Hamburg, on a wet, windy, and rather chilly Sunday afternoon

Last week’s short trip to Hamburg, represented my fourth visit to the city. Like the previous three trips, it was relatively short although on this occasion I feel that I learned more about Germany's second largest city than I did on the other three trips combined. That's not to say this fleeting visit was anyway comprehensive in nature, and certainly not all-encompassing, but it did give me much more of a feel for the city. So, what about Hamburg itself?

Located on the Elbe River in northern Germany, the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, is one of the most populous city in Germany, second only to Berlin in importance. Its port and commercial centre is the largest in the Federal Republic, and one of the busiest in Europe. Shipping and trade have been Hamburg’s lifeblood for centuries, and its harbour has remained the city’s most important feature. Hamburg is blessed with a network of canals that rivals those of Amsterdam, various lakes, parks, and suburbs full of gracious houses, alongside elegant shopping arcades, well-endowed museums, plus a vibrant cultural life. Although badly damaged by Allied bombing, during World War II, Hamburg has succeeded in maintaining a sense of old-world grace alongside a rich and thriving commercial life. These attractions have contributed to a growing tourist industry, and given its maritime setting, plus strategic position between the Netherlands and Denmark, this obviously includes cruise holidays.

Going back to those aforementioned previous visits to Hamburg, they took place across a lengthy timescale, with the first one taking place in the summer of 1975. Back then, I was travelling around Europe by train, with a fellow student from Salford University. We were using an Interrail ticket, and after Amsterdam and Copenhagen, Hamburg was our third stop. Our visit was purely transitory, as the following day my friend and I would be going our separate ways, albeit for just a few days – see link, for further details. My memories of the city are confined to a stroll along the infamous Reeperbahn – home to Hamburg’s red-light district, plus an overnight stay at a rather austere* Youth Hostel, overlooking a local park. *Doors locked at 10pm, lights out by 10.30pm!

My second visit took place sometime during the early 1980’s, and only happened because my boss, at the time, wanted a colleague who could speak German, to accompany him on what was a spur-of-the moment business, trip to Hamburg. The company we worked for manufactured chlorination equipment, for use in water treatment plants, as well as swimming pools. In those pre-internet days, my boss (Ray), had managed to locate a manufacturer of gas detection equipment, and the units they were producing were of particular interest to our organisation.

The company was based in Hamburg, so with remarkable speed Ray asked the department secretary to book us a return flights to the city, plus a couple of hotel rooms. (Secretaries seemed responsible for all sorts of tasks, back then). Later that afternoon, he drove us up to Heathrow, calling in at our respective houses to pick up passports, plus overnight bags. Talk about “wash and go!” Apart from Hamburg airport, I remember very little about that trip. We were booked into a respectable looking hotel, but disappointingly my companion told me he was tired, and didn’t fancy hitting the town, after our evening meal. To add insult to injury, my German language skills were not required, as our hosts spoke impeccable English!

In June 2022, I visited Hamburg for the third time, in the company of Mrs PBT’s. The city acted as a dropping off point, on a cruise up to the Norwegian fjords. That voyage was our first, and so far, only time on the Queen Mary2. The pair of us took one of the shuttle coaches that run from the cruise terminal into the city centre, and just under three years’ later, Matthew and I used the same service into central Hamburg. 

That 2022 visit took place midweek, because the shops were open, and the REWE supermarket that Eileen and I visited, was packed with workers from the nearby offices, picking up items for their lunch-break. Our lunchtime requirements were met back on-board Queen Mary2 as, after all, the cruise package was “all-inclusive,” but we did manage to find a pavement cafe-cum-bar, where we could sit out and enjoy a beer or two. Cotidiano Alter Wall, tucked away at the side of the Rathaus proved the ideal spot, and I enjoyed two slightly different beers from Ratsherrn Brauerei, in the form of a Pilsner, plus a "Hamburg Hell".

There was no possibility of sitting outside last week, as the weather in Hamburg that morning was wet, windy and decidedly chilly, but we did have a walk around following a route that took us past the city’s principle station, the Hauptbahnhof, which was bustling with travellers. I like busy rail stations, so we had a quick look around, and noticing a Yorma’s on the concourse, found ourselves unable to resist a Bratwurst roll, plus a cup of coffee. It was then a question of finding a suitable watering hole.

