Brilliant, Committed, Crazy, Dedicated. ie Kirk

Oxford is so beautiful, full of old buildings and museums everywhere. Pitt Rivers Museum is hard to describe, someone has collected more stuff than I have? Holy smokes it is jammed full of stuff, makes my garage look really clean and empty!  Darwin, samari swords, ships, uzzies, canoes, list is endless. Also saw the Natural History Museum had lots of old bones, dinosaurs , triceratops, and the celebrated coelacanth, fish that was thought to be extinct millions of years ago but turned up in 1938 on the end of a fish hook, evolved 4,000,000 years ago. Look that one up in your Funk & Wagonalls. 

Trickiest thing about England is not getting hit by a bus or bike. You want to look the wrong way every time you come to a crossing. Have scared me more than once. 

Toured Ian and Daniela's high energy physics labs to be and they will be incredible after renovation. Saw where Atlas was built and is way cool to actual see how the other detector was built and compare it to CMS. Two different ideas, Russian Doll vs 2001 Space Odessey ( monolithic construction) both worked but came from each end of the spectrum. The next generation each group is coming closer together less Russian Dolls less 2001 Space Odessey. Cool science. 

At Oxford the work force is all hired, no students. No students are learning how to build detectors, not sure how they will be built in the future, no more slave labor.  

:(Can not hire students, 1. they do not have time, 2. They are not interested? I guess. I really enjoy having students around. The physicist of the future will be pretty much hands off, when it comes to building these things. Not sure where they will learn to build these.  They also have no wirebonders here, all wire bonding is done at Rutherford. Will need to visit Rutherford next time we are in town. Saw one old K&S that is similar to one I have at Birck.  I do not think anyone uses it.  They did not do any wire bonding here, they Integrated modules here.  Great support labs, and good people in them. 

Will be hard to find brilliant, committed, crazy,  dedicated people to experiment,  if they are not also attached to the education system to help build the future detectors. Never had luck hiring off the street in Purdue. 

Poetry, Punting, Pubs and Tubs

What a week! These Brits do everything in the rain. Our first rain since we arrived a week ago was walking to our flat.  Saw people in the park picnicking, punting, and just getting on with it even though the rain was coming down. Holding a umbrella, with double coats on( would not fit in suitcase) rolling a suitcase, backpack on back, purse over shoulder with an additional bag of groceries in the rain. ( Kirk had the big bag!) that was a hall, 1 mile come to figure out, said it was a fifteen minute walk, RIGHT! ( Yelling Caps!) great walk through the park to Martson area where our flat is. 

Moved in to a lovey flat with a tub! Very comfortable, kitchen, living, bedroom, wifi, tv, cable, nicely decorated. It is only a short walk to Physics through the park and punting grounds. 

Went on a poetry walk  in the rain, by every major sight with poetry. By the  end we had sunny skies, my favorite, The Bridge of Sighs , poem by John Donne, No Man Is and Island. 

“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were: any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee.” 

― John Donne, No Man Is An Island

We finished with the walk at The Eagle and Child, Lewis, and Tolkien's favorite pub. Delicious salad, and of course fish&chips, the beer was warm but that is normal for Brit beer.  Lots of taste, but to warm for Kirk. 

Walking everywhere, feet are sore, nice to have a tub in every place we stayed and a pub on every corner, all is well! 

Had a great dinner at Bangkok House, delicious before we moved to next hotel.

Bath Place
Andrew the boat renter,  was nice enough to drive us to Bath Place, although Kirk still tried to get into the drive side. I really do not think I have the stomach to have Kirk drive. 

