To Hamburg
On the morning of Sept 10, after saying my thanks and goodbyes to Tonie, her mother, and her boyfriend, I departed for Hamburg. Tonie had arranged for me to share a car ride using Germany's popular ride-share program, so that the 2.5 hour trip cost me only 12 EUR. There were 3 other passengers with luggage sandwiched into the Ford Focus, all chattering away in German. Even before arriving at my destination, I already felt like a Hamburger.
My ride dropped me off at the downtown train station, and I walked along the Alster lake, which is right in the middle of the city and is comparable in size to Central Park in NYC. The main tourist areas are located between the Elbe river to the south and the Alster lake to the north, so there is a lot of water around (especially when the Elbe floods, I hear). Half of the city was bombed into oblivion by the Allies during WWII, so there are very few old buildings anywhere. Tall buildings are also missing, and the whole place has a rather sprawling feel, with green alleys and suburbs radiating right from the city core.
Before arriving to Hamburg I had called a family of old friends from St. Petersburg, with whom we have had very little contact since we moved to the US and they moved to Germany around 15 years ago. Valera, the father of my childhood friend Dennis, picked me up at the main square, where I sat surfing the net using my wireless handheld and watching a small crowd applaud some lawmakers as they exited the nearby city hall.
After about 20 minutes of driving we reached the suburban apartment where Valeri, and his wife Lena lived. I was told later that the apartment was part of a cooperative complex, where apartments were doled out according to a waiting list, and were calibrated in size to the residents income and family status. Apparently most local residents preferred to join such coops, since they are priced well below the open market price for an apartment.
Lena and Valeri greeted me cordially and fed me thoroughly. I declined to share the traditional vodka bottle with Valeri, however, and was able to get away with having only a glass of wine plus a couple of stiff cocktails. After a free-flowing conversation, we called it an early night, since no one was up for getting behind the wheel.
My ride dropped me off at the downtown train station, and I walked along the Alster lake, which is right in the middle of the city and is comparable in size to Central Park in NYC. The main tourist areas are located between the Elbe river to the south and the Alster lake to the north, so there is a lot of water around (especially when the Elbe floods, I hear). Half of the city was bombed into oblivion by the Allies during WWII, so there are very few old buildings anywhere. Tall buildings are also missing, and the whole place has a rather sprawling feel, with green alleys and suburbs radiating right from the city core.
Before arriving to Hamburg I had called a family of old friends from St. Petersburg, with whom we have had very little contact since we moved to the US and they moved to Germany around 15 years ago. Valera, the father of my childhood friend Dennis, picked me up at the main square, where I sat surfing the net using my wireless handheld and watching a small crowd applaud some lawmakers as they exited the nearby city hall.
After about 20 minutes of driving we reached the suburban apartment where Valeri, and his wife Lena lived. I was told later that the apartment was part of a cooperative complex, where apartments were doled out according to a waiting list, and were calibrated in size to the residents income and family status. Apparently most local residents preferred to join such coops, since they are priced well below the open market price for an apartment.
Lena and Valeri greeted me cordially and fed me thoroughly. I declined to share the traditional vodka bottle with Valeri, however, and was able to get away with having only a glass of wine plus a couple of stiff cocktails. After a free-flowing conversation, we called it an early night, since no one was up for getting behind the wheel.
posted by Dmitri Evseev at 5:01 PM
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