Gateway to the World

Hamburg, Germany  has a well-deserved reputation as Germany’s Gateway to the World. For about five million European immigrants from 1850 to 1939 Hamburg was their Gateway to the world. Which means that many of us senior citizens have ancesters who came to our country through this port.  BallinStadt is dedicated to those emigrants.

Hamburg is known to be one of the richest metropolitan area in the European Union, in the company of Brussels and London. With a harbor, interconnecting waterways, and hundreds of canals, Hamburg has more bridges than Amsterdam and Venice combined, all adding up a to a great city with lots of maritime charm. It is also Germany‘s second largest city (after Berlin) with a population of over 1.8 million and the Greater Hamburg Metropolitan Region has a population of over four million.

And Culture…

Hamburg boasts 31 theaters, 6 music halls, 10 cabarets and 50 state and private museums. Of the 4,000 restaurants in Hamburg, 2,400 offer foreign cuisine. The banks of the Elbe and the Alster rivers are perfect for a stroll.

Today, Hamburg is the mecca of the German media, and its lion share of publishing houses makes the city one of the wealthiest in Germany. There is always something going on in Hamburg. Those seniors who have been to Hamburg have remarked that it is “The Most Beautiful City in the World” and here’s why.

Don’t Miss the Fischmarkt, Seniors

The Fischmarkt is a popular spot where senior visitors congregate in Hamburg.  Fresh seafood, exotic fruits, nuts, flowers, and teas from all over the world – the fish market in Hamburg is a must for every senior foodie. The open-air market is located right next to the historic fish auction hall at the Hamburg harbor. The fish market is open every Sunday between 5 and 9 a.m. and despite these early hours, it is always packed with a mix of locals, tourists, and night owls after partying on Hamburg’s Reeperbahn.

Here’s a touch of daily life in the city complete with car horns, pedestrians and rain. A typical “must” in Germany is the “Rathaus.”  I like that word but it means simply city hall. This “Rathaus” is exceptional from the interior as well as the exterior. Check it out along with a nice tour of the city.

Here’s a fascinating trick that I also saw in Prague and Budapest that totally confuses folks, me included.

More on Hamburg soon.  Just too much to cram into one blog. jeb