As you enter Bath Place alley , it is in a place where the walls recede as you enter then close up behind you, did I say narrow, that does not even begin to describe it, more like something out of Harry Potter. And I thought our house is uneven, out of sorts, off kilter uneven..... There is nothing square, level, straight in the place, very quaint?  The rooms are off to the side of the alley as you approach the main entrance. Our room is like going up stairs that would make the  Weasley's house look normal, twisty, no headroom, (there was more head room in the boat) and very narrow. Not one stair is level. We went up two flights, ducked our heads, and into our room. The greatest thing was a view a New College Bell Tower, and a full size bath tub, king size bed, luxury at last, whilst to keep tipping your head to try and straighten it all up and not hit a rafter. Not a chance! 

Ordering at a Pub is trickery too, you go to the bar make a order, pay for it or run a tab, then they deliver to your table. If you just sit at the table no one waits on you. You can get awful hungry! Also i do not think you tip, although I do. 

The rooms are situated above  one of the oldest taverns in Oxford called the Turf Tavern, they party all night and day seems like. Out the window of my hotel room you can see the beer garden. Had dinner their last night, you enter and go from outside beer garden to low ceiling, ancient stone wall rooms to open air beer garden, very dungeon like midevil look. As we left through other entrance, you follow tight passage ways round and end up at the Bridge of Sighs.  So our  hotel backs up to the bridge.

Oxford University is made up of a bunch of colleges, Christ Church, Magdalene, New, Merton....this is where most the students live, have assigned tutors, and take some classes, then I have seen physics building, business school, science building, all of these are interspersed throughout the city, intermixed with libraries, museums, stores, hotels, bus and train station, canals, cafe houses.....I think there is a main campus but for the most part Oxford is both city and University. 

The Ashmolean Museum was fantastic, the order of things was a lot different as in most museums. It is ordered with as things evolve from all,over the world in ordered together, very interesting. Also some great impressionist art. 

FYI there user sign on network for Oxford University is the OWL network!

Confusion, Communication and Comedy

Communication is very important on a boat. When you yell from 70 feet away, "go that way" or "that way" and then they go the other way with the excuse that they did not hear you, ok, but when you whisper "that blasted bugger" they catch every word! Not sure what mechanism this is, probably the Grandpa Joe selective hearing technique!

Needless to say, the un-staking of Rikali  was a little more challenging than staking.  We might as well of been Three Stooges Minus One! And not listening to each other! We both had our own plan! Did I say communication is important? 

Kirk had discovered, the night before, a boarding plank. Made the leap of faith to the bank much easier, less questioning where do the weeds end and bank begins, always a mysterious question with dire (dryer?) and wetter consequences. We were both on land pulling our stakes up.  There is this mechanics issue at play...when pulling one end of the boat in the  other goes out. Kirk pulls his side in and tells me to get on board, I am in the middle of loads of lilies, weeds...and have no idea where the bank ends.  Kirk, at the other end, is also standing there looking longingly at the plank, as I say "did you get the plank back yet?"which is already aboard.  So, the boat was ready to go and there we were standing on bank staring at each other, you jump!  LOL  a little pushing, yelling, jostling, we managed to get aboard.   Off we go, then the motor struggles...great, in the middle of the Thames, now we are longingly looking at the bank!  Managed to land again, yelling, pushing, did I mention jumping and cat walking the rail so the back end would not float out to the middle...then taking the leap of faith......land ho! And yes stake one end run to the other before it swings to the river....No small feat in 5 foot weeds and swamp like stuff, yelling a bit, but we did find land.   When you choose a landing place it is important to find not too tall weeds, a trimmed bank if possible, and no monster thistles that had grown over your head...they hurt! Nice spot if you are an alligator! 

Kirk looked at the engine, determined there was nothing we could do, no tools anywhere on the boat, so we tried to start it again, it probably needs a new fuel filter. Like everything else in this boat, very dirty, but the engine itself was amazingly clean. Also found the board to go across the railings in the stern, so the driver had a seat...very nice! So a profitable stop.  Something always good usual turns up when faced with a challenge...oh stop it, Gale! 

