2.1.3 - Hamburg 3

Loved the City... I can only imagine this place in the Summer..!

Today was a great day in the beautiful city of Hamburg.

(sorry if you see more mistakes than usual, there is no English Spellcheck, and the keyboard is in German)

The sun was about and it was a little warm.
I had a good shower, good breakfast and headed out the see Hamburg.

As I got to the top of the double decker bus to take the tour, I saw Vanessa, the girl that sold me the ticket for this tour the day before. She is now my facebook friens... she is training to do the tours by summer time. Can you believe that she takes a 45 min train to work everyday?!?!
Anyway, she sat next to me at the front of the bus, and she was giving me my own private tour in English, as the regular tour guide was going on and on in German.

Once we went all the way around I stopped at the tour busses´ office and Vanessa asked to if the Red District tour was going to be giving in English tonight... NOPE... oh well, I had a better night anyway..!

I walked through the docks, ate a fish burger, next to the water..!

The I walked towards the newer part of the city... a massive construction project that should be finished by 2025..! The area is called Harbor City... they even have plans to build a university... is it aN University since it´s a vowel, or is it A University because it sounds better..? hmmmm

On my way to the Harbor City, I took pictures of the Sisters... there was a big fire back in the 19th Century, and three homes were left standing... they are called the three sisters, and they are one of the oldest constructions in the city.

I wlked through the great St. Nicho Church... well, what is left of it after WWII

Walking through the small streets, under the shadows of the buildings, I was getting cold, so I stopped at La Bodega! a Spanish Tapa place, where the waitress is from Mexico... The owner, Benito, was running around like Mario does, but this place is no bigger than my hotel room... but back to La Bodega later...

Walking some more, I make it to the City Hall... das Rauths... OH MY GOD... if you like the front.. you´ll love the interir patios... iron and stone lions guard the arches to the patio, there is a pardon my french... KICK ASS fountain in the middle of the patio, that happens to be bigger than many platz!

Then I walked in, usually, you can go into the chambers, but for some particular reason, not today... but I did go into the bar and the dinning halls...!
Wow... can you say King Arthur times..? long tables, a big fireplace at the end of the tables, great pictures on the walls... and so on... you´ll see the pictures, eventually.

After that, I listned to the classic violinist that play by the plaza year round.
The city is very small, you can walk through it in no time, but there are lots of little streets worth going in and out to take pictures.

Now, I´m on my way to the HSV Official Store, I looked around and then ask if there are guided tours of the areana, and they said yes, but the last one starts in 18 min (17:00 hrs)... and I also asked where I could watch the Germany / Norway game, and they told me to go to an Irih Pub, two blocks away... ok fine... so much for being with Germans on a game...!

Any who, I figured, 19 on the train, 20 walking to the gate.. nope... TAXI!!!
I´ll give you a 5,00€ tip if you make it to the door of the arena office before 17:00 hrs, deal..? deal..!

So we go, and go, and go, and go... so much for a small city, I guess when you have to follow the road signs, the speed, and go through rush hour traffic, it´s a complete different beast... Hey, we made it 4 mins after 5pm, for those that can not read military time. So, he only got a 2,00€ tip... sorry dude..! and he left me at the wrong gate too.

At this time, I´m thinking, I just waited good money on a taxi ride to no were...
But I made it to the Museum entrance, and a man aid yes, but the tour is 10 min late... it has three people in it, but I till have to open a gate for them, let me call the tour guide... so, he did, and I joined in progress... he actually spoke English to me, and made the tour both in German and in English... Anyway the tour was fantastic, and at the end, they take us to the Museum, which, I didn´t purchase tickets for... so the other three guy went ahead... and as I was getting ready to leave, the guide said... well, since you came all the way from Mexico and are taking all these tour of the stadiums, I am going to treat you myself to the Museum, so I didn´t pay for that... totally worth the taxi ride...

If you go to the HSV Arena, make sure you get Norbert as your guide..!
He even took pictures of me with my camera so that I didn´t just have selfies.

By this time, it´s getting close to game time, so I take the train back to downtown, not many people there anymore, but I did take some nice pictures of the City Hall at night.

