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Published: July 30th 2012
It was a brilliant and sunny morning when we met at the Harburg Bahnhof. It was one of those days when it was already hot at 7am and poised to grow to a steady and ceaseless broil by noon. Nonetheless, the American group, led by Monika and Joachim, my phenomenal hosts and guides for the day, were ready for our first American only excursion into the surrounding area. Some passed the time on the S-Bahn by creating games to play, like striking a pose and trying not to fall over as the cars shook and slowed along the route. Ninja master of this game was most definitely Delaney Gischer!
Bergedorf it is a brilliant mid-sized shopping town steeped in history. Everywhere you look, history presents itself in this town. It is one of the very few cities that was not totally leveled during World War Two. As we walked through the new town, we could see the aged copper towers of the churches approaching.
Our first stop was a church built in the 1100’s and still in use today. It is a modest structure, but is in wonderful shape inside and out, speaking to the reverence and dedication to
800 Year Old Church
Still in use today!preserve these priceless structures that the towns residents possess. We got to head inside for a look. The kids did an amazing job not disturbing those already inside and really took a genuine interest and appreciation for what they were seeing. After all, this structure is almost four times older than our country!
From here it was on to Bergedorf Castle. This is one of two castles in Germany with a naturally occurring moat. We were able to explore the rooms which were all decorated in period motif which told the story of the castle and city from its construction to the present day. Clea’s scream and panicked run down the hall announced to everyone that she was the first to meet the castle’s resident ghost!
In the basement dungeon the kids were able to try on chain maille and other period dress.
From here it was off to the activity that everyone had been waiting for… free shopping time! The kids were off to the stores as the chaperones were off to Starbucks! It was a great afternoon for all perusing the shops and small stores in this great town. The greatest discovery on the day...
Bubble Tea!
The games continued in the S-Bahn on the way back to Harburg. A few of us who held no other plans took a detour to the city in an attempt to locate the Queen Mary which was rumored to be in town. Our efforts elicited but little success as we spotted her from a river ferry from a distance just as we had to head back for home.
That evening, I was treated to a wonderful dinner by our German host teachers. They also took me to "The Dom" or the Hamburg Carnival that is held four times per year. One of our students that had already visited described it as "The Skagit County fair but like 500 times better"! Before a stroll through the attractions, we took a turn on the 180 foot high wheel for some amazing views. As we exited, I noticed that the decorative cityscape they used for the ride was in fact a picture of Seattle! I think the Germans in line thought I was a little odd for posing for a couple of pictures with the ride backdrop, but so be it!
It was a great day!
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