We managed a clean getaway from the bank, not leaving either of us on the bank, thought we were clever...oops! Yelling starts, do you have the extra stake, do you, no? ....then you have the shifty eyes of blame...you forgot it, no you did ...we left something on the bank. Kirk jostles the boat around and drives the nose onto the bank, I go scurrying about, as Kirk keeps engine going to keep nose on bank....no stake, Kirk instructs me on where exactly it is, I must be blind! No stake, then I hear, Found it, Dear! Yes it was on the boat..... I think the transom has a good name on it Tiddly, known as a slightly drunk Brit! Well done chap! Hiccup. Only problem was we were both stone sober!!!

We were off on the Thames going slow...motor seemed to work better. 

We decided to take a chance and continue our tour and finish the Oxford Canal instead of cutting off through Kings Lock and heading back. Quite lovely, more than a few lift bridges and locks. We were a bit tired from the mornings antics and forgot to put levers down and it took longer to fill locks, that is until we realized the paddles were up, does not fill up so fast when they are not down.  Oops! Need to stop at a pub to get adjusted!  

Got through the Isis Lock and Sheep Wash Channel and headed to the Watermans Arms, which is now named The Punter. 

Kirk out did himself and  made an elaborate turn in front of god and everyone and pub, only hit one bank, but very slowly...brilliant!

Took a nice walk about town, this place oozes with history, one more day on the boat, then off to the Bath Place Hotel, not a block from everything old downtown. 

No rain! ? Where are we really! Sun is shining, beautiful Oxford, sunniest place in Britain.  

Life is slowing down...

Finally life is slowing down, the 4mph on the canal speed has been achieved. We were passed by a jogger on the tow path, and by a horse in the pasture, absolutely delightful! 

We have grown accustomed to the narrow boat walk. To pass the length of the boat you have to turn your shoulders as if you were windsurfing to pass along the hall way to the back of boat.  Kirk was wishing for 1 more foot, but nixed that after we lost 2 bumpers in the  last locks.  Boat barely fit through.

Tied up at The Boat Inn (pub) at Thrupp for the night and had dinner there and then went to Annie's Tea House for dessert.

Met the commodore of the Thrupp Canal Cruising Club, after a knock on the cabin door asking us for our Oxford Canal pass, which we did not have. Oops! Well this boat is not exactly perfect, It needs to be taken through a car wash about ten times. Unfortunately we could not find a car wash. Kirk and I spend most of the time on the river scrubbing it down, but it is still pretty dirty.

Adam the Commodore introduced us to the Thrupp Canal  Club, the closest thing we have seen to a marina yet. Takes forever to get a slip, have to buy a boat to get one, but has a head, shore power and water...worth waiting for.

We headed back down the canal after Kirk made a spectacular turn around, and I successfully got a key to operate the lift bridge.  Negotiated many locks today like pros!

Discovered if you do not put the lock paddles back down after you are in it will take a hell of a long time to empty the lock of water...brilliant!

Ended up on the river bank of the Thames in the weeds for the night over looking a beautiful field of yellow butter cups as far as the eye can see.  Finished with 4 hot air balloons sailing over head and off into the sunset. No pub insight, but a magnificent evening and glorious sunset.

Again no rain...Toto, this isn't England!

Locks and Misdirection

Locks and Misdirection

Hiked into town and saw a canal boat negotiate a lock, very helpful to watch. Noticed they had a handle to crank gates open and closed or up and down, where was our handle. Need to figure that out before we set out.

We're very successful at finding a coffee wifi house, Jericho Cafe, they even had soy, got my vote.  Our dream location would be wifi, soy latte and beer.... Don't think that will happen.  There is always hope.

So we put it off as long as possible, 4:00 in the afternoon, time to go. After some futsing around we casted off and started putting to an unknown location up river.  Cows were running across the pasture bowling over picnicking students, just to  come say  farewell and the sun was shinning as we putted north. I can dare say I have never seen cows run before, there was one in the back that was really putting on the gas.   As we scanned the horizon,(pasture in this case) we could see Wolvercote, that is where we would end up tonight.