On the coach ride into the city, that morning, I’d noticed one particular establishment that I’d pre-listed, which was a large establishment overlooking the river. Blockbräu, comprising an atmospheric cellar-style brewery/restaurant and a scenic rooftop terrace offering views of the Elbe, Blockbräu promotes itself as the archetypal Hamburg beer hall and a great choice for large groups. The beer is brewed on site and the food is traditional and tasty. Given the adverse weather conditions we were experiencing, the 30-minute walk indicated by Google, seemed a little too far.

Instead, we made our way to Groninger Privatbrauerei, which was the other pub I had in mind. Described as a vast, and buzzing emporium where the locally brewed beer flows freely, Groninger offers large portions of hearty traditional beer hall fayre, such as homemade meatloaf (Leberkäse), pot roast and sausages. With some tables equipped with a built-in grill, customers can even cook their own sausages. Leaving the sausage cooking option aside, Groninger seemed ideal, but after navigating our way there, (the city map I picked up on the ship, from the Shore Experiences desk, wasn’t that good on detail), we discovered the place was sadly closed. The lack of lighting coming from the windows was an obvious clue, as Matthew was only too keen to point out, but the locked door plus the sign indicating opening hours (closed Sundays and Mondays), confirmed that we wouldn’t be getting a drink there!

Feeling a little dejected, the pair of us walked back towards the town hall or Rathaus as it's called in German when, quite unexpectedly I could see just make out what looked like a Bierkeller type establishment, facing out across an area of open ground. What’s more, from the signage, I could see that Biergarten Speersort was operated by Hofbräu of Munich, a brewery that both Matthew and I are very familiar with. There was still a little uncertainty as to whether this establishment was open, but after seeing lights twinkling through the windows, as well as people entering and leaving, we knew we had found our happy place for the next couple of hours.

Speersort was a large and cavernous place, of fairly recent construction, housed in a rather anonymous looking building, but upon entering, we found ourselves in a typical Bavarian beer hall that wouldn’t have looked out of place in central Munich. The clues were in the bare floorboards, scrubbed wooden tables, plus staff in traditional Bavarian dress – both sexes. There were several serving areas, and various drinking areas, including one upstairs, presumably intended for when the place becomes very busy. Last Sunday, it was closed, apart from the toilets, which are also on this floor.

It didn’t take us long to get served, and whilst at it, we ordered food, as well as drink. The latter, of course, was the famous Hofbräu Original, served in 0.5 litre mugs, although we could have had litres, if we’d wished. For lunch, Matthew chose Leberkäse, a traditional type of meatloaf that is popular all over Germany. It consists of beef, pork and bacon which is ground up very finely, before being baked in a bread tin, in similar fashion to a loaf of bread. As can be seen from the adjacent photo, Matthew’s Leberkäse was topped with a fried egg, known in German as a Spiegelei. Much as I enjoy the above dish, I opted for a chicken schnitzel, which was served with potato salad, as was Matthew’s lunch.

We hadn’t finished with the beer though, and at my suggestion switched to a 0.5 litre each of Maibock, a strong seasonal “Bock” bier, brewed for the month of May. OK, it was a month early, and I was surprised (but also delighted), to see it on sale. According to the menu, Hofbräu’s Maibock has an abv of 6.0%, which is weaker than the 7.0% claimed by Untappd, but what ever its strength, it was full-bodied, malty and very satisfying, especially on a cold day in early spring.

With body and soul satisfied, we paid our bill and made our way back to where the shuttle coaches depart from. As luck would have it, one was about to depart, but with two seats unfilled, the courier squeezed the pair of us on board, and we set off, back to the ship, through the rain-soaked streets. It was Matthew who noticed it first, but the coach took us along the Reeperbahn, which in daylight looked even seedier than I remember it looking at night! Mrs PBT’s was pleased to welcome us back on board Victoria, vanishing her unfounded fears that the ship would sail without us. Given the weather, we too were glad to be back in the dry and the warm, pleased though to have experienced some traditional German culture, even if it was from the opposite end of the country!