My last four-day trip to Bremen and Hamburg

Have you ever heard about “The musicians of Bremen”? I  am sure you have. It’s a very popular tale written by Jacob Grimm.

And what has a tale to do with this English course? –Nothing at least related to extra work or something like that. Then, why do I bring this subject up? Well, I just want to tell you, using  this twisting beginning, about what I did the last four-day weekend,  since  I was in the German old city of Bremen, which gives its name to the tale. I went there to see my daughter who is living in this city now. As the means of transport are good and the distance is short, I went to the nearby city of  Hamburgh  as well. I will show you some photos of both cities.

In this first photo, you can see one of the many channels that Hamburg has. I took the picture because the water we see  in the foreground was still partially  frozen. Two weeks before I go there, the water of channels, rivers and lakes was completely frozen and people could skate on the iced lakes. Temperatures reached -15 degrees centigrade.

In this other picture, the sun is fighting against thick dark clouds that threaten us  to pour with water. The sun won at the end and umbrellas were not necessary.

At the foreground, the small lake. The city centre and shopping area is located in the lake shore and  behing the buildings around the lake.

 From the tower of a partially destroyed church in the world war II,  there is a beautiful view of Hamburg. In the centre of the image, the town hall, the town  most significant building.

                                                  

This is a photo of Hamburg port on the fish market day - Sunday. The market is opened from 5 am to 10 am. As you see, the place is crowded with  people.That morning, people doing their shopping mixed with “little drunk” youngs and not so youngs who after a crazy Saturday night had not gone to bed yet.

Do you guess what I had for breakfast that morning? A glass of orange juice and a sandwich of lettuce, tomato and  marinade herring. Uhmm, delicious!

Here it is the musicians of Bremen’s bronze sculpture. If you go there, you will find it in the market square.

This is a beautiful night view of the market square. On the right, the beautiful  main facade of the town hall. It is one of the most important examples of Brick Gothic architecture in Europe. It dates from the sixteenth century. In July 2004, the building was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

This is one of the parks that Bremen has. The bare branches of the trees frame an old windmill.

The typical brick houses of the north Europe countries. These are in the centre of Bremen where it is a pleasure to stroll its streets free of traffic. But, attention to the tram and bycicles!

It can´t be left out, of course, an image of the so called “biergarten”, in other words, large terraces plenty of tables and benches in the open “fresh” air, where the Germans usually hang out drinking their most famous beverage, the beer. Don’t surprise if there is nobody. It’s still early. Wait a while and despite the chilly weather, you won’t find a  free seat. But that’s not a problem. They are used to shearing their tables with you or whoever else.

My last four-day trip to Bremen and Hamburgh

Have you ever heard about “The musicians of Bremen”? I  am sure you have. It’s a very popular tale written by Jacob Grimm.

And what has a tale to do with this English course? –Nothing at least related to extra work or something like that. Then, why do I bring this subject up? Well, I just want to tell you, using  this twisting beginning, what I did the last four-day weekend  since  I was in the German old city of Bremen which gives its name to the tale. I went there to see my daughter who is living in this city now. As the means of transport are good and the distance is short, I went to the nearby city of  Hamburgh  as well. I will show you some photos of both cities.

In this first photo, you can see one of the many channels that Hamburg has. I took the picture because the water we see  in the foreground was still partially  frozen. Two weeks before I go there, the water of channels, rivers and lakes was completely frozen and people could skate on the iced lakes. Temperatures reached -15 degrees centigrade.

In this other picture, the sun is fighting against thick dark clouds that threaten us  to pour with water. The sun won at the end and umbrellas were not necessary.

At the foreground, the small lake. The city centre and shopping area is located in the lake shore and  behing the buildings around the lake.

This is a photo of Hamburg port on the fish market day - Sunday. The market is opened from 5 am to 10 am. As you see, the place is crowded with  people.That morning, people doing their shopping mixed with “little drunk” youngs and not so youngs who after a crazy Saturday night had not gone to bed yet.

Do you guess what I had for breakfast that morning? A glass of orange juice and a sandwich of lettuce, tomato and  marinade herring. Uhmm, delicious!

Here it is the musicians of Bremen’s bronze sculpture. If you go there, you will find it in the market square.

This is a beautiful night view of the market square. On the right, the beautiful  main facade of the town hall. It is one of the most important examples of Brick Gothic architecture in Europe. It dates from the sixteenth century. In July 2004, the building was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

This is one of the parks that Bremen has. The bare branches of the trees frame an old windmill.

It can´t be left out, of course, an image of the so called “biergarten”, in other words, large terraces plenty of tables and benches in the open “fresh” air, where the Germans usually hang out drinking their most famous beverage, the beer. Don’t surprise if there is nobody. It’s still early. Wait a while and despite the cold weather, you won’t find a  free seat. But that’s not a problem. They are used to shearing their tables with you or whoever else.

Embellishing and finishing a story

It was very early in the morning, earlier than usual for the retired Martin. After a whole life waking up before dawn he could now remain delightly in his comfortable warm bed until the sun had climbed high in the sky. But that night, the terrible depression he suffered from since he had been confined in an elderly people’s home, prevented him from a heavy refreshing sleep,  even though he had had the pills that the doctor had prescribed.  He woke up several times with a spine-chilling quiver which shrank still more his decrepit body and distressed soul. Never had he felt a so uncanny feeling. It must be the pills side effects- he thought. He put  awkwardly his dressing gown on and shambled to the window. He decided to wait the day light doing what calmed his anxiety down most, drawing. So, he sat  in his rocking chair and taking  his drawing book  he started to sketch something like a huge  tree and a boy. He always have drawn the same ladnscape since he has been there. It was like an obsession. A state of semiconscious crept into him letting his mind fly away with the sweet twitter of the blackbirds that nested in the garden of the old mansion, mainly all over the old oak which,  as an impressive long armed  giant, dominated the centre of the vast  terrace. Suddenly, there was silence, such a deep silence that Martin was affected. He saw himself coming into the picture and padding towards the old tree where a not older than ten year-old boy  was drawing. The scene was so puzzling that Martin rubbed his eyes. For a long time, he looked at the kid deeply concentrated in his picture. “Who are you? “-He asked the boy. But there was no answer. “Do you live here?”- he asked again. And again the silence was the reply. “It seems a beautiful picture”-Martin insisted. But the boy didn’t look away from the piece of paper as if he hadn´t noticed Martin’s presence. Martin approached him a little more and leaning over the picture, he could read what it seemed to be the little boy’s signature: “Martin”. Had  he streched his arm to touch the boy, when a sharp voice came him round into reality._ “Mr. Martin, come on. Let’s go into the house. You know  you mustn’t go out barefoot. You are going to get a terrible cold_”. He turned round to the nurse and silently shuffled into the house.