We had a plan, Gale in the bow, Kirk in the drivers seat. Now what is funny is that the driver can not see the 70 feet ahead to see if another boat is coming, so when you went around corners it was nice for the bow person to give a heads up.  I did it most of the time. Oh yea, did I forget to mention that they do not drive on the wrong side of the canals! Oops! Had a moment of in  decision but Kirk got it right, yes I mean right side of the canal.  Lots of S curves in this part of the canal, got to keep a watch out. 

Now we approached our first lock. Looks pretty good, a little cross wind, boat coming out of lock, no problem, gate keeper waving arms, hum, wonder why.  Ok so there is gate etiquette, we get up there and she says that we were suppose to pull directly in, ok so we do, then she tells us how to do everything which was very lucky seeing that it was our first lock and this would benefit us when we tried to do it alone. Although it was embarrassing we like having gate keepers . We are pretty seasoned now after   3 locks, but having a gate keeper is nice!  We also got the hand signals down. 

It is really nice when you come to a intersection that you know which way you want to go before you enter it and do not change your mind 3 times, a 70 foot boat takes a lot of time to change directions in a narrow canal. I thought we  could go up the canal the next day. Kirk was thinking that it would be good to go south because the Plough Pub was down there. Horse headed to the barn syndrome. If we did that we would have to go to Oxford to turn around. So we enter the cut, I told him to go north, then he decided in the middle of the turn to go south, then I said no we should go north and walk to pub. Well by this time, yes yelling across a 70 foot boat we ended up cross wise  in the canal. So we compromised, we tried to back down the canal the canal headed for Oxford, let me tell you right  now, narrow boats DO NOT back especially when there is wind. We stuck it in one bank and then the other.  We ended up taking the lines and pulling the boat along another narrow boat, (thank god the owners were not there)  I was walking on the edge of both boats, straddled between boats, trying to fend off other boat to pull us around, not a good idea on a 3 inch rail, Kirk on the bank pulling boat back, to bad no one was there with a camera, but no water time yet!  We staked it to the bank for the night. Yea I said stake as in tent stakes.  And took off for The Plough, Kirk needs a beer! I need an insanity check! 

Like Kirk says we go from one oops to the next, and having a lot of fun doing it. Not dumb American, more like silly American! 

Canal Tipping

Landed at Heathrow after about a hour delay due to traffic in the air. Then caught the bus to Oxford, omg, every time I turn around I think I am in a Monty Python skit.  The bus driver kept calling stops and no one is getting off, this happens 5 or 6 times, I am ready for him to turn around and say, " damn it, you you and you are getting off at the next stop and that's it, I have had it! " but it doesn't and I am amazed.  

Did you know that everyone is eating Cheerios here, they keep saying Cheerio, Cherrio, Cherrio,  . I keep telling them I like Captain Crunch. 

We get to Glouster  Green, last bus stop in Oxford.  I am hoping this guy is really going to meet us, communication was confusing and booking the boat was a little suspect. I did it over the Internet , yea, might be in big trouble.  I called him again and there he was... Yea! He was for real. 

He has a little red car, he was giving us a ride to the boat.  Kirk went to get in the car on right front, which is the drivers seat in English cars...oh no you don't. Figured that one out quick. Then the guy started driving and I almost lost my breakfast, he was on the wrong side of the road, had to shut my eyes or I was not going to make it.  How you can ever do roundabouts in reverse is a mystery, I keep wanting to go the other way. Luckily I was not driving and in the back seat, but I still did not like it.

