Hamburg again

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Back in the second largest city in Germany. A city of water. Surprisingly, more bridges and canals than Amsterdam and Venice. Got smashed up horribly in WW2 with a terrifying firestorm created by bombing in 1943, killing an estimated 43,000 and destroying much of the city and dock areas. It's always been one of Germany's wealthiest areas and still is. A centre for banking, the media, big industries like AirBus and others, and an important port for exports and imports.

A day of walking, some shopping and for Lyn to prepare for two days of work in Scheessel, visiting schools and attending evening seminars for parents and students. It's encouraging that already, just a few days after doing her thing at fairs, she's already getting follow up enquiries to come to HVHS. And that's what it's all about!

I was able to use one of the hotel bikes and explore, gingerly, the streets, heading in a haphazard way towards the Elbe River which is where all the shipping activity is. I especially wanted to go through the Alter Elbtunnel which runs under the river for 430 metres, 23 metres below sea level. It was finished in 1911 and is unique in that there are two narrow tunnels, side by side used by cars, cyclist and pedestrians. It's uniqueness lies in the use of lifts to take all the aforementioned from street level down below the river level to disgorge them into the tunnel. One is closed for renovation at the moment so it's one way in the morning, reversing in the afternoon. I walked through and returned pedaling. It was very cool. Unfortunately the weather has turned from the calm, warm sunny days we've had for well over a week to grey, dull and drizzle. The biking was a bit tricky because a lot of it was on cobbles which became very slick with the wet. Coupled with being on the wrong side of the road and an unfamiliar bike I was a bit old-mannish really.

Tomorrow we get up early and get ourselves to Hamburg Flughafen for a flight to Frankfurt and thence to Osaka.

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Photos

Hamburg
Looking down into the Alter Elbtunnel entrance

Hamburg
Alter Elbtunnel

Hamburg
Ditto

Hamburg
The new

Hamburg
The old

Hamburg
Picturesque parks

Hamburg
Plenty of these around

Hamburg
Old pedaler, old bike

Comments

[Pete W]

The old pedaler...
Great to read your blogs Robin. Golf starts with a practice round tomorrow Tuesday 13th Oct. I doubt that you'll be allowed out...and like me some practice during this next week will be rather necessary!!!!