And walked towards the Irish Pub... guess what..? it´s the pub across from La Bodega... I checked the place out, and there is hardly any one there... so I figured I should just get back to the Spanish place, there I can talk soccer with someone in Spanish.

I get the menu, from "mi paisana" and I didn´t find anything that got my attention, like when I was there ealier and the owner was talking to a regular and he was making him a platter of Queso y Jamon Cerrano... so I asked Benito, of I could have that and a beer and he said sure... you´ve been in Hamburg for a day and here twice, so I´ll do this for you...

Anyway there were some Germans speaking Spanish, well trying to... Señora... mas cerveza porfavor...!

And then I hear this other woman speaking perfect Spanish... and she is cheering for Norway... she is a real Viking... she lived in Mexico City, then Spain, is dating a Captain and sailed all over the World and are new to Hamburg... Heidi... and I´´m sorry, I don´t remember his name... but he were very nice too... a little quiet, just like me, but nice... just like me..! hehehehe

Anyway, I cheered the only goal of the game with them... I was thinking of Stuart... Norway and Germany, hmmmm?!!

At half time, I asked for my bill so I could go across the street and watch it with the German now... got the bill... 15,00€ for the beer and the ham/cheese plate... dude it was worth the price..! plus they gave me an shot of rompope on the house, when they gave me my bill.

I did the double kiss good buy with Heidi and headed to Flanagan's... wow... what a terrible decision... the place was full of smoke, drunk Irish guys, had the Ireland game on half of the televisions, and on the loud speakers... so, what did I do, I went back to La Bodega..! hehehehehe

"Joder..! ya estas de regreso" said Benito... I told him how bad the place was, and that my blood was calling..!

I ordered a glass of house wine, red, from Spain of course..!
The Vikings were still there, as were the Germans that wanted to speak Spanish...
whom by the way said something about being German like Hitler, and it was a little freaky... his friend controlled him right away... he was fine... this 50 something was trying to flirt with Heidi, it was very funny actually... Before he left, he offered to buy us three a drink, so I got a beer again, the wine, sorry Benito, wasn´t that good.

Heidi and her best friend, as she put it, were very nice, and we chatter for a while... she was telling that she speaks more Spanish there in Hamburg than she did in this small Scandinavian Village in Spain.... oh, she has a friend that works in the Television industry back home, she told me that I should go up there and maybe stay with her... and if I couldn´t stay with her for some reason, that her friend would make sure I had a place to stay... and her friend speaks Spanish too..!
I might just take her up..!

The game ended, Norway won 1-0 over Germany and the Viking were happy... but ready to leave... so "mi paisana" gave them a shot of rompope before they left... and Benito gave me one too so that I coul cheer with them...

So now, Benito finds the Spain vs England game...
Spain still have a strong team... they could be the team to beat at WC.

Anyway, I had one more beer, and watch the game with the Spaniards... 2-0 England lost..! I was ready to pay, and Benito say not to worry about it..! Two beers, one glass of wine and two rompopes later... free... experience in La Bodega... Priceless!!!

Oh, guess what, it´after midnight, the S/U bahn have stopped running... so Benito drives me the train station... now I´m only two blockes from my hotel..!
No wonder it´s a happening spot..! Benito is to La Bodega, as Mario is to the Red Lion..!

If I´m ever in Hamburg, which I would love to, I really like this city... I´ll be at La Bodega, daily for sure...

Now, I walked to my hotel... there are some "social workers" on the street, I guess there are everywhere at 1:00 hrs.

So, I know I can´t get the Mexico vs USA game on tele, and I can´t get it on my iTouch, so I used the computer at the business centre at my hotel... but they don´t have the speakers... so I am trying to find an online radio station that carries the game... while I watch the game on Justin.tv with no audio...

Have you ever watch a game online at 3:00 hrs... with no audio... not the same..!
oh, I am drinking a Bacardi and Cola, on a can as I watch the game.

Well, long story short... I´m sure Mexico will have a new coach before the end of the week..!

and now... time for me to go to bed... I have a train to catch at 9:18 hrs... and I still have to pack, shower, shave, and have breakfast..!

Tomorrow... Bremen, football stadium, Beck´s and Musical Animals...

Tschuss everyone...!
- I LOVE Hamburg!!!