A walk beside the Aussenalster
Tuesday.
Work day.
And the hottest day of this, or any other year, in Hamburg.
I woke up refreshed as the air con in the room just about made sleep possible, so I got up, showered and dressed and was down for breakfast for half six.
In an unusual move, I thought I would walk to the office, I guessed at three miles, I had nearly four hours to do it in, and being still early, should be bearable.
I walk out of the hotel, cross the road and at the intersection cross via a subway to the path that ran beside the large lake, which in the still of the morning reflected the sky and moored boats perfectly.
As I walked, people jogged and cycled past, all in a hurry to get somewhere, or get fit. I just wanted to log up the steps on my new smartwatch and take some photos as I went.
In about half an hour, I reached where the main road crossed the lake via a bridge, and I guessed, rightly, that I needed to turn into the city to go past the railway station. Up a side street, past a posh hotel wjere a concierge was dressed in top hat and cape, sweating buckets, because impressions are everything. Up to the main street beside the station. I cross by the road bridge so I could see the ICE expresses come and go, but really was already too hot for standing in the open sun.
It was nine, and I was thirsty, so I go into Starbucks to by an iced latte, and site under an umbrella watching the city wake up, as it was still a little before nine. A young woman, no more than 25 , swigging from a half litre bottle of beer was going round begging for change; she seemed more confused than anything, but she wanders off looking for someone to light a cigarette she had just cadged.
I make the coffee last nearly an hour, then walk down to the Rathaus, past that and along Neuer Wall, past the nearly endless rows of designer shops selling overpriced poorly designed clothes and shoes. None had any customers.
A walk beside the Aussenalster
Tuesday.
Work day.
And the hottest day of this, or any other year, in Hamburg.
I woke up refreshed as the air con in the room just about made sleep possible, so I got up, showered and dressed and was down for breakfast for half six.
In an unusual move, I thought I would walk to the office, I guessed at three miles, I had nearly four hours to do it in, and being still early, should be bearable.
I walk out of the hotel, cross the road and at the intersection cross via a subway to the path that ran beside the large lake, which in the still of the morning reflected the sky and moored boats perfectly.
As I walked, people jogged and cycled past, all in a hurry to get somewhere, or get fit. I just wanted to log up the steps on my new smartwatch and take some photos as I went.
In about half an hour, I reached where the main road crossed the lake via a bridge, and I guessed, rightly, that I needed to turn into the city to go past the railway station. Up a side street, past a posh hotel wjere a concierge was dressed in top hat and cape, sweating buckets, because impressions are everything. Up to the main street beside the station. I cross by the road bridge so I could see the ICE expresses come and go, but really was already too hot for standing in the open sun.
It was nine, and I was thirsty, so I go into Starbucks to by an iced latte, and site under an umbrella watching the city wake up, as it was still a little before nine. A young woman, no more than 25 , swigging from a half litre bottle of beer was going round begging for change; she seemed more confused than anything, but she wanders off looking for someone to light a cigarette she had just cadged.
I make the coffee last nearly an hour, then walk down to the Rathaus, past that and along Neuer Wall, past the nearly endless rows of designer shops selling overpriced poorly designed clothes and shoes. None had any customers.