We parked at Walton Well Road car park and looked like we were walking into a pasture.  Ok somethings up?  And sure enough he opened the gate and we walked right in,  and  there were cows everywhere.....he is taking us into the pasture to  do Cow Tipping?   And there were students picnicking in the cow pasture.  Lots of pretty yellow flowers?Now I was sure I was in the middle of a Monte Python skit.   Kirk is telling me to quit rolling the suitcase over the cow pies.   Is this for real? Yep! The guy with a very English accent is telling us about the boat which is nowhere in sight, as we weave through the cows and students, right! I am loosing it, lol.

Walked all the way across the pasture and sure enough we ended up at the canal and the boat.  No matter how many times you have gone cruising nothing really prepares you  for any of this and especially the narrow boats!  This boat is really narrow, could be cleaner and is under the bushes and trees. 70 feet long, 7 feet wide, how will we ever turn this around?  He says when docking one person needs to be at one end of the boat and the other at the other end. Kirk and I have issues with a 30 foot boat..... I can see it now, Kirk yells, I yell back , he points one way, I point another,  we yell a little more, this goes on for awhile and we are docked. Looking forward to this!

We got all checked out, and then the test...no it was no maneuvering the  boat, it was to unlock the boat, someone (Kirk) has to walk along the outside of the boat,  3 inch rail to the transom to unlock the doors, what a crazy design. I have a funny feeling someone is going to get wet in a very obvious way, especially after a trip to the pub and a few pints. Hopefully this will not be me.

Went to a pub for dinner, picked up groceries and made it back to Rakali, moon was rising, perfect time for cow tipping!  Kirk successfully tight rope walked the side, this was after 2 pints, and unlocked boat. Will keep you posted on this, big question...how many pints can Kirk drink and still unlock the boat...to be continued!

Last day in Hamburg!

What a wonder place.  From the people to the transportation. Imagine not having to ever check the time schedule for buses or trains because one will show up within 10 minutes of getting to the stop a train comes.  And the people,   now imagine getting to a traffic light and looking like the lost American tourist, Kirk  has the many maps out turning them in all different directions, I am standing there pointing one way and Kirk the other and have someone in a car stopped at the light holler at you that   the downtown is in that direction with a smile! Love this place. Very tourist friendly! 

Said our farewells to Hamburg and headed to the airport. 

Day of Water

Had a beautiful day for a cruise up the Elbe River. Saw more cranes and container ships than you could imagine. Remembered our hats but forgot the sunscreen. Who would of thought that you would need sunscreen in Hamburg. We have seen no rain the whole time we have been here, simply amazing, doubt we will be that lucky in Oxford. 

Walked the river front and was followed by a mime, he walked just like me, kirk said, funny guy, I turned around quick and he was gone! Darn could of had some fun with him! Lot of activity up and down the dock.  

We decided to go under the river and crossed the Elbe in a tunnel. Was built in 1919, one way traffic,  Gus and Haley walked the tunnel 3 years ago. Motorcycles, cars... still use it today but have to use an elevator to go up and down. We used it too, it is about 100 meters under ground.

Headed up town to see the Lake Alster, we took the scenic route and tried a new train, instead of being under ground it was above and had a beautiful view of the river side as we went downtown. Amazing enough we got to where we thought we would , good surprise. 

Had lunch on the Beach Pavilion over looking lower Lake Alster where the water jet is. Could not walk past Starbucks without checking email,  that took longer than was suppose to, imagine that, should never let Kirk have my IPad.   Then walked up to Upper Lake Alster and saw the sailing clubs. Lots of boats out sailing, and Opti's too, beautiful day for it.

Walked through the Blume Garden and saw lots of fountains . Made our way back to Landonsbridge and had very sore feet by then.  Never buy new shoes before you leave for a trip! Bad bad bad idea.  

Found lots of steeples today.  It really does help in locating yourself when you get out of the train station.  Invaluable!  I have come to find out that the RAF also used the churches as  GPS, so nothing novel about that.  Saw a war

 bunker in the gardens that was built into the side of a hill and has many underground  caverns, laid out like city streets that they used for taking cover when the RAF found the steeples. It is now used by bats and other creatures of the dark and probably lots of mushrooms. 

