From being a veritable Waterworld, and easiest to travel by eco-friendly means β namely bicycle and on foot β to the niche jazz clubs only those in the know can locate, Hamburg is a mix of all my favorite things, which goes a long way in explaining why I have been here for four years!
The sense of maritime charm that Hamburg is so well known for is so perfectly accompanied by a spirit of revolution and an alternative undertone that permeates the city, allowing quirky neighborhoods and arty hangouts to flourish in old fishing villages and trade areas.
Somewhat controversial, and for good reason, the Herbertstrasse red-light district is almost entirely male-only β in patronage, that is. In truth the street is full of a female presence, only the woman here are primarily sex workers and women from the outside are vehemently rejected. This considerably controversial rule is probably the reason this less-touristy street in St. Pauli wins a spot on the list of more unusual things to do in Hamburg.
Located near the better-known red-light district, the Reeperbahn, Herbertstrasse is the only street in the city where it is still possible to find prostitutes posing in the windows. Far less bawdy is this great example of quirky Hamburg that is hipster not because of trend or fad, but because of generations of a generally determined and β some might call them resistant β persistent population. This little restaurant, situated close to the harbour between old warehouses and tucked neatly under a bridge, might not look like anything to the unsuspecting eye.
By to those who know it Oberhafen Kantine is a hard-kept secret, with delicious homemade seasonal and regional spoils cooked up in a precariously crooked little house where one waitress was rumoured to have worked for 72 years. With little in the way of interior decor, there is still plenty to look at and an abundance of naturally occuring charm in the tiny spot that sits flush against the railway.
