafood platter. I am a very tired, but happy birthday girl. Thank you, Stan Weeks for such a wonderful life together, and thank you, dear reader, for being with me too.