Travels with Kathryn

Today (Sunday), my alarm went off at 7am (this is not a typo!). Whilst this may seem like utter madness, this was so I could visit the fish market, which is open from 7.30 am every Sunday. A bit like how London’s Smithfield Meat Market used to be, you can purchase alcohol to continue the night before should you wish. I did not, but many people (and some of them old enough to know better) were doing just that). It is not quite what I expected as in there is an outside market offering, among other things, large bags of reasonably priced fruit and vegetable, but the main attraction is the market hall. This is a music venue (today with a rockabilly group) and a vendor of fish finger sandwhiches, which I did partake of at 8am this morning!

I then took the ferry back to the old town to catch my 9.30 train to Bremen. Some views from the ferry:

So, Bremen, which is probably my last tourist city of this trip! I was not able to join a walking tour, so I shall have to do my best in terms of the history and key sites. Settlements in Bremen date back to around 100AD, and when the bishop of Hamburg relocated here in the 9th century, it became the base of bringing Christianity to Scandinavia. Bremen became an Imperial city in 1186 and joined the Hanseatic League in 1260 (becoming the third member). Its membership enabled it to become a key trading post in the league and continued to grow into a prosperous city up until the late 19th century when it became part of Prussia (but without the toll free status achieved by Hamburg) and at this time it became the principal port of embarkation for German and central European people to emigrate to the Americas. The city lost its independent status under the Nazis and in WW2, two-thirds of the city was destroyed, and much of this (particularly the old town) has been rebuilt.

My starting point for the walking tour around Bremen was the Markt Platz (Market Square). The Town Hall was originally built in 410 in Gothic style, and the Renaissance facade was added in 1612, making this the only European town hall built in the late Middle Ages, which survived in its original form. Its cellar (which was not open for visitation) contains Germany’s oldest cask of wine. Also pictured below is the Roland Statue. This was erected in 1404 and is a symbol of freedom and trading rights (there are many found all over Germany), but this is one of the oldest examples.

Markt Platz is also the home to the Town Musicians of Bremen – now, dedicated blog readers will recognise this, as this is the original, which a copy was gifted to Riga. For those of you that may have forgotten, this comes from the Brothers Grimm fairy tale and as well as this, there are various donkey, dog, cat and rooster (as well as other animals) statues around Bremen.

The final “site” in Markt Plat is Bremen Catherdal. The first church was built in 789, but the current church dates to the 13th century. As this was free to enter, I did, and it was nice to be back in the world of plainer Lutheran churches after Catholic Poland.

I next headed to Bottcherstrasse, which is a 100m medevial lane, which is a mixture of architectural styles having been transformed in the 1920s by coffee merchant Ludwig Roselius here is also the “fun” named Haus des Glockenspiels, which has 30 porcelain bells that play various folk tunes – just for some reason, not today. However, having looked online, people seem underwhelmed, so I hope I was not missing much.

I then headed along the river to an area of the city called Schnoor, which is the oldest neighbourhood in Bremen. This used to be home to Bremen’s poor fishing community, and Schnoor refers to workshops where ship’s rigging was produced. Much of Hamburg and Bremen has been reconstructed after WW2. However, Schnoor was largely undamaged, so what looks old is mostly, actually old. Now, as I mentioned my visit took place on Sunday which means that very little was open, however, a few small shops were open in Schnoor including a gin shop so I have managed to purchase a bottle of Bremen Gin (which shall be gifted to my next host) which was rather nice or perhaps I just had low expectations of German gin?

The nothing being open also extended to restaurants, so I headed back to the station this afternoon (I had eaten a fishfinger sandwhich for breakfast after all) and returned to Hamburg for food. I had Jaherschnitzel, which is a schnitzel covered in a meaty/mushroomy sauce, making a change from my more usual Weiner Schnitzel – just the thing for a cold day.

I can heartily recommend a day trip to Bremen. The old town is beautiful, and it is incredibly easy from Hamburg – however, maybe go on a day other than a Sunday if you want to eat somewhere other than McDonalds!

I have now packed, showered, and am fully up to date with the blogs (hurrah!). Tomorrow, I am getting the train to Amsterdam, so fingers crossed, this goes more smoothly than Friday’s epic journey. Can you believe that this time next week it will all be over? I am not sure I have come to terms with it yet, but I have big plans to work on my CV on the train tomorrow so I can get it sent out to start seeking actual employment soon. Scarry times indeed.