Go to northern Italy by Hamburg
After travelling from Malmö, Sweden through the Balkans all the way to Athens Greece I cheated and flew back.. Not sustainable at all. Still I’m very proud of my sustainable way down. Train all the way but inbetween Sofia and Thessaloniki where I had to use the bus due to no rail connection. Most people who go by train to Greece go through Italy, and then the ferry over. Both are very fine, but I was especially curious about the Balkan route. And I’ll happily do it again!
The cheating back left me with yet another sex days left on my Eurrail pass. I have to admit being a bit tired of being away from home after a month in Athens, but wasting sig days on my pass? No. So I decided to make a more convenient trip to northern Italy, since last time in Italy I was mostly in the southern parts.
Sleeping while travelling
Definately my cup of tea due to an Ant in the Pants kind’a personality. And I hate to waste days away from home by sitting down. So I choose Snälltågets sleeper train from Malmö to Hamburg. I’ve passed Hamburg before, but this time I decided to stay a full day. and take another sleeper train to Munic later at night. Unfortunately Hamburg served me rain and low temperature this time. Life 😊
Lockers for luggage -a travellers best friend
Find them, and stowe away. One little thing though… to me with a somewhat challenged sense of directions it’s very important that you find some points to memorise since that Hamburg station can be very comfusing since it looks the same from it’s inside two ends. I almost paniced before I could find my bag, to get on my next train.
Life IS unfair
It’s increadible sad to enter or exit the Hamburg main station. You don’t need to have kids of your own to feel sympathy to societys less fortunate. Of the ones with no luck at all, to be precise. I’m also thinking about that most of these people propably have a parent worrying about their safety and well being. So very sad.
The Bicycle…
I don’t think I need to mention that my company on this trip is… a bicycle. Unfortunately Sally the bike got damaged during the flight back from Athens. And the spare parts took way too long to get her repaired in time for the northern Italian tour. So this time Red got to join. But I also realised that Red hade the same damage, but a milder version (bicycleable) from us flying back from the awful trip so the Seychelles 2022. Another reason no to fly. As if the climate situation isn’t enough…
First I have to find a distant cafe that I probably read about in another travel blog. Thank you yniverse for GPS. And bicycles ❤️. It was well worth it finding the somewhat anonymous hipsterish cafe Elbgold Röstkaffee at Lagerstraße 34 c. I stayed thorugh an extended breakfast. Very happy.
Lake Aussenalster
Along the lake puddle is a good start in Hamburg, until the city awakes. The lake on your “inside”, and some amazing houses and perfect greenery on your “outside”. While on this route you can also choose to get lost into the very pompous Hamburg neighbourhoods. In the middle of the exclusive houses surrounding the lake you’ll pass the turqoise mosque. It has a bit of an odd location inbetween all these exclusive white buildings. And during the following monthe the mosque is banned for being too radical and promoting muslim terrorism.
The green sceney in Hamburg is kind of striking. There are literally corridors of trees both around the lake as well as in the noigbourhoods surrounding the lake itself. If you have the time, my advice is getting lost. One of my favourite ways of exploring a place, since I have my bike.
Bicycling in Hamburg?
It varies from good to excellent! I might accidentally have visited on a red day, cause it was calm far beyond expected. By chance I was also led to the bicycle store B.O.C in the Altona part of town. Bicycle stores are my kind’a place.
The facades of Hamburg
Or should it be referred to as street art? There is an abundance of creativity expressed on so many buildings. I think I need to come back for this sole purpose. Café & facade cruising in Hamburg!!
Street Art in Hamburg
My route was 100% from the hip. Like the images above, the facades are in creadibly well done, which differs from the ones in Athens where it’s mostly low end graffiti. Low end that I personally at times find fairly artistic cause I likie the skapes and colors. I’m equally 100% aware that what I find intresting can be appauling to others. But
Jag hade ingen som helst planerad rutt, utan tog det från höften. Som bilderna ovan visar så är fasaderna oftast otroligt välmålade, till skillnad från Aten där det mestadels är klotter i konstform. Eller hur man nu väljer att se på saken. Jag är fullt medveten om att lika intressant som den kan vara för mig, lika irriterande kan den vara för någon annan. Men här i Hamburg så är allt utfört som konst, alternativt konstnärliga rebelliska akter.
Coffee time in Hamburg
At TIDE Treibholz & Feinkost on Rothestraße 53 in Altona. SO very cosy. Had I lived in the area, thiis would have become my second living room. A sandwich and two oat lattes is my way of grading the place.
Speckßtrasse – Street Art Hub
Another googeling from the hip. Well worth it. There are plenty more pieces than listed below.
Sustainability it is -the BUNKER in Green
Why not some architecture while I’m at it? St Pauli BUNKER is a remaints from the latest (how I hate to write this) world war that has turned in to apartments and a cultural center. It’s located at the subway station of Feldenstraße. On my next visit I’ll make sure I enter. This time I was just admiring from the outside.
More about the BUNKER
St Pauli BUNKER
Fortune -A former Nazi bunker
Archilovers
Dinner & Bedtime
If there is anywhere one should fiest on falafel or kebab, it’s in Germany. Delicious and inexpensive.
ÖBB’s Nightjet
And then time for my next sleeper train. ÖBB’s Nightjet in it’s absolutely newest version. So new that the staff didn’t know how to turn off the ceiling light. Or an electrical problem, I don’t know. I’m 100% aware I come across as a complete winer in the matter.
You already know I prefer sleeping through long stretches of transportation. I do under no circumstances expect to sleep like a princess even though it’s in a horizontal position. At first sight this was excellent since it appeared spotless, and it improved even further since I had it all to myself due to no other bookings. But in the end, I prefere sleeping in Snälltågets old dingy cars than in this excellent compartment. And it’s not even the bright light I’m thinking about. The beds are hard as rocks. My physic is… well padded, but my hips were aching from the “bed”. Spic and span, but equally uncomfortable.