Finished the day at the Block House for dinner, had salmon although it is a steak house.  Packing up and leaving tomorrow for Oxford. Maybe our luck will hold and we will have some sunny weather on the narrow boat. 

DESY to Apple

After a long day of traipsing all over Hamburg, And recovering from misdirection, I decided to go back to the art museum and see it again. This time I had no problem finding it and saw the rest of it, check the steeples, they are soo valuable.

Picked up a few curiosities at museum store and headed off to main train station. I was a bit more sure of myself this time. The train station is quite impressive if you know where you are going. It has a large mall attached and one could spend more time than you think wondering the halls looking for S1. I eventually found my way to SI and headed for DESY.

They had a nice reception for collaborators and we meet the classic Greek Professor, I think he even believes that Windex can fix anything! Very funny guy and nice German wife.

We got our picture in front of Argo which is the big collider experiment that DESY had installed In their beam line years ago. Pretty impressive for the era they built it in.

So, far no need or even thought for a car, trains and busses are great and on time. So on time you can be running for one and they will not wait, the next one comes in 10 minutes, so they are real ridge. German scheduling, this is why they are on time. Also we bought one ticket for the whole week, on the trains you do not even have to show it. There are no ticket turnstiles, ticket takers.... Just get on the train. So cool the German people are trained so well, I bet if you were to get asked and not have one the fine is high but it sure makes it easy to access transportation. It would take a lot of tickets to make this work in NY, not sure it would, do not think Americans are trainable in this method.

Hotel we are staying in is very nice, breakfast served in the garden room over looking garden and it is in full bloom. We have not had a day of rain and everyone says it rains all the time. We have been lucky on that score.

Spent the morning shopping for electronics for Ian , went to the Apple store, how cool is that, never been in one, very very helpful so helpful they told me to go to the Saturn store. This place was a five story electronics/ computer store with cheap prices. I am sure quality was not up to apple but neither are the prices. Each floor dedicated to one item almost. Found what I needed, and then found out they did not take Visa or MasterCard, ah oh! But money machine right around the corner. Love those money machines, there goes Haley's tuition!

Braved the main train station and was a lot better this time and headed back to DESY.  Had a tour of the labs and lunch, very jealous of the Wirebonder they have. The perfect one for out lab but twice the cost.

Dinner on the San Diego ship down in the harbor.  Had a great bus ride tour that took us along beautiful mansions and views of the harbor on the way to the ship. The skyline is full of transport cranes for off loading cargo from freighters and a reverse suspension bridge in the background. Very cool structure.

 We had 2 French men sit with us for dinner.  Kirk started the conversation with the fact that we loved France, ok, so we had to eat dinner with them so that was a good thing to say before I opened my mouth! I got the cue, shut up Gale! ( no, france is not my favorite place on the planet!) They were very charming and fun to talk to, had kids near the same age as us and gave us lots of tips on our next visit to Paris. 

Dinner was delicious, and view fabulous. Talk about  "IN Rome......." we ate corn on the cob with a fork! We cut the corn off the cobb, another first! Amazing what you do under pressure!
The sunset real late but was beautiful view over the harbor, did not get home til midnight, another beautiful day in Hamburg! 

Check those steeples!

Beautiful day, blue sky, puffy clouds, not a rain drop in sight.  Ok so I decide to risk all and take the train to the main train station. This is closet to the museum I would like to go to.  This is a little risky because when you get off the train and find your way to the surface streets you really have no way of telling where you are. Smaller stations you have more luck figuring it out.  But I felt like taking a chance. So I got to the surface, I did not check the church steeples, but the museum was right in front of me. Was I lucky. Did I mention that churches were good for something? Using as guides to get you from one attraction to the next in a big city. Suffice it to say I did not check my steeples before I went into the museum. (Trudy and Alice don't even go there, me and the wind god are BFF's) 

So I bought a ticket and  wondered in. The pamphlet was in German so kind of hard to tell what you will look at before you actually look at it. I saw a lot of china, furniture from all eras, modern stuff, not really what I had in mind. A few old master paintings in rooms with furniture of the era but no impressionists, pointillism, Picasso ..... Oh well, spent a few hours then headed out to go on a lake walk. I walked about for a half hour in the direction the lake should of been in and no lake? Odd? Check you steeples Gale! 

