Last Saturday, three of my friends and I took a day trip to Hamburg. We didn’t plan much – the Miniatur Wunderland (Miniature Wonderland) was the only item on our itinerary.
First, lemme ask a question: Is a trip really a trip without some transportation mishap? Our original plan was to take either the 7:28 or 7:32 train. Two of my friends couldn’t make it in time, so they were going to meet up with Colette and me later. The 7:32 train to Hamburg was already waiting at the platform as we walked up, and we got to wave goodbye to it as it rolled out of the station. Missing our train wasn’t a big deal; our tickets are free, and they run often enough so we caught one an hour later. We left together as planned, which worked out better anyways. Once in Hamburg, we had to navigate the bus system – it’s bigger than Lüneburg’s and somehow more confusing. We succeeded in buying a day pass (which I would recommend when traveling in groups; it’s cheaper), and we were finally on our way.
The Miniatur Wunderland is the world’s largest model railway exhibition, featuring ten theme worlds. It is the coolest thing ever – the attention to detail is insane! We toured through parts of the U.S., amused by which attractions and landscapes it highlighted: Colorado, California, South Dakota, Arizona, Nevada, and Florida (in that order because geography isn’t a thing, apparently). The exhibition is programmed to run various events, such as day and night, accidents on the freeway, fires and rescue crews. Next, we explored miniature Hamburg and it was gigantic (by gigantic, I mean how much space it filled – I now realize how big Hamburg really is). The mini Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg’s famous concert hall, was one of my favorites. The exhibition pulled no punches; the concert hall opened up to display an orchestra performing inside! After meandering through Hamburg, we toured Knuffingen and its airport – which had planes that actually took off – along with Switzerland, Austria, Bavaria, and Italy. We moved faster through these worlds, because after a while, the attraction can become a little overwhelming. I definitely recommend the Miniatur Wunderland and checking it out more than once.
After that, we ate a Ciao Mama’s, an Italian place not far from the Wunderland. I had gnocchi baked in cheese – it was delicious! From there, we walked to the real Elbphilharmonie and went up on the plaza, which is free. The view was great, despite the insane wind. Next, we decided to check out two churches: St. Katharinen (St. Catherine’s) and St. Nikolai. St. Katharinen is the second oldest building in Hamburg, with the spire base dating back to the 1200s. The church was severely damaged in WWII, and it was restored between 1950 and 1957. Its organ is a masterpiece, and at one point, it might have been the largest in the world. Johann Sebastian Bach played the organ here.
St. Nikolai was also heavily damaged; however, it wasn’t restored. Instead, its ruins are left as a memorial to the destruction of war. The rubble was cleared, leaving the crypt, the site, and the spire. It is a solemn feeling, to stand at the back of the church, imagining its former beauty. St. Nikolai’s spire has been restored a few times, but it remains mostly hollow. My friends and I braved the elevator ride to get a view of Hamburg from 75 meters (or 246 feet) in the sky. Golden hour illuminated Hamburg as the sun descended into the horizon, and the wind nearly knocked us off our feet, bringing tears to our eyes. I loved every second of it.
Our last stop of the day was a necessary part of traveling – dessert. We ate Apfelstrudel mit Vanilleeis and heiße Schokolade (apple strudel with vanilla ice cream and hot chocolate) at Arkaden Café. It was a delicious way to another Saturday in Hamburg. This weekend, I visited the Chocoversum in Hamburg and toured Lübeck to close out week 5 in Germany, which you can read about here.
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