Cold Snap

What did you get up to today Michael?

Well, I walked. Alot.
Walked? Where were you walking?
As it turns out, I wasn't so sure.
Surely you had a purpose in mind when you started out?
No....I mean...sort of....well. Let's say that things turned out.
So you found what you were looking for?
No.
I'm confused.

It's true, I walked round the city today. It wasn't my intial intention. I had sat down and established precisely where I was going, a music store. The map and the internet told me where to go. It involved straight lines. How wrong they were. You think that the internet wouldn't lie to me about shops in Hamburg. If you do, then you got suckered like I did. Suckered? Surely our friend the internet wouldn't pull something like that, surely not.

Yes I got lost. Yes I had no clue where I was. But I did take photos. Quite a few. It involved a large statue (witnessed on left), surrounded by many other statues in this little garden-like area. I think it was part of another Planten um Bloomen, but I can't be sure. I've decided maps are a evil. For the time being. You can tell these statues are pretty old, as they've weathered. That and there was a sign in German saying something about 1902. But I can't be sure. Could be that Hamburg offers statues a poor lifestyle. Who really knows.

I did manage to find myself, when I spied a familiar spire in the sky. That's right, I found Michaelkirsche, or "the Michel" as it's known in these parts. It's a massive structure, and to think it's been rebuilt numerous times to its exact original condition with every fire endured. As you can see from the photos, being inside started to look very promising. So I walked around a bit, but with an entry fee and the sky showing signs of clearing I decided I'd continue on my hunt for this most elusive of beasts, the Gee-taar. But not without first taking a snap of the giant towering over me at this time.

As it turns out, there's a bunch of streets with a variety of shops, cafes, and people in this little area just north of Feldstraße. Pity really that there's no instrument parlours about. Oh, there's music stores, lined with walls of LPs, and posters of guitars. But no guitars. I'm thinking the best option is just to purchase one online. One's kinda struck me, but I think it's just the novelty factor. Regardless of what I purchase, I can always bring it back with me when I return to Vienna.

The other discoveries of the day included:

• A market place that has fresh fish. So I might be dining on some bounty of the sea in the near future. I really do miss fish, and I want to try my hand at cooking them. Got any advice?
• A second hand bicycle store, so I might look into purchasing one. But I've survived without one so far, so it's no real biggie.
• Apparently my German is enough to convince an old lady I know the subway system. Or at least that's what I'm telling myself. She caught the right train, I should know, I was on it fearing my life that I'd given her the wrong directions.

As for possibilites? They're limitless. One step at a time though, and the first step is playing volleyball tonight with some Bucerius people. The next step involves playing hockey, which I'm told involves a friend who's happy to lend me any gear I require. Don't fret Jamie, I'll try not to make a dick out of myself hence paving the way for you to come over into your semi-professional half-baked glory.

I've also been informed that a cold snap has hit New Zealand. I feel your pain, we've just been hit by a cold snap too. I had to wear a jumper today. With my sandals and shorts.

Oh, and I discovered why've there's little success in finding Dessert wine, or Eiswein as it's known here. It's all because Germany specialises in a variety of white wines, and the market is flooded with inexpensive reds from Italy and France. So low prices on damn good whites and red, but there's little in the way of dessert wines in any theme.

Looks like I'll have to buy the 10 EUR bottles of Bombay Sapphire. Pity.