Come to find out I was in the wrong museum headed the opposite direction of the lake. After I sorted myself out I found the art museum about a 30 minute walk in the opposite direction. Ok so Kirk might of been useful, love the man, we make a good team.

Museum was great, and really huge. Lots of Ceszane, Picasso, Monet, Manet, Degas, ...my favorites. 

Headed off to my favorite wifi and bathroom, checked my steeples and off I went. Found Starbucks right off! Just keep checking the steeples and I will do fine. 

Un Bloom to blankets!

The adventure continues. Had a beautiful walk through the botanical gardens. Everything is in bloom. There was also a Japanese garden. I spent most of the day there. Posted pictures on Facebook. 

Walked back through downtown Hamburg around Aster Lake and the what i call the Geneva Jet and found another free wifi, and bathroom. Otherwise known as Starbucks. I have not found any other place that has free wifi or bathrooms. Starbucks has a map of all the locations, very important when you need a bathroom. The cost of a bathroom and wifi is the same as the cost of a coffee. I find this very economical and tasty! Do I buy coffee, nope, strawberry and creme soy grande frappacino , um um good!

Came back on train to Altona and went shopping at the Mercado. Beautiful open atrium full of stores, flowers, vegetables, clothes, pets, food court all built around the three story atrium. Found a coffee cup that has all the nautical knots on it and says Ebbe on the inside bottom and Flut on the top. It also said Schietwetterpott. Did not know what that means but bought it anyway. Oops! Sorry Aamer, but it is pretty and German. Working on getting one that says Germany and Hamburg. 

Had another first I forgot to tell you about. While at Enenstiens I ate a pizza with a fork, never thought I would see the day. When in Rome...... As they say. 

Kirk got home and we went out to Altona to Scotty's for dinner, absolutely devine. I had shrimp and Kirk had seafood platter, shrimp, fish, salmon and mash potatoes and a pound of white asparagus. Can' t get away from the stuff. Seems that it is the side dish of choice. Topped it off with chocolate muosse. 

You would think since we are not driving the discussions on which direction to go would be a non issue. Now we just discuss....it at a slower pace,  yes we did circles on our way back to the train, but very picturesque circles.

Had a night cap at the bar by hotel, they supply blankets for the guests. I loved it. A few of the people from the conference were there and we stayed for a while, I must of looked cold and the waitress offered me a blanket, toasty warm, could stay for a bit longer. I have noticed blankets sitting around at the outside cafes, now I know why. 

Looks like another beautiful day so I am off to the art museum. 

TTFN!

Miniature to Eisensteins

Hamburg is beautiful, safe, nice people, great transportation.  We easily got around the city with no car. Can you imagine that! I am really impressed and the people are so helpful and happy. Found the ferry with no problem and headed off to Hafer City, this is the old warehouse district that has a lot to see. Ferried  past the new concert hall which is under construction and ginormous, they had a model of what it will look like when it is done and sound like.  You put your ear up to a speaker and can hear Opera to Beethoven , but you had to be tall to hear Stravinsky, Kirk picked me up.  You then stuck your head through a hole in the ceiling and you could see the complete concert hall in miniature, cool!

Lots of canals and ferries everywhere,  Our next stop was the Minatura Wonderland.  One of the larger warehouses converted two floors into train city, different countries are represented from Hamburg to Switzerland, Sweden,and US, Las Vegas of all places, but they had the Grand Canyon and Mount Rushmore also. They had an airport that had planes taking off and landing, and like I said trains everywhere. Pretty cool.

