Big Bertha 2016 tour: Hamburg

To say Hamburg was a surprise is an understatement, more of a revelation. The downside was that we only had one night there.

Initially, on arriving at our campsite we were somewhat underwhelmed. Positioned under an overbridge, and adjacent to what seemed like one of the busiest intersections in Germany, did not bode well for a good nights sleep, particularly as it was a Saturday. As events transpired the noise was such that we did not sleep at all.

Hamburg itself however, was extremely attractive. We explored what was formerly an early 1900's warehouse district; multi-storey brick buildings that have been refurbished and converted to apartments and some commercial use. Street after street of the most impressive early 1900's architecture we have seen. It is the largest collection of industrial buildings of this era in the world. Many of the warehouses were damaged in the ten day bombing of Hamburg in 1944 that killed 40,000 civilians. The buildings restoration has been of the highest standard.

Miniature Wonderland was 3 floors of fascination. The attention to detail and humour could have enthralled us for a whole day, if we had allowed the time. Changing from day to night every 20 minutes, planes landing and taking off, smoke from bombed out buildings, the creativity was something to behold. Many of the exhibits told stories such as the rebuilding of Hamburg, and the breaking down of the Berlin Wall.

It was a case of the closer you looked the more you saw. Even Area 51 and the lost city of Atlantis made cameo apperances.