TRAVEL

HAMBURG, GERMANY

  I don't really have any funny anecdotes from my many visits to Hamburg. No drug deals gone bad. No random bathroom sex with a Hamburger. No drunken misadventures worth noting of any kind, really. Though, if you think I'm going to lambaste Hamburg for being boring, think again. After all, The Beatles considered this place their home away from home for years.

  Although I can't quite pinpoint it, there's something really awesome about this Northern German port city. It's got the cool, arty vibe of Berlin, minus the grand architecture and steampunk chic of Germany's capital.

  I usually avoid Western Europe on a whole, due to it's crappy architecture (thanks WWII) and lack of sense of humour in its inhabitants. That being said, I find myself completely enamoured with Hamburg. It's got this port city seediness that exudes a sense of danger and a mood of darkness. Yet, there is something spritely about the city that comforts you in a way that's inexplainable. Another difference between Berlin and Hamburg is that the city is walkable. Most cool places are in the same vicinity, so there's no need to travel vast distances. I've also always had a ton of fun shopping in Hamburg. With the Reeperbahn district's never ending trail of record, vintage and antique shops, you'll never have a dull moment. Highly recommended.