Our next stop was the Chille house which is a triangular brick office building, amazing architecture,  then to a Chocolate Factory, and wifi at a Starbucks, housed in a building older than time with an ancient water statue in front of a beautiful building.  I posted loads of pictures on Facebook, to hard to post them here.

We saw the Rathaus, big building in central Hamburg then went off to meet up with Daniela and Ian. They have a beautiful place over looking Elbe River, beautiful apartment. saw container ships to party barges cruising the river. 

Had dinner at Cafe Eisenstein, near Altona, in an old propeller factory, the old walls still showing, unique architecture, had the old furnace still standing in middle of restaurant. Food was delicious, goat cheese pizza, tuna, pesto pizza, creamy pea soup, mixed greens salad.   
Absolutely delicious, water still more expensive than beer!

Cobblestones everywhere, nice walk back to train station, it is light out so late you loose track of time. Got home by midnight and feel into bed. 

Really enjoying Hamburg. The train is a lot like Paris Metro,  the people are much nicer and very helpful. The city has not been run over by tourist so are very accommodating to guests. 

So far from all the cities I have visited in Europe my favorites are Torino and Hamburg. I like the people! 

BlockHouse

Diet down the drain! Food was wonderful, burgers delicious, but do not expect a bun, lots of potatoes and a special treat one pound of asparagus, with --- wait for it---    hollandiase  sauce, and apple strudel to top it off.

We are off to the ferry today, and will see if we can get around Hamburg and not end up in the Reeperbahn, although the Beetles did quite well there.

Off to the ferry!

All is well, we arrived in Hamburg safe and sound. We arrived at 7:00 in the morning. Took the train to hotel and check in was not until 2:00.  So we left luggage and headed out. It was to be 6 hours before we could sleep.  We are doing this trip European style, no car. Eeeegads!  

Explored Othmarschen, where hotel is and found the German look alike of Starbucks, except a whole lot cheaper. They charged us 1.30 for cup of cafe, tea, and 2 pastries, I think they got it wrong. Will find out tomorrow. That took one hour, soooo tired.

All is well, we arrived in Hamburg safe and sound. We arrived at 7:00 in the morning. Took the train to hotel and check in was not until 2:00.  So we left luggage and headed out. It was to be 6 hours before we could sleep.  We are doing this trip European style, no car. Eeeegads!  

Explored Othmarschen, where hotel is and found the German look alike of Starbucks, except a whole lot cheaper and lots more partries, it was more like a bakery with coffee. They charged us €1.30 for cup of cafe, tea, and 2 pastries, I think they got it wrong. Will find out tomorrow. That took one hour, soooo tired.

Walked the main street, small village, loads of shops but prices are outrageous, reminds me of prices in  Forney Voltaire in Switzerland, €200 for a skirt, no shopping here. 

We got a bus/train pass for the week, so we got back on the train and went to Altuna. Great mercado, mall I would call it and busy place with shops every where. And yes I can afford to shop. Found a grocery store and found Milka, all stocked up. Found the same type coffee house, Dat Backhus.. they charged us considerably more for same items. 

4 hours to go, before we can check in.  So we walked to a Hamburg Historic Maritime museum, 4 floors real interesting,  Figureheads, art, ship models....   2:00 at last !

Figured out how to get back on train, all underground, similar to the Metro in Paris, you can easily get going the wrong direction. Made it back to B &B and fell into bed. 

Beautiful room, 12 foot ceilings, private marble bathroom, we do not share it with anyone. Corner window over looking cafe. Very old house and nicely decorated.

Well we are off to dinner, Block House, which is a steak house which Kirk has assured me it will have salads.  We are starting new diet, instead of everyone order something and Kirk finish all, I will not order and eat 1/2 of his!   Doubt this will work but I will keep you posted