Aug 7 - Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg

Docked at Hamburg this morning at 7 am. Ate light breakfast in balcony while watching unloading of luggage and then dressed and waited forever for everyone to get their act together to load on the coach bus to take a tour of the city. Naturally the food came with us.

Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg is nice, doesn't seem very large (it's the second largest city in Germany) and is very clean. Fully two-thirds of the urban area is parkland, and in many neighborhoods, you forget that you're in one of Germany's most important commercial centers. We toured the harbor itself for over an hour - it's the second largest port city in the EU. Moved on to see the Alster River and it's two lakes, The Binnenalster and Aussenalster. I wouldn't mind living there, I can tell you that. Driving through the city took us past the Reeperbahn area which is the red-light district so to speak. It's mostly just one sinful mile with very entertaining signs for its establishments. It was at this point that everyone woke up. We stopped at the City Center for 30 minutes and all the aunties dashed off for food, Mum made a beeline for the shops, RK and Dad promptly sat down at the nearest cafe and smoked their hearts out and the kids raided McDonald's. The coach moved on through past the Opera House and other sights along the Elbe river and then was directed back to the ship by the hungry and bored oldies. Although how they could be bored is beyond me - they slept the entire way.

Back on board, late lunch at 3 pm, the cards game is on in our balcony (Jean/mine and Mom/Pop balconies are jointly command central now) and I took a nap in the sunshine on Deck 7 as we left Hamburg for the North Sea. Right ankle is swollen and painful but lying on deck and staring at the sea to the sounds of the new Sigur Ros album was very nice.

We have since travelled past Brunsbuttel and will be approaching Cuxhaven where the Captain has promised us fireworks. There is also a magic show tonight which Pops is very excited about after which I will either retire to the Chart room for some more therapeutic Jazz or check out the Champagne tastings at the Veuve Clicquot bar on Deck 3.

Off I go to the gym now. Had Boston cream pie with my late lunch dontchaknow.