Heidelberg. October 21-23, 2014

Tuesday, October 21st

We left Switzerland and headed in the direction of Liechtenstein. We were barreling along the freeway when our trusty Garmin decided we should take an exit and cross into Austria. We didn't intend to go to Austria, but hey, why not. We crossed the border with ease, only to find we didn't have a special sticker to drive on the Austrian Freeways. So we weaved our way through the baby streets until we entered Germany and could get back onto the faster roads. The rest of the drive to Heidelberg was uneventful.

Our arrival in Heidelberg was accompanied with terrible rain. The good weather of the last week had definitively switched to winter weather.

After settling into our boardinghouse we let our friend Marianne know we'd arrived. A little later the three of us were enjoying champagne at her (temporary) place. Later we went out to dinner and were joined by Andrea, Marianne's friend. We had a lovely evening chatting and catching up.

How often do you see that?
Directions to 3 countries on 1 sign!

Wednesday, October 22nd

For breakfast the 3 of us went to 'Schwarzer Walfisch', a lovely cafe just around the corner. After a look-see at Marianne's Heidelberg home, under heavy restoration at the moment, we went for a forest walk along Philosophenweg (Philosophers' Way). Later that afternoon we visited Schloss Heidelberg (Heidelberg Castle). The bad weather stayed away for most of the day which was very considerate. The evening was dinner in a nice, casual Italian restaurant with Marianne. We said our goodbyes with Caroline hoping to see Marianne again in South Africa!

Altstad - Heidelberg

The tramcar to the Heidelberg Castle.
2 tracks merging into 1, can't be good.

Thursday, October 23rd

To be written.

Hamburg. August 11-13, 2014

The main reason for stopping in Hamburg was to catching up with Ilse and Nils, and, to give Stephen an extra 'tick' in the '200 Best Cities Book - Lonely Planet'. We had the most marvelous and wonderful time with such good friends. Also a chance to do a little touristy things around town.

Nils, Stephen and Ilse.

Sterlin in Hamburg.

Berlin. August 9-10, 2014

Saturday, August 9th

It was a 600km drive from Krakow to Berlin and we were back on the good old E40, which was in 'slightly' better nick than in some of te other countries we'd been on it, so the drive was good and fast.

We pulled into the driveway of our Berlin Hotel just after 3pm. Our room overlooked the German Cathedral on the Gendarmenmarkt, a splendid view indeed.
We spent the afternoon wandering around the area near Checkpoint Charlie, the remains of The Wall (with exhibitions) and the Brandenburg Gate. There was a music festival in the Tiergarten, the park and street on one side of the Barnderburger Tor - very nice to be back in Europe to find festivals on every corner.
That evening, after a mediocre dinner, to say the least, in a mediocre German style restaurant, we had a nightcap in the lovely Bistro am Gendarmenmarkt.
It was good to see Berlin again. Although not much has changed in 10 years.

View from our room.

Hug a bear in Berlin.

Remains of The Wall.

Brandenburg Gate.

Sunday, August 10th

We started the morning with a visit to an photography exhibition of Walker Evans, followed with a coffee. Yes, of course we had located the Starbucks one block away :)
We then ventured a little further away towards the Museuminsel / Museum Island and Berliner Dom / Berlin Cathedral and sat down for lunch on a terrace somewhere nearby. We then did a nice loop back to the hotel, via the Alexanderplatz, Das Rotes Rathaus, Rolandufer along the river Spree, tracing some of where the Wall used to be, back to our hotel.

Picked up the catalog of the Walker Evans Exhibition.

Walking towards the Dom.

Berliner Dom.

Flensburg. May 10-11, 2013.

Friday May 10th and Saturday May 11th
Impressions of a city.

Women with attitude.

Returning from the  Rum Regatta
(Flensburg Fjord Yacht Race).

Kiel Canal. May 9, 2013.

Thursday, May 9th

The World - with me on it - is currently traversing the Kiel Canal. Quite spectacular really as it is rather narrow and the greenery going by outside at the moment is level with the deck 10 apartment I am in. Sometimes the trees are higher.

Approaching the lock at Brunsbüttel.
Looks like it will be a tight fit!

Entering the lock at Brunsbüttel.

Traversing the canal.

98 km (61m) later in the lock at Kiel-Holtenau.

Hamburg. May 5-8, 2013.

Monday, May 6th.

I arrived in Hamburg, on The World, around noon yesterday, May 5th. I was hovering around the exit gate while the ship was being cleared by customs as I knew my friends Ilse and Nils where waiting for me ashore.
Once reunited we went for a short walk before settling for drink on the beach StrandPauli. After a pitstop at their home they took me for a lovely walk to Wasserkunst Hamburg - I adored those little valve houses.

We had dinner in and I stayed the night at 'Nilse'.

This morning I walked back to the ship and finally got to catch up with Alison, for about 1 hour, before she was off cycling around Hamburg with friends.

I came across these 'floating ladies' this morning.

On a tip from Nilse I visited Miniatur Wunderland, billed as the world's largest model railway and it was fun!!! Apart from several extremely detailed (I would not want to have to dust it) country exhibits there is also an airport with planes taking off and landing, very cool!

Later that afternoon I walked back in the general direction of Nilse's place and we all 3 spent the evening together again.


Tuesday, May 7th.

This morning on my walk back towards TW, I enjoyed going through Planten un Blomen, an absolutely gorgeous and huge public garden. A very nice way to start the day.
I got back to the ship in time to see Alison and friends off on their 4-day cycling tour from Hamburg to Flensburg.

The rest of the day I spent leisurely walking around HafenCity, Altstadt und Neustadt, before heading off to (N)Ilse for dinner and the evening.


Wednesday, May 8th.

I have found a photographer to add to my favorites list: Harry Callahan.
Today I visited the Deichtor Hallen; one of the buildings is dedicated to photography and the current Harry Callahan Retrospektive blew me away.
This is my last day in Hamburg as The World is scheduled to sail at 6am tomorrow morning.

View from a terras.

Rathaus by night.