Today we spent the day wandering more places of significance from my mother’s early years. We got up at 5.30 to go to the traditional St Pauli Fischmarkt which is held every Sunday at 5-9.30 around the old fish auction hall. Arriving shortly before 7 were part of the throngs of people headed there. Some early risers like us with some locals intent on actually shopping and some going for the entertainment value. There was also a healthy mix of young people strolling the water front who hadn’t yet made it home after a long night out (and looked a bit worse for it!). My mother used to come with her father early in the morning to buy fresh fish – with eel from the Elbe river being a favourite.
Entrance to the Fischmarkt
Traditionally the vendors call out their wares. The food vendors kept calling out deals – they kept putting stuff in the basket which cost 10 euros. When someone felt they had filled it enough they bought the basket. The guys with the biggest crowds were putting on good shows – the noodle guy had a massive voice. There was probably enough pasta in a basket for a year. The fruit for 10 euros for a basket looked like a good deal. There is a wide variety of products now – everything souvenirs, clothing, fruit, and fish. I was very tempted to get a basket of cheese – but I resisted!
Fish vendor calling out his deals and haggling with the blond woman.
Smoked eels
There was also traditional entertainment at the market with one man operating a crank organ and another pair playing the accordion and singing old Hamburger folk songs. Mum was singing along a bit!
After the Fish Market we headed to the Landungsbruecken again to take a harbour tour. We went along the inner and outer harbours. It was interesting to see the big container ship terminal and the dry docks. Our tour boat was a converted goods transport boat that used to be used to transport goods from ships to shore before containers took over everything. My great-grandfather (Oma’s father) operated such a boat before the war. We also went through the Speicherstadt area again which was kind of interesting to see from the water.
Cargo ship in drydock
Warehouses in the Speicherstadt
Our tour boat – a converted cargo transport boat like that operated by my great-grandfather.
After we finished the tour we headed north through the connective green spaces of the old botanical gardens to the Planten un Blomen (dialect for Plants and Blooms). It was such a gorgeous sunny, warm day there were throngs of Hamburger families there.
Of course by this time breakfast was a distant memory so we stopped at a cafe in the park where we tried some “currywurst” which turned out to be sausage drowned in bbq sauce with a sprinkling of curry powder on top. I suspect this was not the finest example of this dish as it is everywhere.
Currywurst
We happened to be at the pond at 2 when the fountains exploded in a choreographed display to lively classical music played over the loud speakers.
We then walked towards my mother’s old neighbourhood. She lived at 61 Hütten strasse. The area was pretty much bombed out during the war though her building and school survived.
My mother’s elementary school around the corner from their apartment.
My uncle’s elementary school just along the street from my mothers.
My mother’s family had an apartment that is where the first two windows are to the left of the front door at street level. Only windows at that time were at the back of the building.
Hüttenstraße today
Across the street from their was entirely reduced to rubble during the war and they used to play there. At the time it was all pretty grey and run down as a result of the war but now it all looks snazzy and rebuilt. Across the street on Peterstraße they rebuilt the 16th and 17th century houses that once stood in the area. The Johannes Brahms museum is now located on this street.
The Brahm’s Museum
Peterstraße
After all this walking it was time for a break as our legs and feet were starting to protest. The results were what I consider to be comfort food. Liver dumpling soup for my mother (not really my thing – bad childhood memories of liver and onions…) and for me a plate of sausage, sauerkraut, and spätzle (southern German pasta). Very yummy when accompanied by more Alsterwasser (which I’ve found out is just a shandy!). Despite appearance we are also eating some veggies in the form of salad so hopefully we are keeping scurvy at bay (which is necessary since I left all vitamin pills in Canada as they were too heavy!).
Liver dumpling soup
Sausage, sauerkraut, and spätzle
After this we were so full, tired, and sore that we just went back to the hotel and collapsed.