Hamburg, You Weird Little Place (and My Damp Socks)

okay, so hamburg. i didn't plan to be in hamburg. my van - affectionately nicknamed ‘the rusty snail’ - decided to have a minor existential crisis somewhere between cologne and kiel. long story short, i’m stranded (temporarily, i hope) and trying to make the best of it.

let’s just say the weather here is… enthusiastic. i just checked and it’s drizzling sideways, a proper northern european hug. feels like 7.77 degrees, which is basically a polite shiver. the humidity is insane - my socks are permanently damp. i’m pretty sure i’m cultivating a new species of moss in my boots.

but honestly? i’m kind of digging it. there’s a certain… grit to hamburg. it’s not all canals and cute gingerbread houses (though there’s plenty of that too, i guess). it feels… real. i spent most of yesterday wandering around the Speicherstadt, those warehouse buildings. seriously, google it. it’s like stepping into a steampunk novel. I found a really cool cafe there, 'Kaffeerösterei Schmidt', apparently they roast their own beans. Check them out on Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/kaffeeroesterei-schmidt-hamburg.

I overheard some drunk guys arguing about the best fish sandwich in the city - apparently, 'Fischbrötchen' is a serious business here. one of them swore by a place near the Landungsbrücken, but another guy vehemently disagreed, claiming it was “tourist trap nonsense.” something a local warned me about, actually. he said, “stick to the smaller stands, the ones where the owners look like they’ve been making fish sandwiches since they were knee-high.” solid advice, i think. I’m going to try and find one tomorrow.

and the neighbors! if you get bored, lübeck and hamburg are just a short drive away. I’m thinking of popping over to lübeck for a day trip - heard they do amazing marzipan.

*St. Pauli* is… an experience. let’s leave it at that. definitely not for the faint of heart. I did stumble across a really cool vintage shop there, though. 'Garage', it's called. They have some seriously amazing finds. I’m always on the lookout for a good leather jacket. Check out their TripAdvisor page: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g274707-d1938883-Reviews-Garage-Hamburg_Hamburg_Northern_Germany.html.

I’m trying to find a decent busking spot. My ukulele playing isn’t exactly world-class, but hey, a girl’s gotta eat. I’m thinking maybe near the Rathaus? It seems like a good spot for people-watching. I’ve been checking out local busker forums for tips - https://www.hamburg-life.de/en/music-scene/buskers-hamburg/.

okay, i’m off to find some more coffee and maybe a dry pair of socks. wish me luck. and if you’re ever in hamburg, avoid the fish sandwich places with too many tourists. trust me on that one.

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